Baked Stuffed Eggs

Yes, another recipe that sounds a bit "different".  I made this for Easter one year when I was on the hunt for a new recipe.  It turned out really well and everyone seemed to like it.  It orginally called for 6 eggs, but I was able to squeeze in 8 eggs with no problem and had plenty of sauce.  This prepares well the night before because it actually needs to be refrigerated the night before baking.

Stuffed Eggs:
8 hard-boiled eggs
3-4 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Cut eggs lengthwise, remove yolks, set whites aside. On a plate, mash yolks and add sour cream, mustard, and salt. Mix well. Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. In a small pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add soup and sour cream; mix well. Pour half of the sauce mixture into an 11x7 pan. Place stuffed eggs in sauce and spoon remaining sauce on top of eggs. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Milnot Cheesecake

My grandma used to make this all the time, it's easily one of our family favorites... I really don't see it very often outside of our family, in fact. It makes me wonder if it's more of a Midwest recipe?  but, I digress. Cold beaters and chilled Milnot are very crucial to the recipe. don't try to skip that step! I recommend putting the beaters in the freezer for a few minutes and the Milnot in the fridge for a couple hours before making the cheesecake.  Of course, the name derives from the brand of sweetened condensed milk.  It's difficult to find Milnot around here, so I use other brands, but the name has certianly stuck!  This is not a traditional cheesecake in shape, texture, or flavor but it is definitely easy and very good!

Ingredients:
3 ounces lemon Jell-O gelatin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup boiling water
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
13 ounces Milnot Sweetened Condensed Milk, chilled
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Dissolve Jell-O in water; cool. Cream sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese. Add Jell-O and mix well. Whip Milnot with cold beaters until fluffy and fold into Jell-O mixture. Add butter to graham cracker crumbs and pack into a 9x13 pan. Add filling to crust and sprinkle with more graham cracker crumbs. Keep refrigerated.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

This particular recipe was inspired 100% by a salad at Buca di Beppo, an Italian family style restaurant.  Ingredient amounts are approximate, because I simply toss in the amount that "looks" right. I use this recipe for the spiced walnuts.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce
3 ounces dried cranberries
2 granny smith apples, sliced
3 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
1/2 cup spiced walnuts

Directions:
Tossing the above ingredients with an Italian vinaigrette in a large bowl with tongs is the best way to prepare this salad.  Be sure all of the salad is evenly coated with your desired amount of vinaigrette.

Spiced Walnuts

I use Spiced Walnuts for various things.  This method also works well for any kind of nut you need to roast with some flavor.  One of the most common dishes I use these walnuts for is my Apple Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients:
1 egg white
2 cups walnut halves
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pinch salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whip egg white in a bowl until frothy. Toss walnuts in and coat well. Combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt; sprinkle over walnuts, coating evenly. Spread walnuts in one layer on a cookie sheet; bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool; store in an airtight container.

Egg Olive Salad Sandwiches

My mom used to put a booth in a local church's fall craft bazaar. The church ladies made these sandwiches every year and they are simply amazing. I went back to the bazaar a couple falls ago for the first time in years... They were still making the same sandwiches, but I didn't get one — they were sold out!! The recipe comes from the church's cookbook. The book suggests only Sunbeam white bread, but since when do I follow rules?! Pita bread, whole grain bread, wheat bread, or just a a bed of lettuce... It's all good.  A great sandwich for a tea party!

Ingredients:
5 hard-boiled eggs
1 (16 ounce) jar stuffed green olives
1/2 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise*
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
 
Directions:
Chop eggs and olives finely; the finer, the better.  A food processor makes this job quick and easy.  Add remaining ingredients and mix gently by hand.  *start with a 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and add as needed.  Tightly cover and cool the mixture for a few hours or overnight.  Make into sandwiches and cut into quarters or use cookie cutters for a touch of creativity.

