CHICKEN COBBLER

It has been almost a year since I added a new recipe to the old blog.  No reason other than just nothing new or interesting to add.  This recipe I think they say 'broke the Internet'.  It has made all the rounds of blogs and online content.  I do believe the honor goes to a fella called the 'Barefoot Neighbor'.  I believe online influencers have taken the place of blogs and my blog is certainly nothing special.  But it is something for family to be able to look up recipes that I have served them if they want to look back.  A very simple dish.  Certainly not gourmet but it is a good base for a Sunday dinner.

CHICKEN COBBLER

1 stick butter, melted

1 rotisserie chicken

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken broth or stock

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 box Red Lobster Biscuit Mix including seasoning packet

2 cups milk

1 package frozen peas and carrots

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In a 9x13 baking dish melt 1 stick of butter.  Add the shredded chicken.  Add a package of peas and carrots or any vegetable you desire.  Mix the biscuit mix with the 2 cups milk and mix well.  Pour on top of veggies.  DO NOT STIR.  Mix together the chicken soup with 2 cups chicken broth.  Pour over biscuit mixture.  Again, DO NOT STIR.  

Place in oven at 375 for 45 minutes.  Top should be lightly browned and middle with just a little jiggle.

Enjoy.  

ENCHILADA SOUP

I had company coming for lunch this week.  We finally have some cold weather here on the Gulf Coast so soup was on the menu.  This recipe is from someone who I worked with who always had a Christmas party at his home.  His wife would make a huge roasting pan of this to serve.  The soup is delicious and adding all the toppings makes it even better.  I also had avocado slices and lime wedges but didn't get them in the picture.

ENCHILADA SOUP

2 to 3 cups cooked chicken cut into pieces (can use rotisserie or just boil about 3 chicken breasts with seasonings in the water)

2 cans chicken broth

1 pound Velveeta cheese (use Mexican flavored if desired)

1 stick butter

1 medium onion chopped

1 can green chiles

1 can Old El Paso Red Enchilada sauce

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

Seasonings to taste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, etc.

I added some drained black beans and frozen corn to mine, but that is just a suggestion.

Sauté onion in butter until soft.  Add all ingredients in crock pot or on the stove top.  Cook until cheese is melted and hot.  Serve with tortilla strips, cilantro, chopped jalapenos, shredded cheese, avocado slices and lime wedges.  Anything you like.  This makes quite a bit but because of the cheese I do not think it will freeze well.  

Navajo Tacos/Indian Fry Bread

I spent the day yesterday with one of my best friends.  When we get together we like to try a new recipe or cook something together.  When I was a girl my family took a vacation to Ruidoso, New Mexico where I first tasted Indian Fry Bread.  My friend has Native American heritage and had a recipe for this.  Her family used to serve this with a type of stew but we decided to make Navajo Tacos.

INDIAN FRY BREAD

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups hot water
Oil for frying

Stir together the dry ingredients.  Make a well and pour hot water and stir until dry ingredients come together.  Knead until dough comes together.  Put a little oil on your hands for the final knead.  Cover with a cloth to rest.  Pull off small balls of dough and press out.  Fry in hot oil until brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels.  If you make them small and a little thicker they are more doughy. Flattening them out thinner like a tortilla they are more crispy.

We made our tacos with hamburger meat seasoned well with salt and pepper, chopped onions and a can of green chiles.  Once that was drained and put aside, we made a little buffet consisting of refried beans, fresh tomatoes, chopped lettuce, jalapenos, cilantro, and cheese.  These are good even with cinnamon sugar for a dessert option. Kind of reminds me of elephant ears that way.

It was a fun day well spent.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

Natchitoches is a town in northern Louisiana that is most famous for being the site for filming Steel Magnolias.  My cousin and I visited there last December for the Christmas Festival and had one of the best meat pies.  Since then we said we were going to try our hand at them and this past weekend we did just that for a potluck dinner.  They are usually deep fried, but we baked these.  They were really delicious and not too hard to make.   I've also included a few photos below from our trip.  It is a sweet little town and it was a fun trip. 

