Two breakfast pies.... why two? Read on.
Breakfast Pies The First
1 can refrigerated biscuits
1 carton Eggbeaters
8 strips turkey bacon (or whatever), cooked and crumbled
1/3 c milk
hot sauce - 1-5 dashes to taste
cheese
Spray muffin tin well. Separate biscuits (if using Grands or the like - I would use ½ a biscuit). Stretch them out and line each cup with a buscuit. Mix eggs, milk and hot sauce. Ladle egg mixture into muffin cups and top with bacon and cheese. Make sure not to fill too full as these will puff up very nicely.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes - start checking at 20. Bake until firm.
These were delicious and made enough for 2+ days of breakfasts. HOWEVER, someone (who may or may not have a law degree) left them out on the counter all day after Day One. We were all very sad. But it led to:
Breakfast Pies The Second
5 eggs (yes - we are now out of eggbeaters)
1 can cream of celery soup
8 strips turkey bacon (or whatever), cooked and crumbled (or 8 link breakfast sausage - yes I use turkey)
stale bread - cubed
½ t dried mustard
hot sauce as above
cheese
Line muffin tin with papers and spray. Put a few dried bread cubes in each cup. Mix soup, eggs, mustard and hot sauce. Ladle into cups and again top with bacon and cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes checking at 20 minutes.
Both are good - I think we liked the second one better because it is very reminiscent of the famed and loved Paul's Breakfast Casserole.
I baked both these the night before and nuked them in the AM. If I was a more of a "get up early" kinda girl I would have assembled the night before and baked in the AM. But I'm not.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Cranberries!
We are on somewhat of a cranberry kick here at Why Mom Why. The Lawyer is the only person I know who eats (whole berry) cranberry sauce year round. Now that the stores are full of fresh ones - he is in heaven. He made cranberry sauce this weekend and I made (a small test recipe of) cranberry chutney.
Cranberry Chutney
½ bag fresh cranberries washed and picked over
1 apple - chopped with skin on - Honeycrisp preferred
10 dried apricots
handful golden raisens
½ small can pineapple (not crushed but in small slices)
½ minced red onion
2 t canola oil
1 t cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 t dried ginger
1/8 to 1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 t ground cloves
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
Saute the onion in the oil until very soft. Add rest of ingredients and simmer until the dried fruit is moist and the mixture is thick, 20+ minutes. I had planned to put sugar in this but I seriously forgot. It was perfect without for us as we like tart. You could also add 1/4 to ½ cup white or brown sugar. I am planning to make this as gifts and I will definitely put in some sugar. The lawyer loved this. I think it is already gone.
Apple Cranberry pie
1 pie crust (I DO use Pillsbury - I hate making pie crusts!)
3-4 apples (honeycrisp preferred)
½ bag fresh cranberries washed and picked over
3 T butter (which I will omit next time)
1 t cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 t ground cloves
approx. ½ cup white sugar (although I think brown would be good too)
thinly slice apples and layer with cranberries. Dot with butter and sprinkle on sugar and spices. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
This was VERY soupy. I will omit the butter next time or only use 1 T. The "soup" was delicious though. This makes a small pie - just right for a smaller Thanksgiving or if lots of other desserts are being served.
Cranberry Chutney
½ bag fresh cranberries washed and picked over
1 apple - chopped with skin on - Honeycrisp preferred
10 dried apricots
handful golden raisens
½ small can pineapple (not crushed but in small slices)
½ minced red onion
2 t canola oil
1 t cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 t dried ginger
1/8 to 1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 t ground cloves
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
Saute the onion in the oil until very soft. Add rest of ingredients and simmer until the dried fruit is moist and the mixture is thick, 20+ minutes. I had planned to put sugar in this but I seriously forgot. It was perfect without for us as we like tart. You could also add 1/4 to ½ cup white or brown sugar. I am planning to make this as gifts and I will definitely put in some sugar. The lawyer loved this. I think it is already gone.
Apple Cranberry pie
1 pie crust (I DO use Pillsbury - I hate making pie crusts!)
3-4 apples (honeycrisp preferred)
½ bag fresh cranberries washed and picked over
3 T butter (which I will omit next time)
1 t cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 t ground cloves
approx. ½ cup white sugar (although I think brown would be good too)
thinly slice apples and layer with cranberries. Dot with butter and sprinkle on sugar and spices. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
This was VERY soupy. I will omit the butter next time or only use 1 T. The "soup" was delicious though. This makes a small pie - just right for a smaller Thanksgiving or if lots of other desserts are being served.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
NEWSFLASH
Mah Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies are WINNERS!
My recipe took first place at the Champaign Public Library healthy recipe smackdown! (The events committee has a catchy name which is escaping me right now.)
OH! Did I mention there were TWO "sweet" entries. But HEY - I WON!
ahem. What did I win? A $10 dollar gift card to Latte Da!, the cafe in the library.
and. Since you asked. The ingredients set me back $12. But hey! I WON!
