Egg Breakfast Delight

This is so yummy and will make a wonderful brunch for the day after a holiday! I like the recipes that you make and refrigerate over night, but sometimes I don't have "over night" and then I can make this recipe. It originally came from Mommy's Kitchen and she called it "Grandma Mack's Breakfast Delight". We know a "Grandma Mac" (not the same one) so I couldn't call it that since I'm not sure the Grandma Mac we knew would make it. I changed it up a bit and you can too, it's really just a basic outline of a recipe!

Egg Breakfast Delight

INGREDIENTS:

1 tube Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Dash of salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray. Arrange the crescent rolls on the bottom of the pan. Place the breakfast sausage on top of the crescent rolls. Beat the eggs and milk together, add slat and pepper and onion powder; set aside. Layer the hash browns over the sausage, then pour the egg mixture over the hash browns. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Make sure to press the rolls together at the seams after unrolling the dough.

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Chicken Parmesan

Seriously, how many chicken recipes can there be?? I haven't made the same one twice in 6 months and each one is better than the last. I guess that's the beauty of poultry, it goes with anything and can be changed up a thousand different ways. This was super easy and it tasted great when it was done and since the "method" is basic, it could be changed up to suit your likes or needs.



Chicken Parmesan



INGREDIENTS:



1 large egg

1/3 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

chopped fresh basil



DIRECTIONS:



Lightly beat the egg in a shallow. Put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip breasts in egg, them into crumbs to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken. In the mean time, pour marinara into a small pan and simmer until cooked through. To plate, pour marinara onto a platter, place chicken on top and sprinkle with mozzarella and basil.


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Fast Track To Fine Dining

Welcome to Cook Book Review Friday! I read so many cook books that I thought it would be helpful to post reviews once in a while. So here goes, my first review...

Fast Track To Fine Dining: A Step-By-Step Guide to Planning a Dinner Party
Author: Linda Mutschler, 2009

I found this Cook Book in a wonderful local coffee shop called Ann Marie's.
They specialize in coffee beans, but also have a shop full of unique and really fantastic homewares. They also are the first ones to bring Trollbeads to the US. If you don't know what Troll Beads are, check them out! I love these beads, but that is a whole other review.

In Ms. Mutschler's first cook book, she filled 224 pages with beautifully photographed food, categorized into seasons, each season has 4 menus for creating perfect dinner parties. At the beginning of each season, there is a summary of each menu, which includes Cocktail and Hors d' Oeuvres, Starters, Salads, Palate Cleansers, Main Courses, Desserts, Coffee & Tea & Wine Pairings.

Each recipe then is broken down into preparation time, cooking time and total time. There are also presentation tips, what to prepare ahead and handy tips. At the end of the recipes there is a timeline and a grocery list, which I find to be most helpful for planning a dinner party.

This is a very clever way to lay out a cook book, one that I have never seen before, but I really grew to like it. The photographs are very well done and the food choices are amazing. Pick one up for yourself today!


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Butternut Squash Soup w/ Sweet & Spicy Pecans

One thing that I have never made is squash soup, so when I found this recipe in Everyday With Rachael Ray, I thought, "If she can do it, I can do it, too". It was really easy and tasted pretty good after adding the pecans on top, another alternative would be to add dried cranberries (this is how one local restaurant makes it). The color is just to die for and looks like quintessential Thanksgiving fare. The part I have trouble with--cutting the squash in half!! Any suggestions would be gratefully entertained since I'd rather not cut off one wrist trying to get to the center of a squash!

Butternut Squash Soup w/ Sweet & Spicy Pecans

INGREDIENTS:

2 butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed

4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon melted

Salt and pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup carrot, diced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake until brown on the edges and fork-tender at the thickest part, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, melt 1-1/2 tablespoons butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, season with slat and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes.

Melt the brown sugar and remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pecans, chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the nuts are toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Scoop the squash flesh from the skins and add to the soup pot. Add the broth and milk and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot, over low heat, until smooth. Serve in bowls, topped with the pecans.

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