Sunday, May 29, 2022

Meaty Mexican Mac and Cheese


Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 can (10 oz.) Ro-Tel tomatoes, mild (or to taste)
1/2 cup salsa, mild (or to taste)
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles, mild (or to taste)
1 pound uncooked macaroni pasta
1 pound Queso Blanco Velveeta
10 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
1 cup Mexican crema or heavy cream
Pepper jack cheese, shredded

Directions
  1. In a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat, heat oil, then add meats and onion. Cover and cook until meat is browned, stirring occasionally. Add salt, chili powder, tomatoes, salsa and chiles. Stir well and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, cook past to al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to original cooking pot; set aside.
  3. In a microwave-safe bowl, add Velveeta, queso fresco and cream and microwave 3 minutes. Stir well and continue to cook in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth. (Or combine ingredients in a saucepan and melt over medium heat.)
  4. Stir cheese sauce into macaroni to coat, then pour pasta into the meat mixture. Heat on low 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring to blend well. Serve with pepper jack cheese on top.
Notes: This was a big hit with the kids, despite having more of a kick than they usually like. I enjoyed it quite a bit as well. Velveeta Salsa Mac is similar and simpler to make, but I liked the different cheeses and the sausage in this one and would choose this over Velveeta Salsa Mac.

Source: Texas Co-op Power magazine, February 2022

Italian Beef Sandwiches


Ingredients
1 jar (11-1/2 ounces) pepperoncinis
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3-1/2 to 4 pounds)
1/4 cup water
1-3/4 tsp dried basil
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large onion, sliced and quartered
10 to 12 hard rolls, split

Directions
  1. Drain pepperoncinis, reserving liquid. Remove and discard stems of peppers; set peppers aside. Cut roast into large chunks; place a third of the meat in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add water.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the basil, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper; sprinkle half over beef. Layer with half of the remaining meat, then onion, reserved peppers and liquid. Top with remaining meat and herb mixture.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender. Shred beef with two forks. Using a slotted spoon, serve beef and peppers on rolls. 
  4. Yied: 10-12 servings.
Notes: Honestly didn't enjoy this on sandwiches as much as I wanted to. (For that I prefer the flavors of the Mississippi Roast recipe we've already got on here.) Having said that, there were plenty of leftovers and I decided to use the meat to make some quesadillas. The addition of the crunchy tortilla and some mozzarella cheese made this much more of a hit for me. My kids all liked it, too, so this ended up being a successful recipe for us.

Source: The Best of Country Cooking (2003) cook book

Southwestern Chicken Barley Soup


Ingredients
6 cups water
1/2 cup quick barley
2 Tbsp dried onion
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1   15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1   15 oz. can tomato sauce
1   15 oz. can corn, drained
2-3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1   10 oz. can chicken

Directions
  1. Bring first four ingredients to boil, then simmer, covered, until barley is tender, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except chicken, and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.
  3. Break up chicken with fork and add to soup. Heat through. Serves 6-8.
Notes: I found out Brittany needed me to make dinner last minute and found this while thumbing through our binder of recipes. It was easy to make and turned out well. We didn't have quick barley, and I ended up simmering the pearl barley I used for close to an hour to get it tender.

Source: printed on a piece of paper Brittany got at a Relief Society activity a long time ago.

Skillet Gnocchi with Asparagus and Fried Eggs


Ingredients
1 pkg. (16 oz.) gnocchi1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 tsp chopped, fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and black pepper
4 eggs

Directions
  1. Place gnocchi in 12-inch nonstick skillet; add water to just barely cover. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add asparagus; boil 1 minute more. Ladle 1/4 cup cooking water into small bowl; set aside. Drain gnocchi and asparagus.
  2. Wipe skillet dry; return to heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add gnocchi and asparagus; cook until slightly browned on several sides, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, zest, reserved cooking water and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; keep warm.
  3. Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add eggs, cover and cook until whites are set but yolks are runny, 4-6 minutes (safe internal temp. 160°F). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Divide gnocchi between plates. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Top each portion with egg and serve, refrigerating any leftovers.
Notes: I made this in February 2021 and am just now getting around to posting. We like this recipe and have enjoyed it at least a couple of times. I think I struggled with getting the gnocchi to brown when I made it this time. Seems like it was sticky and falling apart. Still tasty! We'll have it again (maybe I'll remember to get a better photo).