NATCHITOCHES MEAT PIES

MEAT FILLING

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 green onions including tops, chopped fine
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, chopped fine
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

In a large skillet, cook the beef and pork until browned.  Add the onion, green onion, bell pepper, celery, salt, pepper, cayenne, pepper flakes and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and stock.  Cook until thickened.  Cool.

DOUGH

3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

In a mixer, stir together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Cut in the shortening.  Combine the milk and egg together and add to flour.  Stir until dough comes together. 

We made small empanada size pies.  Cut the dough in desired size circle and put filling inside just in the middle to allow for crimping the sides.  Mix one egg with 2 tablespoons water or milk.  Brush the crimped crusts with egg wash.  Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 degrees for 23 minutes until lightly browned.  These can also be deep fried in a deep fryer at 375.

NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA

 

One Pan Cheesy Pasta Bolognese

Main dish for the birthday celebration yesterday was this recipe I found on Instagram at 'Cooking With Mimi'.  I think it is a keeper.  One pan meals work for me. Serve with crusty garlic bread and a salad and call it done. 

ONE-PAN CHEESY PASTA BOLOGNESE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion chopped fine
3/4 cup grated carrots
1 pound ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1 cup water
12 oz. pasta (I used Penne)
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded (divided)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up into small pieces with a spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add in dried oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Next, add the red wine and stir to combine. Add Worcestershire and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper.
Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add pasta, stir well. Cover pan and cook until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.When pasta is tender, gently stir in grated Parmesan and ½ cup of mozzarella cheese. Scatter the remaining mozzarella evenly over top. Turn off the heat. Place lid over skillet and allow mozzarella to melt, 2-3 minutes.

Chicken and Rice

CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I was to have someone come for lunch and thought I would try it out.  Unfortunately the lunch plans got cancelled so I made it for a weekend meal.  The recipe was posted Natasha's Kitchen.   It is an easy one-pot meal and goes together really quick.  I've listed the ingredients and steps that I used.  I would make this again.  Yummy.


1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 large onion, finely diced
About 1 cup shredded carrots
3 large boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces.
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1 cup Chardonnay white wine
4 cups hot reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 head garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving
Parsley (I didn't have any so I just chopped a little cilantro)

Using a Dutch oven, saute the onion and carrots in the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter until soft. Add the chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink.  Add the wine and turn up to high and cook off the wine.  Pour in the hot chicken broth and rice.  Bring to a boil.  Cut the ends off the head of garlic and place down in the center of the pot.  Place a lid on top and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender.  Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and stir.  You can squeeze the garlic out of the head and add if you like.  Sprinkle the parsley and more cheese on top and serve. 

Guest Recipe - Seafood Quiche

I have the pleasure of spotlighting a good friend and fellow foodie's recipe for Seafood Quiche.  This is a much more adventurous recipe for this Southern girl, but what a beautiful picture and I think it would stand up against any Coastal recipe and take a prize.  I tried to use very little editing in order to maintain the Chef's wicked sense of humor.  Here is his recipe and I hope you enjoy.

SEAFOOD QUICHE

Pie Crust:  If not making my own, I prefer Oronque Farms frozen crusts.

4 eggs (sometimes I use more)
1 cup of light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (less visible than black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or sprinkle some fresh dill onto each layer.  I use twice this amount myself, but I like dill in seafood.
1/2 pound of of mozzarella, sliced thinly as possible, cubed.
About a pound or big double handful of shrimp and/or scallops.  Surimi works too.
A big handful of fresh spinach or parboiled broccoli tops cut small.
1 package of frozen spinach (squeezed and drained well).
1 big a** crawfish (Texas, Louisiana, or even Upstate New York).  (Chef's note:  The crawfish stays in place better if they are dead, so cooked is good).

