B.E.L.T. (Bacon Egg Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich!)

Bread
Mayo
Bacon cooked crisp
Egg, fried in bacon grease
Lettuce
Tomato

Lightly toast bread.

Spread mayo on the inside of both slices. 

layer bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato on bread.

Put other bread on top!

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Mozzarella

1 Tablespoon Salt
1 bunch broccoli, stalks cut off,
        florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces

1 lb penne pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, minced

6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 jar Alfredo Sauce

1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded

8 ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into pieces

3 cups mozzarella, shredded, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli. The broccoli cooks quickly so stay close! Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, cream, and Alfredo sauce; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and 1 cup of mozzarella.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Broccoli Ham Quiche

1 Pie Crust or hash brown crust (see note)

1 1/2 cups ham, diced (6 oz)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, minced

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups Swiss Cheese (6 oz)

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 375.

Place pie crust in pie pan and flute edges. You may have to roll out the crust with a rolling pin to get it larger.

Place ham in bottom of pie crust.

Saute in butter the onions, broccoli, and garlic till soft.

Layer broccoli mixture on top of ham.

Sprinkle with swiss cheese.

In a bowl mix eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

Pour over quiche.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

NOTE: 
- To make Hash Brown Crust:
          Thaw 1/2 a bag of frozen hash browns on 3 tear away towels on a jelly roll pan.  This will take about 20 minutes.  Then take another 3 sheets of towels and try to soak up the moisture by pressing down on the thawed hash browns.  
          In a medium bowl mix the hash browns with 2 Tablespoons of melted Butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
          Press into a greased pie plate on the bottom and up sides of plate. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  
          Continue with rest of recipe by placing ham on top of baked hash browns. 

-To make 2 quiches:

Make each quiche separately (so twice the amount of ingredients).  However you will only need to buy 1 bag of diced ham and one 8oz block of Swiss cheese which you will divide into both quiches.  (When I price this recipe per serving I do it with the intent of making 2 quiches.)

Substitutes:
-If you do not have Swiss cheese you can use cheddar or mexican blend. Just do not use the dry mustard but use 1 t Paprika.

- If you do not have heavy cream you can use sour cream.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter

1 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 cups Jasmin Rice

8 Cups Water

1 head Broccoli, chopped
1 Pkg Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix

           (found at Walmart in a bag)

2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Sour Cream

2 cups Shredded Chicken

            (about half a rotisserie chicken)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan bring broth, butter, and salt to a boil until butter is melted.  Stir in rice.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork.

In a large spaghetti pot bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil.  Add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove broccoli with a wire strainer and place in a bowl.  

Wisk in soup mix to the water that you cooked the broccoli in.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When soup is made stir in cheese and sour cream.  Then add Chicken, broccoli.  In individual bowls add and rice and spoon soup on top.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Note:  Soup will last better if rice is left out and added to bowls separately. 

Banana Apple Bread

2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup flour
3 Tablespoons Butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease two 7x3-inch loaf pans.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the melted butter with 2 cups of sugar until smooth, and mix in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.
Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

Fold in the bananas, apples, and chopped walnuts until combined; do not over mix. There should be small chunks of banana visible in the batter.

Pour half the batter into each prepared loaf pan.

Mix the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, flour, and softened butter together in a bowl until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle half the crumb topping over each loaf.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove and cover each pan with aluminum foil. Return to oven, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean.

Allow to cool before serving.

Note: if using mini loaf pans cook for about 20 minutes before covering.

Beijing Style Tomato and Egg Stir Fry

6-8 Eggs, scrambled

salt and pepper to taste
2-4 Tablespoons Oil for stir frying
2 Serrano Chili, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Ginger, grated
4 Tomatoes quartered and cut in half
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
sprinkle salt
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Scramble eggs with salt and pepper in a pan over medium heat. Remove eggs from pan before they have fully cooked, set aside.

Heat oil in a wok - heat should be on high, but do not burn the oil.

Add the serrano chili, garlic, and ginger and stir it around in the hot oil but do not burn (turn heat down if smoking). Add tomatoes and green onions to the hot pan. Stir about 2 minutes.

Add to the tomato mixture Salt, Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, and Sesame Oil. Return the Scrambled Eggs to the mixture. Stir about 1 minute.

Serve over rice if desired.

Note: A good way to use up left over scrambled eggs.

Berry Lemon Sauce

4 cups Frozen Triple Berry Blend
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

In a medium saucepan mix the berries, sugar and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and mash berries.

Using a wire mesh strain the berries to get all seeds out. It is okay if a few slip through the strainer.  Use a heavy duty spoon to keep stirring the berries.  The seeds will clog up the strainer so if you keep it moving more liquid can escape.  When you are finished, scrap the bottom of the strainer over your bowl to get any liquid that is still clinging to the strainer. 