Source: Kroger MyMagazine mailer

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Beef Birria

 

Ingredients
3 (8 ounce) short ribs
1 (2 1/2 pound) beef chick
4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
7 dried guajillo chilies
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 C. white vinegar
4 C. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. finely diced white onion (for garnish)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
1 medium lime, sliced (for garnish)
 
Directions
1. Cut each short rib through the middle, all the way down to the bone. Cut beef chuck in half; cut each half into 3- to 4-inch pieces.
2. Place beef chuck and short ribs into a soup pot and season with salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Toss very thoroughly until the meat is evenly coated with the spices, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Cover and transfer into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
4. Prep guajillo chilies by snipping stems with scissors; slice open and scrape or shake out the seeds onto a plate to discard.
5. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add dried guajillo chilies and toss in the hot oil, about 30 seconds. Add the 1 chopped onion, garlic, and ginger; toss to combine. Add tomatoes and water, raise heat to high, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Turn off heat and use an immersion blender to blend the mixture as smooth as possible, or transfer to a regular blender, working in batches as needed.
7. Remove the soup pot with meat from the refrigerator. Strain the reserved chili mixture into the pot using a large mesh strainer. Add bay leaves, honey, vinegar, and chicken broth.
8. Bring to boil over high heat, and then lower to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling-apart tender, 3-4 hours. Skim fat off of the top and reserve for future birria queso tacos.
9. Place some chunks of beef into a soup bowl and ladle some of the cooking liquid over top. Top with white onion and chopped cilantro and squeeze lime juice over top.

Notes: Another tasty recipe that John made. Plan for a lot of time to make this recipe. It seems that ours turned out much less liquidy than the source photos seems to show, but I don't remember feeling like it needed to have more liquid. The source has a note that water or broth can be added as needed to Keep the stew brothy as it simmers, but that it can also be allowed to reduce and thicken as it cooks. We shredded our meat. We also reserved the fat and made delicious tacos the next day by placing meat and cheese in a corn tortilla, folding it in half and frying it in the reserved fat. It was delicious!

Source: AllRecipes.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

 
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
3 c. chicken broth
14-16 oz. smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 lb. chicken breast, diced
1-2 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. creole seasoning
14 oz. can diced tomatoes (undrained)

 
Directions
1.Bring 3 cups chicken broth to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add rice. Reduce heat to low, place lid on pan, and gently simmer for about 20 minutes, until rice is done. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing lid and fluffing rice with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil. Add sausage and chicken and cook until sausage is browned and chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. If needed, add more oil to the skillet. Put onion, garlic, red and green bell peppers, celery, and seasonings. Saute until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes and their liquid. Simmer for a couple minutes to heat through.
4. Once rice is finished cooking, add to skillet and stir until mixed in thoroughly with chicken, sausage, and vegetables. Ready to serve!

Notes: I was in the mood to try some jambalaya, so I went on the hunt for a good-looking recipe. We are not huge shrimp fans, so I opted for a combination of chicken and sausage. When looking for a recipe that called for both, what I found seemed a bit plain. So, I gathered ideas from several other recipes and made this up on the spot. It turned out really tasty! You could certainly make this with the traditional shrimp if you want. As I am posting this 5 months later, I think it's time to make it again.

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Lemon Chicken Tenders


Ingredients
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup sugar (see notes below - I used less)
½ cup lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  2. In a bowl, stir together paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken pieces. Dip pieces in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in an aluminum foil-lined 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, turning once.
  4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together sugar, lemon juice, and curry powder, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
  5. Drizzle lemon sauce over chicken, return to oven, and bake 5 minutes more.
Notes: I had a 4-year old assisting me with this recipe and so mistakes were made. Also 1/2 cup of sugar seemed excessive, so I tried 2 tablespoons. With the smaller amount it wasn't too sweet, but I also didn't get the consistency of a glaze. So I was mostly "drizzling" a mix of lemon juice and curry powder and overdid it a bit: the tenders turned out very lemony. Still edible, but not something I'd want again without modifications. I'd maybe use slightly more sugar to get a glaze or just use less of the lower sugar mixture. Or maybe use something like honey instead of sugar?

