Baked French Toast

I think I might make this Christmas morning because I can put it together the night before and just bake it in the morning.

Ingredients
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices (day old is best)
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of bread in the bottom. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.
Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Toffee

The one recipe Christmas wouldn't be complete with out.

1 Cup real butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 T Corn Syrup
3 T water
8 oz milk chocolate
1 cup finely chopped toasted almonds


Melt butter in a heavy 2 quart saucepan

Add sugar corn syrup and water and cook until hard crack stage (300 degrees or as mom says cook until it is the same color as an old penny)

Immediately pour into a 9X13 pan. While still warm spread milk chocolate on top. Sprinkle almonds on top and lightly press into melted chocolate. When completely cool break into pieces and store in covered container.

Strawberry Cream Squares

Thanksgiving is coming up. We can't take the risk of being caught without this recipe.

Ingredients
2 (3 oz) pkg. strawberry gelatin
2 (10 oz) pkg. frozen sliced strawberries
2 Large ripe bananas
1 (13 1/2 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 cup sour cream
2 cups boiling water

Directions
Dissolve gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Add frozen strawberries; stir occasionally until thawed. Add crushed pineapple and bananas, finely diced. Pour half into 8x8x2 inch pan. Chill until firm. Spread evenly with sour cream. Pour remaining gelatin on top. Chill into firm. Cut into squares.

Letter Pretzels

I think most every summer when we were in the throes of boredom mom pulled out this recipe to keep us entertained for the afternoon. I was thrilled to find it and use it with my kids.

1 package yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water

1t salt

1T Sugar

4 cups flour

Mix all ingredients. Knead until elastic and shape into whatever shape you like. Brush with beaten egg (or butter) and sprinkle with salt. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes.

Grandmas Enchaladas

Grandmas Enchaladas

Sauce:
1 lb. ground beef – cooked, drained, then add:
4 c. beef or chicken broth (can use boullion cubes and water)
3 T. mild chili powder (pure chile pd)
¼ t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
Bring to a boil then stir in 2 T. cornstarch mixed in 2 T. water
1 can tomato sauce and 1 can prepared enchilada sauce may be added.
Simmer about 15 minutes.

To assemble fry tortillas in oil till soft. Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce and put on plate. Spoon on hamburger and more sauce. Add shredded cheese. You can make as many layers as you want. Top with shredded lettuce and a fried egg.

Speedy Brownies

This is my favorite Brownie recipe to make.  It's fast, easy, and I usually have all the ingredients.  I usually mix the chips into the batter.  It's also good with nuts but for some reason, I usually need to increase the baking time about 10 min.

2 Cups Sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

5 eggs

1 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Combine first seven ingredients until smooth.  Pour into a grease 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 30 min or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

White Almond Sour Cream Cake

Often considered the quintessential wedding cake, it has a very subtle almond taste. Really you can use this recipe to make most any kind of cake varying the flavoring and the cake mix. This is the cake I made for mom at the 2007 reunion

1 (18 ounce) box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites

Directions
1Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
2Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3Pour into greased and floured cake pans, filling each pan a little over half full.
4Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
5Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done. (about 35 minutes for 8 inch rounds)

Makes 2 8 inch round cakes

Peach Rhubarb Cobbler

Mom requested this one....

Serves 8

Fruit:
1 quart rhubarb chuncks
1 quart peeled peach chunks
¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar

Spread rhubarb evenly in the bottom of a buttered 3-quart casserole. Distribute peaches over rhubarb. Pour water around edges. Sprinkle sugar over the fruit.

Topping:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup water

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Drop by spoonfuls over fruit. Bake in the middle of oven until topping is golden, about 25 minutes.

Almond Coconut Granola

Sometimes I use a mix of rolled barley, wheat & rye in place of some of the oats.
Makes about 6 cups

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cups hulled green pumpkin seeds
2/3 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
6 tbs honey
1 c mixed dried fruits
(raisins, cherries, apricots)

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds and salt. In a small sauce pan melt butter with honey over low heat, stirring. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until combined well.

In a large jelly-roll pan, spread granola evenly and bake in middle of oven, stirring halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool granola in pan on a rack and stir in dried fruits. Granola may be kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature two weeks.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

1# Italian sausage (hot), browned, cut, drain all but ¼ cup of drippings

Add:

2 medium onions, chopped

4 medium carrots, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

Saute and cook 5 minutes.

