Creamed Greens With Shallots - Yum!

It's HERE!  It's officially crunch time.  Today is Festivus ( you know, for the rest of us) and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  Do you celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both?  I mean presents, you know. We usually do presents on Christmas Eve so our children can do "Santa" on Christmas morning with their children.  We will have dinner tomorrow evening at our daughter's home.  She is preparing traditional Lebanese food and I am so excited.  If you have never eaten Lebanese food, it's so good. Christmas dinner will be at our house on Christmas Day.  Our youngest son is bringing several friends who could not go home for Christmas.  It should be pandemonium and so much fun.

On Thanksgiving, I tried a Martha Stewart recipe for creamed greens that was simply spectacular!  It was a major hit so we will be having it again on Christmas Day by request.  Do you like greens?  You know, turnip greens, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach?

Growing up there was always a controversy in our house.  My dad loved turnip greens and my mom didn't.  Mom liked spinach and dad didn't.  We were just confused.  No kid can understand why anyone would like greens of any kind.  Seriously?  Yuck.

Things change when you get older - hopefully.  I happen to love greens of all kinds, especially with some vinegar added and some hot sauce, braised with some bacon, ham, or fatback.  Yummmmm!

Kale seems to be the new food darling right now and it is so good for you - full of antioxidants and nutrients.  The only thing with kale is it is kind of chewy if not cut in really small pieces before cooking.  Other greens wilt down a little more and are easier to chew.  The upside is all greens are full of iron and vitamin B12 which are hard to get in most other foods.  We benefit from eating as many greens as we can, unless you are on medications to thin your blood.  Then  you should consult your doctor.

Here is what you need to make this recipe:

2 large bunches turnip greens
1 large bunch kale
1 large bunch collard greens
6 TBSP butter
2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 TBSP)
2 TBSP AP flour (I substituted 1 TBSP cornstarch for gluten free)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
coarse salt

First, remove the stems from the collard greens and kale.  Chop the leaves into bite sized pieces.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat (I used my electric skillet to saute the greens).  Add kale, collard, and turnip greens, 1 tsp salt and wine or chicken stock.  Cover and cook until greens wilt, about 2 minutes turning occasionally. (You will start with a huge mound of greens and will end up with what looks like a small amount.  Don't be alarmed.)   Reduce to medium and cook, turning greens until almost tender - about 15 minutes.  I used long tongs to turn the greens.  Remove cover and transfer greens to a bowl.

Add 4 TBSP butter to pan, melt on high heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Saute until softened, about 3 minutes.  Return greens to saute pan.  Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 2 TBSP butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add flour (or cornstarch) and whisk to incorporate.  Add milk and cream, slowly whisking until sauce thickens slightly and coats back of a spoon - about 2 minutes.  Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes.  Season with salt.

Stir sauce into greens and cook over medium heat until warmed through.

If not serving immediately, cool completely then refrigerate.  Reheat over low heat before serving. Transfer to a bowl and serve.  Double Delicious is all I can say.

A minor Christmas miracle occurred today.  I actually have all my Christmas gifts wrapped before Christmas Eve for the first time EVER!  Miracles do happen every day.  Now, it's time to begin preparations for Christmas dinner.  

We are having Cornish Game Hens and roast beef for the carnivores and spinach stuffed manicotti for the vegetarians.  Sides are yet to be decided.  I know there will be creamed greens and wild rice.  Desserts are always a toss up.  Have you set your menu yet?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you one and all.  Thanks for reading my blog and I will return after Christmas.  Let the fun begin.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song, of old
Of angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold.

Yes, Virginia, There is Chocolate Cobbler

 The last few days have been busy ones.  I have been working on projects for the Elves' Fair at our grandsons school which is this Saturday.  They attend a Waldorf school and this is their biggest fund raiser of the year.  Each family donates 12 items for each child they have attending.  Our daughter is a free lance writer and mother of 3 young sons and is very, very busy.  (I remember those days all too well).  Therefore, Grandma makes the items and donates them to the fair because we think the school is absolutely amazing!

So today, I thought we would talk about cobblers.  You know, there are pies, crisps, and cobblers.  Most cobblers are made from fruit with some kind of biscuit type topping for the crust.  Pies can have a bottom and top crust, or just a bottom crust.  Crisps, have a topping usually made with oats and flour and butter and other yummy stuff.

This cobbler is a bit different from the norm.  It has no fruit and does not have a biscuit topping.  It is called a chocolate cobbler.  I mean, yum, what could be better?   This is something traditional to the south and I had never had it before moving to Nashville.  The first time I enjoyed this special confection, it was made by a friend of our daughter's and Annie considers is her favorite dessert.  I might second that notion.

Personally, I am not sure I would call it a cobbler because it is more like a lava cake with all kinds of ooey, gooey chocolate under a cake type topping.   But, I didn't name it and if "they" want to call it chocolate cobbler, I'm all in for the name.  I really can't quibble with a name for something this wonderful.