Source: All Recipes

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Xavier Soup


Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
A grating of fresh nutmeg
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
10 cups chicken stock (I did 8 cups)
Additional chopped parsley for garnishing

Directions:
  1. Line a large baking sheet with well-buttered parchment paper. Fit a sturdy piping bag with a large round tip.
  2. In a medium saucepan, over low heat, work the flour, cream, butter, and cheese into a soft dough.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, yolks, and tablespoon of chopped parsley.
  4. Spoon the dough into the piping bag and squeeze out 1-inch lengths onto the prepared pan. Use a butter knife to separate the dough from the tip once you’ve piped out shapes of the proper length.
  5. Let stand for 30 minutes.
  6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In another, smaller saucepan, warm up the chicken stock.
  7. Drop one third of the dumplings into the boiling water, and boil until they are tender and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the heated chicken stock.
  8. Repeat process with the remaining dumplings.
  9. Once all the dumpling are cooked and in the chicken stock, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings
Notes: A few thoughts here. First, I only made this recipe because I wanted to make a recipe that started with the letter X, and this one seemed relatively easy. Second, it admittedly doesn't look all that appetizing. Aesthetically this soup is bland. Third: My oldest struggled with the texture of the dumplings. Fourth: I discovered (midway through cooking the dumplings) that after the dough sat for 30 minutes, it had set enough that it could be shaped by hand. Fifth: I loved this soup. The buttery, cheesy dumplings were delicious! This soup exceeded my expectations and after having it this first time it is right up there as one of my favorites.

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Mujadara


Ingredients
4 Tbsps olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground allspice
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
Large pinch dried thyme, oregano, and/or rosemary
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup green, brown, or red lentils
3/4 cup rice
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
Pepper, to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes, for garnish
Chopped fresh herbs, for garnish

Directions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, then add onions. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until the onions turn golden brown, 15-45 minutes, stirring often so they don't burn. Transfer half of the onions to a plate, leaving remaining half in the skillet.
  2. Add garlic to skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add cumin, allspice, and cayenne and sauté a few seconds to toast the spices. Stir in herbs and broth, bring to a simmer, and add salt to taste.
  3. Add in lentils, cover and simmer with lid cracked until lentils are almost done (25-30 minutes for green and brown lentils, 15-20 minutes for red). Stir rice into the pot and continue to cook until everything is tender, 15-20 minutes. Close lid completely if it looks too thick while cooking.
  4. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top with reserved onions and garnishes.
Notes: I've been interested in finding some good lentils recipes to add to the rotation, and this one was a keeper. My kids even liked it (except for the 6-year-old).

Source: clipped from Texas Co-op Power Magazine, January 2021 issue

Breakfast Burrito Fried Rice


Ingredients
8 oz. ground chorizo
2 eggs, beaten
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup salsa
Salt
Grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce

Directions
  1. Brown chorizo in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain all but 1 tablespoon grease.
  2. Add eggs to hot grease in skillet and push around with wooden spoon until barely set. Remove from pan; set aside.
  3. Return chorizo to skillet. Add onion and bell pepper; cook until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add cumin and corn; cook 1 minute. Add rice and salsa; cook, stirring constantly, until rice breaks up and is heated through, and chorizo reaches a safe internal temperature of 160°F. Stir in reserved scrambled eggs. Season to taste with salt. Top with cheese and lettuce. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes: I knew I would enjoy this recipe based on the ingredients. It was also a hit with the rest of the family. We will be having this one again.

Source: clipped from a Kroger magazine we received in the mail. 

