Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Christmas morning isn't the same without the smell of this casserole wafting through the house as we open gifts. I serve it with mimosas and fruit salad. The recipe from my momma leaves room for interpretation. I added a bit of guidelines below to help take out some of the guesswork for bakers, like me, who prefer detailed directions.

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: Overnight
Servings: 6 generous
Source: Momma de Kitty

Ingredients

Sausage, 1 1/2 lbs
Eggs, 6-9
Milk, 3 cups
Dry mustard, 1 1/2 tsp
Salt, 1 tsp (optional)
Bread, cubed, 3 slices
Cheese, grated, 2 cups

Directions

1. Brown sausage. Drain and place in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole dish. Blot meat with paper towel to remove excess grease.
2. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add milk and mix.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Stir together.
4. Pour mixture over sausage.
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve immediately

Notes

1. Jimmy Dean sausage - One pound regular and 1/2 pound hot sausage.
2. I use seven eggs with yolk and two eggs with whites only.
3. I use one cup montery jack and one cup extra sharp cheddar cheese.
4. I use a 2.8 liter Corningware casserole dish.

Beef Stroganoff

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 45 mins
Servings: 4
Source: Momma de Kitty

Ingredients

Sirloin steak, 1 1/2 lb cut into strips
Butter, 4 Tbs
Black pepper, 1/4
Mushrooms, 1/4 lb fresh or 1 4 oz can sliced
Beef stock, 2 tsp or 2 bouillon cubes
Onion powder, 2 tsp
Hot water, 1 3/4 cups
Cornstarch, 2 tsp
Cold water, 1 Tbs
Sour cream, 1/2 cup
Dill weed, 1 tsp

Directions

1. Brown meat in butter. Season with pepper.
2. Cook pasta and toss with pesto
3. Slice fresh or drain canned mushrooms. Add mushrooms to browned meat. Cook 4-5 minutes.
4. Dissolve beef stock base and onion powder in hot water and pour over meat. Cook and simmer for one hour or until meat is very tender. Stir occasionally.
5. Mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into meat.
6. When sauce is thickened blend in sour cream and dill weed.

Notes

1. Arrowroot can be used instead of cornstarch

Pesto and Red Pepper Pasta

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4
Source: Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

Orichetti, 1 lb
Red Peppers, 2 cut in half lengthwise
Pesto
Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place peppers in boiling water for not more than 4 minutes to cook. Then dip in ice water briefly to stop the cooking.
2. Cook pasta and toss with pesto
3. Fill the peppers with the mixture and top with parmesan cheese.

Notes

1. Serve as a side dish or with a salad for a light meal

Chicken Tetrazzini

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Servings: 12
Source: Momma de Kitty

Ingredients

Thin spaghetti, 1 lb
Chicken, 4 cups
Butter, 4 Tbs
Cream of Mushroom Soup, 4 cans
Chicken stock, 1 Tbs
Half-and-half, 1 cup
Sherry, 4 Tbs
Parmesan cheese, 1/2 Cup

Directions

1. Cook and drain spaghetti and toss with butter
2. Dissolve powdered chicken stock in a small amount of hot water
3. Mix soup, sherry, chicken stock, and milk together to form wet ingredients
4. In a 4 qt casserole dish layer in this order:spaghetti, chicken, wet ingredients.
5. Repeat once
6. Cover top with parmesan cheese
7. Bake for 30 mins or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Notes

1. 2 2 quart pans can be used
2. Adjust baking time accordingly if casserole is frozen or refrigerated
3. Evaporated milk may be used instead of half-and-half
4. Vermouth may be used instead of Sherry.
5. I recommend using the real deal and not cooking sherry.

Banquet Slow Cooker Meals Are Back!

Crock pot meals are probably the easiest and least time consuming meal to prepare. And for the truly lazy Banquet makes frozen slow cooker meals. All you have to do is add hot water to your slow cooker and the contents of the package. I have missed these meals for several years and am so glad they are back on the market. They are the epitome of cheap, fast, and easy.

