Big Boys Breakfast Casserole

This is also known as Moo-Chi-Pig Casserole that was posted two years ago. With the garden growing weeds faster than the veggies, my time spent in the kitchen is not as often as I would like.  I do plan to get some canning recipes on as soon as I start harvesting.  Stay tuned and enjoy this favorite recipe that hubby takes to share with his co-workers.

1 lb mild bulk pork sausage
1 16 oz pkg. cooked cubed ham
1 26 oz pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup milk
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp Texas Pete
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp bacon bits
1 dozen eggs

Cook the sausage in large skillet until no longer pink; drain grease and cool completely. Spray large baking dish or lasagna pan with cooking oil. Spread uncooked hash browns in bottom of baking dish, spreading them up the sides to create a crust if you will.

Lay cubed ham over hash brown, then top with cooled sausage. You might also add cooked onion and green pepper (optional). Top with cheeses.

In large bowl, beat eggs and add milk, parmesan cheese, celery salt and Texas Pete; mix well. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Place in refrigerator over night. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake in 350º oven for one hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

© Crackerberries 2011

The Awesome Turkey Reuben

4 slices bread

 ¼ lb thinly sliced turkey meat (fresh or deli)

4 Tbsp sauerkraut, well drained

2 Tbsp Thousand Island dressing

1 tsp Texas Pete hot sauce

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese

1 tbsp margarine

Drain sauerkraut on paper towels; heat griddle to medium (340º).  Combine hot sauce and dressing together and mix well.  Place one slice of cheese on each of two slices of bread; divide turkey between two slices of bread, top with sauerkraut, dressing and last two slices of cheese.  Cover with remaining two slices of bread.  Spread margarine on the outside of both sides of sandwich.  Place on griddle; grill on each side until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Serve with your favorite chips, pickles or fries.

© Crackerberries 2011

Egg Rolls

1 lb ground beef, ground pork, chicken or ham

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

¼ lb fresh bean sprouts

1 package egg roll wrappers

2 cups shredded cabbage

½ cup shredded carrot

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

3 green onions

Oil for frying

Stir fry meat and ginger in large WOK over high heat, stirring constantly until browned.

Add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot and green onions and cook 2-3 minutes stirring often.  Stir in oyster sauce and remove from heat.

Let mixture cool for about 15-20 minutes.  Spoon 2 Tbsp into each egg wrapper and roll and seal like a present.  Deep fry at 350º until golden brown, turning occasionally (about 2 minutes per side); drain on paper towels and serve with duck sauce, hot mustard or whatever your favorite sauce is.

These also freeze well so when company shows up and you need a quick snack, pop them on a cookie sheet and bake at 400º for 10-15 minutes flipping once during cook time.

© Crackerberries 2011

Pickled Cucumbers

I know… pickled cucumbers…wouldn’t that just be pickles?  No…Actually pickles take a lot longer to pickle.  This is a quick way to have a pickled cucumber without the fuss of canning and preserving.

Ingredients

6 small pickling cucumbers

5 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 cups cold water

1 tbsp salt

2 tsp sugar

10 black peppercorns

1 garlic clove

1 bunch fresh dill sprigs (optional)

Large lidded jar (mayonnaise jars work well for this)

Directions

Cut each cucumber lengthwise into 6 spears.  Mix the wine vinegar, water, salt and sugar together.  Crush a few of the peppercorns and leave the rest whole – add to the liquid.  Cut garlic clove in ½.  Arrange cuke spears in the jar.  Pour liquid over the spears and add garlic and dill sprigs.  Make sure spears are completely submerged in liquid.  Cover and store in fridge for at least two days before eating.

© Crackerberries 2011

Fig Newton Cake

Fig Newton Cake

1 cup butter flavored Crisco

1 cup brown sugar

1 extra large egg

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 cups fig Newton filling

1¾ cups all purpose flour

Cream shortening and sugar together; add egg, spices, salt, baking soda and fig filling and mix well.  Add flour, just enough to create a thick cake batter.  Spread into greased 13x9x2 baking dish.  Bake 350º 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

1 cup of raisins can be added to batter before baking to add more substance. 

Try using apple sauce, peach preserves or blueberry jam in place of the fig filling.

For an added treat, top with ice cream or vanilla sauce

Vanilla Sauce

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

In saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch.  Slowly stir in water; bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil gently for 5 minutes; remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour warm sauce over cake.  Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

 Crackerberries 2011

Devilled Eggs

An appetizer that I make different every time depending on what I have for ingredients; Miracle Whip always makes them taste better, but you can use just plain old mayonnaise too. 

1 dozen eggs, hard boiled, peeled and halved length-wise

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup Miracle Whip (more or less)

1 tsp horseradish

1 Tbsp spicy relish

1 tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp celery seed

½ tsp turmeric

Fresh ground pepper

Paprika and olives for garnish

Pop the yolks out of the center and mash yolks.  Add onion, miracle whip, horseradish, relish, mustard, celery seed, turmeric and pepper to the yolks and mix well.

Spoon mixture back into eggs and sprinkle with paprika and dot with slice of olive; makes a great healthy snack.

