Banana Pudding on Steriods

This was originally posted on September 2, 2013, but I am making it this afternoon, so I thought it might be nice to re-post.  This time I am making it with Vanilla Wafers instead of cake.  I use the least expensive cookies that I can find because those seem to be more porous and soak up the pudding.

D.

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

The weather is cold, especially in Texas and what says comfort food better than a bread pudding?    Bread pudding is a delicious way to use bread that would eventually be thrown away.   I used six small hamburger buns that I had previously frozen and three very disappointing pink lady apples.  Pink Lady apples are usually one of my favorites but these were picked too early and very tart, as in not sweet.  The combination of frozen bread and sad little apples turned into a wintry delight.  If you are using frozen bread, remember to thaw it completely before using.

I also used powdered milk to make this recipe.  I mixed the equivalent of a one quart packet of dry milk with 3 cups of water.  You can use 3 cups of milk, half and half, or  cream, if you wish.  I wanted more milk solids and less water than milk would offer and since I used butter, I thought that half and half or cream would be gilding the lily. 

3 small Apples, peeled, halved, cored and sliced
6 Tablespoons of Butter, divided
4 cups of torn Bread pieces
1 Tablespoon ground Cinnamon
3/4 cup of Sugar
1 1-quart packet of Dry Milk
3 cups of Water
4 eggs
Powered Sugar

In a large cast iron skillet or other oven proof skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter.  Add apples and cook until apples start to turn brown.  Sprinkle with cinnamon; add 2 Tablespoons of butter and bread.  Using a spoon, stir to coat while butter melts.  Add sugar and last 2 Tablespoons of butter.  Stir to coat apples and bread evenly while the butter melts.  Remove from heat.

In a separate container, mix milk, water, and eggs.  Whisk until blended.  Pour over apples and bread in skillet.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  If you wait to heat the oven, this gives the bread time to soak up the milk and egg mixture.

Once the oven is at 375 degrees,  carefully place the skillet in the oven and cook 45 to 50 minutes, or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean.   Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Honey Pepper Whiskey Custard Sauce

Well, it is December 9th and perhaps autumn is finally arriving in Central Texas.and It is 66 degrees outside, hmmm, maybe not autumn, yet. Whether it is cool weather or not, this time of year screams for traditional autumn desserts.  This is one of my favorites. This is what happens to the left over hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and the dried up pieces of bread at my house.  These bits of bread are elevated to a new level of deliciousness.

When Chris tasted this, he said that the custard sauce was not needed and the pudding could stand alone.  While I agree that pudding is wonderful on its own, the custard sauce makes it divine. Which brings me to the Honey Pepper Whiskey Custard Sauce.

Several months ago, Dicorte Liquuor Stores posted a photo of this whiskey and asked if anyone would be interested in trying it.  I immediately responded "YES".  This is the second time that I have cooked with it.  Both times I have been very impressed with the flavor it adds to food.  If you are considering this for sipping whiskey, note that it is very, very sweet.

Michael and Garilyn's Delicious Squash Casserole

This is a recipe from Michael Cowger and Garilyn Hutchinson.  The beautiful squash were provided by Carrie and Jerry Kennedy.  Michael and Garilyn generously shared this recipe.  The first time I made this, I used butter and heavy whipping cream; it turned out rich and delicious.  It was a little sweet for my taste and no sugar was added.  The next time that I made this, I used Sepay Groves Olive Oil and whole milk.  The texture was still the same but it was not as sweet.  So try the recipe both ways and see which you like better.  You may like the butter and cream, best!

Eggs and Peppers

This is Chris's idea and it turned out wonderful!  We had it for dinner one evening because it was fast. And I had not been to the grocery store, It was one of those "let's see what is in the pantry" meals,
 It does take a few minutes to blanch the peppers, but you do not want to get the pepper too soft.   You can skip the blanching totally if you like baked peppers a little on the crunchy side.  I like either style, but of the two, I prefer to have blanched the pepper prior to baking.
You could add anything you like to eggs, I just had a small amount of bacon, ham, green onions. (See above~HeHe) This would make a nice vegetarian meal by adding some sauteed squash, seeded tomatoes, and onions.. Consider making more than usual, these were so good, that I wished that I had made a double batch!

