Blueberry & Sausage French Toast Casserole

This sounds amazing! I can not wait to make it in Jeremy's Granny O'Neals cast iron pan. Another recipe from Lisa at The Homesick Texan - looking forward to her cookbook coming out in September! Here is my variation on the recipe but you can find the original recipe here.

1 tablespoon light butter
2 cups fat free half-and-half
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 24-inch loaf of French bread, cubed (about 5 cups)
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 pound turkey breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
Optional - Powdered Sugar
Maple syrup

In a large Cast iron, on low heat melt the butter and swirl so it coats the bottom and the sides. (You can add melted butter to a 9x9 square pan and bake it that way if you do not have a cast iron skillet.)

Beat the together the half and eggs. Whisk in the sugar, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until well combined.

Layer the bottom of the skillet with half of the bread (could also make this with thick Texas toast bread or even leftover buns). Top with the blueberries and crumbled cooked sausage. Place on top the remaining bread cubes, and then pour over the bread the custard until all pieces are well covered.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Let the casserole sit unrefrigerated for 20 minutes, until some of the milk mixture has been absorbed, and then bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and then bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until top is firm and lightly browned. Optional - sprinkle with powder sugar when it come out of the oven. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with syrup.

Stuffed Strawberries

I took these to a book club meeting last week- what an easy and delicious dessert!

20 strawberries, washed, dried and cored
8 oz pkg light cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 sleeve of graham crackers
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Set aside strawberries while you make the filing. Beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer, then add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Place graham crackers in a zip lock bag and beat them into fine crumbs - set aside.

Take the cream cheese mixture and put in a gallon zip lock bag. Snip the end and fill the strawberries.

After strawberries are filled dip the top in the graham cracker crumbs. Melt the chocolate chips, then place in zip lock, snip tip off. Drizzle the side of each strawberry with a little chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Asparagus Tart

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed according to the packages directions)
2 tablespoons honey dijon mustard
2 cups gruyere (grated)
1 pound asparagus
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Roll the puff pastry out to a 16x10 inch rectangle. Score a line around the puff pastry 1 inch from the edge. Brush the mustard around the inside of the cut. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer over the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush the outside inch of the pastry with the olive oil. Bake in a preheated 400F oven until the asparagus is tender and the pastry is golden brown, about 15-25 minutes.

Grilled Asparagus & Poached Egg

I love Asparagus and Poached eggs - this is the perfect healthy breakfast for me.

1 Tbsp toasted Panko
6-8 stalks fresh asparagus with the tough stalk trimmed
1 soft-cooked, poached egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Saute Panko in a skillet over medium heat with enough Olive Oil to barely coat crumbs and give a nice crunchy brown crust.

Lightly spray or brush asparagus with olive oil. Grill over medium-high heat until spears begin to turn bright green, turning once or twice as they cook. Can be done with a grill pan on the stove, an outdoor grill or even under a broiler. Remove to serving plate.

Poach egg , leaving the yolk soft and carefully place on top of asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and top with panko.

Goat Cheese & Leek Tart

Store bought pie crust
1 large leek, cleaned thoroughly and sliced thin
2 eggs
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup fat free half & half
pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 400. Par-bake your pie crust by poking holes all over it and baking for 15 minutes, or until slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

Scatter leeks and goat cheese all over the bottom of the tart. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream and spices. Pour filling over top.

Bake for forty minutes. When done, the top will be puffed up and slightly golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach

1 Cup Mascarpone Cheese At Room Temperature
Zest & Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
4 Chicken Sausage or Italian Sausage links
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, sliced
Salt & Pepper
1/3 Cup Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1 (9 Ounce) Bag Baby Spinach
1 box Pasta
Garlic Croutons, crumbled finely
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (yes use the good stuff!!)

Combine the zest, lemon juice, mascarpone, and pepper in a bowl, and whisk to combine.

Bring a pasta pot of salted water to boil.

While waiting on the water, heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the sausage until it is cooked through and lightly brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Let cool a bit and then cut into slices - you want the juices to to re-distribute into the sausage.

