Chef Cary Christmas Day Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

4-5        slices sourdough bread-cubed
2           cups grated cheddar cheese*
1 lb       breakfast sausage
4-5        eggs
3/4 tsp  dry mustard
2 1/4     cups milk + 1/2 soup can milk
1           can condensed cream of mushroom soup (save can)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Brown and drain grease from sausage.  Grease a 9x13 casserole dish, and add sourdough bread.  Sprinkle cheese on top of bread, then sprinkle sausage on top of cheese.  Beat eggs and add dry mustard and 2 1/4 cups milk.  Pour egg mixture over bread, sausage and cheese; referigerate overnight.  Prior to cooking, mix condensed soup with can of milk until combined.  Pour over ingredients in casserole dish and bake 1 1/2 hours. 

*extra cheese will add to flavor

Healthier Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 banana peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.25 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable cooking spray

Directions:
1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, banana peppers and garlic into slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt, ground pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Lightly coat both sides of tortillas with cooking spray. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven tail crisp, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

NOTE: I fry the strips in oil at 350 degrees until lightly browned then sprinkle with salt.

Italian Chicken and Vegetables in Foil

Ingredients

• 4 aluminum foil sheets , large enough to wrap around one chicken breast.
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 1 yellow onion , thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper , julienned
• ?4 small carrots , julienned
• ?4 large basil leaves
• 1/3 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Place one chicken breast on each sheet of foil.
3. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each chicken breast.
4. Season chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper.
5. Arrange chopped garlic, slices of onion, peppers, and carrots on top and around each chicken breast.
6. Place a basil leaf on top of each chicken and vegetables.
7. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of salad dressing over chicken and vegetables.
8. Fold the sides of the foil over the chicken, covering completely; seal the packets closed.
9. Transfer foil packets to a baking sheet.
10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
11. Remove from oven and carefully open up the foils; put the packets under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.
12. Remove from broiler.
13. Serve .

Meagan's Brownie Recipe (From Chelsea)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 1 ounce squares of chocolate, semi sweet
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup of chopped nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt  the 1/2 cup of butter and two 1 ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Stir in the 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, eggs and flour. Mix until well combined.

Pour into brownie pan then cook (8x8 inches) at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.


NOTES for Chelsea
1. Be careful not to add the eggs while the butter and chocolate are warm. I would add the sugar and vanilla and mix then add the egg when it is relatively cool.

2. 10 minutes is a big window when baking. Start testing the batter with a toothpick at 20 minutes. If batter is still wet cook another 2 minutes and test again. Let me know the amount of time for your oven and I will update the recipe.

Tater Tot Breakfast Pizza

INGREDIENTS
4 cups of tater tots
7 eggs
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarela cheese
Butter
Pepper to taste


INSTRUCTIONS
Pour the tater tots in a large bowl and microwave for 1 min and 45 seconds.
Add one egg to the softened tater tots and mix
Spray a cast iron pan with non stick spray
Press the tater tots into the skillet and press into the shape of a crust.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 400 degrees
Remove from the oven and add the half of each of the two cheeses and half the bacon
Crack the eggs evenly over the top of the tater tots
Cover with the remaining cheese and bacon
Cook for 15 mover minutes at 400 degrees
Top with sliced ovacado and cracked pepper

Chicken Mozzarela Melts with Cherry Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:
4 Boneless, skinless chicken-roast halves (each 6 ounces), butterflied
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
12 Ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Cup halved Peppadew peppers, plus 1 tablespoon brine. (We used cherry tomatoes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ounces of mozzeralam, 6 slices
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup packed fresh baby arugula
Grilled crusty bread

Directions:
1. Pound chicken between pieces of plastic to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Heat grill to medium high. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil and garlic in a large cast iron skillet; place on grill. Cook until golden about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and Peppadews; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mixture thickens slightly and tomatoes burst, about 12 minutes. Remove skillet from grill; cover grill to reheat, 5 minutes.
2. Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip, top with cheese and cover grill. Cook until cheese melts and chicken is cooked through, 1 minute. Transfer to a plate; spoons tomato mixture over top. Top with basil, dress arugula with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and Peppadew brine. Serve atop chicken, with bread.

COOKS NOTES:
I did not use the out door grill. I cooked inside using a grill pan. Peppers and tomatoes were cooked in cast iron skillet.

Portuguese Custard Tart "Pastel De Nata"

Ingredients:
1 (500 gram) packet of puff pastry
225 ml (8oz) milk
3 tablespoons plain flour or 2 tablespooons corn starch
200 grams (7 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg yolks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.

In a saucepan, combine mile, corn flour, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove the vanilla bean.

Fill pastry-lined muffin tin with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top.

Skillet Spanish Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/3 cups instant brown rice (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 quart canned tomatoes with liquid
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup pitted and sliced green olives
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled queso fresco

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Transfer to skillet, and sauté until lightly browned, 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add garlic and onion to skillet, and sauté for 1 minute. Add bell pepper, and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add rice, and stir until lightly toasted and combined with vegetables.

Add tomatoes with liquid, chili powder and cumin to skillet and stir to combine. Using the edge of a wooden spoon, break apart any larger tomato pieces. (If rice is not covered by tomato liquid, add an additional 1/4 cup water.) Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.

Place chicken on top of tomato-rice mixture. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and let sit on stovetop, covered, for 5 minutes.

