Breakfast Egg Biscuits

Here's an easy breakfast treat you can adapt to the tastes of the whole family.  You can use veggies, meats, and a variety of cheeses to satisfy your pickiest eaters.

Ingredients

1 package refrigerator biscuits
6 eggs
1 c shredded cheese (your choice--I used colby jack)
1/3 c milk
Pinch of salt

Topping suggestions
(Be sure meats are cooked prior to topping)
Bacon pieces
Canadian bacon cubes
Ham cubes
Sausage crumbles
Pulled pork
Chopped veggies
Basically anything that sounds good to you

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400.  Roll out your biscuits to they are flat and round, then place them in your greased muffin tin.  Top with a tablespoon of shredded cheese.

Mix up your eggs with the milk and a pinch of salt, then top the biscuits with the egg mixture.  Not too much, because it will puff quite a bit while baking.

Be sure not to overfill!

Now sprinkle each biscuit with your toppings.  I made this batch without any to serve with ham steak on the side.  Plain cheese is good, too!  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove when the tops are toasted and the eggs are set.  

Nice and golden

Enjoy.  Easy brunch, easy cleanup.

Smoked Gouda Grits

Grits!  So many people I talk with have never even tried grits.  I feel a little bit like I'm in that scene in "My Cousin Vinny" when they are eating breakfast in the restaurant and they don't know what grits are, and I'm the dumbfounded diner cook trying to describe grits to them.  They are the perfect side for my Tennessee Whiskey Pork Chops.  The cheesy creaminess works really well with the glazed pork chops and is easy to throw together while the pork chops are finishing.  This recipe is simple, but tastes fancy.  Enjoy!


Ingredients
32 oz chicken broth
2 c milk (I used whole for extra creaminess)
1 tsp salt
2 c quick cooking grits
1 2/3 c shredded smoked gouda cheese
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions
Bring chicken broth, milk, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and slowly whisk in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and butter, stirring until melted.

That's it.  So simple, and delicious.  If you didn't like grits before, I think you will like these.

Cheesy Chicken Stew with Broccoli

More soup!  Yes, I know, it was 90 degrees here today, but when you want soup, you want soup.  I was prepared not to like this recipe because of the broccoli, but the kids like the green stuff and I am trying to find ways to tolerate green foods, so here we are.  This was a fast, easy meal and we all loved it.  If you use a rotisserie chicken, you will be feeding the family in no time.

Ingredients

32oz chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk (I used whole)
2 c shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie to save time)
3 tbsp butter
1 c chopped broccoli florets
1/2 c flour
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I used my fav, colby jack)
1 pie crust, thawed

Directions
Chop up the fresh broccoli into small pieces and boil in some chicken broth.   I didn't measure, but I would guess around a cup.  Sprinkle one tsp of salt over and boil for about 5 minutes.  In a separate pot, melt 3-4 tbsp butter, then add the broccoli / chicken broth mixture.  Let simmer over medium high heat for another 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup flour and stir thoroughly.  This will be a paste-like consistency. Slowly stir in the cream, milk, and remaining chicken broth until you have a smooth soup with no lumps (besides the broccoli, of course).  Add in your shredded chicken and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and reduce heat to medium.

While the stew is simmering and thickening, roll out the pie crust onto a baking sheet and cut into long strips.  Bake for 8 minutes on 450.  Once this is done, break into small chunks to serve on top of the bowls of stew.  Serve with shredded cheese and pie crust pieces on top for a delicious meal.

Mushroom Chicken with Rice

Most of the meals I cook are simple, but sometimes I go all out for a more elaborate dish.  This is probably one of the more complicated dishes I make.  Not because any one step is hard, but just because it is time consuming.  This recipe will feature more pictures because it involves more steps than others.  But it's good, really good, and worth the time invested.  This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found on FeaturedDish.com.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lb sliced mushrooms 

Cream of mushroom soup

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups italian bread crumbs

3 eggs, beaten

Olive oil for pan

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon of basil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

First, prepare your cream of mushroom soup, if you want to avoid condensed soup.  It's easy!  Set aside.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add minced garlic and mushrooms to pan.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cook until mushrooms are soft and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.

Remove mushrooms from heat and spread evenly inside a large, deep baking pan (I used a 9x13).

After removing mushrooms, heat more olive oil in the skillet on medium-high heat.  Mix eggs with dry basil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, and beat well.  Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat both sides with bread crumbs.  Place in pan, and cook chicken thoroughly, turning over as it browns.  

When finished cooking, place chicken over mushrooms in baking pan.

*If you are using canned cream of mushroom soup, mix cream of mushroom soup with chicken broth in a separate bowl, then pour over chicken.  This saves you time and effort, but if you make your own gravy, the payoff is worth it.  

In the skillet, melt 1 tablespoons of butter in with the chicken and breading left in the pan.  Mix it all together over medium heat, then add in 1/2 cup of flour and stir until it absorbs the remainder of olive oil and butter in the pan.  Slowly pour in the cream of mushroom soup, stirring constantly until it thickens into a delicious gravy.

Once it has thickened, pour evenly over your chicken breasts in the baking pan, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over everything.  Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  While this delicious mixture is baking, prepare white rice.  Serve each breast and gravy over rice.  An amazing meal!

Green Bean Bacon Bundles

Bacon makes green foods tolerable.  And cheese.  Don't forget the cheese!  There are a lot of creative recipes out there for vegetables wrapped in bacon.  This is an easy way to get more green veggies into your diet.  It would also work for asparagus.

Serves 10-12, depending on your bundle size

Ingredients

1- 2 lbs of fresh green beans
10-12 slices of bacon
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced very fine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
pinch of salt
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray, then place a wire rack inside sheet to elevate your bundles.  Wash your green beans and pat dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle beans with salt, then bundle together 8-10 beans, wrapping a slice of bacon around the center of the bundle to hold it together.  Lay each bundle seam side down on your cookie sheet / rack.

In a small saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, garlic, and soy sauce over low heat and whisk until melted.  Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of each bundle.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, turning bundles and reapplying sauce after 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and grate fresh parmesan onto bundles, as much as you would like, then return to oven for 10-15 minutes more, until bacon is nice and crispy.

This is a side dish everyone in the family loves--even me.  I usually grate more cheese over the bundles as soon as they come out of the oven to add to the cheesy goodness.  This time we served with smothered pork chops, but it also goes well with steak and chicken.  Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup

Tonight I wanted to fight this winter weather with a warm bowl of soup.  Lasagna soup is cheesy, simple, and delicious.  There are lots of good recipes out there, but I adapted mine from Paula Deen's "Tastes Like Lasagna" soup recipe.  Many subtractions and cheesy additions later, and you have my version.  Delicious with garlic cheese bread on the side.  Thanks, Paula!

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
32 oz. chicken stock
2 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz. box of pasta (I used vegetable farfalle, but use whatever pasta you'd like)
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
8 oz. ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella, shredded

Directions
In a soup pot, brown your ground beef.  Drain well, and return to pan.  Stir in oregano, garlic, brown sugar, broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and salt.  My family doesn't enjoy chunks of tomatoes, so I blended my diced tomatoes in some of the chicken broth separately and added it in.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to incorporate all of the flavors.  Add noodles, and return soup to boiling until noodles are tender.  (I actually boiled my pasta in some chicken broth and added it to the soup to save time, but most recipes just say to cook the noodles in the soup.  Do what works for you.)  Return soup to simmering once the noodles are tender and heat while you prepare your garlic bread and cheese topping.

While the soup is simmering, mix up your three cheeses in a bowl and stir together.  Put a generous spoonful in the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the hot soup on top.  Sprinkle soup with shredded mozzarella and serve with piping hot garlic bread.

This turned out great!  Enjoy a new twist on an old classic and warm your winter bones from the inside out.

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite side dishes.  Its ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness is the ultimate in comfort food.  Fortunately, it's fairly easy to make, with patience and lots of stirring.  Tonight I decided to add mushrooms, and it was delicious with our chicken cooked on the grill.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

32 oz. chicken stock

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (I used button and cremini)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)

salt to taste

Directions

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a sauce pan, then simmer on low.

Melt the butter in a separate pan over medium heat.

Add fresh mushrooms and saute until they turn tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and saute about one minutes, stirring throughout.

Add the arborio rice and toast about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until it begins to become translucent.

Start adding stock to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is has been absorbed.  As it begins to look dry, stir in another 1/2 cup of stock.  This is where the patience comes into play. Find yourself a good book, or fire up your iPod, because you are going to need to be by the pan stirring in the liquid.

As the risotto absorbs the liquid, it get tender and sticky.  After the chicken stock is fully added, you should have a pan full of soft rice that is ready for the cheese.

Add the grated parmesan and stir until it has melted throughout.  

Season with salt to taste.

Grate more parmesan over the bowls when serving if you want an extra kick of cheese.

This was so good, and it was delicious with the grilled chicken.  A couple of tweaks for next time: chop the mushrooms smaller and thinner.  The whole family gave it rave reviews and it was simple enough to do anytime.

What additions do you love in your risotto?  Post in the comments so I can steal some good ideas.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

Tonight we are trying a new recipe I found on FoodGawker courtesy of letsdishrecipes.com for chicken enchiladas with green chile sour cream sauce, with my picky modifications, as usual.

It was very easy and the whole family enjoyed it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 soft flour tortillas, taco size

2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

2 cups shredded chicken (we used rotisserie chicken to save time)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

4 oz mild green chiles, drained

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a 9x13 pan.

3.  Mix shredded chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan seam side down.

4.  In a sauce pan, melt butter.  Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

5.  Stir in sour cream and chilies.  DO NOT BOIL!  Very important so you don't curdle the sour cream.    Be patient.

6.  Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

7.  Bake 20 minutes, then under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

This was a hit.  So creamy and cheesy.  It would definitely be a good dish to bring to potlucks.  Serve it with apple pie enchiladas for a sweet ending to your meal.