© Crackerberries 2011

"Natural" Steak Salad

Steak Marinade

8 oz Sirloin

4 oz Natural Lite Beer

¼ cup olive oil

1 heaping tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

¾ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Salad ingredients

½ head iceberg lettuce

½ yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 red potatoes, quartered and cooked

8-9 radishes, sliced

8 romaine lettuce leaves, torn

½ pint grape tomatoes, halved

Dressing

3 Tbsp white wine vinegar

¼ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Prepare the marinade for the steak ahead of time and let steak marinate in fridge for one hour and 15 minutes … give or take a few.  Grill to desired doneness.

Prepare the dressing and keep in fridge until ready to use.

Place the salad in a large serving bowl in order of ingredients given.  Drizzle with dressing, top with grilled steak.  Toss just before serving.

© Crackerberries 2011

Melvin's Hot Dog Pizza

Pizza crust

Pizza sauce

Hot dogs

Mozzarella cheese

Onions

Colored sweet peppers

Roll out pizza dough on pizza stone.  Spread with pizza sauce.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Top with slices of hot dogs, onions and sweet peppers.  Dust with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Bake in 400º oven for 23 minutes.

© Crackerberries 2011

Pecan Fig Tarts

½ cup fig mincemeat preserves

½ cup plum conserves

1 cup chopped pecans

¼ cup flour

¼ cup honey

2 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp butter

1 single pie crust

Preheat oven 375º

Combine fig mincemeat and plum conserves together in small bowl.  In microwave safe dish combine butter, honey and molasses; heat until butter melts.  Add flour and pecan and mix well.

Cut pie crust into 12 portions using large cup or cookie cutter.  Gently lay in muffin tins so that crust just comes to the top.  Divide preserve/conserve mixture up amongst the tins, cover with pecan mixture. 

Bake 375º 15-20 minutes until top is puffy and slightly browned.  Best served cold.

© Crackerberries 2011

Dijon Battered Catfish Nuggets

1 cup flour

1 egg

4-6 oz beer

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1-1½ lb catfish nuggets

Oil for frying

Combine egg and mustard and mix well; add flour.  Pour in just enough beer to make batter (not too thick, not to thin).  Dredge nuggets through batter and deep fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and fish begins to flake with a fork when tested.  Serve with rolls and tangy Cole slaw.

© Crackerberries 2011

Marinara Sauce with Beef Braciole

I have been making homemade spaghetti sauce for 25 years or more.  They always come out better each time.  This one is the first one I made without meatballs and sausages and my taste buds say it was the best ever!  Enjoy!

1 whole head garlic, minced (12-16 cloves)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped broccoli stems

¾ cup spicy salsa

1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2-28 oz cans tomato sauce

2-28 oz cans tomato purée

2 large onions, chopped

8 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups chopped sweet peppers

2 Tbsp capers, drained

¼ cup pitted and chopped Calamata olives

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp basil

1½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Sauté garlic in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes, add broccoli and cook another 2 minutes; add crushed tomatoes and bring to boil.  Add all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook, stirring frequently for 5 hours.

For Braciole:

10 oz sirloin steak

6 oz Italian hot sausage

½ cup chopped onion

1 small pepper, chopped

1 cup Italian style bread crumbs

¾ cup beef broth

1 tsp ground marjoram

Salt & pepper

Remove casing from sausage and brown in large skillet with onions and peppers.  Add bread crumbs and broth to cooked sausage and mix well; cool.

Meanwhile, pound steak with mallet to ¼ inch thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread stuffing over steak and roll up.  Secure with poultry pins or string or both. 

Brown on all sides in skillet; place meat roll carefully in sauce and let simmer for last hour of cooking.  Remove braciole from sauce, let cool ten minutes, slice and serve with your favorite pasta, homemade garlic bread and a fine red wine.

© Crackerberries 2011

Potato Soup

It doesn’t look as good as it tastes, but trust me when I tell you it is some good on a cold wet day.  It just warms up your insides.

2 slices bacon coated with fresh cracked peppercorns

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups shredded green cabbage

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup cooked mashed potatoes

2 cups beef broth

1 cup German Riesling wine

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup dry non fat milk (fill to 1¾ line with water)

Cook bacon in Dutch oven; remove and place bacon on paper towel to drain.  Add onion and celery to bacon grease and cook until opaque.  Add cabbage, potatoes, beef broth, wine and nutmeg; bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour or until potatoes are tender.  Combine dry milk and water and mix well, pour into soup and cook just until well mixed and heated thoroughly.

© Crackerberries 2011

Chili

2 cups red kidney beans

10 oz beer

2½ cups strong black coffee

1 Tbsp dry mustard

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

½ cup ketchup

1 onion, chopped

Bacon pieces, cut up

Fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8½ hours, stirring once after the first 4 hours.  Once beans are cooked add the following ingredients:

1 lb stew beef, sautéed

1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage, cooked

1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chili powder

1-2 tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook on low for 1-2 hours to incorporate flavors.  Serve with fresh baked bread or tortilla chips, sour cream and more jalapeño peppers if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011