This is all made in one pan and baked in the same pan.  Simple enough right?  It is also FABULOUSLY delicious.  What more can I say?  The recipe comes from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook and is called Granny's Chocolate Cobbler.  (Go Granny!)  Here is what you need;


3/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 + 2 TBSP baking cocoa
2 tsps vanilla
2 1/2 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Place the butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish and let it melt in the oven.  Remove pan from oven when butter is melted and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, flour, milk, 2 TBSP cocoa, and the vanilla.  Pour over the melted butter.

In a small bowl, mix together remaining sugar and cocoa.  Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the pan.

Pour boiling water over the batter and DO NOT STIR!!

BAKE AT 350 FOR 30 MINUTES.  Remove from the oven and try not to eat it all at once!

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  Look at that!  You know you want to make this!!

Merciful heavens, this is food for the Gods, the angels, and for you and your family.  I cannot adequately describe this dish, other than to say if you like chocolate you must make it as soon as possible.  Dan loves chocolate and he LOVES this cobbler.  (I kind of like it too!)

Give this recipe a try.  Let me know what you think.  (I can hear you drooling from here)

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start.  So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake.  I feel better already.  Dave Barry

Pumpkin, Caramel, and Pecan Cheesecake - WOW!

 Hello everyone!  Yes, October is winding down.  It's almost Halloween.  How is that possible?  Where has this month gone?  The leaves are finally starting to change.  The transition is later this year because it has been so warm.  It's so nice to see the colors in the trees and the variety of hues on the hillsides.  It definitely means fall is here!

Our first born celebrated the 11th anniversary of her 30th birthday on Saturday.  We sat with her boys while she and her lovely husband had a date night.  They don't get a lot of those.  So, we celebrated with the family at our house on Sunday evening.  I cooked dinner for everyone and instead of the standard birthday cake, I made this fabulous pumpkin cheesecake.  The recipe is in the new Bon Appetit and the Food Network Magazine.

It is a Philadelphia cream cheese advertisement and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it.  Why? Because it sounded absolutely amazing and guess what?  It is absolutely amazing!  Talk about a dessert you are going to want to make for any and all upcoming occasions.  Things like Thanksgiving, Christmas, the new moon, the full moon, the sun shining, the dog got a haircut.  Just pick something.  It's worth it, believe me.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup chopped pecans divided
38 Ginger snap cookies, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup butter, melted

4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
25 Kraft Caramels
1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (notice, it's NOT 350)

Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely, place in medium bowl.  Add crushed ginger snaps and melted butter.  Mix well.  Press into bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla, mix well.  Add eggs 1 at a time mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour over crust.

Bake for 45 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Make the sauce when you are ready to serve.  Microwave the caramels and milk in a microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

Serve cheese cake by spooning the caramel over each piece served and sprinkle with nuts.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.  We desired, it's just not in the picture.  YUMMMMMMY!

This cake is really easy to make and is even better the second day.  Oh so good.  Give it a try, especially if you are a pumpkin lover or a cheesecake lover.  It is a marriage made in heaven!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake!
Hedy Lamar

Pumpkin Poppers!

 Happy Monday to you one and all!  Hoping your weekend was fabulous, restful, and all that you wanted it to be.  Ours was busy as usual.  We had little league games on Saturday and a birthday party for our seven year old grandson on Sunday.  I baked his cake and cupcakes and that was quite an affair.  I am not a cake decorator, but I do my best.  Will share his baseball glove cake and baseball cupcakes with you one of these days.

Well, fall is upon us and it is time for all things pumpkin.  It is amazing to me how the groceries now turn October in to "pumpkin" month with everything pumpkin you can think of.  I must say we do enjoy some good pumpkin treats, so I thought I would share one with you today that I found on Domestically Speaking.  She calls them Pumpkin Poppers and they are deliciously delectable morsels of pumpkin that are kind of like donut balls only baked in a mini muffin tin.  Yum!

This recipe made 24 of these Poppers in my mini muffin pan.  It's an easy recipe and SOOOO good, especially with coffee.  Then again, what isn't good with coffee?  Here is what you need:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1  1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup milk

This is how they look when they come out of the oven before you coat them in the cinnamon/sugar mix.


Coating

1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 TBSP cinnamon combined in a bowl

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.   Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

Combine all dry ingredients.  Mix with a whisk until combined.  Mix all wet ingredients and pour into dry ingredients.  Just combine.   Do not over mix.

Fill muffin tins almost full.  Bake 8-12 minutes.  Let cool.  (I baked mine 8 minutes)

Roll in melted butter, then sugar/cinnamon mix.  Serve!

Oh, my.  These are really, really good and it's tempting to not eat all of them at one time.  Restrain yourself if you can - you will want some of these for breakfast, a mid afternoon snack, and evening treat.  They are two bites, three at the most and it's easy to just keep popping them in your mouth.  Yum.  Yum.  Yum.

Give this recipe a try.  It's a great fall treat and super easy.  You are going to love these!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Oh how we love pumpkin season.  You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right?  Winter, Spring, Summer, pumpkin....We anxiously anticipate it every year."     Unknown

Cheesy Macaroni With Chicken and Spinach

Do you have picky eaters in your family, especially children who are suspect of any food that has the color green to it?  Will they eat salad, or raw vegetables of any kind?  We were fortunate.  Our children were all adventurous eaters who loved crudite, salad, most every vegetable.  One of them didn't like green peas, and one of them didn't like lima beans.  Other than that, they would eat about anything.

