Praline French Toast Casserole

This is another Best of the Best Recipes!
What a great aroma to wake up to on Christmas morning.

Praline French Toast Casserole:

8 Eggs
1 1/2 C Heavy Cream
1/3 C Maple Syrup ( the good stuff)
1/3 C Packed Brown Sugar
10 - 12  1/2" slices of French Country Bread

Topping:

1 Stick of Butter
1/2 C Packed Brown Sugar
2/3 C Maple Syrup
2 C Chopped Pecans

(I never said it was healthy)

Generously butter a 9"X13" Casserole Dish

In a bowl, whisk together:
Eggs
Heavy Cream
Maple Syrup
Sugar

Place Bread slices in the Casserole dish and cover with the Egg mixture
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator
Remove and let it reach room temperature

Topping:
Melt the Butter in a saucepan
Add Sugar and Maple Syrup and cook for 1-2 minutes
Stir in the Pecans
Pour over the Bread
Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving

In my book, I wrote WOW!


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cream of Jalapeno and Cilantro Soup

This is an Original Recipe
Cream of Jalapeno and Cilantro Soup

2 TBS Vegetable Oil
3 - Jalapenos or 1 Large Hatch Chile Pepper, diced
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
1 firm Avocado, diced
1 - 16 oz. can of diced Tomatoes, with the juice
8 C Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Heat Oil and Saute the Jalapeno or Hatch Chile
Add Avocado, Tomatoes and bring to a boil
Add all remaining ingredients except the Cilantro
Reduce heat and simmer, reducing the soup by 25%. You should end up with 8 - 8 1/2 C
Adjust seasoning and fold in the Cilantro.
Purée with an immersion blender.
Serve with Tortilla Chips on the side.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Bloody Mary Mix

This is definitely a Best of the Best recipe. It's strong and spicy. It's a Bloody Mary that you can sip for hours.

1 qt. Tomato Juice
1 TBS. Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
1 tsp dried Dill
1 TBS Prepared Grated Horseradish ( it comes in a jar)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute.
It keeps in the refrigerator forever. The longer it sits, the stronger it gets.
This is really the only recipe that I use for a Bloody Mary.

Fill a Rocks Glass with Ice.
Add 2 - 3 oz of your favorite Vodka.
Fill the Glass with the Mix.
Stir well.
Add your favorite Garnishes.


Mix as desired with your favorite Vodka.
Garnish with a combination of the following:
Large Green Olives
Celery Sticks
Cucumber Spears
Pickled Okra
Dill Pickle Spears
Stuffed Olives
Cocktail Onions
Cornichons
Cherry Tomatoes
Chile Peppers
Dill Sprigs
Jalapeno slices
Roasted Garlic
Water Chestnuts
Zucchini Spears
Radishes
Pickled Asparagus
Muddled Tomatoes and Basil



Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

These are made with my recipe.
Garnished with Cornichons, Celery, and Olives.

Home made Grape Jelly !

We're enjoying our home made Grape Jelly for Breakfast this morning.
I grew the grapes, harvested them, made the jelly and.......
I will never do it again.
It's not easy, it's time consuming.

It tastes great, but I'll buy it at the market from now on.

Vegetarian Meatloaf

This is my newest recipe for Meatloaf.

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

1- Loaf Pan

1- 14 oz. package of Gimme Lean Beef (or 1 package of Yves Meatless Ground) The Gimme Lean may be  difficult to find) 
1- 14 oz. package of Gimme Lean Sausage ( this seems to be readily available)

1 Medium Onion, diced
1 Can Tomato Soup, divided ( half for the Meatloaf and half for the Sauce)
1- 4 oz. can of Diced Green Chiles, undrained
1 TBS Yellow Mustard
1 TBS Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce (Kroger Brand)
1/4 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Eggs, beaten
1 C Bread Crumbs or Crushed Ritz Crackers

Sauce:

1/4 C Ketchup

1/4 C BBQ Sauce
Remainder of the Soup from the Meatloaf mixture
1 tsp Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp Yellow Mustard
Mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl
Mix together by hand:
Beef
Sausage
Half of the Can of Tomato Soup
Mustard
Worcestershire Sauce
Black Pepper

Once this is combined well , ADD: the Egg , Bread Crumbs, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Onion and Green Chiles, Mix with a Spatula until well combined.
Transfer mixture to a Loaf Pan. Create a Loaf Shape.
I used a rubber spatula to press the Meatloaf away from the sides of the pan to accommodate the Sauce
Pour half the Sauce over the Meatloaf.

Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees
Top with the remainder of the Sauce and Bake an additional 10 - 15 minutes.
Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Another Texas Bean - Cheese - Chiles and Stuff Dip!

I had no idea what to call this dip.
I've already posted my Best of the Best recipes for Tex-Mex Corn Dip in three different versions.

I just entered this recipe in a Chile Pepper Contest and I had to come up with a legitimate name.
I decided to call it Tex - Mex Chipotle Pepper Dip.
This note is an update to the original post!

When you live in Texas, you soon discover that everyone has their favorite version of a "Dip".

I started out borrowing a recipe from someone else and when I finished, I realized that it didn't have much in common with the original one. This is vegetarian, the other wasn't. This has Cheddar Cheese, the other one didn't. This has Green Onions, the other one didn't....... and the list goes on.

So here's my newest Texas Dip to be served with Tortilla Chips!
Or as I've said about the Tex-Mex Corn Dips that I make, you can just take a spoon and start eating it out of the bowl....... it's so good!

This is a Texas Big Recipe, enough for a party.You could easily cut this in half.
I attended an event last week and I took this dip. It was very popular. It's quite spicy, but everyone loved it.

Another Texas Bean - Cheese - Chiles and Stuff Dip!

1 (10oz.) can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Green Chiles, undrained
1 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C  Chipotle Peppers packed in Adobo Sauce ( Goya or La Costena) or whatever you have!
I used La Costena. The heat or kick comes from these Chiles. I used about 4. If you're not used to the spice, start with 1 or 2 and then adjust to your taste. Remember, We're in Texas, we like a KICK!

2 (8oz.) packages of Cream Cheese, cut into small pieces
1 (15oz.) can of Refried Beans (Rosarita or El Paso Vegetarian)
1 (15oz.) can of Corn, drained
4 Green Onions, chopped, I just use the bundle from the market..... I think it has 6
8 oz.  package of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

In a food processor, combine the Chipotle Pepper and the Mayonnaise, process well and set aside ( this is where the heat comes from) Check it for taste. You can always add more, but you can't take it away.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the Tomatoes and  Cream Cheese and cook until the Cream Cheese is completely melted
Add the Mayonnaise mixture and combine well

Remove from heat, transfer to a large mixing bowl
Stir in:
Beans
Corn
Cheese
Pour this into a casserole dish , I think mine was about 3 quarts. I know that a 1.6 ltr. is too small
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Serve with Tortilla Chips

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Texas Cheese and Chile Grits

Texas Cheese and Chile Grits:

4 1/2 C Water
1/2 tsp Salt
1 C Quick Grits
1/2 of a 10 oz. can of Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1 C (4oz.) can of Diced Green Chiles
8 oz. (1C) Grated Cheddar Cheese
4 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Egg, beaten

In a saucepan, bring the Water and Salt to a boil.
Add the Grits
Stir and reduce the temperature to low.
Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat
Stir in Rotel Tomatoes, Green Chiles, Cheese and Cream Cheese.
Add the spices and stir to combine well
Add 2 TBS of the Grits mixture to the Egg.
Add it back into the pan and stir well.

Pour into a buttered baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.
They should be browned and bubbling.
Cool at least 15 minutes to let them become firm.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!