Add:

2 cups rinsed lentils, precooked

1 TB. Salt

½ tsp. marjoram

1 (16oz) can of tomato sauce

2 qt. water

Sausage

Simmer 30 minutes.

Campfire Hash

For Anna in her hour of need . . .

I got this from allrecipes. I like to just bring cold baked potatoes to dice up to cut down on the cooking time.

Campfire Hash

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound fully cooked smoked kielbasa, cubed
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

DIRECTIONS
In a Dutch oven, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic under tender. Add potatoes. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kielbasa; cook and stir until potatoes are tender and well browned, about 10 minutes more. Stir in chilies and corn; cook until heated through.

Koni's Meatball Soup

I got this from Koni. It's fast, easy & good. What more could you ask for. I use the Italian meatballs from Costco. If you make the meatballs from the recipe below I'd add some garlic and Italian seasoning. that would make them more like the Costco meatballs and give them a little more flavor. Also I added a little flour and water to the soup to thicken it a little at the end. Thanks for sharing Koni. I gave some to Natalie the other day when she wasn't feeling well. She wanted the recipe. Here it is.

It’s Meatball Soup

3 cups chicken broth
1 14 ½ oz. can diced tomatoes
¾ c. dry pasta
1 cup corn
½ t Italian seasoning
½ t pepper
1 lb. Prepared meatballs (prepared or use recipe below)

Add broth, tomatoes, vegetables, Italian seasoning, and pepper to large pot. Cover and bring to boil. Stir in pasta. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add meatballs. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes until pasta is cooked through. Serve immediately. Makes 6 large portions.


Easy bake meatballs:
1 lb. Ground beef
1/3 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
½ t salt
¼ t pepper

Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper together. Form small balls with meat and place on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees until browned and cooked through.

"Good Soup"

My kids have named this "The Good Soup" Apparently every single other soup I make does not fall into the "good" category. This recipe varies only slightly from the original on Allrecipes.

Dumpling Soup

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup water, or as needed

6 medium potatoes - peeled and cubed
salt to taste
8 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 ounces sliced bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped

1 cup cooked diced chicken (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Crack the egg into a measuring cup, and add enough water to equal 1 cup. Whisk with a fork. Gradually stir the egg-water and oil into the flour mixture with the fork until a soft dough is formed. Use your hands to mix the dough until is smooth and no longer sticky, adding more flour or water as needed. Cover the bowl, and set aside until the potatoes are ready.

Place potatoes in a large pot with the broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion; cook and stir until onions are golden and bacon is cooked. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cooked, pinch off small pieces of the dough, and drop them into the boiling potato water. Turning the dough in your hand will help keep it from sticking to your fingers. Once all of the dumplings have been added, you can stir in the bacon and onions. Add the optional chicken. Ladle some of the water from the soup into the skillet, and swish it around to clean out all of the tasty bits and juices. Pour back into the soup. Turn off the soup, and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Mom's Pasta with Bacon and Hot Peppers

Delicious and fast!

Cook 1 lb capellini to al dente
While pasta is cooking cook 8 slices bacon. Drain and crumble.
Add 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 sliced onions, and 8 perpperoncini peppers seeded and diced.
Saute and then add 4 cups crushed tomatoes. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Mix in noodles and serve with 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

My favorite Pancakes

Oatmeal Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup
(AKA Surfer Pancakes)

2c. quick oats
1/2 c. wheat flour
2T Sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
1 t vanilla

Combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Mix and let stand 20-30 minutes. Pancake mix will be thick.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube butter
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, buttermilk, soda and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Serve warm.--make sure you use a large saucepan, the soda makes it foam.

Granola from Susan Gleason......by Koni Smith

Granola from Susan Gleason

14 cups of oats (my mom suggests using 7 quick and 7 old fashioned)
2 cups walnuts
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups wheat germ
2 cups coconut
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cup honey
1 cup oil
box of raisins
craisins

Mix together the dry ingredients, then wet, then mix together by hand. Cook in two shallow baking pans at 225 F until light brown. Put one pan on each shelf. Every half hour, stir granola and switch the pan on the top shelf with the pan on the bottom shelf. Cook for 2 hours. After cooking is done, stir in raisins and craisins if desired. Let cool. (If you like it more crunchy, leave pans in the oven while the oven is cooling. I did that this time and it was a little too done for me because I like it chewy instead of crunchy, but but Benjamin likes it crunchy.)