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Irish Shepherd's Pie


Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
2 pounds lean ground lamb (we used ground beef)
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ketchup
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cups water, or as needed
1 (12 ounce) package frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
¼ cup cream cheese
¼ pound Irish cheese (such as Dubliner), shredded
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Place olive oil and butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion and ground lamb; brown the meat, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in flour until incorporated, then mix in salt, black pepper, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, ketchup, and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in water and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer; cook and stir until thick, about 5-6 minutes.
  5. Remove lamb mixture from heat and stir in peas and carrots until combined.
  6. Spread lamb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  7. Place potatoes into a large pan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to pan.
  8. Mash butter, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and Irish cheese into the potatoes. Mash until combined and potatoes are smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  9. Whisk together egg yolk and milk in a small bowl; stir into the mashed potato mixture.
  10. Top the lamb mixture in the baking dish with the mashed potatoes and spread evenly to cover.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
Notes: Ground lamb is a bit fancy for us so we went with ground beef. Apparently that makes this recipe a Cottage Pie rather than a Shepherd's Pie. But I am posting the recipe as I found it. Maybe some day we'll be willing to pay the extra $ to see if ground lamb is worth it. We also couldn't find a frozen peas and carrots mix, so we used the mixed veggies we had that also included corn and beans. This was a tasty meal (my son loved it) but I didn't put in enough salt in step 3 so it smelled better than it tasted. A little bit of added salt helped but first impression was that it was lacking.

Source: allrecipes

Friday, January 1, 2021

Leche Asada (Baked Milk Custard)


Ingredients

6 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk
Garnish with ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Crack 6 eggs into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add sugar and milk and whisk to combine.
  4. Pour through strainer (to remove larger egg residues) into individual ramekins or one 1 1/2 quart ramekin. 
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes in the small ramekins or for 1 hour in the large. (Setting them in a water bath will make them creamier).
  6. Chill for about an hour.
  7. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon (if desired) and serve.

Notes: This is a simple but tasty dessert. Brittany has done water baths for custards before but I had never actually made a custard before, so I learned something new making this. (This is how I did it: set ramekin into larger baking dish. Bring some water to a boil and pour into larger baking dish until it is approximately level with the custard in the ramekin.)

Sopa de Mani (Bolivian Peanut Soup)


Ingredients
Sopa de Mani:
olive oil (or peanut oil)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 lb beef, cubed
1 quart beef stock 
4 medium potatoes (cut as big or as small as you like)
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts (slightly ground up or as small as you like - smaller will result in more peanut flavor)
1/4 cup white rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup milk
parsley, to taste
salt
pepper

Llajua (Bolivian Hot Sauce):
3 ripe tomatoes 
1 red locotos chili pepper (we used a jalapeño)
2 garlic cloves
3 basil leaves
2 Tsp cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions
Sopa de Mani:
  1. Add oil to a large pot and heat over medium. Cook onion and garlic with oregano and cumin.
  2. When onions are softened, add beef, stock, potato, and peanuts. Simmer gently until potatoes are just tender. I cooked this soup on super low for about 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Add rice, milk and peas and serve after about 20 minutes.
  4. Serve with Llajua.
Llajua:
  1. Quarter the Chili pepper & the garlic.
  2. Take out the seeds and stuff from the tomato. Tomato guts are too wet and acidic for this recipe. Remove seeds from chili pepper if you want to make it more mild.
  3. Grab some cilantro and basil.
  4. Put everything in a blender along with the olive oil and salt.
  5. Puree and pour into little serving dishes.
Notes: I was too lazy to try to capture good photos of this recipe, and didn't get any of it after I added the hot sauce. I cubed my potatoes. I think if I make this again I either quarter the potatoes as the source did or I don't cook them quite as long. I enjoyed the tenderness of the beef but I think the potatoes were overdone. Also, my hot sauce didn't have much kick to it so next time I would go for a hotter pepper or leave the seeds in. Still, I like this better than the Argentine beef stew I tried from the Global Table Adventure blog. We've made several recipes from this blog, but this was the first time we also tried the recommended dessert: Leche Asada (Baked Milk Custard). 

Source: 
Sopa de Mani: Global Table Adventure

Tater Tot Taco Casserole


Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen Mexican-style corn
1 (12 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 ounce) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (16 ounce) package frozen tater tots
1 (12 fluid ounce) can enchilada sauce

Directions
  1. Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, taco seasoning mix, frozen Mexican-style corn, and black beans to the ground beef; cook and stir another 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Combine the ground beef mixture in a large bowl with about 3/4 of the Mexican cheese blend and the tater tots; stir to combine.
  4. Pour about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add the tater tot mixture to the baking dish; lightly pat the mixture down into a solid, even layer. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tater tot layer.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining Mexican cheese over the casserole and return to oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes more.