Place seeds (pulp) in the strainer in another bowl to cool.  Discard seeds. It will look like a lot but that is okay.

Place strained berry mixture back into saucepan reserving a 1/4 cup. 

Mix 1/4 cup berry juice and corn starch in a cup.  

Bring the berry mixture to a boil again.

While stiring boiling berry mixture, pour cornstarch mixture slowly into berry mixture. Keep stiring till you get desired thickness.

Dish over individual slices of cheesecake.  Or you can use this sauce as a syrup on pancakes!

Note: You can also just use a mixture of 2 cups of raspberries and 2 cups of blackberries if you cannot find the triple berry blend.

Berry Risotto Oatmeal

1/2 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup heavy cream, or half-and-half
6 cups water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag (12oz) frozen raspberries, thawed and lightly drained

In a large pot add all the ingredients, except the fruit.

Bring the mixture to a quick boil and then lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes.  Keep cooking on low and stirring every so often for 10 minutes.  You want the oatmeal to be thick.  The raspberries will add more liquid.  Once it is thick, remove from heat add the raspberries, stir to combine.

Note:  You may need to add more sugar after tasting it if desired .  

Banana Spring Rolls

1 bag of frozen Raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1 T lemon juice
1.5 quarts Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
1/2 bag of sweetened Coconut flakes
1/2 package of Phyllo Dough sheets, thawed (takes 2 hr)
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts
3 Bananas
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup sweetened Coconut flakes

In the morning or the day before serving, mix raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Placed a wire strainer over a bowl and strain raspberries as much as you can.

Discard pulp that is left.

Place juice in refrigerator to cool, about an hour before you start the ice cream.

Set ice cream on counter to soften for about 30 minutes.

Empty ice cream into a kitchen aid mixer. Add coconuts and 1/2 of the raspberry juice.

Mix with paddle on low to just combine and then on medium to really whip it.

Return to ice cream container and return container to freezer. Give about 4 hours to harden back up.

2 hours before you start dessert place Phyllo dough on counter to thaw.

About 40 minutes before you want to serve dessert, place chocolate and nuts in food processor and process until ground.

Cut bananas lengthwise.

Lay a phyllo sheet on a flat surface and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with some sugar. Do a second layer the same way. Do the third layer with no sugar.

Place one banana half on layered phyllo.

Sprinkle with coconut and chocolate/nut mixture.

Roll phyllo around banana.

Repeat until you are out of banana halves.

Place seam side down on baking sheet and brush roll with butter.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Serve with ice cream mixture.

Beef Stroganoff - Gina Dale

1/4 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Accent
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1 lb. thinly sliced deli Roast Beef
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1 cup Beef Broth
1 (4 oz.) can Mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Egg Noodles, cooked

In a bowl, thoroughly mix flour, salt, accent and pepper.

Coat meat well with this mixture.

In a skillet, brown meat quickly in butter. It shouldn’t take too long since deli meat is already cooked.

Add onions and saute.

Add broth and mushrooms. Stir till well combined.

In a bowl, mix sour cream, tomato paste and worcestershire sauce.

Just before serving, add sour cream mixture to meat mixture. Heat through, but do not boil, the sauce should thicken.

Serve over Egg Noodles.

Broccoli and Cheese

5 cups frozen Broccoli
1/3 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 cups Cheddar Cheese
Salt and pepper

Bring the broccoli and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 6-7 minutes.

Stir in butter and cheese.

Season individually with salt and pepper.

Beef Spaghetti Pie Ole!

8 oz. Spaghetti
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 lb. ground Beef
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 can Rotel, undrained
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Cheddar Cheese

Heat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and do NOT rinse.

While pasta is cooking in a large bowl, combine cheese, egg, salt and garlic powder.

Add pasta to cheese mixture, toss to coat.

Arrange pasta in a pie pan, pressing down and up sides to form shell; set aside.

Cook beef, drain. Add garlic powder, salt and cumin, mix well. Stir in rotel. Bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is almost all evaporated, stirring occasionally. Stir in sour cream.

Spoon meat mixture into shell leaving about 1/2 inch all the way around for pasta to be like the crust.

Place cheese on top of meat.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Cut into wedges.

Banana Bread, Muffins, or Mini Muffins

3 or 4 ripe Bananas
1/3 cup melted Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar, NOT packed
1 Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
pinch of Salt
1 1⁄2 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in butter into mashed bananas.

Mix in the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Fold into banana mixture until just mixed.  Spray pan with flour infused cooking spray.

Bread
Pour mixture into a 4X8 inch loaf pan. Bake 1 hour.  Check to see if toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool on a rack.

Muffins
Pour mixture into a 12 count muffin pan about 3/4 full.  Make sure they are evenly distributed.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Check to see if toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool on a rack.

Mini Muffins
Pour mixture into mini muffin pan.  Makes about 3 dozen mini muffins.  Baked for 12-15 min.  Check to see if toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool on a rack.

