Cinnamon Pecan Baked French Toast

Super simple breakfast dish for holidays (or anytime)

1 - 11x7 rectangle pan or a large loaf pan works best. 

You can use anything roughly this size. 

INGREDIENTS 

TOAST

1 loaf of brioche bread

8 eggs

1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2

1 tsp cinnamon, divided 

1/2 tsp nutmeg divided 

1 tsp vanilla

TOPPING

1 stick butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup firm packed brown sugar (I used dark)

1 cup chopped pecans 

Coat the pan with either butter or spray oil (I use coconut). Cut the bread. I cut mine into slices then strips. Arrange in pan. Sprinkle lightly with 1/2 the cinnamon. 

In a bowl, mix eggs, half and half, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently pour egg mix over bread in pan and cover tightly with foil. Put in refrigerator overnight. 

In clean bowl, put next 5 ingredients (leaving chopped pecans aside).  Cut butter, flour and spices together with fork or pastry cutter until mix is crumbly. Put in ziplock bag or other container in fridge til morning. 

TO BAKE

Take pan out of refrigerator. Uncover. Turn oven to 350° to preheat. 

Sprinkle pecans over bread - gently use a fork to spread them down into the crevasses.   Then, sprinkle crumbled topping over the pan - again use fork to keep topping off edge of pan.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If top begins to over brown, lay a piece of foil over top lightly. 

Spoon out and serve with syrup and berries as desired. 

Jimmy's Harborside Rice Pilaf

 

This recipe is one that is a copycat of the rice pilaf served for years at Jimmy's Harborside restaurant in Boston, MA.

It's one of my all-time favorites to serve with seafood of any kind.

Hope you enjoy it!

 

Ingredients:

2  cups rice

1 small onion, chopped

1 package frozen/fresh spinach

2 chicken bouillon

2 cans chicken broth

1 stick butter

 

Directions:

Sauté onion in butter and add broth, bouillon, spinach and bring to boil. Add rice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour into 2 Qt Casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

Southwest Slow-cooker Beef Stew

 

INGREDIENTS

•       1 Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner (so worth the ease of clean up)

•       1-Pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

•       2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

•       2 Tsp garlic powder

•       1 Tablespoon olive oil

•       1 Cup water

•       2 Medium carrots, peeled and chopped

•       1 Medium green Bell pepper – seeded and chopped

•       1 Medium onion, chopped

•       1 Can diced tomatoes, undrained

•       1 Tablespoon beef bouillon powder

•       1 Can enchilada sauce

•       1 Can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (use black beans if preferred)

•       1 Cup frozen whole kernel corn

•       1 Small chopped avocado

•       Fresh cilantro chopped for garnish (optional)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   In a ziplock bag, mix flour, 1 Tsp garlic powder and 1 Tsp pepper.  Add beef to bag, zip and mix until beef is coated with flour mixture.

 

2.   In slow cooker – line with the liner if using.  Add carrots to bottom of slow cooker. Put Bell pepper and onion on top of carrots.

 

3.   In skillet, add oil and heat.  Add beef and brown lightly on all sides.  Add water to beef.  Scrape pan and mix into a gravy.

 

4.   Pour beef and liquid into slow cooker.  Add tomatoes, bouillon powder and enchilada sauce on top.  Cover and cook for 5-6 hours.

 

5.   Stir stew.  Add corn and beans and cook 30 additional minutes.

 

6.   Serve with avocado and cilantro (if desired).  Additional toppings or accompaniments – sour cream, shredded cheddar or tortilla chips.

HONEY ORANGE CHICKEN KABOBS (Or Not Kabobs)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb chicken thighs trimmed

1 large green pepper

1 large red pepper

½ red onion

5 (per kebab) button mushrooms (optional)

½ zucchini

MARINADE:

1 cup OJ

¼ cup honey

½ t ginger powder

2T soy sauce

salt & pepper to taste

5 bamboo kabob skewers

INSTRUCTIONS:  (For Kabobs)
Place your bamboo skewers in warm water and set aside until you’re ready to skewer.

Cut chicken and vegetables into large diced pieces and set aside.

Prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients together.