Cook the pasta until al dente, taking it off the heat about 1 to 2 minutes before you would normally remove it. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Return the pasta to the pot, and set over medium heat. Stir in the mascarpone and lemon mixture, the sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Loosen the sauce with about 1/4 cup of the water and toss all over the ingredients together until the spinach has wilted and everything is piping hot, adding a little additional pasta water if needed. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese & crumbled croutons.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries

4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
3 stalks Celery, Finely Diced
2 ears Fresh Corn
1/4 whole Medium Red Onion, Finely Diced
1- 1/2cup Blueberries
3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Minced
4 Tablespoons Light Mayonnaise
4 Tablespoons Light Sour Cream
3/4 cup Reduced Fat Crumbled Feta
1/4 cup Fat Free Half-and-half
1 whole Lemon
1 teaspoon Sugar (To Taste)
Salt And Pepper (additional) To Taste
Extra Feta & Blueberries for each plate

Place chicken breasts into large plastic storage bag. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat grill and drizzle chicken with olive oil. Grill chicken on both sides until done, about 7 minutes per side. Remove from pan. Allow to cool. Can grill chicken a day before serving.

Shave kernels off each corn cob. Combine with the onion and celery. Set aside.

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, feta, and half-and-half. Stir in sugar, squeeze in lemon juice, and add salt and pepper. Stir, then taste. Add more salt if necessary; do not undersalt! Can made a day ahead.

Slice chicken on the bias in strips, then cut strips in half. Throw into a bowl with celery, onion, and corn. Stir to combine. Pour half the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently. Add more as desired, but don’t overcoat the salad; should be light!

At the end, toss in the blueberries to lightly coat them in the dressing. Serve, then sprinkle individual helpings with feta.

Basic Quiche

9 inch crust pie
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1 cup shredded red. fat Sharp Cheddar, grated
2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups fat free half & half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and chives into pastry shell.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour mixture into pastry shell. Bake 15 minutes then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Shannon's Salad

1 Bag Field Greens
1 Pear Red Bartlett,chopped - skin left on
1/2 Cup Candied Pecans or Toasted Pecans (I buy the candied in the bulk isle @ Sprouts)
1/3 Cup Reduce Fat Blue Cheese Crumbles
Balsamic Fig Dressing (Stonewall Kitchen Brand)

Super easy! Just add everyting to a bowl and add as much dressing as you would like to the salad right before serving.

Shannon's Pasta

4 Chicken Sausage links (optional)
1 Box Penne Pasta
2 cups Fresh veggies; chopped (anything seasonal)
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Small jar of Pesto
2 Tbsp Fat Free half & half (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; freshly grated
1/2 Fresh Lemon


Boil water. To a skillet cook sausage following pkg directions. Set aside. Add salt & pasta to boiling water cook to aldente. Add olive oil to pan saute veggies. After cooked to desired constancy; add salt & pepper. Add pesto (whole or almost whole jar) to veggies. If adding Half & half add now - maybe 2 TBSP. Dice sausage up and add to veggies in skillet. Save a cup of pasta water - drain pasta & add to veggies. Add pasta water (if needed) and parmesan cheese. Before serving squeeze half a lemon on top & stir.

Chive Risotto Cakes

Risotto is one of the favorite dishes at our house (loved by all which is rare!). When I saw Ina make these on Barefoot Contessa I had to try them and they were a hit! I serve the cakes with a green salad with a simple vinaigrette and broccoli for the boys. Believe it our not I did not change a thing from the original recipe. I love Ina's recipes, they are all so basic and delicious.


Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Extra virgin olive oil


Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil over medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4-inch) ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

By now you know that Giada is one of my favorite chefs. Here is a great brunch muffin recipe or it could be used for a dessert. I made just a couple of changes to the recipe, see the original recipe here.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:
3 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) light butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions
Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins may be eaten warm or cooled completely and frosted.

To frost the cupcakes: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and then beat in the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Breakfast Tart

I watched Giada make this in the Spring and have made it several times since then. I use bacon instead of Pancetta just because it can be cooked in the microwave. I have also substituted Swiss for Gruyere- it is good but Gruyere is my favorite. Love breakfast foods!!

Butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the pan
1 unroll-and-bake refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 ounces THICK bacon, cooked and crumbled
5 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
8 oz shredded Gruyere
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Special equipment: 9-inch tart pan with removable base

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan.

Unroll the pie crust and arrange it in the prepared pan. Gently press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any excess crust from the top of the pan. With the tines of a fork, prick the pastry in several places. Using a pastry brush, coat the crust with the beaten egg white. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the egg white has set, about 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the beaten eggs, mascarpone cheese, Gruyere, green onions, salt, pepper, and bacon. Mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the mixture has set and the top is golden, about 18 minutes Cool the tart for 10 to 15 minutes then remove it from the pan to a serving platter.

Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken or Ham Aspargus or Spinach Polenta Casserole

I used the leftover alfredo sauce and polenta I had in the freezer to make this dish. Great brunch dish or for a girl luncheon (but I served it for dinner but only Jeremy and I ate it). Jeremy prefers it with chicken & spinach.

16 oz. pkg. prepared polenta (or 2 cups leftover)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. light butter
10 oz. container refrigerated four cheese alfredo sauce (or left over homemade)
2 cups frozen asparagus pieces, thawed and drained
or
2 cups thawed & drained frozen spinach (squeeze out excess water)
1 cup cooked cubed ham
or
1 cup cooked cubed chicken
1/2 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice polenta into 1/2" slices. In large skillet, combine olive oil and butter and heat over medium heat. When butter melts, add half of the polenta slices; cook until well browned on one side, then turn and cook on second side. This should take 5-7 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

Then arrange the browned polenta in a greased 8" square glass baking dish. Top with asparagus pieces (or spinach) and ham (or chicken). Spoon sauce over casserole and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until casserole is bubbling and cheese begins to brown.

CB Chicken Salad

This is a knock-off of Corner Bakery's D.C. Chicken Salad. I made it last week when the 4th grade was responsible for teacher lunch day. Here is the original recipe because I made changes below.

Dressing:
1/2 c light Miracle Whip
1/2 c skim milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Salad:
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped into cubes
1/3 c small shallot, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 c granny smith apple, chopped
1/2 c pear, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice (keeps apples and pears from turning brown)
1/4 c dried currant
1/2 c slivered almonds,toasted

Combine (with a whisk) the MW, milk, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth. Set dressing aside. Mix salad ingredients together and then top with dressing to evenly coat the salad. Serve with croissants, bread, crackers or on a bed of lettuce.

Hot Chicken Salad

Karen remember this one? Darlene made this for us at our luncheon concluding our very first Beth Moore study (Jesus the One and Only).

2 C cooked, diced chicken (or 2 cans of chicken)
1 C sliced celery
1/2 C sliced almonds
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T lemon juice
2 t grated onion
3/4 C mayonnaise
1/2 C grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 C crushed potato chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine all ingredients (except last two) in bowl. Put mixture into casserole dish. Next add cheese and then top with chips. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve immediately.

Limeade Strawberry Punch

My friend Ivey has made this at a shower and party I have attended in her home. It is always a huge hit - it is so good.

1 Can Frozen Limeade Concentrate
1 2-liter Sprite
1 bag Sonic Ice
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries, quartered
1/2 lime, sliced in thin circles

To a punch bowl add limeade, sprite and ice (Sonic Ice a must). Then add strawberries and limes to top for garnish. Very simple, elegant and refreshing.

Side note- every time Ivey makes this she goes through at least two bowls. Have extra ingredients on hand for refills.

Potato and Bacon Torte

I watched this recipe be made on a new show on the Food Network called Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian. My only changes I made were that I cook my bacon in the microwave and used store bought pie crust. Great with a simple salad.

4 strips bacon, cooked crisp
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Pie Crusts (I use Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts)
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
Put one pie crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.)

Cover the pie with the second pie crust and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Chicken and Orzo Pasta

This is a recipe that I watched Giada De Laurentiis make on her show. I have made it for teacher luncheons but I add rotisserie chicken.

1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces), chopped*
3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese*
1/2 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped*
12 fresh basil leaves, torn*
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool. Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Taste it because you may need to add more salt (I did the last time I made it). Serve.

*You can make this with spinach, feta, walnuts, cranberries and oregano then call it a Greek pasta salad instead of Italian!*

Side note- Recently when I made this dish I could not find the Arugula or the Ricotta Salata, so I followed all the directions but used Feta and Spinach. So GOOD!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Tyler Florence is one my favorite chefs - this is one of his recipes. Make this along with his Chicken Salad and Cranberry Brie Toast. Great for a girls lunch!!

Butter, for greasing pan
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9 graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
2 lemons, zested and juiced
About 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Crust: Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with butter. Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down at the corners. In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the texture of bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse a couple of times to fully incorporate. Pour into the lined baking pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until golden. When done set aside to cool.

Filling: Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to the food processor and mix until well combined. It should have a smooth consistency. Pour onto the cooled crust and then cover with blueberries. They will sink slightly but should still be half exposed -- as the cake bakes they will sink a little more and break down.

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.

Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining and slice into 10 rectangular bars. Dust with powdered sugar.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence.