Pesto Chicken

I love a recipe that's fast and easy. I can't manage time-consuming or complicated on a weeknight, so this meal is a favorite. I always have the ingredients on hand, so I can make it anytime.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (or cut chicken breasts in strips)
• 1 jar pesto 
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• tomatoes (fresh ones cut into slices if it's summer, 1/2 can diced tomatoes if not)
• garlic powder
• salt 
• pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Dump the jar of pesto into a small bowl and stir it up well. 
3. In a casserole dish, spread a small amount of pesto on the bottom. Lay the chicken on top of the pesto, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 
4. Spread the remaining pesto over the top of chicken. Bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is almost done. 
5. Take the chicken out of the oven and cover with tomatoes, then sprinkle with the cheese. 
6. Put back in the oven for about 5 minutes until the chicken is done and the cheese is melted. If you want it browned, put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. 
7. I served it with roasted spaghetti squash. It's also great with pasta, riced cauliflower or zucchini noodles. It makes lots of yummy "sauce" in the pan from the pesto, cheese and tomatoes, so I like to spoon some over my "noodles." 

The Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf With a Twist

The Pioneer Woman- my latest food obsession!  I just love her.  Every recipe of hers I've ever tried has been fabulous.  About a month ago, a friend of mine got her cookbook.  I borrowed it, and in a
couple of hours I'd read it cover to cover.  I read cookbooks just like novels.  Is that weird? 

I don't actually own her cookbook- I'm sure I will soon- but I've found that most of her recipes are online. 

Here is her favorite meatloaf recipe. 



I wasn't a fan of meatloaf growing up, but this was just such wonderful comfort food.  Here's how I made it my own.  I added finely diced onion (about half an onion) and a couple of cloves of finely minced garlic to the mixture.  I just couldn't really imagine ground beef without onion and garlic. 

I was skeptical about the sauce.  I'm not a fan of meatloaf sauces that are too ketchupy (is that a word?).  But I am always a fan of a roasted red pepper.  So, I pureed a roasted red pepper (I used jarred) and added to the sauce.  WOW!!!

We loved this the night we made it, but you know what was OVER THE TOP good?  The next night, I sliced up the leftovers and heated up each slice in a really hot cast iron skillet.  Next time, I'll make it the night before we want to eat it, and reheat the whole thing this way.

Also, because I love a meal waiting on me in the freezer and the recipe seemed large to me, I divided it in half and froze half of it (wrapped tight in foil then bagged in a freezer bag).  The frozen one was just as good! 

The Pioneer Woman- Meatballs

These meatballs are great.  They are NOT for spaghetti!  Imagine little miniature meatloaves that have lots of surface area to get brown and seared. 

Pioneer Woman's Meatballs


(Image from Pioneer Woman)

I made these up ahead of time and stopped right before dredging them in flour.  I put them on some parchment paper on cookie sheets, froze them for a couple of hours, and popped them into a freezer bag to save for later.  On cooking day, I took them out of the freezer that morning to thaw.  Then I just picked up with the flour, browning, sauce and cooking.  So delicious! 

Oh, and guess what I added to the sauce?  Of course- pureed roasted red pepper.  I just can't help it. 

Dr. Pepper Pork Roast

I have a serious Dr. Pepper addiction (not the diet stuff), so I knew I'd love this recipe.  Plus, it's from the Pioneer Woman, so it has to be good. 

I adapted it for the crock-pot, and it worked perfectly!

(Image from The Pioneer Woman)

 

Here's the original recipe!

For the crock-pot, I did pretty much the same thing as the recipe says.  I quartered an onion and put in on the bottom (after putting in my crock pot liner of course- those things are awesome!).  Then, I put in the pork roast after some generous salt and pepper.  I dumped in the can of chipotle peppers and the Dr. Pepper, and I turned it on low and left it all day (probably 10 hours). 

Freezer Cooking

This is not my freezer, but how exciting are all those meals!

 

 

Over the past couple of years, I have fallen in love with freezer cooking!  I used to think about making a bunch of meals for the freezer, but they all seemed to be casseroles or meals that were just okay- nothing special.  Then I found two cookbooks I love- "Don't Panic- Dinner's in the Freezer" and "Fix, Freeze, Feast."  I love to have a big cooking day every couple of months, and get my freezer stocked with great meals.  There is nothing better than coming home from work and not having to do more than stick something in the oven that's already ready to go.  I usually plan out our dinners a week at the time on Sunday night.  The night before, I take the meal out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw.

