French Toast Casserole

A couple of weeks ago, I scored some sweet swag at a garage sale.

Cashew Bacon Caramel Corn by Kudos Kitchen by Renee

Then, everyone was posting about popcorn! It's like they knew I just got my first popcorn popper!

Smoky Bacon Popcorn with Burnt Sugar and Sea Salt by How Sweet It Is

I can't even contain my excitement!

THERE'S BACON IN BOTH OF THESE RECIPES!!!

Buttered Popcorn Crunch Brownies by How Sweet It Is

Buttered Popcorn Cookies by I Was Born To Cook

JUST STOP! I'm too excited now. Have they been reading my diary?

Let us catch our breath so we can move on to breakfast. French Toast Casserole, my friends, French Toast Casserole. There are many different renditions of this delectable morning treat. This recipe is simple and is both savory (bacon!) and sweet (french toast...duh). Make it the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning. The original recipe calls for one loaf of french bread. I like to get two of the day-old loaves from Jimmy John's. $1.00 for the two! What a bargain!

French Toast Casserole

from JennyMac Lipsmack

1 loaf french bread (or two loaves of Jimmy John's), cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)

8 eggs

3 cups half and half (or cream if you want it silky rich) 

1/4 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 strips of bacon, cooked and broken into pieces.  

Topping:

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

maple syrup

Using a serrated knife cube your french bread into one inch pieces.   

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt.  Add bread and mix with egg mixture to coat.  Add bacon pieces and mix again.

Grease a 13X9 baking dish (those non stick glass ones are awesome).  Pour all your eggy bready bacony mixture into the baking dish.  Cover and place in fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover and give the bread another stir.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the bread cubes and dot with butter.  Cover with non stick foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Back By "Popular" Demand!! And Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes with Blackberry Salsa!

I'm Back!! And I Missed You!

Much has happened since I last posted. I got that job! I can't really say where I work but I CAN tell you that I wear a white lab coat and have very dirty hands ALL. DAY. LONG. Which leads to very dry skin in the winter and a new found love for all things hand-lotion related. Also, my Mom likes to tell me that I need a manicure quite often which would be a waste of money considering how jacked up my hands get five days a week. Mom, I will take a pedicure any day and every day though! Ooooooooooo foot massage....

Sorry it has taken me so long to post (more than a year). It has taken one year and a month for me to acclimate myself to my work week. Now that I am used to it, I'm sure it will change again. So, get it while it's hot! I never stopped cooking in this time. In fact, I may be cooking more! I have a year's worth of recipes to share with you! I'm excited! My picture quality is "Meh" to say it best but someday I will have some natural light in my kitchen and perdier pics to be less embarrassed of. Nevertheless, I do have confidence in the deliciousness! No "Meh" recipes here!

When deciding what my first return post would be, I thought of the wonderful season we are entering. It's officially decent produce season! Yay! You all need to get some blackberries while they are still good and put this in your face!

No joke...go...in your face...NOW!!!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes with Blackberry Salsa

from How Sweet It Is

makes 4 cakes

Sweet Potato Qunioa Cakes

1 medium sweet potato (about 6 oz), peeled and chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

 Blackberry Salsa

1 pint fresh blackberries, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/2 jalapeno, finely diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

the juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all salsa ingredients together in a bowl and mix.

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add in sweet potato, onion, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, stir, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until potato is soft. Remove lid and add garlic, cooking for 30 seconds.

Transfer potato mixture to a large bowl (slightly mashing potato with a fork) and add quinoa, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, remaining salt and pepper and mix well. Once combined, add in egg, then mix until moistened. Using your hands to bring it together, form four equally-sized patties. Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add cakes and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Serve with blackberry salsa!

Mexican Rice

I had some extra Ranchero Sauce from this recipe:

...and I didn't want it to go to waste.