Our grandsons on the other hand, do NOT fall into that category.  We have two who are pretty good eaters, two who are middle of the road, one who is only 18 months old and finding his way in the food world with a few texture issues and one who is suspect of any and everything that isn't "white".  Do you know what I mean?  He likes chicken, pasta, cheese, eggs, he will eat shrimp oddly enough, fish, turkey, rice - do you see the pattern here?  He just turned 10 and he has been like this since he was a little bitty fella.

I have seen him gag and retch at things his mother would make him taste and it was downright comical at times.  When he was about 4 his mother made him taste canteloupe during dinner.  I truly wish I had a video of his facial contortions, his gagging, shivering, and complaining.  Yes, he would literally shiver every time he got the canteloupe close to his mouth.  After probably 20 minutes, he finally licked it and I thought his dinner was going to end up on the table.  You know that "pre sound" that comes with regurgitation?  Yep, that's the one.  It still makes me laugh to think about it.  To our daughter's credit, she makes him try.  The pronouncement is usually, thanks, but I'll pass.

Their pediatrician said these are what they call "the white" kids who are suspect of colored foods and they think it is an evolutionary thing from the hunter/gatherer times when men did not always know which foods were edible.   Makes sense, but it does not make feeding such children easy.

All that was to say H will eat this dish AFTER he picks the spinach out.  He loved it otherwise and so did the other boys.  It is cheesy, and filled with chicken and pasta.   Perfect.  I added the spinach for some color and extra nutrition.  H is the only one who picked the spinach out, so you might luck out and get your family to eat it with the spinach.  You never know.

I made this dish using one of the herbed chickens I wrote about in my blog on August 19.  You can find the recipe there.  Or, you could use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery or cook the chicken breasts like in the recipe.  It is a great way to use leftover chicken.  The original recipe came from AllRecipes.com.  Here is what you need:

3 TBSP butter
salt and pepper
1/2 pound pasta (penne, fusilli, or bow tie, cooked al dente)
2 - 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or leftover chicken from a rotisserie or roasted chicken
1/4 cup + 1 TBSP flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups milk
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella (I used one ball of fresh mozzarella from Aldi's)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta in boiling water just until al dente, drain and put aside.

If you are cooking chicken breasts, season the chicken with some salt and pepper and put some olive oil in a medium skillet.  Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink.  Remove and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Slice thin.  Put aside.

In a medium pot, melt the butter and add the flour and garlic.  Cook about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.  This makes your roux for the sauce.  Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously until thick.  Stir in the cheese and whisk until melted and sauce is smooth.  Remove from heat and add the pasta.  Pour into the prepared baking dish and add the chicken.  Add the fresh spinach and stir to incorporate the chicken and spinach.

Bake uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.  Remove from oven and serve.

This is soooooooooo good.  The sauce is amazing with the mozzarella and parmesan.  One of the best mac and cheese type recipes I have found.  Yum.  Yum.  Yum.  The only thing I might add next time are some crushed red pepper flakes for just a little zing.   Feel free to leave the spinach out if you have eaters who are suspect of green things in their food.  Or, add some broccoli if they would prefer that, or green peas.   Spinach was just my addition and we loved it.  Next time, I might try another vegetable.

Serve this with a nice green salad and you have a complete meal.  Oh, maybe some crusty bread too.  Oh yeah.

This recipe is super easy to prepare, especially if you have some chicken on hand that is already cooked.  It reheats beautifully.  We had leftovers the next day and it was just as good as the first day.
Give this recipe a try.  I think it will be quite a hit.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Dude, macaroni and cheese if the food of the gods!  Haley James Scott

Fresh Peach and Blueberry Bread - Delicioso!

 Here we are in the first week of June already.  This year is flying by.  Today, we got to attend our 6 year old grandson's "bridge" ceremony which is a Waldorf education celebration of moving from kindergarden to the halls of higher learning, better known as first grade.  As I watched him cross the bridge from the land of childhood, play, and imagination, into the land of higher learning where the road to maturity begins, my heart was filled with joy.  The teacher told a beautiful story about the land of the littles and what it was like before they chose their families and came to earth - the beautiful blue and green world of plants, animals, and minerals.  As they crossed the bridge, the teacher gave them a key to wear around their necks (the key to higher learning) and a small bag containing a gift from the animal, plant, and mineral world.  Then they received a yellow rose and joined their families.  There were tears (just in case  you wondered).  It was a wonderful way to start the week.

We had a busy weekend.  My sister, Sara, and our longtime friend, Linda, came to visit for the weekend.  We toured the city, ate a lot of good food, and even did some honky tonkin' on Broadway here in Nashville.  There is so much good music going on in this town.  Talk about a fun way to spend Saturday afternoon.  If you ever come to the city, do NOT miss all the music.  Nashville is Music City, USA, after all.