Beer Butt Chicken

This is just one of the marvelous recipes I inherited from LSO. I inquired with my father-in-law about measurements in an attempt to standardize the recipe. His response is typical of many family recipes. Thankfully Beer Butt Chicken has become quite popular. If you don't like what you see below I recommend a Google search.

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Servings: 4-6
Source: LSO's parents

Ingredients
Beer, 1 can
Whole fryer chicken

Marinade
Honey
Worcestershire sauce
Apple cider vinegar
Water

Chicken Directions

1. Stick beer can up chickens rear and balance in a 9 X 13 aluminum pan
2. Barbecue on low for several hours basting chicken with marinade regularly
3. Serve

Marinade Directions

1. Place ½” of honey in bottom of a spray bottle
2. Then place 3” of Worcestershire sauce, 2 inches of vinegar, and 6 inches of water.
3. Taste. Add more ingredients as needed

Notes

1. We typically shove the beer can into the cavity of the bird. Fancier holders are available at Bed Bath and Beyond.
2. I have yet to get measurements for the marinade from my in-laws.Will update marinade directions at a later date.

Pasta Primavera

LSO has a courage with his cooking that I lack. He often adds, sometimes by mistake, seemingly random ingredients to recipes. One night he decided to try adding bacon bits to our primavera. The result was FANTASTIC. I now stock bacon bits in our pantry for this dish alone.

Recipe Summary
Time: 30 mins
Servings: About 4
Source: LSO

Ingredients
penne pasta,cooked
olice oil, 2 Tbs
bell pepper,coarsely chopped
red onion,coarsely chopped
mushroom,coarsely chopped
squash,coarsely chopped
zuccini,coarsely chopped
bacon bits
alfredo sauce

Directions

1. Cook penne pasta
2. Chop veggies while water boils and pasta cooks
3. Heat oil in pan
4. Cook veggies over med heat until tender.
5. Toss cooked pasta in pan with veggies
6. Add enough alfredo sauce to coat pasta lightly
7. Finish with a shake or three of bacon bits
8. Serve

Notes

1. The veggies are optional. I typically use whatever I have in my fridge.
2. Use a light alfredo sauce to make this dish a bit more healthy
3. I usually guesstamate on this recipe so it has not been standardized.

Cali Beans and Rice

When it comes to cheap, fast, and easy there is nothing better than rice and beans. I like this recipe because each of the ingredients are a staple in our home. And, if I use last nights leftover rice, I have a meal in minutes. I think you'll enjoy my family's So-Cal adaptation of this American classic.

Ingredients
White rice
Black beans, 1 can
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Salsa (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Combine rice, beans, and cheese in a bowl. Heat to desired temperature.
2. Add cilantro and salsa if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

1. Walmart Lime and Garlic Salsa is my family's favored brand.
2. If leftover rice is dry, add a bit of water prior to reheating.

Homemade Frozen Pizza

There is at least one night a week where life is just a bit too busy to prepare a family meal. Since I am too cheap and lazy to head out to eat I always keep my freezer stalked with at least one frozen Tombstone pizza. I typically buy the original pepperoni and cheese because everyone in my family loves those two ingredients. So I start with those two and add on additional ingredients that I have in my house (onions, canned olives, green peppers). I put the pizza in the oven following the directions on the package and voilà a tasty (semi) fresh dinner is served.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Recipe Summary
Servings: 4
Source: LSO

Ingredients
Bread, 8 slices
Cheddar cheese, 8 oz, sliced
Red Onion, 1 small, sliced
Mushroom, 4 oz, sliced
Cilantro, fresh 11/2 tsp
Garlic, 1 clove, chopped
Butter

Directions

1. Butter slices of bread on one side. Stack bread, butter sides together, on small plate.
2. Slice 8 oz block of cheddar cheese. Set aside.
3. Sauté mushrooms, onion, and garlic on low heat until light brown. Place sautéed items in a bowl.
4. Wipe pan with a paper towel. Leave on the hot stove.
5. Place one slice bread butter side down in the frying pan. Layer bread with cheese and sautéed mixture. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Place slice of bread butter side up to finish sandwich.
6. Cook for roughly 3 minutes or until brown. Flip sandwich and cook until cheese is melted.
7. Repeat.