So, when thinking about a side dish for the Whole Wheat Butternut Squash and Chorizo Quesadillas I was making for Cinco de Mayo, I just thought I would throw that into my Mexican rice recipe. No big deal, no big fuss. Just BIG BIG FLAVOR!!! Oh my word was this yummy. I was even excited for the extra I could have left over! Happy Hubby was happy with the results and said it was better than boxed. Well that's nice.

This is most definitely a keeper! Must write it down before I forget!

Mexican Rice

Ranchero Sauce adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Ranchero Sauce

1 Tb. oil
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
2 Tb. apple cider vinegar
1 Tb. brown sugar
4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup stock, any variety
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the Ranchero Sauce:
1. Add the oil to a sauce pan and place it over medium heat. Saute the onion, jalapeno, and garlic until soft–3-5 minutes.
2. Add the red peppers, vinegar, sugar, cumin, stock and 1/4 tsp salt. Simmer for 10 minutes on low.
3. Remove from heat and carefully pour into a blender. Add the cream and place the lid on the blender–sightly jarred so it can vent. Puree the sauce until smooth, then set aside. You will have about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of this sauce. The rice only calls for one cup. You can either double the rice recipe or save the extra to put on something else. It would be extra yummy added to a Capri sandwich or on a pizza!

Mexican Rice
1 cup long grain white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup Ranchero Sauce
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

In a medium sauce pan, cook rice in oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in onion, Ranchero Sauce, and diced tomato. Season with bouillon cube, salt and pepper, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.               





Stove Top Roasted Pork with Sweet Peppers

Still a little occupied with the job search. Sorry for the lack of posts. I do have a very exciting interview this coming Friday but that is a secret until I know if I did or didn't get it. Trust me, you will all know when I do.

I made this dish a couple weeks back and I believe it is my first venture with pork loin! It was very tasty and I very much look forward to making it again. I am also a big fan of anything that includes egg noodles. Very comfort foody.

Stove Top Roasted Pork with Sweet Peppers

from Katie's Cucina, who adapted it from Rachael Ray 

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 boneless pork loin
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sweet mini bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
4 leaves fresh sage
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. In a 5 quart pan with lid, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes). Transfer the pork loin to a plate, and pour off the fat if needed.

2. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, sage and remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and broth to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the pork back to the pan with the sweet pepper mixture, cover and cook over low heat, turning the meat once (cooking time should take about 40 minutes). Using an instant-read thermometer (insert it into the center of the pork it should read at the very minimum 145 degrees although just last year the standard was 165 and that’s what I still go by.).
4. Remove the pan from the stove top. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch-think pieces and transfer to a platter. Meanwhile, place the vegetables and juices back on the heat and bring to a simmer reducing the sauce. Top the pork with vegetable mixture.

White Bean Gratin

Hello Friends!

Sorry it has been a while. Every time I start to think about blogging, I come up with seven more places I can apply to. That's right, no job yet. I still have a job until the end of the month and then another month before I am desperate for work. I am not too worried but I would like that security back. I am more concerned that I haven't even heard from the places I have applied to. I had two interviews with one place but they opted for someone with more experience. Other than that, no call backs.

Well, the weather is warming and I am up to running for 28 minutes without stopping. That is huge! Especially since when Hubby and I started running 8 weeks ago, 30 second runs made me cry...like a sad weakling couch potato that I may or may not be. If anyone wants to start running and reeeeeeeeeeeally hates cardio like me, you should try the Couch to 5K (C25K) program. If you are lucky enough to have a smart phone, there are a good number of apps that will tell you when to run and walk in the designated intervals. Happy Hubby and I use the Bluefin Software app called Ease Into 5K which is available for both iOS and Android.

It looks like this:

...seriously, best $4 I have spent. Totally worth it!

My face gets super red when running. Look! I took a picture!

Bahahahaha! It totally looks like me!!

With these warm spring and summer months coming, my favorite season is upon us! BBQ Season!!! This dish would be a great side for a fun gathering of friends and/or family. Definitely a twist on traditional baked beans you would normally find at a BBQ. It is originally from this book...

