Holiday Breakfast Casserole

 Holiday Breakfast Casserole  4 servings

Looking for something to have ready to put in the oven on a holiday morning? Well this is delicious and easy. You can prepare it the night before or in the morning, it's about a 15 to 20 prep time. 

1/2 bag         Shredded potatoes / Hash browns

1                   Jalapeno chopped - optional

1/4 lg.           Onion chopped

1/2 lb.           Ground sausage browned

6                   Eggs whisked

1/4 cp.          Half and half

1 cp.             Light Mexican shredded cheese - add more or less per your taste. 

1/2 tbsp.       Garlic oil

Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Biscuit dough - 4 biscuits

1 cp.            Bisquick

1/3 cp.         Half and half

1                 Egg

1 tbsp.        Butter melted

In a small bowl mix thoroughly until it's sticky and will spoon easily into round shapes. Set aside the batter. 

Either the night before or before you start the casserole, brown the ground sausage and put aside. 

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees. Add the garlic oil into a small sauce pan. Sauté the onions and jalapenos until they are tender. Spray oil to the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish. While the onions and jalapenos are cooking, add the hash browns to the dish make sure it's even. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the sausage evenly over the potatoes. Add the onions and jalapeno's for another layer. 

Whisk together the eggs and half and half add salt and pepper to taste. Pour evenly over the sausage. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Then add 4 biscuits on top, making sure they are not touching. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The biscuits will be golden brown. 

Serve with your favorite breakfast beverage, mimosas are always good. Maybe some fresh fruit as a side. 

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

 Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Two servings)

1                      Spaghetti squash (Size depends if you want it for more servings)

1/2  cup           Carrots sliced

1/2 cup            Onions chopped

2 lg. Cloves    Garlic chopped then pressed

1 can               Diced & fire roasted tomatoes

2 med              Jalapeno's

1 lg.                Chicken breast diced

1/2 cups          Shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 tbsp        Garlic olive oil (or just olive oil)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, then add a little oil and spread it over the insides of the squash, salt and pepper to taste. Add water into a baking pan, about 1/4 inch deep. Place the squash with the cut side up. Bake for 30 minutes. 

While the squash is baking, heat the oil and then place the chicken in a sauce pan and cook until done. Then remove. Add the carrots into the sauce pan sauté until they are almost done. Then had the onions, jalapeno's and garlic, sauté until onions are translucent. Add the chicken and the tomatoes. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Simmer until Squash is ready.

When the squash has been baked for 30 minutes take out of the oven if it's tender enough, fork out about half of the strands until you have two hollowed halves. If it's not ready bake another 5 minutes before removing the strands. Add the strands to the chicken mixture. Mix well, then spoon mixture into the spaghetti halves. Bake 5 minutes then sprinkle the cheese over the tops and bake another 10 minutes. 

Oven heats may very. 

Serve with a salad. It pairs well with a Riesling. 

Italian Chicken Soup!

 It's fall! Time for soup. Yummy.

Italian Chicken Soup

2              Chicken breast cubed.

1 tbsp.     Olive oil  

2              Jalapeño chopped/diced

1/2 LG    Onion

3 cloves  Garlic

2             Red potatoes cubed.

2 lbs       Prova on the vine tomatoes quartered

2             Carrots Cubed

1 qt.        Chicken Broth (use less if you'd like thinner

1 tsp.      Thyme

1 tsp.      Rosemary  

2 tsp.      Basil  

2 tsp.     Oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

A couple of dashes of Turmeric.

This is the easiest soup. If you can't find the prova tomatoes, you can use medium tomatoes. 

 

Add the chicken to a pot and brown in the olive oil. Then add all the veggies and spices, half of the broth and bring to a rolling boil for 15 minutes. Turn to medium low for an hour or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally adding the broth as needed to the thickness you want. 

 

To change it up, you can add cannellini beans or kidney beans. Also, if you have leftovers, but not enough for a meal, you can add shredded cabbage, zucchini, celery, or spinach. More broth if needed. 

In this picture I have added shredded cabbage and peas.

Crockpot Chile Verde

Crockpot Chile Verde 

2 to 3 lbs.        Pork Tenderloin.

1 bag               Hatch Chile peppers.

1 4 oz.             Green chiles.

1                      Yellow onion.

1 Tbsp.            Olive oil.  

1                      Red bell pepper.

2 cups              Chicken broth

3 cloves           Garlic

1 Tsp.               Pepper

1/2 Tsp.            Sea salt  

1 Tsp.               Garlic Powder

1 Tsp.               Ground cumin*

1 Tsp.               Cayenne pepper*

1 Tsp.                Chili powder*

*Or to taste.