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

If using bay scallops use whole, sea scallops slice in half or thirds.  Pre-cook them a little to get some liquid out.  Not long enough for them to turn completely white.  The liquid can be mixed in with the egg mixture.  If so, use a tad less cream.  If the scallops are put in raw, the liquid yielded may not mix.

Cover rim of pie crust with aluminum foil, shiny side out.  Thin strips pinched around the rim to prevent burning.

Place unbaked crust on a metal tray to prevent dripping when putting into the oven.  I put it on an upside-down tray so I can slide it off onto the oven shelf.

Mix eggs, cream, spices, salt and pepper.

Add a layer of shrimp or scallops.  Fill in spaces with egg mix.  Add a layer of fresh spinach or broccoli pieces, cheese, fresh dill.  Cover with egg mix.  Repeat layers until pie is 99% filled.  Add a bed of chopped and drained frozen spinach, pushing down into the egg mix, especially near the edges.

Place whole crawfish on top, pushing down a bit for stability.

Place in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 degrees.  Carefully remove foil when you reduce the heat to help in the browning.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

For a deep-dish pie bake at 350 degrees and use proportionately more filling.

Carne Guisada

Carne guisada is a dish I almost always have when we go to lunch at our local Taqueria. I've wanted to make it for a while and went online to see how to do it plus talked with some people at work who have made it. I have to say I think I got it pretty close. Except for the beans, rice and flour tortillas, this was a good match.

3 tablespoons oil
Approximately 2 pounds stew meat
1/2 small onion chopped
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
A shake or 2 or of cumin
2 tablespoons flour
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can beef broth

Season meat and in a large pot cook the meat and onion in the oil until no longer pink and onions are translucent. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of flour over meat. Add tomatoes and broth. Cook over low heat with a lid for 2 hours stirring often. I added a little flour and water at the end to thicken up the gravy. This makes a rich gravy when done. Serve with rice, beans and flour tortillas for scooping up the yummy meat and gravy.

Cheesy Baked Ziti

One of my best friends moved back into her house after a 2-year recovery from Hurricane Ike. We celebrated this weekend with cooking in her new kitchen.

FOUR-CHEESE BAKED ZITI

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion chopped fine

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

1 pound ziti

2 jars pasta sauce (I used fire roasted tomato and garlic)

8 ounces mozzarella cheese grated

8 ounces parmesan, asiago, romano mixed grated cheese

8 ounces non-smoked provolone cheese (save for the top)

fresh parsley chopped

Boil ziti according to package instructions. Drain. Saute ground beef with onion until done. Drain. Add pasta sauce. Layer sauce, ziti, cheeses, and parsley. Bake at 375 degrees until brown and bubbly (about 20-25 minutes).

Going Retro

Back in the 80's when Bisquick was popular (before the whole trans fat mania) Bisquick had a bunch of 'Impossible Pies' that used different ingredients but added a Bisquick batter to them to create a magic crust. I decided to throw one together recently.

IMPOSSIBLE CHICKEN BROCCOLI PIE

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
12-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, steamed for 5 minutes in microwave
8 oz. shredded cheese (I used Vermont White Cheddar)
1-1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken (I used 2 large boneless chicken breasts)
1-1/3 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup baking mix
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 10 inch pie plate with Pam. Saute the onions and mushrooms together in the butter. Add broccoli and chicken and cheese and mix together. Put into pie plate. In a small bowl mix the milk, eggs, and baking mix together until blended well and pour over ingredients in pie plate. Bake for 35 minutes until puffed and set.

Chicken/Roasted Garlic/Mushroom Calzones

Olive oil
Butter
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
2 heads roasted garlic
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound fresh mushrooms
1 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Alfredo sauce
Pizza dough

This is kind of a thrown together recipe. Roast a couple heads of garlic with olive oil until nice and carmelized. Boil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt and pepper until tender. Cut into small pieces. Sautee a carton of fresh mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil seasoned with more garlic powder, salt and pepper. Take some pizza dough of your choice and make 4 circles. Brush with olive oil and add Italian seasoning and a spoon of jarred (or fresh) Alfredo sauce. Smear some of the roasted garlic on the dough and add the mushrooms and chicken. Add cheese. Fold over and crimp. Brush with olive oil. Cut a few holes in the dough and bake at 425 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown. These are large and 1/2 can easily serve one person.