Notes: I really enjoyed this casserole and ate up nearly all the leftovers by myself over the next few days without complaint. A definite upgrade over our regular Tater Tot Casserole recipe in my opinion - though my kids probably like that one more. We couldn't find Mexican-style corn so just used plain frozen corn.

Source: allrecipes

Raspberry Swirl Buttermilk Pancakes


Ingredients
Raspberry Sauce:
1 to 1 1/2 cups of raspberries
1/2 to 3/4 sugar

Buttermilk Pancakes:
1 cup flour 
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 cup of buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions
  1. Combine the berries and the sugar in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, stirring often and simmer until thick (about 5 minutes).
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla, and butter. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients. Lightly whisk until everything just combines (it will be a bit lumpy).
  3. If needed lightly oil/butter your griddle. Heat to 350°F. 
  4. Put the raspberry sauce into a pastry bag with a tip (or use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off).
  5. Spoon batter onto the heated griddle. Pipe a swirl of raspberry into the middle of each pancake.
  6. When the edges begin to cook and the top is bubbled flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
  7. Serve with extra sauce, powdered sugar, or maple syrup.
Notes: The buttermilk pancake recipe we typically follow is found here. This is a fun variation, though really it tasted like a regular buttermilk pancake with raspberry sauce on top. The swirls are for presentation and variety I suppose.

Source: Well Floured

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Blueberry Muffin Tops


Ingredients
2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Optional: 1 tsp grated lemon or orange peel

Directions
  1. Sift together dry ingredients, including blueberries. If using frozen berries, do not thaw beforehand.
  2. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, and egg. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.
  3. Spoon onto baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes: This is just a simple variation on these Blueberry Muffins. Really any blueberry muffin recipe could be used instead.

Sheepherder's Breakfast


Ingredients
3/4 pound bacon strips, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package (30 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
8 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
  1. In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup drippings in pan.
  2. Stir in hash browns. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until bottom is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn potatoes. With the back of a spoon, make 8 evenly spaced wells in potato mixture. Break 1 egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook, covered, on low until eggs are set and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand until cheese is melted.
Notes: I thought this was a very tasty breakfast. And it is easy and fairly quick to make.

Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake


Ingredients
1 16-ounce loaf of French bread or sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes with the ends discarded. 
1/2 cup cream cheese softened (optional - leave out if preferred)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey divided 
1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced strawberries divided
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk or almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (optional - add if you like your French toast sweet)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour can substitute with gluten free 1-1 flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar 
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed

Optional Toppings:
maple syrup
more fresh berries
whipped cream
powdered sugar

Instructions
Make the Streusel Topping:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Set aside in the fridge.
Make the Casserole:
  1. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch square baking dish or 2.5-quart casserole dish.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the softened cream cheese over the bread and top with half of the berries.
  3. Layer with remaining bread cubes on top.
  4. In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, maple syrup (add brown sugar here if using) and vanilla.
  5. Pour evenly over bread cubes. Press the bread cubes slightly down to absorb the milk/egg mixture.
  6. Top evenly with remaining berries. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the berries. Cover pan with foil. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight.
  7. When ready to bake, remove French toast from the fridge. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 23-26 minutes or until fluffy and golden.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with syrup and additional toppings if desired.
Notes: Another tasty French toast casserole. I believe this is at least the 7th such recipe we've got on the blog, and we've tried a few that never got posted. I would put this somewhere in the middle of the bunch for how much I liked it.