Farmer's Market Brunch (Eggs Mornay)

Chris said that I have made this before but I can not remember doing that. Must be old age?  This came from an abundance of fresh ingredients from the garden and Farmer's Market. This brunch is wonderful if you have fresh ingredients from the garden or Farmer's Market, but if all you have is from a grocery store, it will still be delicious.

Egg Casserole with Sausage and Vegetables

Happy Father's Day!  This is a hearty egg casserole that will satisfy everyone in the family.  It has layers of vegetables, sausage and eggs.  And it makes a beautiful presentation on a buffet. This takes a little more work than a classic egg casserole because the sausage is rendered and the onion is caramelized but the flavor makes the extra time worth the effort.

Debbie's Delicious Deviled Eggs

This is Debbie Robinson's Delicious Deviled Eggs.  I do not  like boiled eggs, prepared any way, normally.  But, I love these. When I asked Debbie for the recipe she said that there is not one.  So I am listing the ingredients.  You will need to just taste as you go until you get the right ratios.

Quick Breakfast Sandwiches

I have always been a fan of a homemade breakfast sandwich.  It can be on a biscuit (my mom made the best) or slices of bread (especially Mrs. Baird's). But I have never developed a taste for fast food breakfast sandwiches.  I know many people like them because there a plenty of those stores (that is what they are called, not restaurants) around.  About the only time I eat that type of food, anymore, is at the airport and I am reminded why I do not stop by at other times. It seems wrong to spend money on something to consume that is so disappointing.
But Whining is not the reason for this post.  I decided to find out how long it actually takes to make a delicious breakfast sandwich.  I started with a lovely French Baguette from Panera Bread, but you can use whatever bread you have available.  Scrambled eggs and microwaved bacon; made a yummy spread and then served it with a pickle.  It seems I need to buy some vegetables.  All in all, it took 15 minutes.  How long did it take you to drive to the drive-thru, order your meal, and receive it; then eat it in the car? Did you have to deviate from your destination or was the drive-thru your destination?  See my point. I hope that you try this the next time you want a breakfast sandwich, plus you will  probably not be seeing Dianne Sawyer talking about the health risks of eating your homemade breakfast sandwich :)

Poached Egg with Cornbread Dressing

If you follow my blog, you already know how I feel about leftovers and wastefulness.  I do not like either.  So, what happens to all of the food that we do not eat at one sitting?  It becomes something else!  This is what happened to the rest of a pan of cornbread.  It turned out so delicious that it is going on the menu for overnight guests.  It took less than 45 minutes to prepare and turn out beautifully.  I hope that you take the time to prepare it for your family.

Savory Overnight French Toast

I am not sure if this should be French Texas Toast or Texas French Toast.  You will need to use Texas Toast to make this recipe since it is refrigerated overnight.  With all of the protein and carbs, you will probably only need one piece of toast per person.  It is very filling.

6 slices of fresh Texas Toast

2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted

4 Eggs

1 cup of Milk

2 Tablespoons of Flour

1 teaspoon of Tarragon

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

4 ounces of Thinly, Sliced Turkey, torn into bits

Butter a 13" X 9" pan.  In a bowl, mix eggs, milk,, flour, tarragon, salt and pepper.  Whisk thoroughly until all is blended.  Brush bread on both sides with melted butter then place bread into prepared pan and pour egg mixture over the bread.  Flip the bread slices over to coat.  Top with cheese and turkey.  Refrigerate for 8 hours.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.   Serve with Fried Boiled Potatoes.

This is a very delicious way to use leftover boiled potatoes! 
Refrigerate boiled potatoes overnight.  Cut into1/4 inch slices and fry in hot oil. Salt and serve.  The best ones are the ones that a hole develops in the middle, while frying. Yummy!

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/savory-overnight-french-toast

Southern Style Eggs

This is a breakfast that my Grandmother would make for us, when we visited her and my Grandfather, in the summer.  It brings back wonderful memories.  Grandmother was legally blind but continued to take care of her home for many years.  She would always have homemade strawberry jam waiting for me, just because I loved it so much.  When I was around 10, she was no longer able to cook. I remember that summer. It was very sad for both of us. But she did leave me with lovely memories, of family, home and delicious food. I once asked my mother to make this and she told me it is called Southern Style Eggs.  So for my wonderful Grandparents and Mom, I am sharing this with you.

