Not your everyday breakfast

This praline french toast casserole makes a delicious breakfast for special occasions. I adapted the recipe from one by Paula Deen. I cut the butter in half and used whole milk instead of half-and-half. I'm sure the original was....to die for. My version is still plenty decadent, and my family loved it. This is a make-ahead dish. It's extremely easy to throw together, but plan for a long bake time. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

1 16 oz. loaf french bread*
8 eggs
3 c. whole milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

The night before serving, rip french bread into chunks and place in greased, deep 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together casserole ingredients and pour evenly over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Combine topping ingredients thoroughly with fork, then cover and set aside for later use. No need to refrigerate. (Or just make the topping in the morning.)

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place casserole, still covered, in oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and plop small blobs of topping all over the casserole. It's easiest to just use your fingers. Bake, uncovered this time, for 55 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the middle of a bread portion of the casserole comes out clean. (Paula Deen listed a total of 40 minutes baking time, which was completely off for me. I live at a high altitude, though, so you might want to keep an eye on your dish.)


*I like to rip up my bread a couple of hours before assembling the casserole and leave it on the counter to dry out. Dried out bread often has better absorption. Paula Deen didn't do this, though, so it might not be necessary.

Crispy, buttery crumbs

The recipe for this plum tart comes from Ina Garten. It was very easy to make, and the crust was divine. You can substitute peaches or nectarines for the plums, which I will definitely be doing now that my nectarine tree is ready for harvest!

THE RECIPE:

2 c. flour
3/4 c. finely chopped walnuts (not ground -- leave a little texture)
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
12 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
2 lbs. plums, pitted and quartered (for me, this was 8 plums)
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, nuts and sugar, then add butter and egg yolk. Mix with a pastry blender or fork or food processor until crumbly. Press 2 cups of crumbs into bottom of 9-inch springform or tart pan.

Arrange plum quarters, skin side down, in pan. Make a ring of plums around the outside edge and work inward. Sprinkle sugar over plums, then sprinkle remainder of the crumbs evenly over plums. Bake about 40 minutes, or until tart is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Cool, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

Below is a picture of a pastry blender. It's a great tool to have for cutting cold butter into flour:

Thai enchiladas

Thai enchiladas. Does that sound like an oxymoron? These Asian-inspired enchiladas are delicious, and I love how different they are. They aren't spicy at all. They are just flavorful and good. They are jam-packed with all kinds of tasty tidbits. Feel free to adjust the ingredients according to your preferences.

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken (I used 4 chicken tenders)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 carrot, shredded
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cleaned out and chopped
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. shredded cabbage (I used bagged coleslaw)
1/4 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 c. chopped peanuts
Handful cilantro, chopped
8 to 10 flour tortillas
1 can coconut milk*
1/4 c. sweet Asian chili sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare chicken and set aside. In large skillet, heat oil and saute onion, carrot, mushrooms and pepper for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce and garlic. Pour over sauteed vegetables and mix thoroughly. Turn off heat and add cabbage, coconut, peanuts and cilantro. Mix well.

Spoon mixture into tortillas, then roll up and place seam-side down in 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together coconut milk and chili sauce, then pour over enchiladas. Bake about 25 minutes. Let enchiladas rest about 20 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce over enchiladas and garnish with extra peanuts and cilantro, if desired.

*Try to find coconut milk that has not been diluted with water. Read the ingredients list on the back of the can. Some companies are tricky. Either way, you'll enjoy this meal, but the creamier version is nicer.

Sweet potatoes meet ginger

I really loved this sweet potato and ginger soup. It was smooth and creamy and very different from the usual, but it hit the spot on a day when I was in the mood for a change. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. It is fantastic with an Asian chicken salad on the side. Or leave out the chicken and have a nice meatless meal.

THE RECIPE:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
Chopped honey-roasted peanuts for garnish


In large pot, heat oil on medium-high, then add sweet potatoes and onion. Saute until golden brown. Add butter, sugar, garlic, ginger, nutmeg and salt, then saute for a couple more minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are very tender. Puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender (leave lid slightly ajar and cover with towel to avoid pressure buildup and volcano effect). Mix in milk and adjust seasonings as desired. Top individual servings with chopped peanuts. This soup tastes better the longer it sits.