Knowing they were coming to visit, I baked some goodies to have on hand.  First, I made two fresh strawberry pies which I will write about tomorrow.  Since fresh peaches are coming in from Georgia, I had some on hand that I had purchased at the Nashville Farmer's Market.  Now, there is always that conundrum of what to do with peaches after you make a cobbler, or slice some up to enjoy on cake or with ice cream.  You can always eat one whole (peeled I hope, peach skin makes me shiver), but there has to be many more things you can make with sweet, ripe, juicy peaches.

I found this recipe for peach/carrot bread on All Recipes.com.  The recipe sounded so good, but I didn't know how I felt about peaches and carrots and I really didn't want to stand and grate carrots.  Personally, I prefer peaches and blueberries.  I often add blueberries to my peach cobbler because they complement each other so beautifully.  I had blueberries on hand, so I substituted blueberries for the carrots.  Guess what?  It works!  It works superbly!!  This bread is awesome!!!!  Here is what you need.

3/4 cups chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped fresh peaches
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs lightly beaten

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl using a spoon.  Pour the batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan that has been lightly greased and floured.  Place in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes.  Test the center of the loaf with a skewer in the center until it comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

This recipe makes a very large loaf.  It fills the loaf pan to the top when baked, so be sure and bake it until very done in the center.  I took mine out at 1 hr 5 minutes and tested it with a toothpick.  The toothpick showed clean, but the bread was a little underdone in the center when we ate it.  (I would recommend a skewer instead of a toothpick so it goes down into the loaf further.) No one seemed to mind one bit though.  Everyone had several pieces in fact.  This is DELICIOUS!

You can see the peaches and the blueberries, and the pecans add a nice texture to the bread with that lovely hint of cinnamon.  Mmm.  Mmm.  Mmm.  It's sort of like baked peach cobbler without having to make a crust.

There will be fresh peaches from now until the first part of September.  Here is a recipe  you can use that is something different, easy, and soooooo good.  Makes some loaves and freeze them.  It is awesome for breakfast or brunch.  Fabulous with coffee.  If you want to try the carrots, just use 3/4 cups grated carrots in place of the blueberries.  If you make it that way, let me know how it turns out.  We will stick with the blueberries.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It's nice to have some home baked goods for company.  It let's them know you thought of them and wished to honor them with something from your hands and heart.  donna

Spiced Pecan Cake

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Has it seemed like Monday all day to you?  It sure has to me!  Those Monday holidays mess up my week, especially since I don't go to work everyday.  Sometimes I have to look at my phone to see what day it actually is.

Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend.  We celebrated with family and friends with a cookout enjoying the first of the summer bounty from the Farmer's Market.  Fresh strawberries, corn, green beans, and peaches are in.  Yum.  One of the most enjoyable things about summer is the bounteous fare of fresh fruits and vegetables we get to enjoy.  And, then, there is the beautiful sunshine, warm weather, and summer evenings to top it all off.

Fresh local strawberries are the absolute best don't you think?  It's nice to have access to strawberries all year round, but they just don't taste like the smaller, juicier, sweeter, local berries.  They are just a little taste of heaven as far as I am concerned.

I made this beautiful pecan cake with some of the fabulous pecans my new friend Dianna sent me from Texas.  They pick them up off the ground by the pounds.  There are pecan trees everywhere in the Dallas area.  Yes, I said pounds. Wouldn't that be wonderful?  My daughter told me there is a company you can take them to and they shell them for you.  Amazing!  Who knew?  It's sure better than cracking hundreds of shells and trying to get the nuts to come out in something other than little tiny pieces.  Look at these beauties!

We have bags of them to enjoy.  Lucky us!  So, I decided to make this fabulous pecan cake I found on Food Network.com.  The recipe was posted by Pat and Gina Neeley and is really, really good.  Makes a super "shortcake" for fresh fruit.  Here is what you need:

Filling

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir everything together in a bowl until all the nuts are coated.  Set aside.

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp milk

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cake

1 package golden yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease and flour a 9x13 pan

Beat all cake ingredients together for 4 minutes.  Pour half the batter into the prepared cake pan.  Spread the pecan filling on top of the batter.  Pour remaining batter over pecans, spreading batter to cover the filling.

Bake about 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool 30 minutes.  Drizzle with glaze.

This cake is as good by itself as it is with some beautiful strawberries!  Makes a perfect "coffee type cake" that could be served for brunch.   Or, it's absolutely delicious eaten just as it is.  Give it a try.  It's delicious.

 Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

 A special thank you to my dad and his two brothers who all served in World War II.  As a mother, I can't imagine seeing three of your sons go off to war.  What a sacrifice.  Fortunately, they all returned.  Others were not so fortunate.   Thank you will never be enough for their service and sacrifice for our freedom.