Kaiserschmarrn


Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter
3 eggs
2 Tbsp sugar
1 pinch sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp raisins
1 pinch salt
1 pkg vanilla sugar (substitute vanilla flavoring + regular sugar)
powdered sugar

Directions
  1. Rinse off raisins in hot water and let them dry. Split the eggs into whites and yolks. Mix together milk, flour, 1 pinch salt and vanilla sugar. Mix in egg yolks. Turn on stove to 350°F.
  2. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Stir one third of the egg whites int othe batter and fold the egg whites and the raisins into the batter.
  3. Heat up 1 Tbsp butter in a coated pan. Pour in the batter and cook it at medium temperature until the underside is golden brown. Turn the Schmarrn over and cook it for about 5 minutes.
  4. Take the pan off the burner and tear the Schmarrn into pieces and push them to the edge. Put 1 Tbsp butter on the free place on the pan and sprinkle on 1 Tbsp sugar and let it caramelize. Mix the Schmarrn with the caramel.
  5. Tip: If possible the Schmarrn should stay together when turning over. Professionals can do it with a natural hand movement in that they scoop the Schmarrn like a thin pancake and flip it. You can half the Schmarrn or quarter it and turn it over with the help of a spatula and a fork.
  6. Serve with powdered sugar on top.

Notes: Brittany's younger brother, Brian, served as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany and brought this recipe back with him. He'd made it for us a few times before we got the recipe and made it ourselves. It is a sweet and tasty breakfast.

Source: Brian Stimpson

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole


Ingredients
Crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Casserole:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk, I used skim milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups blueberries
maple syrup, for serving

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
  2. Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and stir until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the batter.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract (the butter might clump from the chill of the cold ingredients- that's ok). Whisk wet ingredients until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy; do not over mix.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Remove the crumb topping from the fridge and crumble over the top of the blueberries and batter. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until puffed and light golden brown. Serve warm with maple syrup.
Notes: It has been a couple of months since we had this so the memories aren't sharp, but we remember liking it. I believe it reminded me somewhat of the Fruit Coffee Cake we made in the past.

Argentine Beef Stew in a Pumpkin


Ingredients

1 large pumpkin (10 to 12-inch diameter)
1.5 lbs stew beef , cubed (chuck works well)
1 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 ears corn on the cob, cut into 6-8 round segments
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups beef broth
vegetable oil
salt
pepper

Instructions
Prepare the pumpkin:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the top off the pumpkin. If you are able to get a large one, you can cut it about 1/3 of the way down so that it is wide but shallow. Remove the strings and seeds. If desired use a paring knife to cut smooth the top four inches of the inner edge for presentation. Brush the cut edges with vegetable oil. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.
For the soup:
  1. Add about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a large pot over high heat. Add the beef, stirring a couple of times to ensure even browning. If there is excess liquid, it will need to boil off before the meat begins browning.
  2. Reduce the heat, then add the onions and garlic. Once translucent, add the peppers and continue cooking for about five minutes. Add on the potatoes, tomatoes, corn, apricot, oregano, and bay leaves. Cover with 8 cups of broth.
  3. Simmer gently until the vegetables are just tender - about 30 minutes. Season to taste. 
  4. Ladle into the pumpkin in the oven and bake 30 more minutes to finish cooking . 
  5. Serve hot, on a chilly day. Spoon with some of the pumpkin flesh into each bowl.

Notes: It is best to bake the pumpkin directly on whatever you will be serving it on as once it has been baked and softened it will be difficult to move to a different dish. This was interesting to make, but a bit sweeter than my family likes for a beef stew. I missed the step to "season to taste" when I made it, so I've added salt and pepper to the ingredient list (not listed at the source) as I did feel it was missing something. If we make it again we will likely skip baking it in the pumpkin.

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Onion Scones


Ingredients
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1/3 cup green onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup light cream
1 egg (beaten)
butter

Directions
  1. Gather the ingredients together.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
  3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the yellow onion, green onions, garlic, and butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir this mixture.
  4. Microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let the vegetables cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Combine the flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, pepper, and salt in a large bowl and stir to mix.
  6. Add the sautéed onion mixture to the flour mixture along with all of the melted butter, light cream, and egg. Stir just until combined with a spoon.
  7. Gently press the dough together with your hands to form a ball.
  8. On an ungreased cookie sheet, press the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 wedges, like you were cutting a pie. Separate the wedges slightly.
  9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the scones are lightly browned.
  10. Brush with more melted butter and serve immediately. 
Notes: It is nice to have a few savory options when making scones. I really enjoyed these but the kids weren't super big fans.

