Breakfast Casserole

 

I don't make casseroles too often--my kids prefer a lighter breakfast--but breakfast casseroles are fun sometimes, even for dinner or potlucks. My kids loved it, but I made sure the onion and peppers were diced ridiculously small so they didn't notice. I got this beauty from Holly Nilsson. Enjoy! Serves 10+.

Breakfast Casserole

20 oz shredded hash browns, thawed

1 lb breakfast sausage

1/4 c onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced 

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

2 c cheddar cheese

8 eggs

1 12-oz can evaporated milk, or 1 1/3 c milk

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.* Spray 9x13 or 3 qt baking dish with cooking spray. 

2. Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Drain grease from skillet. 

3. In sprayed dish, add hashbrowns, cooked sausage, onions, bell peppers, and 1 1/2 c of the cheese; gently mix together and spread evenly in pan. 

4. In large bowl, add eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning; whisk until combined. Pour over hashbrown mixture in pan and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover dish with foil.

5. Bake in preheated oven 55-65 minutes or until cooked through. 

* Can prepare ahead through step 4 and refrigerate. May need to add about 10 minutes to cook time.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

 

We never tried corned beef growing up but I make this every year (except this year because I was horribly ill). It's so good and my boys love it extra when served with Irish soda bread. I got this from Laura Tabul, who so generously shared this recipe with the world. Enjoy!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 3-lb corned beef brisket with spice packet*

10 small red or yellow potatoes, scrubbed clean

5 medium carrots, peeled

1 large cabbage head, washed

1. Place corned beef in stock pot and cover with water. Add spice packet, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until corned beef is about fork-tender, about 2 hours. 

2. While beef is simmering, cut potatoes in half. Cut peeled carrots into 3-inch pieces. Cut cabbage into small wedges. 

4. When corned beef has cooked 2 hours, add potatoes and carrots; cook until vegetables are almost tender and meat is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Add cabbage and cook 15 minutes more.

5. Remove meat and let rest for 15 minutes. Leave broth and vegetables in stock pan. Slice meat across the grain. Serve with vegetable and broth.

* Cook time for fork-tender corned beef is 45-50 minutes per pound, so adjust accordingly by adding more or less time in step 1. (This is where those math skills come into play.)

Irish Soda Bread

 

My boys LOVE this and I serve it with corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick's Day. We are not Irish but it is a fun and delicious tradition! It is kind of like a giant biscuit. Thank you, allrecipes.com. I love so many of your recipes! Serve warm and dip in corned beef juices. Serves 6-8.

Irish Soda Bread

4 c flour

4 Tbsp sugar 

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c butter, softened

1 c buttermilk*

1 egg

1/4 c butter, melted

1/4 c buttermilk*

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease jelly roll pan.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 c softened butter in a large bowl. Stir in 1 c buttermilk and the egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly (I just knead it in the bowl a few times). Form doough into a round and place in the center of prepared jelly roll pan. 

3. Combine melted butter with 1/4 c buttermilk in a small bowl; brush mixture over dough. Use knife to cut an X on top of loaf. You can pour it all on (like lazy me) or continue to brush with mixture every 15 minutes while baking.

4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. However, start checking at 30 minutes. 

* I always make buttermilk about adding 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup then fill with milk. Let sit 5 minutes until you see it clotting. Cut in 1/4 for 1/4 c buttermilk.

Baked Butter Garlic Herb Cod

Cod is a little denser and less fishy like mahi mahi. This recipe was so tasty! I drizzled some of the juices over the rice and a steamed vegetable. YUM. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Baked Butter Garlic Herb Cod

4 6-oz cod filets

3 Tbsp butter, softened

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped, such as parsley, thyme, or chives

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced*

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cod in a baking dish; set aside.

2. Mix butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over each fillet.

3. Lay lemon slice over each fillet.* 

4. Bake fillets in preheated oven 13 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes off easily in the center with a fork.

* When I don't have a lemon on hand, I add 1 Tbps lemon juice to the butter mixture.

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup (Slow Cooker)

(Photo coming soon)

This tortilla soup version is super light and tasty. Enjoy! Serves 6.

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup (slow cooker)

4 chicken breasts
4 c chicken broth
2-15 oz cans mild green green enchilada sauce
2-4 oz cans diced green chilies
1-15 oz can great northern beans, or other white beans
2/3 c water
2 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 c froze corn
8 oz cream cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
tortilla chips

1. Place chicken breasts, broth, enchilada sauce, green chilies, water, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder in slow cooker. Cook on HIGH 3 hours.
2. Shred chicken. Add corn and cream cheese; cook 1/2 hour more. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Crush tortilla chips on bottom of each bowl. Pour soup on top. Serve warm.

Kodiak Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies are the reason I’m not model weight: they’re my Achilles heel. I have a bunch of Kodiak cake boxes to use up and this is a break from pancakes and waffles. They’re delicious, and have a lot of fiber and protein*! 

Kodiak Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c butter, room temperature 

1 c brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 c quick oats 

1 1/2 c Kodiak powder 

3/4 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla. 

2. Stir in Kodiak mix and oats until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. 

3. Bake in preheated oven 9-11 monies or until edges and a little of the tops are golden brown. 

* For one large cookie:

Caramel Popcorn

 

I usually don’t like caramel popcorn as much as honey popcorn, but is the best and is so easy to make. I love it warm best. You can double the caramel sauce, but I think these portions give a better balance of sweet and savory. Makes one large bowl; serves 6-8. 

Caramel Popcorn

2 3 oz bags microwave butter or plain flavored popcorn

1/2 c (1 cube) butter

1/2 c brown sugar

16 marshmallows

1. Pop popcorn in microwave according to directions; place in very large bowl, careful not to include any unpopped kernels. Set aside. 

2. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and marshmallows until marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth. Let simmer 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat 

3. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Eat warm (my favorite) or form into baseball sized balls and store in an air tight container for later. Enjoy!

Peach Glazed Chicken with Lime Rice

My husband found this and I was skeptical. I don't usually like fruit with my meat, but this was so good! I used nectarines becuase we had a bag of ripe ones and it was amazing. I'll make extra salsa next time because it went too fast. Serves 4.

Peach Glazed Chicken with Lime Rice

Jalapeno Peach Salsa

2 peaches or nectarines, peeled and diced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, diced

1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 limes, freshly squeezed

salt and pepper

1. Add ingredients to a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro Lime Rice *

2 c jasmine rice

3 c water or chicken stock

1 Tbsp butter

salt and pepper

2 limes, zest freshly grated

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3/4 c chopped cilantro

1. Heat water or chicken stock in a suacepan over medium heat until boiling. Add rice, butter, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook 12-15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. 

Instant Pot Instructions: Place ingredients in pot, twist lid in place, and press 'rice". Natural or slow release once done.

Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

2 peaches or nectarines

1/4 c peach preserves

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Season the chicken all over liberally with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Slice the 2 peaches or nectarines in half and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Place the chicken on the grill and cover. Grill for 5-6 minutes, the flip and grill for another 5-6 minutes. Brush one side with peach preserves mixture and grill for 1 minute. Flip and brush the other side, grilling for another minute. Repeat this one or two more times.

4. Place the 2 peaches or nectarines on the grill, 1-2 minutes on each side.

5. Remove the chicken (and peaches or nectarines) from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice the chieken and peaches or nectarines and serve with salsal adn rice.

* I also have a cilantro lime rice recipe.