Maple, Sausage, Bacon, and Waffle Casserole (with a gluten free option)

Well, another Easter has come and gone.  Mr. E. Bunny was good to all this year.  Now, it is April 1 and spring may finally be starting to truly rear it's head.  Yesterday was misty/rainy and cool all day.  That meant the annual Grandma and Pawpaw egg hunt was indoors, but the grandsons still had a lot of fun.  Today, the sky is cerulean blue and the sun is shining, birds are singing, and trees are blooming.  It is going to be in the 70's by the weekend.  Yeeha!  Yes, I really said the 70's. Awesome.  That is why we can now be assured that spring is finally making it's way to mid-Tennessee.  All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!  Oh, and little league games start Saturday.  Whew, just in time.

Because our grandsons are 9 and younger, we had the egg hunt in the morning followed by a family brunch.  If the wait is too long and the excitement builds to a fever pitch, there will be meltdowns in our future if you know what I mean.  So hunt eggs early, then eat.

The 3 youngest boys nap in the afternoon and moms and dads were looking forward to a respite after all the morning excitement.  (Grandma and Pawpaw were too)  The 2.5 and 3 year old were shoveling candy in their mouths at a record breaking rate which can possibly lead to a lot of hyperactivity in the near future.  Wow. How you forget.   None of them eat much candy normally and yesterday was an all out candy-thon on every front.    Therefore, brunch was an excellent idea because it offered them some good food with lots of protein in place of sweets.

For brunch, I made this maple, sausage, bacon and waffle casserole adapted from a recipe I found at Plainchicken.com.  You know that I use her recipes often and this one is another keeper.  It can be made the day before, refrigerated and then baked the morning of your event.  It would also be fabulous as a "breakfast for dinner" casserole.  The kids really loved it.  Why wouldn't they?  It has all their favorite things in one dish.

I made ours with Van's gluten free waffles so our son in love could enjoy it too.  Otherwise, the recipe calls for Eggo frozen homestyle waffles.  Here is the original recipe and then I will post my adaptation.

Original recipe for 8x8 casserole:

8 frozen Eggo homestyle waffles, cubed
2 pounds maple flavored breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

This is to be baked in an 8 x 8 baking dish, but layered together just the same as the larger casserole  I made.  Here is how I made mine.

Casserole for 9 x 13 baking dish.

12 Van's gluten free frozen waffles (or Eggo waffles if not making gluten free), cubed
1 pound breakfast sausage  (I used plain sausage, but you can use maple flavored if you wish)
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
12 large eggs
1 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, grated
2.5 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  I sprayed mine with Pam.

Cube all the waffles.

Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking apart until well browned.  Drain fat if needed.

Cook the pound of bacon until crisp, drain.  Break into good sized pieces.

Add 1/2 the cubed waffles to the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the sausage and bacon and 1/2 of the cheese.  Layer the remaining waffles, sausage, bacon and cheese.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, salt, and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each).  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layers in the baking dish.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap for at least 1 hour before baking or up to one day if using the next day.  Store in the refrigerator.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes.

As soon as eggs look set, remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Mmmmmm, waffles, sausage, bacon, eggs, cheese, AND maple syrup in one dish.  This is soooooooo good and really easy to make.  (The gluten free waffles do give it a slightly different consistency than regular waffles, but it's still really good.)  If you prefer sausage over bacon, use 2 to 3 pounds of sausage for a big casserole.  If you only want bacon only, use 2 pounds of bacon.  We liked the mixture of the two, but it's up to you.

This is a wonderful make ahead dish anytime you need something for breakfast, especially if you are entertaining guests.  Don't forget about it for a "breakfast for dinner" meal also.  The grandsons LOVE bacon and sausage, and anything with syrup.  (Imagine)  You could even pour a little warmed maple syrup over the top for a little extra flavor. Yummmmo.

Mother's Day will be coming up in May and this would be a wonderful recipe to serve for a Mother's Day brunch - or any brunch or breakfast for that matter.  Graduation will be right around the corner too.  Lots of opportunities coming up where you can use another great breakfast casserole recipe.  Seems you can never have too many recipes.

Now, it's time to put away the bunnies and eggs, do a few spring crafts and enjoy the beautiful weather.  It's also time for some spring cleaning and yard work.  Looks like we are going to be busy.  Talk to you all soon.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland  (Thankfully!)

 

Sausage and Cheese Grits Casserole - Delish!

Hooray, it's Monday!  Yes,  you read that right.  Hooray, it's Monday!  I know not many people feel that way and you may think I have totally lost it, but the SUN shined all day today.  The sun.  It's still up there.  Thankfully.  I was beginning to wonder.  And, the temp got up into the low 60's.  Did you hear me?  The low 60's.  And, I didn't have to wear a coat.  NO COAT.  NO SNOW.  NO CLOUDS.  NO GRAY.  Sun, glorious sun with hope that spring cannot be far behind.  Yahoooooooo!   And my BFF was here for a doctor's follow up appointment from her surgery in November and we got to have lunch together, and talk, and drink coffee.  Just like old times.  Sigh.  It has been a truly good Monday.

Enough about me, how about you?  How was your weekend?  Your Monday?  Hope it was fabulous.  Simply fabulous.  Hope you expressed gratitude.  Monday's are always Gratitude Monday's.   My friend Don called me early this morning to share his gratitude list and it included me for being his friend.  Now, how can you have a bad Monday when that happens?  You absolutely cannot have a bad day.  Ever.  When someone says they are thankful you are in their life, well it just rocks.  Thanks Don, love you too!  We met in my costume shop when he came in one day and have been fast friends ever since.  Don't you love when that happens?  I sure do.