An apple a day

When my 7-year-old was little, she used to tell people, "We're apple farmers!" She was right alongside us when we planted our apple trees, and in the past couple of years she has helped thin and harvest. This season, we have been enjoying huge and sweet honeycrisp apples. These babies are 4 inches in diameter. My husband's favorite way to eat them is just plain, off the tree, in all their glory. But, sometimes it's fun to do something different. How about a crunchy, tangy Waldorf salad? Yes, please.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c. mayonnaise*
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
3 apples, cored and chopped
1 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries

Combine ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I used the reduced-fat olive oil kind.

Cinnamon meets salad

How about a cinnaberry salad for your next family gathering? You can adjust the salad ingredients to suit your fancy. The cinnamon dressing adds a fun and delicious twist. We think berries and cinnamon make a great pair.

THE RECIPE:

1 head romaine lettuce
2 c. packed fresh spinach
1 c. sliced strawberries
1 c. raspberries
1 c. blueberries or blackberries
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted under the broiler
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese (optional)

Cinnamon dressing:

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Shake of onion powder
1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 c. canola oil

Mix ingredients in food processor or blender, adding oil last. Pour over salad just before serving.

A trip to Santa Rosa

I'd like to introduce you to Santa Rosa salad. I don't know how the name came about, but I do know the salad is a wonderful medley of flavors and textures. The dressing has a tangy zip, and the pecans and snap peas add a delightful crunch. Thanks to my friend Carolyn for posting this recipe on her blog.

THE RECIPE:

2-3 c. chopped, cooked chicken breast
1 box long-grain and wild rice, made according to package directions*
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lime juice
3 green onions, finely chopped
3/4 c. diced red bell pepper
3/4 c. diced green bell pepper
Handful snap peas, ends removed and cut into thirds
1 avocado, diced
1 c. toasted pecans

Mix all ingredients except avocado and pecans. Stir in dressing and refrigerate at least two hours. Add avocado and pecans before serving.

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. seasoned rice vinegar**
1/3 c. canola oil

Mix ingredients in blender.

*I used Rice-a-Roni brand. Any brand with a seasoning packet will do, even if they yield different amounts of rice. It doesn't have to be exact.

**If you do not have seasoned rice vinegar, which is different from regular rice vinegar, then use 1/3 cup regular but add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.

Couscous is cool

This was a unique meal for our family. It's always fun to try something new, and even more fun when we like it. This couscous with chicken apple sausage fell into that category. It was easy to throw together, which is a huge plus for me. The different flavors and textures made for an interesting conversation topic at the dinner table. The recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

THE RECIPE:

1/3 c. pine nuts
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 ounces precooked apple chicken sausage, cut in 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 tsp. each salt, dried thyme, cumin, coriander, curry powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth, divided
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1 c. dry couscous

Cook couscous according to package directions. Cook it in chicken broth for extra flavor.

In large, nonstick skillet, cook pine nuts over medium heat, tossing frequently, until golden. Remove pine nuts and set aside. Heat olive oil, then add onions and saute until tender. Add chicken sausage and brown lightly. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth, along with seasonings. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Mixture will still be wet but not soupy.

Add cranberries and remaining 2/3 cup chicken broth to skillet. Stir in couscous and let entire mixture simmer for a few minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed but couscous is not dry. Stir in toasted pine nuts and serve.

Don't skimp on shrimp

Do you like grapefruit? We do. And we really like this fun and unique shrimp salad with grapefruit. It might sound like a crazy mix, but it is delicious. After his first bite, my husband started nodding and said, "Yep. You can make this any time."

Note that the dressing recipe makes a lot. (The measurements are easier this way.) You could probably halve it. Or double the salad.

THE RECIPE:

1 1b. shrimp, cooked (veins and tails removed)
6 oz. spinach
1 grapefruit, peeled, sectioned and cut into chunks
Sugar (optional)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese OR desired amount of crumbled feta
1/2 c. walnuts or pistachios*

Place grapefruit chunks in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Set aside while assembling remainder of salad ingredients. Toss in grapefruit. Pour dressing over individual servings as desired.

Dressing:

1/3 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. grapefruit juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/2 c. oil (I used canola)

Mix first five ingredients, then add oil in thin, steady stream, whisking as you go.

*I used walnuts and toasted them under the broiler.