Chicken breasts were on sale at Ken's IGA this week, so I bought about 12 pounds plus a couple of pounds of pork chops that were reduced for quick sale.  That meant a freezer cooking day for me today!  I picked my recipes, made a shopping list (only 7 items since I had lots on hand), went to the store, and only spent two hours in the kitchen.  Now I have 13 meals in the freezer waiting on me! 

Here's what I made (I made 2 or 3 batches of each): 

• Cajun Braised Skillet Chops (from "Don't Panic- Dinner's in the Freezer), also found here
• Monterrey Chicken found here at freezermealsforus.com
• Chicken with Black Bean and Corn Relish found here
• Buttermilk Herb Chicken (from "Don't Panic") and found here
• This makes some SUPER moist chicken.  I love it cooked on the grill pan!
• Cranberry Chicken (from "Don't Panic" and found here
• When I first read this recipe, I thought it sounded awful!  I finally gave in because my husband thought it sounded good.  It turned out great.  I really like it served over rice.
• Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers (from "Fix, Freeze, Feast") and found here
• We love these, and I always make these last on my cooking days when I'm using chicken breasts.  I can make a few or a ton based on how much chicken I have left, and it's a great way to use any small or oddly cut breast pieces leftover from other recipes. 
• Mashed potatoes (yes you can freeze them easily!)

A few tips from me on freezer cooking:

• I like to stick to one type of meat for a cooking day (ground beef, chicken breasts, etc.). 
• For recipes like chicken enchiladas, etc. that required cooked chicken, I usually use whole chickens or bone-in pieces and boil.  Then you have great chicken broth you can freeze too! 
• I freeze things like lasagna in aluminum pans with aluminum lids I buy at Sam's, but most things I freeze flat in freezer bags. 
• I like to include everything I'll need to cook the meal in one bag.  For example, if I make a chicken dish that has a sauce and gets topped with cheese, I put the sauce in a quart bag, the cheese in a sandwich bag, and put them both inside the gallon bag with the chicken. 
• Read all the recipes first and find like ingredients and preparations.  If you have to chop onions for several recipes, chop them all at once.
• I have recently started freezing mashed potatoes, and I can't believe I used to do it any other way.  When Yukon gold potatoes are on sale (my favorite for mashed potatoes), I buy two bags, dump them straight into a big pot of water, and turn it on the boil.  That's right- I don't peel or chop them.  When they are soft, I drain them, mash them with my potato masher, add some butter, salt, pepper, some kind of garlic and herb seasoning, and chicken broth and mash away!  Then I put them in freezer bags, spread them out flat in the bags, and pop them in the freezer.  When I want them for a meal, I thaw them overnight, dump them into a baking dish, and reheat them in the oven.  I dot the top with a little butter.  I love the slight crust they get when baked! 

Freezer Crock Pot Meals

I don't use my crock pot as much as I should.  When I do, there is nothing better than coming home after a long day to a meal already cooked!  After a recent freezer and pantry clean out and organization spree, I decided I needed to use up some food we had on hand.  So I began meal planning and came across lots of recipes on Pinterest for freezer crock pot meals.  Basically, you assemble the ingredients for the meal in a freezer bag, and it is ready for your crock pot!

For just about an hour of prep work, I have four meals in the freezer ready to be defrosted and dumped in the crock pot!

Stephanie’s Goulash (Originally found at Mama and Baby Love)

3 cups chopped onions
2.5 cups coarsely chopped green bell peppers, about 2 cups.
4 large beets, peeled and diced, about 2 cups (I left these out of mine)
2 cups of baby carrots or diced carrots.
4 cloves garlic, minced.
2-3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes, or whole and you can cut it after it is cooked.
4, 6-ounce can tomato paste.
2 tablespoons of Hungarian paprika or regular paprika (I used regular)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Divide everything into a gallon freezer bag, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.
Day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker.  Serve over 4 cups cooked pasta with sour cream.




Sausage and Peppers



6 Italian Sausage (I cut mine into chunks)
2 green peppers, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans italian diced tomatoes
Drizzle of olive oil
1 Tbs Italian seasoning

Put everything into a gallon freezer bag, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. 
Instructions for Bag: Cook on low 8 hours. After cooking, serve over hot pasta or on hollowed out, buttered crusty bread.



Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken (Originally found at Mama and Baby Love)
This recipe was originally for one meal, but it seemed like lots of food to me.  So for mine, I made a few changes to get 2 meals out of it! 



3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups.
2 large green pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 2 cups.
1 large red pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 1 cup.
2 zucchini, chopped, about 2 cups.
2 cups chopped onion.
2 tablespoon flour.
3 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks.
2 15-ounce can of tomato sauce.
2 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes.
8 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon ground yellow mustard.
4 clove garlic, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons.
2 teaspoon salt
Divide everything into two, one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.
Day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker.