Either the night before or the early morning, start with the Hatch chiles and the pork. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking pan with foil. Rince the chiles, dry them off, place them on the foil, do not crowd them. Brush them with olive oil and lightly salt. Bake for 10 minutes until they start to blister, turn them with tongs and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. When they are blackened and blistered remove them and add to a bowl, cover with foil and let them steam until they are cool enough to touch. 

Place the roasted chiles on a clean cutting board or a flat surface and grab the stem area with your non dominant hand. With your dominant hand, start peeling away the skin from the top of the pepper and work your way down. The skin should come off effortlessly, revealing the vibrant green flesh beneath. Chop and put in a bowl to store overnight or place in the crockpot. 

While chiles are baking, pour the olive oil into a pan and put on medium heat. Cut the pork into cubes

and brown them. Then place in bowl to store overnight in the fridge or place in the crockpot. 

Chop the garlic, onion, and red bell pepper, add to the pork and chiles in the crockpot. Mix the broth and seasonings in thoroughly. Cook for 8 to 9 hours on low and 4 to 5 hours on high. 

Serve with white rice, refried beans, and tortilla's. Enjoy!

The best turkey meatloaf around!

The Best Turkey Meatloaf 

1 1/4 pound      Ground turkey

1 4 oz.              Green chili's

3/4 cup             Marinara sauce 

2                       Eggs 

1/2 bulb            Shallot chopped. 

1 Tsp.               Olive oil 

1/2 cup             Cracker crumbs or bread crumbs. 

2                       Sprigs of thyme chopped

1 Tsp.               Pepper

1/2 Tsp.            Salt 

1 Tsp.               Dried chili flakes (optional)

1 Tsp.               Italian seasonings.

Heat the oven to 425. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the turkey, chili's, 1/4 to 1/2 cp. marinara, eggs, oil, and shallots thoroughly. In a small bowl
add the spices and blend and add to meat mixture and stir thoroughly. Add the crumbs and mix through evenly. 

Line a baking pan with foil. Shape it into an oblong loaf and place on the foil. Right before putting the meatloaf in the oven lower heat to 350 and cook for 35 minutes and then spread the rest of the  marinara over the top cook another 10 to 20 minutes.

Potatoes and gravy, or buttered potatoes goes well. 

PULPETA: THE CUBAN MEATLOAF - Repost from July of 2019

This was so delicious I had to repost it. 

We recently had a meatloaf cook off at my home. They were all delightful. I thought I would share the recipe for the one I made. A Pulpeta: The Cuban Meatloaf. I found it on Meatloaf recipes around the world. Of course, I took liberties.

No need to heat the oven. You'll need a deep pot.

Pulpeta: The Cuban Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1  lbs Ground beef
1 lbs Hot sausage
2 eggs 

2 cups plain breadcrumbs (1/2 cup for meatloaf mixture, and 1 1/2 cups for the breading)
6 mozzarella string cheese sticks 1 large onions1/2 green pepper6 cloves garlic1/4 cup and 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes2 tbsp. ketchup2 cups dry white wine1 tbsp. garlic powder1 bay leaf

Season to taste.

Mix the meat, eggs, garlic powder and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. On a board roll together and spread out like a giant oblong burger patty. Then lay the 6 string cheese in the center. Fold the sides and ends over until the cheese snug inside. Make sure there are no seams.  

In a oblong baking pan or Tupperware container of the same size. Pour the rest of the bread cubs in it. Place the meatloaf on top and roll (carefully) until it's coated. 

In the pot add 1/4 cup oil and heat on medium. Place (carefully) the loaf in and brown, then turn and brown. About 5 minutes on each side, then remove to a cooking board. 

Add the rest of the oil and add chipped, onion, pepper, garlic and saute  until tender. Add wine, tomatoes, and ketchup and bay leaf. Cook for 10 minutes, then carefully place in the mixture and cook on medium for 40 minutes. DO NOT TURN DOWN. Even though you may be worried it will break down in the sauce, it won't. If you do not cook it properly it will not get done. It will boil that is okay.

I use an extra wide spatula to remove the loaf from the sauce. Scoop the sauce up and pour over the loaf. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy. 

Enjoy. It pairs well with a Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Italian Garlic Butter Beef

Italian Garlic Butter Beef

1/2 lb         Beef cubes 

1/2 stick     Butter

4 cloves     Garlic chopped

1/2             Onion sliced rings

1 tsp.          Paprika

1 tsp.          Onion powder

1/2 tsp.       Sea salt

1 tsp.          Black pepper

3 tsp.          Italian seasoning

1 tbsp.        Garlic olive oil

Add the oil to the frying pan let it heat to medium high. Add the beef, stir until browned on all side. Approx. 5 minutes. Then remove from the pan into a bowl. 

Add the butter once it is softened add the onion rings and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the chopped garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is golden brown. Add the meat back in, cover and cook for another 5 minutes or more if you like your beef well done. 

Serve with steamed broccoli or other vegetable side dish. I also added roasted potatoes.