Asparagus Omelet

Fresh Asparagus Omelet

3 large brown eggs, beaten
1 medium green pepper

6-8 fresh picked asparagus spears
½ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
¾ cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1 medium onion, diced

1 Tbsp bacon bits

Heat non-stick fry pan to over medium high heat. Dice the green pepper and combine with onion and celery salt. Cook over medium heat just until crisp tender (about 2 minutes).  Add asparagus and sauté a few minutes longer.

Remove from pan, set aside; wipe the pan clean with paper towel. Spray with non cooking oil and heat over medium high heat. Add fresh ground pepper to egg mixture and pour into pan. Using spatula, pull egg mixture carefully toward you to let uncooked portion drain off cooked portion. Once you have all of the egg cooked, layer ½ cup cheese, onion, green pepper and asparagus mixture onto the highest side of the egg mixture.  Sprinkle with bacon bits and top with more cheese. Carefully fold the egg over with spatula and let stand five minutes before serving.

Serves 2

© Crackerberries 2013

Bo-Bo Cake

BO-BO Cake

Crackerberries version of chocolate-strawberry shortcake

1 quart fresh or frozen strawberries

1 recipe chocolate fudge brownies

1 recipe meringue topping

In large glass bowl crumble half of the brownies into the bottom of the pan.  Layer with half of strawberries, and half of the meringue; repeat.  Save a few strawberries to got on top of the meringue.

A store bought brownie mix can be used, but a homemade version is below.  If using fresh strawberries wash, cut and sprinkle with a tsp of sugar and let stand in fridge for an hour or two before using.  The juice from the strawberries pour over the crumbled brownies makes the dessert moist and tasty.

Brownies:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup butter

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

1½ tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 350°. Grease 13x9x2 inch pan.

In medium bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In sauce pan combine butter, cocoa and 1 cup water.  Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add to flour mixture, while beating with electric mixer on medium to high speed until thoroughly combined.  Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and mix for one minute (batter will be thin).  Pour into prepared pan and bake 25 minutes or until toothpick stuck in middle comes out clean.  Let cool completely.

Meringue:

2 egg whites

½ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp cream of tartar

6 tbsp sugar

Let egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In large mixing bowl combine egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar.  Beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.  Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form, about 5-6 minutes.

© Crackerberries 2013

Cheesy Tata Bites

Cheesy Tata Bites

 

3-5 medium size red potatoes

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 tbsp bacon bits

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp sea salt

Pepper to taste

Preheat oven 400°

Wash and slice potatoes to ¼ inch thick rounds. 

Combine parmesan and cheddar cheeses together and season with salt and pepper.

Grease cookie sheet with olive oil and place tata rounds on cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with one teaspoon sea salt.

Bake 20 minutes and flip rounds; season with one teaspoon sea salt.

Bake 15 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese mixture.  Top with bacon bits and pepper and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese bubbles.

© Crackerberries 2013

Breakfast Taco Bowls

Breakfast Taco Bowls

4 eggs

2 flour tortillas

½ onion, chopped

½ green pepper, chopped

2 oz Jimmy Dean bulk sausage

1 cup shredded cheese, preferably cheddar but mozzarella works too

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 tbsp bacon bits

Texas Pete

Preheat oven 400°

Place flour tortillas in baking dishes.

Cook sausage in skillet with onions and green peppers until no longer pink and onions and peppers are tender.

Place ¼ cup of cheese in bottom of each tortilla.  Divide the sausage mixture between the two bowls. Pour eggs over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon bits.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes until eggs are set. 

Serve with fresh fruit or hot sauce.

© Crackerberries 2013



Ground Beef Pea Wiggle

Beefy Pea Wiggle

When you need to use up leftovers in the fridge and cupboard, sometimes when you mix them all together, they turn out pretty good.

¾ lb lean ground beef

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1¾ cup chicken broth

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen peas

1 pkg onion soup mix

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

2½ cups egg noodles

Preheat oven 375°

In medium skillet heat oil and cook garlic just until aromatic; add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook and scramble until no longer pink.

Under-cook noodles by two minutes according to package instructions; drain in strainer and set aside.  Add chicken broth and onion soup mix to pan and heat just to boiling; add cream of mushroom soup and stir until well blended.

Add beef mixture, noodles, corn and peas to soup mixture and combine.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Swiss cheese.  Bake 375° 35-40 minutes until bubble and cheese is slightly browned.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

© Crackerberries 2013

Fried Chicken Spicy Slaw

Fried Chicken on a Bun

 



Slaw and Sauce

2 garlic clove, finely grated

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

1 tablespoon Texas Pete hot pepper sauce

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

2 Chile peppers, thinly sliced

4 cups thinly sliced cabbage

1/2 cup Mustard Pickles slices, plus 1/4 cup pickle juice

Chicken

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 chicken legs and thigh pieces, skinned and de-boned

Vegetable oil (for frying)

4 crusty/bulky rolls

Unsalted butter, room temperature

Spicy Mayo Cole Slaw

Mix garlic, Miracle Whip, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl; cover and chill. Toss onion, jalapeño, cabbage, pickles, and pickle juice in a large bowl to combine; cover and chill.

Fried Chicken and Assembly

Combine flour, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a shallow bowl. Pour buttermilk into another shallow bowl. Work with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip in buttermilk, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Dredge again in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Place on wire rack until ready to cook.  This prevents pieces sticking together.

Pour oil into a large cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/2-inch and heat until hot (approximately 350°).

Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack, season with salt if desired.

Spread cut sides of rolls with butter. Cook rolls buttered side down on hot grill until browned and crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Spread with spicy mayo. Build sandwiches with rolls, chicken, and cabbage slaw.

I borrowed this recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine and made a few changes to accommodate what I cook with.  If you want to see the real recipe click here ☺

© Crackerberries 2013

MEATLOAF

Mini-Muffin Meatloaf

 The Queen of Comfort food  

I found this recipe in a supplement of the local newspaper and wanted to try it.  I’m not plagiarizing really, because I changed the recipe a little bit to accommodate our taste buds.  But this is way better than Annie Wilkes Spam Meatloaf!!

¼ lb Jimmy Dean regular sausage

1¼ lb lean ground beef

2 eggs

1-2 slices oatmeal bread (preferably the end pieces) crumbled

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp ketchup

1 med onion, chopped

1 med green pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven 375°

Heat butter and oil in small skillet until butter is melted, add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add onions and green peppers and sauté about 5 minutes, just until onions are translucent.  Remove from heat.

In large bowl combine beef, sausage, bread, eggs, ketchup, chili power, Italian seasoning and pepper.  Mix well and add cooled onion mixture.  Grease muffin tin.  Divide meat into equal portions in 12 count muffin tin.  Pack meat in tightly.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before removing from tins.

Creamy Soy Sauce

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp water

In medium sauce pan heat cream and soy sauce until just starting to bubble; stir in corn starch mixture and stir constantly until thickened to gravy consistency.  Spoon over mini meatloaves and serve with favorite side dish.    

© Crackerberries 2013