Texas New Potato Salad

It's no secret I don't like traditional potato salad with mayonnaise and eggs. I love this one with bacon, cilantro, cumin and coriander seeds. Yumm!!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 pounds small red potatoes

1 red onion, cut into thick slices

1 tablespoon Coriander Seed

8 Cumin Seed

1 tablespoon Oregano Leaves, Mexican

2 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced

3 slices bacon, crisply cooked and coarsely chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, thick stems discarded and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool to room temperature. Quarter the potatoes; set aside.

2. Grill onion slices over high heat until lightly caramelized.

3. Toast coriander and cumin seeds in small dry skillet on medium heat 1 minute or until fragrant. Add oregano; lightly toast about 20 seconds, watching for burning. Immediately remove spices from skillet

4. Whisk oil, vinegar, toasted spices, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes, onions, serrano pepper, bacon and cilantro; toss lightly.

Pulled Pork Sandwitches

This is a tweak on a recipe from Tyler Florence on the Food Network channel. The BBQ sauce is a requirement for this, but I would not recommend it on any other BBQ.

Dry Rub:

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup yellow or brown mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pan drippings from the pork
• 12 hamburger buns
• 1 recipe Cole Slaw, recipe follows
• Pickle spears, for serving

Directions

Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart. You can also cook this in the crock pot on low for 8 hours

While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. To add some smoke taste, I add in a pint of generic BBQ sauce from the store. Just make sure it is smokey and spicy - you don't want to use a sweet sauce.

When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.

To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto a hamburger bun. This also freezes and reheats very well for a quick mix

Fish Tacos

This is a tweak of an Epicurious recipe. I didn't use the mayo topping though.

• 2 cups chopped white onion, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1 pound tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillets (I use frozen Costo tilapia.)
  
• Corn tortillas

Stir 1 cup onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and oregano in medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with coarse salt and pepper. Spread half of onion mixture over a dish. Arrange fish atop onion mixture. Spoon remaining onion mixture over fish. Cover and chill 30-60 minutes. Turn fish; cover and chill 30-60 minutes longer.

Brush grill grate with oil; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Steam the tortillas in the microwave (add a wet paper towel to the bag if they are old/dry). Grill tortillas until slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

Coarsely chop fish; place on platter. Serve with tortillas, remaining 1 cup chopped onion, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, avocados, salsa and lime wedges or whatever you prefer. Just don't skip the lime.

Rouladen (Little Mice)

I remember this being a favorite dish from growing up but I have yet to recreate it for my family because the directions aren't the most specific. Would you care to enlighten us a little more Mom? Or I might just have to experiment on my own.

1 1/2-2 lb round roast sliced very thin-arranged flat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Spread w/ small amount prepared mustard. Place thin sliced bacon and slice on onion on meat. Roll and secure with toothpick or string.

Brown in a little oil. Cover with water and 1/2 can tomato paste. Simmer slowly until tender. Add sour cream 1/2 hour before serving.

Grandma Smiths Barbeque Sauce For Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 stick margarine
1 c chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion

28 oz. ketchup
1 c water
1t garlic powder
1 t Tabasco sauce
1T Brown sugar
1T salt
1T Pepper
1T Prepared Mustard
1T Vinegar
4 T Worcestershire sauce

Satue celery and onion in margarine. Add the rest of the ingredients and simer 20 minutes before straining.

There's something a little different about these....

DANTE'S FIVE-SPICE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
Makes about 60 cookies

1 -½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
a pinch ground cloves
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Into a bowl sift together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy and beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and slowly beat until just combined well. Stir in rolled oats, raisins and pecans (dough will be stiff).

Working in batches, drop dough by level tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute and transfer to racks to cool completely.

Franks World Fameous Biscuits

For fantastic biscuits and gravy

Mix:

2 c plain flour
1 t salt
1T baking powder

Cut in 1/2 C shortening until in little pieces
Add 3/4 c milk and mix until it just holds together
Roll to about 1/4 inch thick and fold in half so that they will split easily.

Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes

Mom's Spaghetti

This really needs no introduction to the family.

Brown together and drain

1 lb ground beef
1 onion

Add remainder and simmer 1 hour

24 oz tomato sauce
1/8 c dry parsley
1/2 t salt
1/2 t thyme
1/2 MSG
1 1/2 t oregano
1t garlic powder
2 bay leaves

Serves 4-5