Breakfast Casserole

I got the original recipe from here.  Try hers, I am sure it is DE-LISH however, I didn't have everything that I would have needed for her recipe, so I substituted a few things.

I make this, and then we have it for a couple days because I love eggs for breakfast! (measurements for cheese are approximate)

1 pkg. (26 ounces) frozen potatoes O'Brien (the kind with green pepper and onions)
1 pkg. sausage, fried up and crumbled
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded SHARP cheddar cheese
3 green onions, sliced
12 eggs
1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground black pepper

Directions

1. Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the potatoe on the bottom of slow cooker.

2. Top with half of the sausage, cheese, & green onion. Repeat layering.

3. Beat eggs, milk and pepper in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended.

4. Pour evenly over potato-sausage mixture.

5. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours or until eggs are set.

Homemade YUMMY Croutons!

I don't know why I've never attempted homemade croutons, because I don't really like the kind purchased in the store...  Today was my first attempt!  and they were good!!  These could make the pickiest of salad eaters eat salad!  I got the recipe from Family Feasts for $75 a week!  One of my favorite cookbooks!  The recipe below is doubled!  Mostly because I could eat a single recipe as a snack!  I used leftover sub buns from Milano Bakery.

8 slices bread, cubed
4 T butter
4 T olive oil (I only had veggie oil so that's what I used)
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 t garlic powder

Preheat oven 425*

melt butter, mix all ingredients except bread together.

Get a big bowl, toss, bread and butter mixture together

bake 10-15 minutes.  Let cool.  ENJOY!  you can store in an airtight container for 1 month (I have no idea how you could get them to last that long!)

Taco Stew

Another recipe from the Crockpot girls  on Facebook!  I modified it a little (their ingredients in ()

TACO STEW

1 lb. Ground Turkey (already cooked hamburger meat)
1 15 oz can drained black beans + 1/3 can water (pinto beans)
1 15 oz can ranch style beans
1 10 oz can Rotel or diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes rough chopped (diced tomatoes)
1½ cups corn -1 can
3 T homemade taco seasoning (1 packet of taco seasoning)
1 packet of ranch dressing mix

COMBINE AND COOK ON LOW 6-8 HRS

So here's the deal on this one, we hardly ever have ground beef in the house, it's Aldi's ground turkey for us.  Phyllis doesn't like pinto beans - I drained the black ones and added water because black bean juice is so dark. I had stewed tomatoes so that's what I used.  I don't buy taco seasoning, I make my own (while I realize some may find it ridiculous that I make my own - I find it kind of silly that they don't - spices at Aldi so they are cheaper and it tastes better - but to each their own).

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Got this recipe from here

1 pound Lean Ground Beef (I used ground turkey)
1 whole Small Onion Chopped
2 whole Large Green Peppers, Chopped
2 cans 14 Ounce Cans Beef Broth
1 28 ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes, Undrained (I used Stewed because that's what I had)
1 cup Cooked Rice (I will use brown rice)
1 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce


Preparation Instructions

In a saucepan brown ground beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Then drain grease.

In crockpot combine beef broth, soup, tomatoes, and the meat mixture, and peppers. Cover and cook 3 hours on high or 6 on low, cook rice right before serving and combine

Trying it out before the Sisterhood weekend!

WW muffins

Got this recipe from Pat!


Weight Watcher Muffins

(2 points each)

Mix together:

1 & 1/4 cup skim milk

1 & 1/4 cup wheat bran

1/2 cup regular brown sugar

(do not use substitute)

Mix first three ingredients and set aside for 15 minutes

add:

1 & 1/2 cup wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon baking powder

mix well then add:

8 oz. crushed pineapple in its own juice (do not drain)

2 egg whites

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix well, fill muffin tins to the top (this does not rise much) . Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes. 12 muffins 

equal 2 points (old point conversion) each. One recipe should yield a dozen muffins if you don't use jumbo muffin pans!

*I leave out the cranberries,  raisins, and slightly increase the raisins. I also add about 1/2 cut shredded carrot, to increase the fiber, but not the calories.

Making and then freezing these makes a great quick breakfast or snack. They do not keep well for long unless frozen because of the moisture content.

Banana Bread

I got this recipe from here it's my new favorite!  My friend Sara told me about it, she says it's the bees-knees!  It is really really good! 

1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter (I only bake with butter but the recipe called for margarine (gross!)
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan, or two 7x3 inch loaf pans.

Combine banana and sour cream. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and banana mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir into the banana mixture. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan or pans.

Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Enchilada Soup

This is from this cookbook , page 93 to be exact. 

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion (about 1 cup)
3 cloves of garlic
4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds of cooked, shredded chicken
1 15 oz can black beans
1 14.5 can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c corn kernels
1 7oz salsa verde or 4 oz can green chiles
1 T seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
1 T chili powder
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 c sour cream
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 c fresh cilantro

Heat oil in large pan, stir in onions and garlic, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa, jalapeno, and chili powder.  heat to simmering.

Add cornstarch to small bowl, stir in water and mix until the mixture is smooth.  Stir into soup and simmer 10 minutes.  Whisk sour cream together with 1 c hot soup in a small bowl and then stir into soup until well blended.  Stir in lime juice and cilantro.  And serve!