Enchiladas with texture

I have been making these creamy almond-chicken enchiladas for years now. The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens and calls for cream of chicken soup. I don't like to use cream soups very much in my cooking -- we are trying to be healthier -- but I keep them in my food storage. This recipe is a great reason to use canned foods. I absolutely love the addition of almonds. They give great texture.

THE RECIPE:

4 c. diced chicken breasts
3/4 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. chopped onion (sometimes I use green)
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies
6 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
10 flour tortillas
2 15-ounce cans cream of chicken soup
12 oz. sour cream (I used light)
2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

In large skillet, cook chicken. Add onions and 1/2 cup of the almonds, then saute. Add 2 tablespoons green chilies. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons milk and cumin. Add chicken mixture. Spoon into tortillas, then roll and place side by side in 9x13 baking dish. In medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, 2 cups milk and remainder of chilies. Pour over tortillas. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more. (Sometimes I put the cheese in the tortilla filling instead.)

Garden fresh

I apologize for my long absence. I have had computer problems. Anyway, I'm back in action with this beautiful strawberry spinach salad. We grew our own spinach in the spring, and we have been enjoying all kinds of fresh salads lately. Homemade dressings are the way to go. I think you'll love this one. It's perfect for summertime. I halve the recipe for my small family.

THE RECIPE:

10 oz. fresh spinach
1 quart strawberries, sliced
1/2 c. slivered almonds

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion (I used a little onion powder)

Toss salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients thoroughly. Apply as desired to individual servings. I like to make my dressing ahead of time and refrigerate it before use.

An ingredient you might not expect

My husband loved eating these butterscotch jumbles when he was growing up. He was excited for our little family to make them this year. The ingredients may seem a little strange, but they are really quite good and have a nice crunch. Plus, they are incredibly easy to make.

THE RECIPE:

1 package butterscotch chips
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
6 ounces roasted, salted peanuts
5 ounces chow mein noodles

Melt together butterscotch chips and peanut butter in microwave on reduced power, stirring frequently. Add peanuts, then chow mein noodles. Spread on foil-lined cookie sheet, then refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces.

Stuff yourself with this

I made this stuffing, along with some creamed corn, for Thanksgiving this year. My husband said it was his favorite dish of the day. It has an excellent homemade -- kind of gourmet -- taste brought on, I think, by the use of sourdough bread. I'm not normally a fan of sourdough, but this really is wonderful. You can't go wrong with the other ingredients, either -- spinach, cashews, bacon. It's a winner! By the way, the recipe came from Smitten Kitchen.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 pound bacon, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 c. chopped red onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
7 1/2 ounces fresh spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped (7 cups)
5 c. country-style sourdough bread cubes*
1 c. salted, roasted cashews/pieces
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 c. plus 1/8 c. chicken broth

Lightly toast bread cubes for a few minutes under a broiler set to low. You want them kind of dry and crispy. Then preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain. Reserve about 3 tablespoons bacon grease in skillet. Add onion, celery, salt and pepper to skillet. Saute a few minutes, until tender. Add garlic and saute a minute more. Transfer mixture to large bowl, then stir in spinach, bread, cashews, butter, broth and bacon. Put stuffing in greased 9x13 pan, then bake uncovered for about 25 minutes. Stuffing is best reheated in oven, as microwave makes the bread chewy.

*Country-style bread is dense and stiff with a hard crust. I used La Brea's country sourdough, which I got at Albertson's. You don't have to use that, but just be sure not to get a light, soft, airy bread.

Halloween snack

No sense in throwing away perfectly edible pumpkin seeds after carving a pumpkin, right? These are flavorful and crunchy and savory -- a snack my whole family loves.

THE RECIPE:

2 c. pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter OR olive oil
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika

Toss pumpkin seeds thoroughly with other ingredients. Spread out on cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour, stirring about every 15 minutes. They will seem done before the hour is up, but the longer they cook, the crunchier they will be, rather than chewy.

A spoonful of pesto

Ah, pesto. It's beautiful, isn't it? We make it fresh, using basil from our garden. Its smell is beyond wonderful, and its taste is even better. We can't get enough of it.

THE RECIPE:

2 1/2 c. packed basil leaves

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. pine nuts (or a couple of tablespoons)

3/4 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients in food processor. Store in air-tight container in refrigerator or put in freezer bags and freeze.