Biscuits

5 minute Coddled Eggs

Crispy Bacon

Gravy

To assemble, place a biscuit on a plate and the break a piece of crispy bacon in half and place on top.  Top with a coddled egg sliced in half and then gravy.  Recipes for Biscuits, Eggs and Gravy are below.

These biscuits would be made with self rising flour but I did not have any, so I made it.  This recipe makes more than you will need for the biscuits, so store it in the freezer for later and remember to label the container.

Self Rising Flour

3 cups of Flour

4 1/2 teaspoons of Baking Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons of Salt

Sift together.

Sour Milk

In an empty measuring cup, pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar and the complete the measure with milk. In the case, to 1 1/4 cup.

Biscuits

2 1/4 cups of Self Rising Flour

1 stick of Margarine

1 1/4 cups of Buttermilk or Sour Milk

1/4 cup of flour for kneading and rolling

2 Tablespoons of margarine, melted in 13" x 9"  baking pan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons of margarine in baking pan, in oven while preheating.

In a large bowl, cut margarine into flour.  Make a well and add milk.  Mix lightly with a fork until all of the flour is moist.  Place 1/4 cup of flour onto a pastry sheet or a large sheet of wax paper.  Turn dough onto flour and knead 3 or 4 times.  With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 3 inch circles. Swirl the melted margarine in the baking pan to coat the bottom.  Place the biscuit dough in the pan and the flip it so that both sides of the dough are coated with  melted margarine.  Repeat until all the dough has been used.  You will need the form the dough scraps into a second ball and roll out to make all of the biscuits. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops brown.  Makes 1 dozen.

5 Minute Coddled Eggs

Bring a pan of salted water to boil.  Once the water boils, add whole "in the shell" eggs with a spoon, one at a time.  When the water returns to a boil, set the timer for 5 minutes.  Once the eggs have boiled 5 minutes, remove from heat, pour off the water and run cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking process.  Repeat with cold water twice.  Peel eggs and set aside. 

Gravy

1 Tablespoon of Margarine

1 Tablespoon of Flour

2 cups of Milk

1 teaspoon of Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

In a small saucepan on low, melt margarine and then add flour.  Stir until the margarine and flour are combined.  Add milk and salt then whisk. Increase temperature to low-medium and continue to whisk.  Allow to simmer, adjusting temperature as needed. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the flour no longer has a sweet doughy taste and the gravy has thickened.  Add cracked pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Printable Recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/basilandrosemarys/southern-styleeggs

Omelet with Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Cheese

Omelet with Sausage, Peppers,
Onions, and Cheese

Okay, so I learned how to make an omelet on a cruise ship.  Early into the cruise, I learned that the only reason to go to the dining room was for Dinner.  Any other meals definitely needed to be taken from the buffet.  One could certainly eat meals other than Dinner in the dining room , it was just not as casual. 
In the buffet line, the cooks made the order as the guest stood waiting.  It was quite impressive.  So when I ordered an omelet, the cook proceeded to prepare it.  He worked two skillets at once. That was more impressive.
After I selected the items to fill the omelet, the cook placed the skillet over the flame, put in about 4 Tablespoons of oil and let that heat.  At this point, I thought the omelet would be greasy.  Then he ladled in the equivalent of  2 beaten eggs. Once the egg set, he flipped the omelet over to make sure it was thoroughly cooked.  Then he filled it, place the omelet on a plate and handed it to me.  It took about 3 minutes. 
The omelet was not greasy, as I expected it to be. It was fluffy and tender. So I returned every morning to watch and learn.
This was not the way that I was taught to make an omelet during homemaking class. (Is that even offered in High School, any longer?) It was not the way that I have seen omelets cooked in restaurants or on the food channels. But when I tried those methods, the product was not as beautiful as the one that this fellow made.
Upon returning home, I tried his method and it worked for me as it did for him.  The secret is to have the oil hot enough to set the eggs as soon as the eggs hit the oil. I do not flip the omelet over, but I do scrape the wet egg to the sides so that the entire thing is cooked. It turns out beautiful every time.
When you make omelets, decide how many eggs you will need based on the size of the pan bottom.  The cook on the cruise ship used a pan that was 6-7 inches in diameter.  I use a coated pan that is about 11 inches.  Because of the size of the pan, I use 3 or 4 eggs and divide the omelet for smaller appetites.  However, if serving larger appetites, I leave it whole.
This is the recipe for the omelet pictured above and I consider this 2 servings. This requires 2 skillets