Chicken/Spinach Lasagna

My son's birthday and I made dinner for him and his family and a college friend. A break from the traditional lasagna. This one has a white sauce with spinach and chicken. I looked at several recipes and came up with my version.

CHICKEN/SPINACH LASAGNA

2 cups cooked, diced chicken (I used boneless breasts)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup half and half
1 package Stouffer's spinach souffle, thawed
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian herbs to season sauce to your taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese for top of lasagna. Saute onion and garlic in butter. Cool. In a medium size bowl, combine remaining 1 1/3 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, soup, onion and garlic, and half and half and set aside. In another medium size bowl, combine spinach souffle, egg and ricotta. Mix well, then combine with soup mixture and mix all together. Season to taste.

In the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish, spread a little of the sauce. Cover with 3 cooked lasagna noodles. Then layer sauce, cheese, chicken, and more noodles and repeat, ending with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Grill Gone Wild

It's rare to see 'real food' on my blog as I mostly just bake. My son is the griller when he visits at my house, so I thought I'd showcase his masterpiece from this weekend. He took thick boneless porkchops and cut them into chunks and marinated in Stubbs Pork Marinade (a Texas thang y'all). Alternated with green pepper, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. This along with some Poffenberger's smoked sausage (from Bellville, TX) and we had a feast.

Mexican Chicken Cornbread Bake

I have an abundance of church/school fundraiser cookbooks. This recipe appears in several of them, so I have had it on my to-try list for a while.

MEXICAN CHICKEN CORNBREAD BAKE

1 stick butter
1 onion, finely chopped (I used half of a large one)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (I used the Mexicorn with black beans in it)
1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn bread mix (I don't care for the sweetness of Jiffy, but I found Martha White and used that)

2 large boneless, skinless chikcen breasts boiled and cut into pieces
1 small jar canned green chiles, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup (can use cream of chicken or cream of celery)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I like it spicy so I used half pepper jack and half cheddar)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt butter and saute onion and garlic until tender, about 4 to 6 minutes; set aside. In another bowl, combine drained whole kernel corn, cream style corn, salt and eggs. Beat in muffin mix. Fold in cooked onion mixture. Pour into prepared baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, green chiles, soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Spoon over corn mixture to within 1 inch from edge. Sprinkle top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. This is even better the second day.

Chicken-Stuffed Manicotti

I usually make this dish as chicken-stuffed shells. My grocery store was out of them so I chose manicotti noodles as a replacement. The shells are much easier to stuff and serve, but the filling is still the same.

CHICKEN-STUFFED MANICOTTI

1 box large shells or manicotti noodles, cooked and drained, rinsed and cooled.
1 16 oz. container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled with seasoning of salt and pepper, garlic powder -- cool and shred
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or make your own if you like)

Mix together everything but the pasta. Stuff shells or manicotti noodles with cheese and chicken mixture. Pour about 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Lay the stuffed shells or noodles down in the pan. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until bubbly.

PIZZA!

I made pizza on Halloween before the trick or treaters came. I used to use Pillsbury Hot Roll mix for my crust, but decided to try my hand at a home made one. I had saved a crust recipe that I found on the Hillbilly Housewife blog as it didn't use a food processor or big stand mixer (which I do not own believe it or not). I added my usual toppings and it was a good pie.

HOME-MADE PIZZA

Crust:

2-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil

In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and yeast. Stir it up to distribute the salt and yeast evenly. Add the water and oil. You may need a spoonful or two more of water if the day is dry. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a big ball in the middle of the bowl. It will be a little stiffer than biscuit dough. Knead the dough about 10 or 12 times and then form it into a ball. Place the ball in the center of 16-inch pizza pan, or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Use your hands and a rolling pin, to press the dough into the pan. The dough will be a medium thickness.

Top the crust with a sauce and toppings of your choice. Bake at 400° for about 15 to 20 minutes. Eat and enjoy. Makes 1 pizza.

These are the toppings I used for this pie:

1 can of tomato sauce (can use tomato paste)
I covered the sauce with about a tablespoon of dried Italian herb blend spice
About 1 teaspoon of garlic powder sprinkled over that
About 1 pound of ground beef seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some finely chopped onions. Cooked and drained. Good to use some Italian sausage also.
About 1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can of sliced black olives
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni slices

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is comfort food for sure. It is one of those 'cold weather' foods. We haven't had much cold weather yet but this is worth repeating if it does happen. This has a good basic filling. I think next time I will try puff pastry for the crust for a change.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Crust:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice cold water

Mix flour and salt together. Cut in butter and shortening until well incorporated into dry ingredients. Add ice water. Mix just until just together. Split dough in two and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups boiled chicken, chopped (I used boneless chicken breasts)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup onion, diced fine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas, steamed for 5 minutes
1 small can carrots, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk

Saute onions and mushrooms in butter. Add flour and stir until no longer white. Stir in broth and milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in chicken, peas, and carrots. Salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out pie dough and place in bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Add filling. Roll out top crust and place over filling. Cut slits in top to let steam escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes until light golden brown.

Spinach Pie

This not quite a quiche because it has no eggs in it, but it's a quick little main dish pie to throw together.

SPINACH PIE

1 box Stouffer's Spinach Souffle (thawed)
1/4 stick butter
1/2 large onion chopped
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
6-8 slices Swiss cheese
1 9 inch pie crust (your favorite recipe, a frozen one, or already made)

Saute the onions and mushrooms in butter until soft. Add seasonings. Put about 3-4 slices Swiss cheese to cover the bottom of the pie crust. Add mushroom and onion mixture. Top with 3-4 more slices of Swiss cheese. Spread thawed spinach souffle over top. Bake at 400 degrees until crust is light brown (about 20-25 minutes).

Chili Weather Finally

I don't know why I think it needs to be cold to make chili, it just seems to go better with cold weather. We finally had some cold, rainy weather today so I took advantage and made chili. Everyone makes their chili different ways and serve it with different things too. Wick Fowler won the cook-off in the renowned chili cook-off in Terlingua, Texas back in the 60's. His chili mix comes in 'False Alarm', 1-alarm, 2-alarm, and even 3-alarm, getting hotter and hotter which each version. I think his seasoning mix makes the best chili by far.

CHILI MY WAY
1 pound ground meat
1/2 onion chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package Wick Fowler's Texas-Style 1-Alarm Chili Seasoning Mix
1 can Ro-Tel original tomatoes and diced chilies
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 small can tomato sauce
1 can water
1 can pinto beans (optional)

Place meat in a dutch oven and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook meat with onion until crumbly and no longer pink. Drain off fat. Add fire-roasted tomatoes and smash with a potato masher to get tomatoes crushed. Add Ro-Tel tomatoes and chilies and mash until crushed. Add chili seasoning packet. Simmer on low for about an hour. Serve with rice or cornbread or Frito's or flour tortillas. Can add cheese or sour cream to your liking.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

I always make a breakfast casserole on Christmas Eve so that it can be popped in the oven on Christmas morning while opening presents. I usually make one that you use bread in, but this year tried a new one that uses frozen hashbrowns, I think we like it better than the bread one.

CHRISTMAS CASSEROLE

8 frozen hashbrown patties (or you could use a package of shredded ones I think)
1 pound bulk sausage
2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the sausage until it crumbles. Drain and set aside. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam and lay the 8 frozen hashbrown patties down. Sprinkle with 2 cups cheddar cheese. Add the crumbled sausage. In a bowl whisk eggs with milk, add salt and pepper. Pour over sausage. Cover with foil and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning bake the casserole covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove the foil and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Cut into squares.