Guacamole

I used to be very simplistic with my guacamole.  Mash up the avocadoes, add some sea salt and call it done.  Sometimes I'd add tomatoes.  But, then I discovered this recipe.  And while I still revert to the "basic" guacamole when I'm in a hurry, I like to make this one when I have time and have the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:
7 ripe medium avocados, peeled and halved
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
juice from 1 large fresh lime
1/2 tablespoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Directions:
Sprinkle seasoned salt and crushed garlic over avacado halves.
Coarsely mash the avocados, leaving some chunks.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
 
Servings: 6

Chicken Enchiladas

One of my favorite recipes ever and an old standby.  One of my dearest friends and a college roommate, Jamie, gave me this one.  I think of her every time I make these enchiladas!  For the chicken, I often use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery deli.  It adds a really great flavor and eliminates the step of baking chicken breasts.  You'll have some chicken leftover, but hey -- who can't find something to do with those delicious chickens?!

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded/chopped baked chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can of chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 of a medium onion, finely chopped
12 tortillas
1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions:
Mix together the soup, chilies, cumin, salt, sour cream, and milk.  A blender makes this mixture really smooth, but I often just stir by hand.  Set aside.

Combine chicken, cream cheese, and onion.  Wrap this mixture into about 12 warmed tortillas.  Lay in a 9x13 pan and pour soup mixture over enchiladas.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with cheese and return uncovered to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Servings: 6

Baked Parmesan Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 salmon fillets
1 lemon
10 crushed Ritz crackers

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine mayo, cheese, and red pepper; set aside.  note: I often add a bit more red pepper after tasting.  Lay salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking pan. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each fillet.  Spread each fillet evenly with mayo mixture. Cover mayo with cracker crumbs.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Servings: 4

Sausage Cheese Muffins

We had these at the TBC Women's Retreat this year (a few of our guys from church come up and cook all weekend for us. They love it; we have some excellent men cooks; and we save money vs catering! win/win/win!!). These are so good and they freeze really well, making an easy and quick breakfast to grab from the freezer and pop in the toaster oven as needed. Also makes a great appetizer for parties -- just cut into wedges and serve!

Ingredients:
1 pound sausage
1/4 teaspoon red pepper (optional)
1 stick butter
3 jars Old English cheese spread
12 English muffins, split

Directions:
Cook sausage, crumble, and drain well. Set aside to cool. Combine butter, cheese, and pepper. Mix until fluffy (I've used both a mixer and done this by hand; both work just as well). Spread on English muffin halves. Bake at 425* until bubbly and slightly brown; about 8 minutes.

Yields 24 muffins

Corn Dip

Quite possibly my most requested recipe and dish. I kinda feel cheated that this is the one I get remembered by. I mean, a dip? Come on! sigh. ;) But, it is quite good.

It has great flavor (despite the intial thought -- corn dip??) and is so easy to make. It is best to let it sit in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to combine. Note: The cayenne definitely adds some kick and gets stronger as it sits in the fridge for a few hours, so use sparingly if you wish.

Ingredients:
2 (11 ounce) cans mexicorn
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 to 1 bunch cilantro
3 to 4 green onions
2 cups four-cheese Mexican blend cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lime
2 (12 ounce) bags tortilla chips

Directions:
Mix together the corn, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
Slice lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half over corn mixture; mix well.
Chop cilantro and green onions. Add to the corn mixture.
Blend in cumin and cayenne pepper.
Mix in shredded cheese.
Refrigerate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Servings: 10 - 12

Welcome!

I thought it might be interesting to start a blog based on the many recipes that float around in my life. I'm constantly searching for new ideas: picking up new cookbooks, reading cooking magazines, and searching the internet for creative ideas. I've posted a few of my recipes on Recipezaar, but I've recently become slightly disgruntled with them, so I thought I'd make a new way to share my love for all things in the kitchen. I'm sure my obsession with mixing bowls, serving dishes, and Pyrex will make it's way here as well. Looking forward to sharing this with you and hearing your feedback as new posts appear here! First up, I'll be transferring a few of the ole' favorites in my recipe box to the blog. Be back soon!