1 Tablespoon of Oil
1/2 of a small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a larger Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
4 ounces of Smoked Beef Sausage, sliced and quartered
4 Eggs, beaten and completely blended
4 Tablespoons of  Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 ounce of grated Cheese (whatever kind you like

In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil over low  heat and cook the onion, pepper, and sausage until done but not browned. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs until completely blended, salt and pepper.  Put 4 Tablespoons of oil into the coated skillet and heat over low to medium heat. Pour in the eggs. The edge with turn opaque but should not brown.  Once the eggs start to set, the omelet will draw up.  Moving the pan an a circular, spiral motion, let the uncooked eggs pour over the edge.  You can also use a spatula to scrape the top.  Once the eggs have set, fill the omelet with cheese, and sausage mixture, on one side.  Carefully fold in half and remove.  When removing an omelet this size you will need an additional spatula for lifting from the pan.
I hope that you try this method and enjoy it as much as my family does.

Happy Brunch!

Deloris

Scotch Eggs

Scotch Eggs

My son was being facetious when he asked me to deep fry a boiled egg.  Mostly, he said it because he knows that I do not usually eat boiled eggs or fried eggs.  When I told him that deep fried, boiled eggs were called Scotch Eggs, he asked me to make some.
These are traditionally served on Christmas Eve but I think this is great game day food.  Serve it with spicy mustard, hot sauce and a pickle.  Sounds like it is almost a complete meal ;).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

8 Hard Boiled Eggs, peeled
1 pound of bulk Breakfast Sausage, I used Owens Hot sausage
1 raw Egg, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Dry Bread Crumbs
Oil for frying
Spicy Mustard
Hot Sauce
Pickles

Heat the oil in a skillet to 300 degrees.
Dry Hard Boiled Eggs, completely.  Divide sausage into 8 balls and flatten.  Cover the Hard Boiled Eggs with sausage. Roll in flour, then in raw egg and finally in the dry bread crumbs. 
Carefully place the eggs in the oil, making sure not to overcrowd.  Brown the eggs on all sides.  Remove to an oven proof pan.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool and serve with spicy mustard, hot sauce and a pickle.  Yummy!

Enjoy!

Deloris

Bacon Sausage Quiche

Bacon Sausage Quiche

Have you ever had one of those days where everything went wrong and then when it was time to cook dinner, there was nothing thawed? 

Well, this is the meal for just that kind of day. 
I have to admit that I keep Pillsbury pie crust rolls in the refrigerator because, while I can make a flaky crust, this is just quicker and easier.  I usually have breakfast sausage and bacon, too.  So this just works. 
I use kitchen shears to cut the bacon in very small pieces before cooking it.  This helps to get the bacon crispy and a uniform size.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

1 Pie Crust
3 slices of bacon, cut very fine
1/4 pound of Breakfast Sausage, (I used Jimmie Dean Brand)
2 Tablespoons of Margarine
4 Eggs

Butter a pie pan and place the pie crust in it. Set aside.
Cook bacon and sausage in a skillet until bacon is brown and crispy and the sausage is cooked.  Remove the meat from skillet and put it in a even layer in the bottom of the pie crust.  Try to leave the grease in the skillet.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the margarine and pour over the meat in the pie crust.  The margarine will be lumpy and will not totally combine with eggs.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the eggs are cooked and set.  You can test the eggs with a cake tester.  When the tester comes out clean the quiche is done. Try not to let the eggs brown.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.  Easy, easy!

Enjoy!

Deloris

Poached Egg on Chopped Steak with Bacon and Hollandaise



Poached Egg on Chopped Steak with
Bacon and Hollandaise

 This is for my friend, Shari Jo, who was put on a carb restricted diet by her nutritionist. Because this has so much animal protein, I tried to reduce part of the amount of animal fat.  I used extral lean ground beef, poached the egg and cooked the bacon in the microwave.  I cheated on the Hollandaise Sauce and used McCormick's Hollandaise Sauce mix.  If you want a "made from scatch" sauce, go to my Sauces and Gravies page and there is a recipe for real Hollandaise.