Broccoli Ham Ring

1 cup Ham, chopped small
1⁄4 lb. Broccoli, chopped small (1 cup)
1⁄4 cup Onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 1⁄2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
2 packages (8 oz. each) Canned Crescent Rolls

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine ham, broccoli and onion in a bowl. Combine mustard and lemon juice in a separate bowl.  Stir into ham mixture.  Add cheese and mix well.

To assemble ring:
Unroll one can of crescent rolls. Arrange triangles, slightly overlapping, in a circle with the wide
ends towards the middle of the baking stone or pizza pan. Start by making a compass rose and
then fill in NE, SE, SW and NW directions.

Now open the second can of crescent rolls. Fill in the empty spaces so that you end up with a sunburst design.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle.

Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under dough at center to form a ring. (Filling will show).

Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cut into 8 servings.

Note: Assembly is pictured with a taco ring recipe.  Cook beef and onion till done and drain.  Add 2T taco seasoning mix and 1 1/2 cups cheese, mix well.  Assemble wreath.  This will need an
egg wash so brush with egg white.  Sprinkle ring with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with desired toppings.  I don't make this one anymore because I am more of a taco salad girl, but my husband pines for this!

Blackberry Tarts

1 box Pie Crust
1 bag frozen Blackberries

Filling: 
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Sour Cream
2 egg
6 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla

Topping:
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 stick + 2 Tablespoons Butter

Use about a 1/4 cup measuring cup as a cookie cuter to cut pie crust into mini circles. Place pie crust circles into mini muffin tins and shape to tin.

Place 1 blackberry in each hole.

Mix filling ingredients and pour over blackberries with about 1 Tablespoon portions.

Bake for 8 minutes at 425.

In a separate bowl, cut in topping ingredients and crumble over the top of the tarts in about 1/2 Tablespoon portions.

Bake for 8 more minutes at 350. Let cool.  Freeze or refrigerate.  Makes 48 mini tarts.

Banana Slush - Gina Dale

4 cups Sugar
6 cups Water
5 very ripe bananas, smashed
1 (46 oz.) can Pineapple Juice
1 can Frozen Orange Juice concentrate
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
2 liter Sprite

In a saucepan, boil sugar and water for 3 minutes. Cool.

In a very large bowl, mix bananas, pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice together. Combine banana mixture and sugar mixture.

Pour into a large freezable container leaving 1/2 inch from top so it can expand when freezing.

When ready to serve stab frozen slush with fork to break it up.

Dish into individual cups leaving room for Sprite to be added and slushed.

Baked Potato Casserole

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes
1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wash and scrub the potatoes.  Cube into bite size pieces.  Put in a large pot and fill with water to half the depth of the potatoes.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes.  Drain.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add to potatoes and toss gently to coat. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Banana Split Brownie Pizza

1 package Brownie Mix
      (plus ingredients to make brownies)
Parchment Paper
1 package (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 can (20 oz.) Crushed Pineapple, drained
2 Tablespoons Sugar
16 oz Strawberries
2 Bananas
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1⁄2 cup Nuts, chopped
1⁄4 cup Chocolate Syrup

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions in a bowl.

Cut a circle of Parchment Paper to fit Large pizza pan.

Pour brownie mixture onto parchment paper; spread into 14-inch circle. (Do not bake without parchment paper or batter will run off the pan while baking. Do NOT use wax paper.) Bake about 18
minutes or until brownie is set.  Cool completely.

Mix cream cheese, pineapple and sugar until blended. Spread cream cheese mixture over brownie.  At this point you can put the pizza in the refrigerator until ready to finish.

When about to eat, thickly slice strawberries and bananas.  Place thickly sliced banana chunks in a bowl with lemon juice. Toss bananas so they get very coated with the juice. Arrange fruit over cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle chocolate topping over pizza. Cut in either pizza shape
triangles or squares.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk Syrup:
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup Buttermilk
2/3 cube butter
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Pancakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 Tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions for Syrup:
In a LARGE saucepan combine sugar, buttermilk, and butter. Stirring constantly with a whisk bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add vanilla and cinnamon and stir. Add baking soda and remove from heat and stir. Let it set 30 minutes to an hour to dissolve the bubbles that form.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a griddle to 350.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until it’s just blended together. Do not over stir! 

With an Ice Cream Scoop pour batter onto griddle. Brown for about 2 mintues on both sides.

Note: Works really well with 3 ripe bananas mashed in the bowl you will add the buttermilk and other wet ingredients to.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup Buttermilk
2/3 cube butter
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Baking Soda


In a LARGE saucepan combine sugar, buttermilk, and butter.  Stirring constantly with a wisk bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add vanilla and cinnamon and stir. Add baking soda and remove from heat and stir. Let it set 30 minutes to an hour to dissolve the bubbles that form.