Oven Fried Chicken

When it comes to healthy versions of good food, I am a skeptic!  There is a reason fattening, buttery, rich foods are good.  I came across a recipe for oven fried chicken in my Cooking Light: Way to Cook book and thought I'd give it a try. I figured it would be good, but I never thought I would actually compare it to fried chicken.  Wow- it is just as good.  I promise.  And you won't believe it, but that is without the skin!!!

Combine 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (I used regular milk) a chicken (4 bone-in skinned breasts or whatever pieces you like) in a shallow dish, turning to coat.  Combine 1/3 cup flour with 1/3 cup cracker meal (I used some fried green tomato breading I had in the pantry) in a dish.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour mixture.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter (I know- I thought that wouldn't be enough to be good but it was!) in a large ovenproof skillet (nothing but cast iron for me) over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to pan, meaty side down; cook about 4 minutes until golden brown.  Turn chicken over; place pan in oven preheated to 425 degrees for about 32 minutes or until 165 degrees.

So crispy- so moist!

My plan for next time: add a little hot sauce to the buttermilk and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before cooking! Yum!

Zucchini Cakes

Wow- these zucchini cakes were so good.  They almost taste like crab cakes, which I love but am allergic to! 

Ingredients

3 cups grated zucchini

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)

1 egg

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (I used the Old Bay blackened seasoning because that's what I had.)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. mayonnaise (or you could use plain yogurt)

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. butter

Directions

1.  Place grated zucchini in a colander.  Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 30 minutes to pull the water out.  Press with paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible.

2.  Put zucchini and all other ingredients (except oil and butter) in bowl and mix.  Form into small patties and chill. 

3.  Heat oil and butter in skillet.  Add patties and cook on both sides until brown.  Drain on paper towels. 

I think you could also bake these instead.  Next time, I'm going to try spraying them with olive oil spray and baking on a baking sheet at 450 until brown! 

Sizzling Tilapia



Now this was a yummy dinner- sizzling tilapia, zucchini cakes and broiled Roma tomatoes! 

Sizzling Tilapia

Ingredients

- 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

- 1 tsp. paprika (I use smoked paprika because I'm obsessed with it!)

- 4 (6 oz) fish fillets (flounder, tilapia, grouper, catfish)

- 3/4 tsp. salt

- 1/4 tsp. pepper

- 1/2 cup butter (pretty sure you could use half this much or either half butter, half olive oil)

- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice and zest

Directions

1.  Place 1 oven rack right under the broiler and 1 in the middle of oven.  Preheat to 450 degrees. 

2.  Heat butter in a broiler safe 13 x 9 baking dish about 8 minutes, until melted and slightly brown. 

3.  Season fish with salt and pepper and place in butter.  If it has skin, put it in skin side up.  Bake on middle rack for 10 minutes. 

4.  Flip fish over, baste with pan juices, sprinkle with lemon juice, zest, and mixture of cheese and paprika.  Bake 5 more minutes or until flaky.  Remove from oven and set to broil.

5.  Broil fishon top rack for 2-3 minutes or until brown. 

Fried Green Tomato Club Sandwich

How good do these look?  They taste even better!

Start by slicing up some green tomatoes. 

Dip them in some milk and then breading.  I use fried green tomato breading, but you could use a flour and corn meal mixture seasoned with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little cayenne. 

Next, fry them up!

Now, get some good bread. 

Slather on mayo if you like (I don't) and the best part- red pepper relish!

Cook up some bacon...

Now build you a sandwich. 

By the way, if you have some onion, some caramelized onion on top is Fab-u-lous.  I was all out! 

Now take a juicy bite!



My New Weekday Breakfast: Muff-elettes (Muffin Omelettes)

Don't be alarmed by the picture- I used purple muffin cups because that's all I had!

I've really been looking for a low calorie, high protein breakfast that doesn't require cooking in the morning!  Tonight, I thought of a great idea, tried it out, and LOVE it!

These muff-elettes can be customized just like an omelette- you could put anything in them.  I made two varieties. My recipes make just two muffins each (because I was testing) but double or triple it to make several. 

Farmer's Muff-elettes

Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. egg white (I used the stuff in a carton!)
- 1/8 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 turkey sausage patty, cooked and chopped up (I used the pre-cooked kind and just cut it up.)
- 1/3 c. hash brown potatoes (the frozen cubed kind, defrosted)
- salt, pepper, green onions

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour egg white into 2 muffin cups, dividing it between the two.
- Add remaining ingredients, splitting them between the two muffin cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes. 
- Eat now or refridgerate and heat in the microwave for breakfast! 
 (165 calories and grams of protein for 2!)