My recipe took first place at the Champaign Public Library healthy recipe smackdown! (The events committee has a catchy name which is escaping me right now.)
OH! Did I mention there were TWO "sweet" entries. But HEY - I WON!
ahem. What did I win? A $10 dollar gift card to Latte Da!, the cafe in the library.
and. Since you asked. The ingredients set me back $12. But hey! I WON!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Too Easy
This one is almost too easy and was a surprisingly huge hit.
Italian Wedding Soup
meatballs (one batch - see below)
1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or equivalent homemade
pasta - small shapes cooked
cheese
spinach - optional
Simmer the meatballs in the stock for as long as you have time. I simmered for about ½ hour while I was cleaning up the kitchen and running Maya to choir.
If using spinach - right before serving, add to broth.
Place pasta in bowl and ladle soup over pasta. Top with cheese. Compliment yourself on a quick weeknight supper.
Meatballs - I usually make a triple or quadruple batch of meatballs whenever good ground beef is on sale. Here is the basic recipe.
1 lb ground beef (90/10 is good for flavor)
1 medium minced sweet onion
garlic or garlic powder to taste
oregano
parsley
salt
pepper
spicy seasoned salt (just a couple shakes)
1 egg
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated hard cheese, parmesan, asiago, whatever you have in the fridge
Combine everything and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. I usually add in some white wine if the pan gets too dry.
These freeze extremely well. If you have these in the freezer, your life on weeknights will be so much better! Add your favorite pasta sauce and have spagetti and meatballs, or meatball subs. Or make this soup with pantry items and your family will love you.
Italian Wedding Soup
meatballs (one batch - see below)
1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or equivalent homemade
pasta - small shapes cooked
cheese
spinach - optional
Simmer the meatballs in the stock for as long as you have time. I simmered for about ½ hour while I was cleaning up the kitchen and running Maya to choir.
If using spinach - right before serving, add to broth.
Place pasta in bowl and ladle soup over pasta. Top with cheese. Compliment yourself on a quick weeknight supper.
Meatballs - I usually make a triple or quadruple batch of meatballs whenever good ground beef is on sale. Here is the basic recipe.
1 lb ground beef (90/10 is good for flavor)
1 medium minced sweet onion
garlic or garlic powder to taste
oregano
parsley
salt
pepper
spicy seasoned salt (just a couple shakes)
1 egg
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated hard cheese, parmesan, asiago, whatever you have in the fridge
Combine everything and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. I usually add in some white wine if the pan gets too dry.
These freeze extremely well. If you have these in the freezer, your life on weeknights will be so much better! Add your favorite pasta sauce and have spagetti and meatballs, or meatball subs. Or make this soup with pantry items and your family will love you.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sweet and Sour Sausage Bites
This is an old recipe of my mom's. I really need to ask her where she got it. Likely clipped from a magazine. She has a whole notebook full of those that I still look at when we visit Dayton. When she first started making this in the 70's, the crazy breakout ingredient was soy sauce! So daring and unusual! This recipe tastes like childhood to me.
My kids love love love these. Sometimes I use turkey breakfast sausage cut into chunks and sometimes meatballs. Kielbasa would also be good. This time I used turkey breakfast sausage for our Halloween party tonight.
1 cup brown sugar
3 T flour
2 t dry mustard
Mix these well (to avoid lumps) in a sauce pan. add:
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup white vinegar
2 t soy sauce
cook over medium head until bubbly and thick. Pour over "bites". Make a day or two before your party then heat and serve in a crock pot. Sometimes we have these as a main dish over rice. The leftovers, if any, are always gone by the next day. Seth loves these so much - he asked for them for breakfast this morning. Poor kid had to make do with plain turkey sausage. His life is so hard!
My kids love love love these. Sometimes I use turkey breakfast sausage cut into chunks and sometimes meatballs. Kielbasa would also be good. This time I used turkey breakfast sausage for our Halloween party tonight.
1 cup brown sugar
3 T flour
2 t dry mustard
Mix these well (to avoid lumps) in a sauce pan. add:
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup white vinegar
2 t soy sauce
cook over medium head until bubbly and thick. Pour over "bites". Make a day or two before your party then heat and serve in a crock pot. Sometimes we have these as a main dish over rice. The leftovers, if any, are always gone by the next day. Seth loves these so much - he asked for them for breakfast this morning. Poor kid had to make do with plain turkey sausage. His life is so hard!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
White Chicken Chili
Maya had her first performace with the Central Illinois Childrens Chorus Friday. My folks came from Ohio to see it. Let me tell you how THRILLED she was to have them at her performance.
We planned on dinner after the performance. I wanted to do something in the crockpot - it was cold and yucky and this perfectly fit the bill.