Butterscotch Pecan Scones


Ingredients
2/3 cup pecans
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if necessary
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off (substitute: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup butterscotch chips, best quality such as Guittard
Demerara sugar (also called raw sugar or turbinado), for sprinkling

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and let the pecans cool on the countertop. When the pecans are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop them and set aside. Place the parchment back on the baking sheet.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and brown sugar (use your fingers to rub the brown sugar into the mixture until no lumps remain). Add the pieces of butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Stir in the butterscotch chips and pecans. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the cream mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix until the dough comes together. It should be a bit sticky, almost like chocolate chip cookie dough. If it seems dry, add more cream little by little (no more than 2 tablespoons should be necessary).
  5. Dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the sticky dough on top and dust the top of the dough with a little flour as well. Knead gently a few times until the dough comes together into a ball. (Sprinkle lightly with more flour as needed so that the dough doesn't stick.)
  6. Press the dough into a circle about 1-inch high, then cut into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart, and then sprinkle each one with about 1/2 teaspoon of Demerara sugar. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The scones are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Notes: Another tasty scone recipe. As with most other scone recipes, the dough can be frozen before baking. (We often makes our scones the night before and freeze overnight before baking in the morning.) Put the dough wedges on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in a sealable freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer, allowing 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven. 

Breakfast Empanada


Ingredients
1/2 recipe empanada dough (dough recipe from source available here)
2 tablespoons butter
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
8 pieces of bacon
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
3 scallions (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 egg (for egg wash)

Directions
  1. Prepare the empanada dough and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour (overnight is best).
  2. Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon roughly.
  3. Whisk the eggs with the milk and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Melt the butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Add the chopped scallions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft.
  5. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring, until well scrambled and just cooked. Stir in the cream cheese just before removing eggs from heat. The cheese does not have to be mixed in well.
  6. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  7. Roll out the empanada dough and cut into 8 6-inch circles of dough. Let circles rest for 5 minutes.
  8. Place spoonfuls of the egg mixture in the middle of each dough circle, dividing the mixture evenly between the empanadas. Sprinkle some crumbled bacon and grated pepper jack cheese on top of the egg mixture, dividing the cheese and bacon evenly between the 8 empanadas.
  9. Fold and seal the empanadas (step-by-step instructions on shaping empanadas from source available here).
  10. Place empanadas on a baking sheet. Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water, and brush empanadas carefully with the egg wash.
  11. Bake empanadas for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
  12. Remove from oven and let cool. Empanadas can be wrapped well and frozen. Thaw empanadas and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Notes: We used store-bought empanada shells. I wouldn't mind trying the empanada dough recipe from the Spruce Eats, though, as in my opinion the store-bought shells weren't quite what I was looking for in an empanada (nothing comes close to what I experienced during the 2 years I lived in Paraguay). Regardless, the filling was delicious and I really enjoyed this empanadas.

Blackberry Biscuit Bread


Ingredients
1 cup of seedless blackberry jam 
8 oz. of cream cheese
2 container of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
4 eggs
2 cups of half & half
2 teaspoons of cinnamon sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

Directions
  1. Put 1 cup of seedless blackberry jam in a pot and melt it on low (stirring occasionally).
  2. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Take 1 container of biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces (quarters).
  4. Place the biscuit pieces on the bottom of the baking dish.
  5. Using your hands, separate the cream cheese into pieces and scatter it around with the biscuit quarters.
  6. Slowly pour the melted blackberry jam over the biscuit pieces and cream cheese.
  7. In the mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, cinnamon sugar, and vanilla.
  8. Pour that mixture over the blackberry jam in the baking dish.
  9. Take your second container of Pillsbury biscuits and cut those biscuits into quarters as well.
  10. Scatter those biscuit pieces over the egg mixture.
  11. Finally, top it all off by dusting everything with the brown sugar.
  12. Bake covered at 350° for 30 minutes.
  13. Uncover and bake at 350° for another 30 minutes.
  14. Serve warm. Makes about 8 servings.
Notes: This was another delicious (and sweet) breakfast. We enjoyed the blackberry and cream cheese flavors, but given the choice we'd probably go with regular bread or French bread over Pillsbury biscuits when it comes to these types of breakfast casseroles.