Fiesta Muff-elettes

Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. egg white (I used the stuff in a carton!)

- 1/8 c. colby jack cheese, shredded
- 1 turkey sausage patty, cooked and chopped up (I used the pre-cooked kind and just cut it up.)
- diced onion and pepper (I had a bag of them frozen and just defrosted a couple of spoonfuls in the microwave.)
- 2 tsp. salsa

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour egg white into 2 muffin cups, dividing it between the two.
- Add remaining ingredients, splitting them between the two muffin cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Eat now or refridgerate and heat in the microwave for breakfast!
(135 calories and 13 grams of protein for 2!)

Loaded Potato Soup

Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. finely chopped celery
- 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
- 3 c. water
- 2 cups, peeled and diced potatoes
- salt and pepper
- 2 chicken boullion cubes
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 pint half and half
- 2 tbsp. flour
- chives, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese (optional toppings)

Directions:
Bring to boil vegetables and seasonings in water.  While cooking, mix sour cream, half and half and flour in a bowl.  When potatoes are tender, add sour cream mixture.  Stir and simmer on low heat about 15 minutes.  Serve with optional toppings. 

Pork Chops with Carolina Rub with Stove-Top Barbecue Beans

I got a new cookbook- Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook- and I love it!  Here's a new good recipe from the book.

Pork Chops
Combine 1 each of garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, paprika (I used smoked paprika because I heart it!), chili powder and black pepper along with 1/2 tsp. of salt.  Combine and rub onto pork chops.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

Grill pork chops about 4 minutes, then turn and grill 2 minutes.  Brush with 1 tbsp. barbecue sauce each and grill about 2 more minutes or until done. 


Stove Top Barbecue Beans
Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 1/2 c. chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove; saute 3 minutes. 

Stir in 1/3 c. ketchup and 2 tbsp. each of brown sugar, mustard, lemon juice, and soy sauce along with 1 tbsp. chili powder.  Add 2 (15.5 oz) cans of drained and rinsed Great Northern beans.  Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Much Requested Recipe: Easy Taco Soup

People ask for this recipe all the time, so here it is.  I love it so much because I usually keep all the ingredients in the pantry during the fall and winter, so I can make it any time!  I often double or triple it to put some in the freezer for later.  It freezes great.  I love it with Scoops tortilla chips. I bet it would be great without the meat and some extra beans.  I'll add a picture next time I make some.

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
- 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 can beans, drained (kidney or black beans are both great in it)
- 1 can corn, drained (regular whole kernel or fiesta corn)
- 1 jar salsa
- Optional for serving: tortillas chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions or chives

Directions (couldn't be easier):
- Brown and drain meat.
- Add soup, broth, beans, corn, and salsa.  Stir well and simmer about 15 minutes.
- Serve with tortilla chips and optional garnishes. 
- Enjoy! 

One of My Favs: Fish in a Bag

I had this dish at Red Lobster many years ago and loved it.  Since I'm allergic to shellfish, I don't usually have lots of choices at seafood restaurants.  This is one of my favorite recipes, so I can't believe it hasn't made the blog yet.  I actually got this one from the Red Lobster website.  I will say that after many times of making it, I really like mine better than the one I was served at the restaurant. 

Ingredients:
- 4 large sheets of parchment paper (probably about 18" long)
- 2 lemons, cut into wheels about 1/4 inch thick
- thyme sprigs
- blackened seasoning (I use Old Bay brand)
- 4 tilapia fillets, about 8-10 oz. (I use frozen, but thaw it out first!)
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 medium red pepper
- 2 stalks of celery
- 8 oz. carrot matchsticks
- 2 potatoes
- 2 tbls. dill weed
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbls. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tbls. butter, melted

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut the potatoes in half then into thin slices.  Steam the potato slices for about 5-8 minutes to soften.  I do this by putting them in a glass pie plate covered with plastic wrap with a few holes punched in the microwave.  You could also use the zip top steam bags.  I cool them off in cold water when finished.
- Cut the onion, pepper and celery in thin strips. 
- Put cooled potatoes, onion, pepper, celery and carrots in a large bowl.  Add dill, salt, pepper and thyme and mix well.  It works best to mix it with your hands. 
- Lay out the parchment sheets and brush each with melted butter.  Place 1/4 of veggie mix on each sheet- put it over to one side so you can fold it over later. 
- Prepare fish fillets by scoring it about every 1/2 inch.  You don't need to slice deep; just about 1/4 inch.  Brush each fillet with butter, then sprinkle with salt and blackened seasoning. 
- Place a fillet on top of each pile of veggies.  Cover with a few lemon wheels and thyme sprigs.
- Fold the parchment paper over; fold and crimp edges to seal. 
- Place packets on a cookie sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes.  You can check the fish temperature for doneness- it should be between 140-150. 
- Open the packets and enjoy!