Microwave the bacon and set it aside.  By microwaving the bacon you reduce the amount of fat that the meat sits in while cooking.

Using the McCormick's Hollandasie Sauce, you will need 1/2 stick of butter and 1 cup of water.  Follow the instructions included on the package.  This mix makes quite a bit of sauce, so if you are not serving a crowd, plan to use it over vegetables later or dicard the unused portion.  It does not hold over well.

To make the chopped steak, I used a 95/5 ground beef.  That means that it is 95 percent meat to 5 percent fat.  I seasoned the patties with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, but use the seasonings that you prefer.  Cook the patties to the desired doneness.  I cook mine to well done, because it is ground beef and I did not grind it so I do not know the cuts or quality of the meat used.

Poaching the egg

Using Crisco, grease the inside of a saucepan and then fill it half full of water.  Over low heat, bring the water to an almost simmer. Do Not let the water boil.  Crack an egg into a small dish. Carefully, slide the egg into the hot water. Leave it alone.  Let the egg cook in the hot water until the white has completely set and the yolk is to the desired doneness.  I cook mine to soft yolk but it really depends what you like. 

To assemble

Place the chopped steak on a warm plate.  Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and drain off the excess water. Place on top of the steak. Top with Hollandaise and serve with bacon.

Enjoy!

Deloris

PS: Our facebook page is mailto:rosemary.kitchen1@facebook.com. Be sure to stop in and find out what is happening!.com

Crustless Quiche



Crustless Quiche



This is a great Sunday Brunch or an easy Dinner. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4 slices of Bacon, chopped and cooked
4 Eggs
1/2 cup of Milk
1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese

In a blender, combine eggs and milk.  Stir in cooked bacon and cheese.  Pour into a greased pie plate.  Bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until top is slightly brown.
See that was easy.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Breakfast (or dinner) Tacos with Green Chili Salsa

Before I had heard of breakfast burritos, I had the pleasure of trying these little tacos.  The ones that I had were at a restaurant at a little resort in west Texas.  The restaurant served egg with potato and a green sauce.  The sauce was probably a tomatillo sauce but honestly, I do not recall.  What I remember is that these were wonderful.  Over the years I have made these for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I served these with red salsa but I have this great recipe for a green chili sauce that I hope you will try with these. Besides we have not fried a main course lately, so I thought we should revisit the frying pan. This takes three separate cooking pans.

Oil for frying
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
6 flour tortillas
green chili salsa
cilantro
cooked bacon or sausage (optional)

In a large skillet, heat oil to 300 degrees and carefully add potatoes, cooking until tender and brown.  Cook in batches if using a small skillet.  Remove and set aside.  Add onion and cook until brown.  Set aside.  In a separate skillet, cook eggs until done. Evenly fill 6 flour tortillas with the potatoes, onions and eggs.  In the third pan, spray with vegetable spray and heat on medium.  Place the filled tortillas on the heated skillet and brown until slightly crisp.  Serve with green chili salsa, cilantro, and bacon or sausage.

Green Chili Salsa

In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil, add 1 finely chopped onion and 1/2 of a green bell pepper, finely chopped and 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic.  Cook until softened.  Add a 3.5 ounce can of chopped green chilies. Heat through and cook for 5 minutes.  Add 2 Tablespoons of Lime juice , salt and pepper . Cook  3 minutes until flavors are combined.  Serve with Breakfast taco, burgers, or chicken enchiladas.

Enjoy!

Deloris

Shirred Eggs

Shirred Eggs are just baked eggs.  How you like eggs cooked, determines how long the dish is baked. This is version is wrapped with a piece of bacon and cooked hard for about 45 minutes.  But if you want softer eggs, you will need to use pre-cooked bacon or cook the bacon a little first and then cook the eggs about 20 minutes. For each serving you will need to butter a ramekin and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wrap a piece of bacon inside the edges of the ramekin.  Place 2 cracked, raw eggs inside of the bacon. Top with a splash of milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees, until the eggs are done to your taste.  Be sure to cook the bacon some first, but not to crisp, if you want your eggs soft.  Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Deloris