To make bruschetta, spread pesto on a slice of French bread, top with tomato slices and cheese, then toast under the broiler. It's divine!

We used a bunch of our freshly made pesto to make creamy pesto pasta. It was so delicious, I wanted to eat it until I exploded.

THE RECIPE:

8 oz. pasta, cooked and drained*
2 chicken breasts, seasoned with lemon pepper, cooked and chopped
1 c. prepared pesto
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted under broiler (watch them closely)

Toss ingredients in a large bowl while chicken and noodles are still hot. Enjoy!

*I used elbow pasta, but I think something like bowtie would look nicer -- not that it matters for taste.

PESTO ROCKS!

Chickety China the Chinese chicken

My sister-in-law hooked me up with this recipe for Oriental chicken salad. We used it as our main dish for dinner and gobbled it right up. It's a simple salad with only a few ingredients, which you can adjust to suit your fancy. I did a little of that myself.

THE RECIPE:

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (I boiled mine)
3/4 c. sliced almonds, lightly toasted if desired
1 package Oriental-flavored Ramen noodles
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. oil (I used canola)
1/4 c. sugar
Seasoning packet from Ramen

Wisk together dressing ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Break up dry Ramen noodles (I pounded the package before opening it), then brown in skillet. Toss with lettuce, chopped chicken, oranges and almonds. Toss with dressing.

Spectacular salad

This salad is extraordinary. I have made it many times since I got the recipe from a gal in my neighborhood. The above picture shows a bowl that is 11 inches in diameter. Two adults and one 3-year-old devoured its contents in less than 24 hours. The dressing is a delicious mix of sweet and tangy.

THE RECIPE:

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped (if you use bagged lettuce, you will probably need two)
1 apple, cubed
1 pear, cubed
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 c. Craisins
1 c. cashews

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. minced onion (or 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. onion powder)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 c. oil (I have only used canola)

Mix salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately. Toss together before serving. Keep them separate if you don't plan to use all the salad at once or it will get soggy. You must know, however, that I would still eat this salad if it were soggy. It's that good.

From garden to gourmet

This recipe for homemade tomato-almond soup is unique and wonderful. It tastes so fresh, because we use tomatoes from our garden. It has an unusual, gourmet taste to it. The almonds provide a bread-crumb effect. It seems like something that would be served at an expensive, authentic Italian restaurant. You need to like tomatoes in order to like this. We like it well enough to make multiple batches and freeze them. It tastes the very best with french bread dipped in it.

THE RECIPE:

3 Tbsp. butter
4 c. chopped vine-ripened tomatoes*
2 c. vegetable or chicken broth (more or less if desired)
2/3 c. light cream
1/4 c. ground almonds
1 tsp. sugar
Dried basil to taste (shred fresh basil if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
French bread for dipping

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until the skins start to wrinkle. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, under a preheated broiler, toast ground almonds until they are golden brown. This will take only 1 or 2 minutes, so watch them closely.

Remove the soup from heat, place in a food processor or blender, and blend the mixture to form a smooth consistency. Alternatively, mash the soup with a potato masher. Pass the soup through a strainer to remove any skin and seeds. Place soup in saucepan and return to heat. Stir in cream, almonds, sugar and basil. Serves 4.

*This recipe is best made with garden fresh tomatoes. Store-bought tomatoes will give you a watered-down flavor. I chop, bag and freeze many of the tomatoes from my garden just so I can make this soup during the off-season. If you must use store-bought tomatoes, you could probably add an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce to increase the tomato flavor.

Mean, green broccoli cuisine

This broccoli salad is sweet and savory. I can't think of a better way to eat my veggies.

THE RECIPE:

Florets from two medium-large broccoli crowns, chopped
1/4 c. chopped red onion
1 c. sunflower nuts
1/2 c. raisins or Craisins
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar

Mix ingredients well, then refrigerate before serving.

Tastes like a million bucks

This recipe for peanut butter cookies won $1 million in this year's Pillsbury Bake-off. And though I don't really think any recipe is worth $1 million, these are definitely the best peanut butter cookies I've ever had. They have a creamy center. How awesome for the lady who won, huh?

Click here for the recipe.

*Note: I increased the peanut butter and powdered sugar amounts to 3/4 cup each. I found it impossible to make 24 balls with any less than that.