Now, about that picture above.  Let's talk about it.  It is a recipe I made a couple of Sundays ago for dinner.  Yes, dinner.  It can also be a breakfast casserole, but don't you like breakfast for dinner sometimes?  We do.  Also, it is gluten free and I made it for company.  Our son in love has Celiac and their family was coming for dinner, so I gave it a try.  It's a keeper.  I found the recipe on plainchicken.com which is one of my favorite sites to peruse every few weeks for new recipes.  She always has simple, but delicious recipes and I haven't made one yet that we didn't love.

So let's talk about grits.  Do you like them?  Don't know?  Haven't made them or eaten them?  They are a mostly southern dish and we LOVE them.  They are somewhat like polenta (if you like polenta, and we do), extremely delicious, and easy to make if you use the quick grits.  Here is some information from Wikipedia on grits.

Grits refers to a ground-corn food of Native American origin, that is common in the Southern United States and mainly eaten at breakfast. Modern grits are commonly made of alkali-treated corn known as hominy.

Grits are similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world such as polenta or the thinner farina. "Instant grits" have been processed to speed cooking.

The word "grits" derives from the Old English word "grytt," meaning coarse meal.^[1] This word originally referred to wheat and other porridges now known as groats in parts of the U.K.  Wikipedia

This casserole is extremely tasty.  Even our oldest grandson, who may be one of the pickiest eaters on earth ate it.  Okay, that rates as a minor miracle.  I mean, it's got tons of cheese and sausage, some herbs, eggs, and grits.  What's not to like?  Here is what you need to make this casserole.

2 pounds sausage (regular, hot, or some of both)
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups quick cooking grits, uncooked
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used two 8 ounce blocks and grated it myself - cheaper and tastes better than pre-grated)
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
paprika

Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles.  Drain well if needed and set aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, stir in grits.  Return to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the grits don't stick.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in sausage and eggs.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until golden and heated through.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To make ahead:

Prepare grits mixture as directed above, but DO NOT bake.  Cover and chill overnight.  Remove from refrigerator; let stand while covered for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake as directed.

This recipe is gluten free as long as your sausage has no gluten in it.  Check the label!    I would have liked all hot sausage, but we have little ones eating and I didn't want it to be too spicy for them so I used 1 pound of mild and 1 pound of hot sausage.  It's your choice what kind of sausage you use.

Other than that, this is an awesome casserole to serve for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.  We enjoyed it with zucchini/potato cakes, fresh fruit, salad and some fabulous buttermilk, cheddar, olive bread that I baked.  I will share that recipe with you later.  Yum.

Next time you want something easy but different, give this recipe a try.  It's truly cheesy goodness.  Enjoy the rest of your Monday, you've still got time.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Stone-ground grits are wonderful, but because they take so long to cook, I usually go with quick cooking grits, which I also love. But I never make the instant kind, some things a Southerner just won't do!  Paula Deen

 

Potatoes Au Gratin With Harp Accompaniment

Hello everyone!  Sorry to have been absent for a while.  Dan and I had the totally creepy crud, the kind that lasts for a week and then takes another week to recover.  Whew.  I hope we don't ever have that again.  It was NOT fun, but we are on the mend.

In the meantime, I have undergone two laser procedures for my glaucoma.  Last week I had the left eye done and today the right eye.  I have had glaucoma for 30 years and am on maximum medications and my pressures won't stay down where they would like them to be.  So, they zapped each eyeball with a fancy little laser (the procedure is called an SLT).  The purpose is to create new drainage pathways.  It took about 5 minutes for each eye.  My eye felt a little irritated for a couple of days, and then it cleared up.  Today, the pressure in my left eye (first eye done) had dropped 7  points in one week.  The pressure usually runs about 23/24 with 4 medications twice a day which is way higher than they would like it to be.  Today, after just one week, the pressure was down to 16!!  Hip, hip, hooray!!  My pressures have not been in the teens for 20 years.  So grateful for the miracles of science and Dr. Bergman.  : )  I will return in six weeks for pressure checks and then my medications will be adjusted, hopefully eliminating  a couple of them!

Now that we are on the mend from our bout of creepy crudiness and our appetites are beginning to return, I had the in town family over for dinner last night.  Do you every get a craving for something and you just have to make it?  Mine was potatoes au gratin. Had to have them.  Cheese, potatoes, onions, creamy goodness.  Yum.  I made a 9x13 pan and there were absolutely none left.  Not.  One.  Bite.  Soooooo good and not hard to make at all.  Here is what you need.