...which you are more than welcome to buy for me for Christmas or for next Thursday (which celebrates the 17th of May, duh).

Jessica altered it and I went off her adaption but I would like to try it with dry beans that you soak overnight with yummy spices. Either way, it is delicious! I think I will be making this for our family reunion in August!

White Bean Gratin

from How Sweet Eats

3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, combine cheeses with panko bread crumbs, then set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot with a sprinkle of salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in 2 of the minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, then add in white beans and stir. Let beans heat for 3-4 minutes.

4. Remove 2 cups of beans and place them in a blender. Add in stock, milk, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, blending until totally smooth. Pour contents back into the skillet and stir to combine.

5. Spray a baking dish [mine was 6x10, but any dish you want is fine - round, square, etc] with nonstick spray. Scoop bean mixture into the dish and spread with a spatula to even out the top. Lay cheese and bread crumb mixture over top. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately. 

Grilled Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers

No news on the job search but I have made the decision to no longer drop off a resume in person. I look too young and I can tell that managers are passing judgement based on me looking like I am in high school. I wonder if they even read my resume after seeing me. From now on, I will let my resume speak for me until I get an interview. Maybe I should put "Mrs." before my name so they at least know I am older than I look.

In other news: Grilled Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers 

Here is another recipe that I could not grill but I will keep the recipe as is because the minute I get a grill, you know I will be using it! This was so good! I wish I currently worked somewhere that I could heat up leftovers for lunch. I never get leftovers. Happy Hubby gets to enjoy those. Maybe the next job will have a microwave so i can enjoy my leftovers for lunch. Then i can stop using my Container Store cereal to-go containers so much.

Grilled Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers

from Serious Eats

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2/3 pound raw Mexican chorizo, removed from casings
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice2 medium roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
1/4 grated cotija cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add in onion and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in chorizo, breaking sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

2. Add rice, tomatoes, crema, cilantro, and cotija cheese to bowl with meat mixture and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spoon mixture into cavities of split poblanos and top with pepper jack cheese.

4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place poblanos on cool side of grill, cover, and cook until cheese has melted and poblanos have softened, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from grill and serve.

Spicy Thai Chicken Enchiladas

Yeah, these were good.

I am very excited to make these again someday soon. The original recipe called for Sweet Chili Sauce but Happy Hubby has a sick obsession with Sriracha.

I also didn't want to buy a gallon jug of Sweet Chili Sauce (which was the only option my local grocery store had).

They were so good I walked across the street to the Chinese/Japanese restaurant to feed them to our bartender friend (Hi Sandra!). They were inhaled and I walked back home with clean plastic ware (Thanks Sandra!).

Spicy Thai Chicken Enchiladas

adapted from How Sweet It Is

8 flour tortillas
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I usually steam them in my rice cooker)
1 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped/shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped/shredded cabbage
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup chopped + crushed peanuts + more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro + more for garnish
2 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1/4 cup + 2-4 tablespoons Sriracha (depending on your heat preference)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add canola oil. Throw in onions, cabbage, carrots, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to mix. Let cool until vegetables are soft, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add in chicken, green onions, peanuts, cilantro, remaining salt and pepper, tossing to coat, and let cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add in 3/4 cup coconut milk and 1/4 cup Sriracha, mixing thoroughly to combine. Turn off heat.

5. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk together remaining coconut milk and Sriracha. Pour about 1/2 a cup or so on the bottom of the dish. Slightly warm tortillas if desired to make them more pliable, then place a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in each, rolling up tightly and placing in the dish. Cover with remaining coconut milk and chili sauce mix. I usually take a spoon and cover every inch of the tortilla with the sauce, just to make sure it’s coated.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and top with additional peanuts and cilantro. Since sauce is not as thick as traditional enchilada sauce, when you remove them from the oven, spoon sauce from the bottom of the dish all over the tortillas. Additionally this can be done halfway through cooking too.

...yeah, those were good...