Add olives and cilantro to chicken-rice mixture, and toss and fluff with a fork. (If desired, remove chicken to ease stirring, then return to skillet.) To serve, sprinkle queso fresco over top of chicken-rice mixture and divide evenly among serving plates.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 cup rice mixture + 1 Spanish chicken breast

Per serving: Calories: 333; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 68mg; Sodium: 363mg; Carbohydrate: 21g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 39g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 332mg; Iron: 8%; Vitamin A: 18%; Vitamin C: 52%; Calcium: 8%

Shredded Chicken in Wing Sauce

Ingredients:
8 ounces of shredded chicken (I used CostCo shredded roasted white meat chicken)
3/4 cup of Frank's Wing Sauce
1/3 cup of low sodium chicken broth
1/2 package of ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons of brown sugar

Directions:
Combine the Frank's wing sauce, broth, dressing mix and brown sugar in a small pot. Bring to a low simmer and add the shredded chicken. Cover and let simmer on low for about 10 min.

Serve with rice and some coleslaw.

Mom's Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup Currents (softened in warm sherry)
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Using solid shortening (Crisco), grease the surface of a small baking sheet. Set aside until bread is shaped. Assemble all the ingredients for the soda bread. (Make the bread the same day you plan to serve it).

Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a sifter; sift over a large bowl. Add softened butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add currents and toss thoroughly.

Pour buttermilk into the mixture all at once. Gently toss the mixture until all the ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. Using hands gently gather mixture together and press firmly into a ball.

Put dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead gently with the palms of your hands until dough is smooth. (About 1 minute). Shape into a smooth round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Using hands, flatten ball into a circle that is about 7 inches in diameter. The dough will be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Press a large floured knife across the center of the loaf and cut about half way through the dough. Repeat at right angle to divide the loaf into quarters. YOU DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LOAF!

Bake bread for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and sides with a wooden spoon.

Remove to a wire rack to cool. Brush the top with melted butter and later dust with flour.

Skillet Chicken with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 5 small red potatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Place carrots and potatoes, cut side down, in pan; sprinkle with thyme. Place pan in oven; bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Return chicken to pan; top with lemon slices. Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Place chicken and vegetables on a plate.

Combine 1/2 cup milk, flour and lemon zest in a bowl. Return pan to medium-high heat (do not wipe out pan). Add flour mixture, remaining 1 cup milk and stock to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and vegetables to pan. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 chicken breast, about 3/4 cup vegetables, and 1/2 cup sauce

Per serving: Calories: 377; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 111mg; Sodium: 401mg; Carbohydrate: 30g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 46g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 593mg; Iron: 18%; Vitamin A: 73%; Vitamin C: 30%; Calcium: 16% 

Garlicky Bacon and Spinach Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves
4 cups baby arugula
4 center cut bacon slices
8 (1 ounce) rustic Italian bread slices
2 ounces (1/2 cup) of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces fontina cheese shredded about (1/2 cup)

Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, add the spinach and arugula and stir until wilted. Remove spinach and garlic from pan. Cook the bacon in the pan.Then remove bacon.

Top 4 bread slices evenly with cheese, bacon pieces, spinach mixture, and the remaining 4 bread slices.

Heat pan over medium heat. Add sand which espouses to drippings in pan; weigh down with a plate, cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Cauliflower PIzza (crust)

Ingredients:
1 small head of cauliflower (cut into florets) or purchase cauliflower rice which is finely diced cauliflower commonly used to make mashed cauliflower or fried rice (with the cauliflower)
1 teaspoon of Italian season
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan
2 cups of grated mozzarella (divided)
1 large egg
1/4 pizza sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 - I also have a pizza stone in the oven but you could do this on a pan.


If working with the head of cauliflower, place florets in food processor and pulse to consistency of rice. You should have approximately 3 cups of processed cauliflower. If using the cauliflower rice (Costco) measure approximately 3 cups and place in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes on high. When cool enough to handle place the cauliflower in some dish towels and squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower as possible.

Add the egg, salt, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, some pepper and 1 cup of the mozzarella and mix well.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel and pat the mixture into an approximate 12-14 inch round.
Place pizza onto pizza stone and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven add pizza sauce and remaining one cup of mozzarella and other toppings.
Place back in over for 10 more minutes.
Remove, cut and serve

Based on recipe from FoodNetwork - Ree Drumond

Bean Pot Chicken Breasts (Colleen)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter or margarin
• 4-5 chicken breasts (bone and skin included)
• Salt, Pepper and poultry seasoning
• 1 onion, peeled

Directions:
Using a bean pot or heavy covered casserole, add the butter to the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Place the whole peeled onion into the pot with the butter and then add the chicken with rib side of chicken facing up.

Cook at 300 degrees for about 4 hours.

Serve with rice

Twice Baked Potatoes with Bacon and Eggs

Ingredients:
4 large russet potatoes
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup milk, warmed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for topping
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce the potatoes in a few places with a fork; place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, turning halfway through, until tender, about 16 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving the drippings. Roughly chop 4 slices and break the other 2 slices in half, set aside.
3. Slice off the top 1/4 inch of the potatoes lengthwise. Scoop the flesh from 3 potatoes into a medium bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell. Repeat with the remaining potato, but discard the flesh. Add  2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings and the warmed milk to the bowl, and mash with a potato masher or a fork until smooth. Stir in the cheese, scallions, parsley, chopped bacon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
4. Season the inside of the potato skins with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among the four skins, then press the back of a spoon down the center of the filling to create a long, deep well. Brush the outside of the skins with the remaining bacon drippings and transfer to the baking sheet.
5. One at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl, then carefully pour it into a potato. (It is ok if some of the egg white over-flows). Transfer to the oven and bake until the whites are set, 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and top with more scallions and the halved bacon strips.

Cranberry Chicken (Colleen's Recipe)

Ingredients:
3 lbs of cut up chicken breasts
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup seasoned flour
1/4 lemon juice
1/4 cup corn oil
2 cups of cranberry sauce
1 cup chopped onion

Directions:
Shake chicken pieces in a bag with the seasoned flour. Heat oil in skillet, saute chicken turning once to brown. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cover and cook slowly 40-45 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Makes 4-5 servings