Notes

1. LSO makes this recipe different every time so it has not been standardized. Therefore, make adjustments to ingredient amounts as necessary.

Perfect Pork Chops

A few years ago I learned from my mom (and Cook's Illustrated) how to make juicy pork chops. I had been cooking pork for years and every time the meat was dry and leathery. This little trick below helped me turn a cooking corner with the other white meat.

1. Thaw pork in refrigerator
2. Place pan on stove to heat while preparing the pork.
3. Lightly sprinkle sugar on one side of the meat.
4. Turn pork over with a fork and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Once pan is hot place the chilled meat in pan sugar side down.
6. Cook meat thoroughly on both sides (about 7 mins per side)

The key to this recipe is to sear the meat by placing the cold meat in a hot pan with sugar side down. This method serves to sear the pork thus sealing the juices within the meat. No more dry pork! Hooray!

Beef Enchilada Casserole

Recipe Summary
Servings: 8
Source: Momma de Kitty

Ingredients
Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp
Lean Ground Beef, 2 lbs.
Onion, 1 cup, chopped
Zucchini/Yellow Squash. 3 cups, chopped
Mexical style tomatoes, 1 can (approx 14.5 oz
Coriander, 11/2 tsp
Cumin, 1/2 tsp, ground
Salt (optional), to taste
Corn tortillas, 12
Chedder cheese, 11/2 cups, shredded
Monterrey Jack cheeses, 1/2 cup, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 13 X 9 glass baking dish.
2. Saute beef in olive oil in a large pan over high heat until slightly browned. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Add the onions and saute until lightly browned.
4. Add squash and continue to saute until soft. Approx. 15 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, corriander, cumin, and salt (if desired).
6. Overlap 6 tortillas on bottom of baking dish, covering completely. Spoon 1/2 of beef mixture over tortillas.
7. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese mixture.
8. Cover cheese with another layer of 6 tortillas.
9. Spoon the rest of the beef mixture over the tortillas.
10. Cover with the remaining cheese.
11. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through. Approximately 45 minutes.
12. Serve warm.

Notes

1. Time is short once the beef begins cooking. It is best to have ingredients ready to go before the beef is added to the pan.
   
2. The mixture was often too large for one dish but too small for another casserole. She made a few soft tacos with the leftovers.
3. Casserole may be made ahead and stored in the freezer for up to two weeks. Increase cook time in 15 minute intervals until casserole is heated through.

Fast Fajitas

Recipe Summary
Servings: 4
Source: Kitty

Ingredients
Chicken¹, 1/2 bag fully cooked fajita style
Pepper/Onion mix, 1 bag frozen
Rice, 2 1/2 cups cooked
Tortillas²
Cheese, cheddar shredded (optional)
Garlic Powder
Cilantro

Directions

1. Cook rice.
2. While rice is cooking, place bag of frozen pepper/onion mix into heated skillet.
   
3. Season peppers/onions with garlic powder and cilantro as desired.
4. Pour 1/2 bag of pre-prepared fajita chicken onto cutting board. Cut chicken into thinner strips.
   
5. Once moisture is gone from skillet add chicken. Cook until peppers/onions are slightly blackened. Remove from heat.
   
6. Place rice and peppers/onions on tortilla. Add cheese if desired. Serve hot.
   

Notes

1. The chicken may be omitted or replaced with tofu for a vegan option.
2. Corn tortillas may be used for a gluten-free meal.
   
3. I usually pick out half the onions from the mix because I like a higher ratio of peppers than provided. I refreeze the onions for a later dish.
   
4. I always cook more rice than I need to save for future rice dishes.