Season meat to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare the kabob by alternating chicken with vegetables.

Use approx. 3 oz of chicken per skewer.

Place prepared kabobs in a zip lock bag or a sealed container and pour marinade over top the kabobs.

Marinate for at least 3 hours.

For better flavor let marinate for 24 hours

Heat grill to 350 degrees and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes, turning on different sides until each kabob reaches 165 degrees

INSTRUCTIONS: (For Not Kabobs)

Cut chicken and vegetables into large diced pieces and set aside.

Prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients together.

Season meat to taste with salt and pepper.

Place prepared meat in a zip lock bag or a sealed container and pour marinade over the top.

Marinate for at least 3 hours.

For better flavor let marinate for 24 hours.

Sauté vegetables in skillet on stove until just tender.

Heat ribbed grill pan (or skillet); coating with olive oil.

Place meat in the pan.

Cooking 5-7 minutes on one side; turn and repeat on other side.

Test meat temperature (165 degrees is done for chicken)

Serve with vegetables. 

(This marinade can be used with beef and pork.)

Caprese Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb shaped pasta (like rotini or penne)
• 3 each ripe tomatoes - or, 24 grape tomatoes halved
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella  - I use Cigliene and quarter them
• ¼ c chopped fresh basil
• 1 ½ cups balsamic vinaigrette
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook pasta as directed on the box, rinse and chill.
2.  Cut up tomatoes and mozzarella to a medium dice, add to pasta.
3. Pick basil from stem, chop and add to pasta.
4. Pour your favorite balsamic vinaigrette over the pasta and toss.
5. Taste and season if necessary.

This can be your main dish for a lunch or summer dinner - or use as a side to grilled chicken or pork.

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

This is a great all-around meal for any time. It's comforting and yummy. Kids and adults love it. It's also a forgiving recipe - you can add more or less beef, Worcestershire, tomatoes - etc. it's to your personal taste. This is how I make it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 bell peppers (shaped to stand)
• 1-1.5 lb ground beef
• 1 1/4 C rice (I use Uncle Ben's)
• 3 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 C water
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 medium diced onion
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Grated Parmesan
• Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice the tops off bell peppers and remove seeds. Rinse.  Keep the rings you slice off and chop them.
2. Sauté onion until translucent in stock pot or Dutch oven. Add beef.
3. Brown ground beef with garlic powder. Add diced tomatoes, rice, water, Worcestershire sauce, and chopped tops of bell peppers.
4. Bring to boil, then lower to simmer.  Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender. (you may need to add some water up to 1/2 cup this depends on rice)
5. While stuffing is simmering, in another large pot, par-boil the green bell peppers until just slightly tender. (boil for about 15-20 minutes)
6. Prepare a baking dish - spray with olive oil spray.  Stand pepper cups up in dish.
7. Spoon stuffing into peppers until full.  Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.
8. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve.

NOTE: I also have done this as a "casserole" by cutting the peppers and putting in a baking pan; putting rice mixture on top of pepper layer; then more peppers on top; sprinkle with parmesan cheese - bake 30 minutes.  David isn't a huge fan of the pepper cups - but loves the meal so I've adapted this option.

EGGPLANT & SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
•  Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

FOR THE CASSEROLE

•  Olive oil, as needed
• 1 large (18 to 20 ounces) eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
•  Salt
•  freshly ground black pepper
• 9 ounces chorizo or spiced sausage
• 12 ounces fontina cheese, grated
• 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

PREPARATION

1. For the béchamel: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add milk, salt, white pepper and nutmeg, and whisk to combine thoroughly. Cook, whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. For the casserole: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, and thoroughly coat both sides with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. Roast until fully cooked, 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat but do not turn off oven. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, sauté sausage until browned and fully cooked. Remove from heat and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
3. Oil an 8-by-11, 2-inch-deep baking dish. Spread one-third of béchamel in baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, then half the fontina and half the sausage. Coat with half of the remaining béchamel. Top with remaining eggplant, fontina and sausage. Spread with remaining béchamel and the Parmesan.
4. Bake until hot, bubbling and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to rest for a minute or two, then serve.