4 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cups whole milk
1 small onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 heaping tablespoon corn starch
8 ounce block of cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
lots of fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Peel potatoes and slice about 1/4 inch thick.  Mince small onion and add to potatoes.  Mince clove of garlic.  Add butter to deep saucepan and melt at medium temp.  Add 2 cups of milk, heaping tablespoon of corn starch, minced garlic, salt, and lots of black pepper.   Stir until milk begins to simmer.  Add all of the grated cheese.  Mix until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from stove.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Add potatoes and onions.  Pour sauce over potatoes, should just barely cover potatoes.  Cover with aluminum foil and put in oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 35/40 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the cheese has started to brown.  Remove from oven.  Serve.

These are SOOOOOOOOOOO delicious, you really need to make some as soon as you can.  They are good with any meat.  We had them with grilled barbecued pork chops and grilled asparagus.  Yum.  Yum.  Yum.  

If you know me at all, you know I never met a potato I didn't like and these are one of my most favorite ways to enjoy them.  What's not to like?  Seriously?  Cheese, potatoes, onions, deliciousness.  Is your mouth watering?  Mine is and there are no left overs.  (Insert sad face here).  Guess you know what that means.  Will have to make some more sometime soon.  Give them a try.  You can cut the recipe in half if you don't want to make such a huge pan of them, but you will be sorry later.  They are worth the effort.  Enjoy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

My friend Ken is staying with us for a bit while he gets settled in Nashville.  He is a harpist and he is practicing while I type this.  He plays so beautifully.  What a treat, our own personal harpist.  Wish you were here to enjoy.  Haven't felt this peaceful in a while.  Thanks Ken.

Fresh Blueberry Muffins - Yum, Yum

Happy New Year!!  Here's hoping 2013 is going to be an auspicious and fabulous year for one and all. We waved goodbye to 2012 and never looked back.   Everyone survived the end of the Mayan calendar (hooray) and we headed right on in to 2013 with a big smile on our face.  Can you see me brushing my shoulders off, waving goodbye as I forge ahead into the new year?  Here is hoping you can and will do the same.  Bye Bye 2012.  It was nice knowing you.

Now, the holidays are over and the gloom of January sets in.  Gray days.  Cold weather.  I'm really not a fan, but did you know that January is national soup month?  Yippeeeeee!  Who doesn't love soup?  I could eat it every day - seriously - even in hot weather.  Soup is delicious and nutritious.  You can get lots of veggies in one pot and that means you don't have tons of pots and pans to clean up after the meal.  If you make the batch big enough, there are left overs (sometimes for days) and soup tastes better as it melds and meshes all the flavors together.  Soup can also be frozen to enjoy at a later time.  Mmmmm, mmmm, mm.

During the "post Christmas let down", some of the family came down with the grippe, the creepy crud.  You know, the scratchy throat, hacking cough, runny nose misery.  Kids, parents, Pawpaw and Uncle Ty.  So Grandma whipped up a batch of home made chicken noodle soup, also know as Jewish penicillin.  Yes, science has found that chicken broth has medicinal value in relieving congestion.
(www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001018075252.htm).  You can find a recipe for home made noodle soup on my blog post of September 17.  We just finished up the last of this batch for dinner tonight.  It is just perfect for these miserable January days.

To go along with the chicken noodle soup, I made a batch of fresh blueberry muffins.  Super.  Delicious.  Blueberries are known as one of the super foods high in antioxidants and are also really good for our immune system.  It's beneficial that they taste really good too.

Here is what you need to make these muffins:

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 - 2 cups fresh blueberries (dust with flour so they won't sink in the muffin batter)
1.5 tsp vanilla

Topping:  cinnamon sugar (2 Tbsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. sugar)

preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Cream the softened butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time.  Mix thoroughly.

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture until thoroughly combined.  Add the milk and vanilla.  Add the flour dusted blueberries.  (don't skip this step, it keeps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins).

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.  Fill each cup 2/3 full.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.  Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center muffin come out clean.

Let me tell you, these hit the spot with that home made chicken noodle soup.  They would also be delicious to serve for breakfast or brunch, or as an afternoon snack.  If you have a muffin monster at your house, give these a try.  It's a great way to start the new year.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

If you reduce stress, eat a healthier brain diet [singling out foods like spinach,blueberries and salmon], get aerobic activity each day, that is going to protect your brain and possibly lower your risk for Alzheimer's disease or at least delay the outset,

~ Gary Small

The Mayans Grew Cocoa - Celebrate 12.12.12 With A Chocolate Pie

Happy 12.12.12 to you one and all.  Not only did the Mayans give us a calendar, but they also were growers and consumers of chocolate.  So what better thing to give you today than a wonderful and easy recipe for chocolate cream pie made with cocoa powder.  Yum.  Yum.  Yummmy.  Yum.  Yum.

According to my research, cocoa has been used forever in middle America by the Mayans and Aztecs.  It was actually used as currency it was so highly valued.  (Smart people!)  Here is some information I found on Wikipedia.