White Chicken Chili
chicken - rotisserie or 4 cooked breasts - I FORGOT to buy a rotisserie one so we did the four breasts
3 cans chicken broth or equivalent homemade
2 cans white beans - one whizzed up in the blender
1 can chopped green chilis
1 sauted onion (sauteed in 1 T olive oil)
1 cup frozen or canned corn
dump everything in the crockpot and go to a lovely performance of wonderfully talented children. ( cook on high about 4 hours)
When you get home, take out about 1 cup liquid and mix in 1 T cornstarch still smooth. Stir in slurry and continue to cook on high while you set the table and get drink orders. Serve with avocado, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream on the side and let everyone pick their toppings. We also had corn muffins.
this was a HUGE hit. Maya was starving and ate two bowls full. My dad and mom loved it as did Seth and I. Scott liked it okay but soup is not his favorite thing. I will so be making this again and I think my mom will too. My folks, who are retired, get into ruts with their lunches, which they hate. I am thinking this might kick them out of a rut this winter!
We planned on dinner after the performance. I wanted to do something in the crockpot - it was cold and yucky and this perfectly fit the bill.
White Chicken Chili
chicken - rotisserie or 4 cooked breasts - I FORGOT to buy a rotisserie one so we did the four breasts
3 cans chicken broth or equivalent homemade
2 cans white beans - one whizzed up in the blender
1 can chopped green chilis
1 sauted onion (sauteed in 1 T olive oil)
1 cup frozen or canned corn
dump everything in the crockpot and go to a lovely performance of wonderfully talented children. ( cook on high about 4 hours)
When you get home, take out about 1 cup liquid and mix in 1 T cornstarch still smooth. Stir in slurry and continue to cook on high while you set the table and get drink orders. Serve with avocado, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream on the side and let everyone pick their toppings. We also had corn muffins.
this was a HUGE hit. Maya was starving and ate two bowls full. My dad and mom loved it as did Seth and I. Scott liked it okay but soup is not his favorite thing. I will so be making this again and I think my mom will too. My folks, who are retired, get into ruts with their lunches, which they hate. I am thinking this might kick them out of a rut this winter!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
This time of year - I want to use pumpkin, sweet potatoes or squash in EVERYTHING! Therefore:
1/3 cup oil (canola is preferred)
14-15 oz canned pumpkin (there are rumors of a canned pumpkin shortage but I found tons at County Market on Kirby this past weekend)
1 egg
3/4 cup white sugar (or a mixture of white and brown sugar)
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
1 T vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 T pumpkin pie spice (or 2 t cinnamon and ginger, allspice, ground cloves or nutmeg to make up 1 T)
Mix egg, oil and sugar(s). Add in spices and flour. Mix until completely blended. Add in chocolate chips.
Scoop out in small scoops. I used an actual scooper for aabout a 1" diameter cookie.
Bake at 350 for approx. 15 minutes. Make sure these are nicely browned. Start the first batch at 10 minutes and check thereafter.
Devour. These are fairly healthy due to the pumpkin which allows you to use very little oil. These are a cakey cookie that are even better the second day (if there are any left.) My kids love these. I plan to make them again this weekend for my parents - sans chocolate as my mom is strictly no caffeine (and I wonder how she EVER makes it through life....)
Pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotenes which are antioxidants that are converted to vitamin A in the body. They are thought to boost the immune system and help to repair free radical damage to cells. Beta-carotenes are being studied to determine what role they play in the prevention of various disease states. These healthy, bright orange pigments are also found in carrots. This is one reason your mom always pushed you to eat your carrots. She would have wanted you to eat pumpkin too. Pumpkin is also a rich source of vitamin C and potassium which may help to prevent heart disease and normalize blood pressure.
1/3 cup oil (canola is preferred)
14-15 oz canned pumpkin (there are rumors of a canned pumpkin shortage but I found tons at County Market on Kirby this past weekend)
1 egg
3/4 cup white sugar (or a mixture of white and brown sugar)
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
1 T vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 T pumpkin pie spice (or 2 t cinnamon and ginger, allspice, ground cloves or nutmeg to make up 1 T)
Mix egg, oil and sugar(s). Add in spices and flour. Mix until completely blended. Add in chocolate chips.
Scoop out in small scoops. I used an actual scooper for aabout a 1" diameter cookie.
Bake at 350 for approx. 15 minutes. Make sure these are nicely browned. Start the first batch at 10 minutes and check thereafter.
Devour. These are fairly healthy due to the pumpkin which allows you to use very little oil. These are a cakey cookie that are even better the second day (if there are any left.) My kids love these. I plan to make them again this weekend for my parents - sans chocolate as my mom is strictly no caffeine (and I wonder how she EVER makes it through life....)
Pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotenes which are antioxidants that are converted to vitamin A in the body. They are thought to boost the immune system and help to repair free radical damage to cells. Beta-carotenes are being studied to determine what role they play in the prevention of various disease states. These healthy, bright orange pigments are also found in carrots. This is one reason your mom always pushed you to eat your carrots. She would have wanted you to eat pumpkin too. Pumpkin is also a rich source of vitamin C and potassium which may help to prevent heart disease and normalize blood pressure.
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