Although I usually don't like fish left over the next day, if left in the packet and warmed in either the oven or microwave, it is great the next day!

What's for Dinner Tonight? Sloppy Joes

Alan loves sloppy joes.  I never really knew how much I liked them until I discovered that they don't have to come from a can of Manwich.  They are really easy to make.  I found this recipe in Cooking for 2 magazine, but just double the recipe to make more. 
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 tbls. chopped onion
- 2 tbls. chopped green pepper
- 1/2 c. ketchup
- 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 2 hamburger buns

Directions:
- In a skillet, brown the beef, onion and pepper over medium heat; drain.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients (not the buns of course!) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
- Serve on buns.

Watermelon Sorbet

I love my local farmers' market in Statesboro.  One of the vendors gave me the recipe for melon sorbet.  I made it with watermelon, and it was fabulous!  It is so good on a hot day.  I don't know how to explain it, but it is the coldest thing I've ever eaten- colder than ice.  I don't know how that is possible, but try it and see for yourself.  My sister has been after me to post the recipe, so here it is.  I adjusted it to make enough to fill my ice cream churn.

UPDATE:  I tried this substituting agave nectar for the sugar/simple syrup, and it was just as fabulous without sugar!  Also, I think it works best in a food processor than a blender. 

Ingredients:
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 c. water
- 10 c. cubed watermelon with seeds removed
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:
- Make a simple syrup by boiling the water and sugar until dissolved.  Cool in the refridgerator. 
- Working in two batches, put half the watermelon, half the cooled simple syrup, and half the lemon juice in the blender and puree.  Pour mixture into your ice cream churn.  Repeat with the other half of the ingredients. 
- Follow the directions for your ice cream churn to process the sorbet.

Quesadilla Casserole

Super easy, super yummy, and even better left over!

I'm usually pretty organized when it comes to menu planning and grocery shopping ahead of time.  I'm not sure what happened this time.  I was certain I had all the ingredients to make this casserole.  I got home and began making the recipe- that's when I realized perhaps I hadn't planned ahead as well as I thought.  I was missing SEVERAL ingredients.  No worries- I improvised and it still turned out great.  Below is the original recipe with my substitutions in parenthesis. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion (I used dried minced onion)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (I used leftover marinara sauce)
1 15 oz can black beans, drained (I used Bush's Grilling Beans Black Bean Fiesta, not drained)
1 8.75 oz ccan whole kernel corn, undrained (I used frozen)
1 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies, undrained
6 flour tortillas, 8 inch
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:

1.  Brown beef and onion in skillet; drain. 
2. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn, green chiles and spices.  Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
3.  Spread 1/2 cup of beef mixture on bottom of 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
4.  Top with 3 tortillas.
5.  Layer with 1/2 remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of cheese.
6. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef, and cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole

So easy, and so so good!  I'm not a big fan of eggs, so I usually don't like breakfast casseroles.  The original recipe (The Big Book of Breakfasts) calls for cubed ham, but I LOVE sausage. 

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole

3 c. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, slightly thawed
1/2 c. grated pepper Jack cheese
1/3 c. grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 lb. sausage, browned and drained
6 to 8 green onions, sliced
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In an 8x8 lightly sprayed dish, arrange a layer of hash browns, grated cheese, sausage, and green onions. 
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over potato mixture.  Bake uncovered until center is set, about 50 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes. 

Chocolate Mousse Brownie

Ingredients:

3/4 c. whipping cream

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (1 c.)

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix

water (as directed on brownie mix)

vegetable oil (as directed on brownie mix)

eggs (as directed on brownie mix)

3 eggs

1/3 c. sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan. 

2. Heat whipping cream and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until melted.  Cool about 20 minutes.

3. While cooling, make brownie mix as directed on package, using the ingredients on the package.  Spread batter in pan.

4. Beat 3 eggs and sugar, using wire whisk or hand beater until foamy; stir into whipping cream mixture.  Pour over brownie batter.

5. Bake about 65 minutes.  Cool completely, about 2 hours.

6. For easier cutting, use a wet knife and cut with straight up and down motion.  Store covered in refridgerator.