Mesoamerica history

A Mayan chief forbids a person to touch a jar of chocolate

Chocolate has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history. The earliest record of using chocolate dates back before the Olmec. In November 2007, archaeologists reported finding evidence of the oldest known cultivation and use of cacao at a site in Puerto Escondido, Honduras, dating from about 1100 to 1400 BC.^[9] The residues found and the kind of vessel they were found in indicate the initial use of cacao was not simply as a beverage, but the white pulp around the cacao beans was likely used as a source of fermentable sugars for an alcoholic drink.^[9] The Maya civilization grew cacao trees in their backyards,^[10] and used the cacao seeds it produced to make a frothy, bitter drink.^[11] Documents in Maya hieroglyphs stated chocolate was used for ceremonial purposes, in addition to everyday life.^[12] The chocolate residue found in an early ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, Guatemala, suggests the Maya were drinking chocolate around 400 AD.

 Not only were the Mayans mathematical geniuses, the knew a really good thing when it came to what we call chocolate!  What would our world be like today without chocolate?  I can't even conceive of such a world, can you?

Now I really, really like chocolate, but I would classify Dan as a chocoholic.  Do you know any of those?  I checked to see if there is a dictionary definition of such a thing and there actually is!

choc·o·hol·ic

  [chaw-kuh-haw-lik, -hol-ik, chok-uh-]  Show IPA

noun

a person who is excessively fond of chocolate.

This really made me laugh - who knew?  I thought it was mostly just a crazy word we used to describe someone who REALLY loved chocolate.  Like Dan.  Like how he keeps going to the cabinet and eating chocolate covered raisins as I type this.  Yes, that kind of chocoholic.  He even eats my chocolate chips if there is nothing else here that is chocolate.  How many times have I gone to the cabinet to get out the chips to make cookies and there may be one or two lonely little chips in the bottom of an otherwise empty bag?  I can't even count the number of times.  It could be worse, I know. Chocolate does raise those endorphin levels and maybe that's why Dan is such a happy guy.  Guess I should eat more chocolate.

Today, I thought I would share this easy and fabulous chocolate cream pie recipe with you that I have been making for years and years.  Just looking at the picture made me want to jump up and run to the stove and make one.  Maybe I will still do that.  It is 12.12.12 after all.

Here is what you need:

1 9 inch DEEP dish crust  (if you make your own crust, makes sure and use a deep pie pan) 

Using a fork, poke holes all over the bottom and sides of the crust to keep it from forming big bubbles while baking.   Bake in a 400 degree oven until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks beaten  (save the whites if you are making a meringue to top the pie)
a pinch of salt
2 TBSP cornstarch (or 4 TBSP AP flour)  I use cornstarch so the pie is gluten free
6 TBSP cocoa powder
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the sugar and egg yolks in a deep saucepan.  Add the salt, cornstarch, cocoa and milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick.  Cook until thickened.  

If you have never made your own cream pie filling before, it takes a while so don't get frustrated with all the stirring.  It can take up to a half hour for the filling to thicken.  You may ask how you will know when it is thickened.  It's really cool how "all of a sudden" the pudding mixture will tighten up and it will be hard to stir.  At this point, remove it from the heat and add the vanilla.  Mix it well.

Pour the filling into the baked pie crust.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap all over the pie filling to the edge of the crust.  Remove any air bubbles in the plastic with your fingers.  This keeps a film from forming on the top of the filling.

Put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Add Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream.  You can also make a meringue and bake it in the oven.  If you do this, do not cover the filling with plastic wrap.  Just sayin'.

Just look at that beautiful chocolate filling.  Doesn't it make you wish you had a piece to eat right now?

If you want to make a gluten free pie crust, here is what you need.

1 cup gluten free Bisquick
5 TBSP cold butter
3 TBSP  cold water

Put the Bisquick in a deep bowl.  Cut the cold butter into small cubes and put in in the bowl with the Bisquick.  If you don't have a pastry cutter, use your hands to squeeze the butter into the Bisquick until it forms small pea like clumps.  Otherwise, cut the butter in with your pastry cutter until you have small pea sized pieces.  Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time.  Mix with a fork until the dough forms a ball.  You may need a tad more water.  Just add a few drops at a time until you have a nice ball.

HERE IS WHERE THIS CRUST DIFFERS FROM A REGULAR PIE CRUST!!

Place the ball of dough in the bottom of a deep pie pan.  Using your hands, press the dough down, out and up the sides of the pie pan until you have a smooth crust covering the entire pan.  Crimp the top edges like a regular pie crust.  Don't roll this dough, it won't work.  Gluten is what makes dough stretchy and this dough doesn't work that way.  Using a fork, punch holes all over the bottom and sides of the crust.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

This is actually easier than trying to roll a crust and place it in the pie pan.  Who knew?

Meringue

If you want to make a meringue, use the three egg whites that have been brought to room temperature.  Beat them with a mixer or whisk until soft peaks form.  At this point, add 6 Tablespoons of sugar, 2 at a time and beat until stiff peaks form.  A stiff peak will stand on it's own like a small mountain.  Using a spatula, spread the meringue over the pie filling and place the pie in a 350 degree oven.  Watch closely and remove when the meringue has turned a light brown on the top.

Now, I have a hankering for chocolate pie.  Guess I better fire the oven up and get busy.  Happy 12.12.12 everyone.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

We won't see 12.12.12 again until 2112, which means most of us won't see it.  Celebrate today!  Make a chocolate pie.