Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients for Pancakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for griddle)

Ingredients for sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of hot sauce (optional)
Ingredients for scrambled eggs:
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter (for skillet)
1 cup cooked ham, chopped or sausage, crumbled
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Maple syrup

Directions:
Heat a non-stick griddle over medium heat.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs and milk together in another bowl until combined.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and gently mix until incorporated.
Add the oil to the griddle and spread evenly to coat the bottom of the pan. Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until brown on the other side, about a minute.
Repeat with remaining pancakes and set aside on a plate for assembly.
For the sauce, combine tomatoes and cream cheese in a medium bowl.
For the eggs, whisk together eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper. Melt butter in a medium non-stick skillet.
Add egg mixture and cook until desired doneness. Stir in ham or sausage.
To assemble, heat oven to 400 and put pancakes on a large cookie sheet.
Spread sauce on each pancake and top with egg mixture and cheese.
Bake just long enough for cheese to melt about 2-3 minutes.
Remove and drizzle with maple syrup if desired.

Monday, September 28, 2015

BLT Pizza

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pizza crust or prepared crust
1 cup mayonnaise
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook crust according to package directions.
Spread mayonnaise on cooked crust. Sprinkle with bacon, tomatoes and lettuce.
Season with salt and pepper.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Mashed Potato Topped Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup minced onion
2Tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
3 Tablespoons of BBQ sauce
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce, divided
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, mix the onion and garlic, beef, bread crumbs, egg, sour cream, BBQ sauce and 1/2 can tomato sauce. Transfer the mixture to a 5x9 inch loaf pan. Press mixture down into loaf pan well.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue baking 15 minutes, making sure meat loaf is cooked well in the middle.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining tomato sauce and ketchup. Pour over the top of the meatloaf, and continue baking 10 minutes.
When meat loaf is done, spread hot mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with cheese.
Slice and serve.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Easy Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees . Line bottom of pie pan with crust. In a skillet saute the chopped onion until slightly soft and set aside.
Mix together the turkey, mixed vegetables, onion, soup and milk.
Pour into pie crust, cover with top crust and crimp edges.
Poke holes in top crust and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Monday, September 21, 2015

3 Meat and 3 Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 pound of sweet Italian sausage
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup of chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 pound pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans of tomato paste
1/2 Cup of Water
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons fresh Basil leaves chopped
4 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese
1 egg
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Directions:

Brown the sausage, ground beef, onions and garlic in a large pot. Drain grease from mixture.
Add pepperoni slices, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Stir gently into the meat mixture.
Add the sugar, basil, parsley, salt, seasoning and pepper into the mixture.
Cover the pot, lower heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, soak your lasagna noodles in warm water in a large lasagna pan in hot tap water for 15 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese and egg and mix together with a spoon.
Remove the noodles (and water) from the lasagna pan and begin layering ingredients.
Spread 2 cups of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Lay 6 noodles on top of sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over top of noodles then half of mozzarella cheese and then half of the parmesan cheese.
Repeat these layers and cover with foil.
Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:
2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks Butter
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda
Cinnamon, to taste

Directions:
Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir.
Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples.
Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Apple, Pear and Walnut Salad

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 orange, zested
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
4 apples, preferably use 2 to 3 different kinds
2 pears
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl whisk together vinegar, orange juice, zest, and raisins.
Core and cube apples and pears.
Add fruit and walnuts to a bowl and drizzle with oil.
Toss well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Fabulous Filet Mignon

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
4 slices of bacon, thick sliced
4 filet mignon steaks, 1 ½ - 2 inches thick
2 Tablespoons steak sauce, Lea and Perrins recommended
2 Tablespoons water


Directions:

Pour the salad dressing into a shallow pan, place the steaks in the pan and let them marinate for 3 to 4 hours.
Prepare grill to medium heat.
Wrap a strip of bacon around each steak, securing it with a toothpick or kitchen twine.
Grill the steaks to preferred taste. (5 minutes per side for rare).
Baste with a mixture of steak sauce and water.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Pork Tenderloin and Tomato Salad

Ingredients for Salad:
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp. coarsely ground pepper
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 5 oz. package spring mix, thoroughly washed
3 large tomatoes, cut into ½ inch thick slices
Garnish: cooked and crumbled bacon


Ingredients for Warm Bacon Vinaigrette:
4 bacon slices
4 Tbsp. minced shallot
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. orange juice
5 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. ground mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt


Directions for Salad:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rub pepper and salt over pork. Cook in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes on all sides or until browned. Transfer to a 13x9 inch pan.
Bake for 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes.
Cut pork into ¼ inch slices. Divide greens among 4 plates; arrange tomato slices and pork over greens.
Serve immediately with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette.

Directions for Dressing:
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel; crumble for garnish. Reserve 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.
Cook shallots and garlic in hot drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until tender. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved.
Process shallot mixture, orange juice and remaining ingredients in a blender until combined.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

Ingredients for Salted Caramel Frosting:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat your oven to 350. Line a standard 12 cup cupcake pan with liners.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat the sugars and butter using an electric mixer. You want it to be light and fluffy, which should take approximately 3 minutes if the mixer is on medium-high speed.
Add in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
Add in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk in two additions.
Beat on low speed until just combine and scrape down sides of bowl.
Fill the prepared cupcake cups and bake for 20 minutes until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
Frost with Salted Caramel Frosting.

Directions for frosting:
Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, 6-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.
Beat butter and salt on high in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.
Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes.
For easiest spreading, cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 45 minutes, before using.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Rueben Brats

Ingredients:
6 smoked brats
1 medium onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 (14 oz.) can of sauerkraut
6 Tbsp. Thousand Island dressing
6 Tbsp. mustard
6 hoagie rolls
6 slices swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:
Grill brats according to directions. Keep warm.
Sauté sliced onions in butter over medium low heat until light golden brown. Keep warm.
Warm sauerkraut in a saucepan until heated through.
Blend Thousand Island dressing and mustard together to make Reuben sauce.
To make one sandwich, place a brat on an open-faced hoagie roll with two tablespoons of Reuben sauce, a slice of Swiss cheese, and onions. Top with sauerkraut and serve warm.