Fruit Coffee Cake


Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced, peeled apricots or peaches; chopped, peeled apples; or blueberries or raspberries (we used blueberries)
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. butter
1 beaten egg
1/2 c. buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter

Directions
  1. For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine fruit and water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer (do not simmer raspberries), covered, about 5 minutes or until fruit is tender. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir into fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more; set filling aside.
  2. In a medium bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, the 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
  3. In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spread half of the batter into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Spread filling over batter. Drop remaining batter in small mounds onto filling.
  4. In a small bowl stir together the 1/4 cup flour and the 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in the 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over coffee cake. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.


Notes: Delicious! Need to have this again soon.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition

Blueberry Muffins (America's Test Kitchen)


Ingredients
Vegetable oil spray
3 cups plus 1 Tbsp flour, measured separately
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 large eggs
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)

Directions
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
  2. In large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk yogurt and eggs until smooth.
  3. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and use rubber spatula to stir gently until just combined and no dry flour is visible. Gently stir in melted butter.
  4. In small bowl, toss blueberries with remaining 1 Tbsp flour. Gently stir blueberries into batter. Do not overmix.
  5. Use 1/3-cup dry measuring cup to divide batter evenly among muffin cups (use rubber spatula to scrape batter from cups if needed).
  6. Place muffin tin in oven and bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
  7. Use oven mitts to remove muffin tin from oven. Place muffin tin on cooling rack and let muffins cool in tin for 15 minutes.
  8. Using your fingertips, gently wiggle muffins to loosen from muffin tin and transfer to cooling rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes: This comes from a recipe book Brittany got for the kids when we were in lockdown during the pandemic. My kids have made these muffins a couple of times, and they are certainly tasty. We have found, however, that although the recipe indicates this yields 12 muffins, it makes more batter than we can fit in 12 muffin cups. The muffins overflow quite a bit when directions are followed exactly.

Source: The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs (from America's Test Kitchen)

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Bacon, Egg, and Maple Grilled Cheese


Ingredients
6 slices thick-sliced bacon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
9 slices Cheddar (about 7 ounces), one of them quartered
Eight 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche bread

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lay the bacon slices on a rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until the fat starts to render, about 10 minutes.
  2. Baste the bacon on both sides with the maple syrup and continue to bake until caramelized and the edges just start to brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on the rack, about 5 minutes. When cool, cut them in half.
  3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry until thoroughly set, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Put 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Layer each with 1 whole slice of the cheese, 3 pieces of the bacon, 1/4 slice of the cheese and 1 egg and another whole slice of cheese. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Thinly and evenly spread the remaining butter on both sides of the bread using about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each sandwich.
  5. Place 2 sandwiches into the same skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the bread is evenly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered, until the bread is golden brown and cheese is visibly melted, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
Notes: Tasty. The maple flavor on the bacon wasn't terribly noticeable, but we used homemade syrup. Might need to try it again with some authentic maple syrup.

Source: Food Network

Shakshuka


Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1/2 onion, chopped 
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
1/4 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated, chopped 
2 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/2 teaspoon paprika Pinch of red pepper flakes 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand 
4 large eggs 
Warm pita bread, for serving

Directions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cilantro stems, garlic, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute. 
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Stir the tomatoes with their juices into the skillet. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 
  3. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 wells in the sauce, 1 to 2 inches apart. Crack an egg into each well. Run the edge of a rubber spatula through the egg whites to break them slightly, being careful not to break the yolks (this allows the egg whites to cook faster). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are just set, 15 to 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with the cilantro leaves. Serve with pita bread.
Notes: I had this recipe printed out for several months before trying it. I knew my kids wouldn't be excited about it and it takes long enough it wouldn't work on a school day. I'm glad I finally got around to making it because I really enjoyed it and we will be having this one again.

Source: Food Network

Wheat Hearts Cereal


Ingredients
1 cup cream of wheat
1/4 cup cream of rice
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup wheat germ

Directions
  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container. 
  2. When cooking hot cereal, boil 1 cup water and gently and slowly stir in about 1/4 cup of cereal mix. Boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat.
Notes: Brittany's mom created this recipe after General Mills stopped selling it in stores.

Source: Stimpson family cookbook