Try it with your additions and post your ideas in the comments.

Cream cheese grits with bacon

I love grits. Grits for breakfast, grits with chicken, cheesy, sweet. So versatile! Here's an easy, quick recipe that might just make a believer out of you grit naysayers. Serve it with broiled pork chops or fried chicken and you might just think you have gone to heaven. I adapted my recipe from Country Roads magazine, with some special additions like bacon.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 cup stone-ground grits

1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup chicken broth

Bacon pieces

Salt to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring heavy cream and milk to a simmer over moderately low heat. Whisk in grits and cook, stirring often, 25 minutes. Slowly incorporate chicken broth as grits thicken, stirring them through completely. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese until melted throughout and season with salt to taste. Top with bacon pieces.

Easy and delicious. So good with any meal! Let me know how you serve your cheesy grits--I love new ideas.

 

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Cheesy Zucchini

I am a picky eater. My husband and kids will eat most anything, but nearly all green or orange foods are not on my "like to eat" list. As an effort to eat healthier, I am trying to find new ways to eat my veggies. Here is one of my attempts to enjoy zucchini. With cheese. Which makes everything better.

Ingredients

3 zucchinis, grated in the food processor

Olive oil

1 c shredded Colby jack cheese

Salt

Cut off end of zucchini and grate in food processor. Feel free to use a hand grater if you don't have a food processor, it will just take longer.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat for approximately 30 seconds until warm. Add zucchini to pan and stir occasionally until heated through.

Add 1 c shredded cheese, stirring it in as it melts. Salt to taste.

 

Well, this recipe was simple and fast, but I'm not sure that I like zucchini yet. A couple of learns: the zucchini was watery and I had to drain it before adding cheese. A quick search on the Internet yielded a great tip--squeeze out the excess water before cooking by wrapping the shredded zucchini in paper towels to blot moisture. This should help. It also seemed very mushy, so I may have over cooked it, although zucchini may just be a mushy vegetable. I have a few more recipes pinned for zucchini so I'll be posting more recipe attempts soon in the hope of finding a winner.

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Potato Soup with Cheese and Bacon

I love soup. I can eat it all year long. It was 110 degrees today in Vegas, and the kids still wanted potato soup. And why not? The air conditioning makes soup a great idea any day.

My potato soup is quick and easy, and it makes a tasty lunch at work the next day if you have any leftovers. Plus, did I mention it is topped with cheese and bacon? So good!

Ingredients

6-8 large potatoes

1 block cream cheese

32 oz chicken stock

1 1/2 c milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 c shredded cheese. I prefer Colby jack, but your choice.

1 pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Additional shredded cheese for topping

Wash the potatoes and cut into slices, skin on. Put the potatoes, garlic, salt and chicken stock into a pot and boil until soft. Do not drain. Remove from heat.

Add cream cheese and milk. Using your immersion blender*, blend well. Return to low heat, adding shredded cheese and stirring until blended throughout. Be sure to watch the heat and stir occasionally so your cheese doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.

Cut bacon into small chunks and fry in a separate skillet. Drain and set aside. When soup is bubbling and cheese is blended in, serve with bacon and shredded cheese topping. Crackers optional.

Serves 6-8

* If you don't have an immersion blender, you can get the same smooth results with your regular blender. Add equal parts of the potato / stock mixture with cream cheese and milk (probably 3 separate batches), blend until smooth and return to the pan to simmer with the shredded cheese. It just saves steps to use the immersion blender. So easy!

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Soft Breadsticks with Dipping Sauce

My husband is making homemade pizzas tonight on his Big Green Egg, so I'm attempting soft, no-yeast breadsticks with dipping sauce on the side. This seems easy enough.

Soft Breadsticks Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 c milk

3 tbsp melted butter

Garlic salt

Grated Parmesan cheese



Combine dry ingredients and stir in milk in small amounts until a soft dough forms. Knead 3 or 4 times on a floured cutting board, the roll out into a rectangle and cut into 12 sticks.

Pour melted butter into a 13 x 9 baking pan, adding breadsticks. Turn each breadstick to coat with melted butter. Top with garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese.



Bake at 400 for 15 to 18 minutes.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

10 oz tomato sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano



Simmer the tomato sauce with the seasonings for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat.

Serve with breadsticks and pizza.



Hey...not too shabby! This was an all-around good meal. The breadsticks didn't rise as much as I expected them too, but I suspect it was a baking powder issue since it was a bit past its date. I'll be trying this one again with different toppings in the future. It might be good with cinnamon sugar. Yum.

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Asparagus Gratin

 

Tonight I am cooking asparagus gratin. I don't think I like asparagus, but anything covered in cheese and bacon crumbles can't be all bad, right? Plus, it's a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, so it's probably good.

Ingredients

2 lbs thin asparagus

3c water

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbls unsalted butter

2 tbls flour

3/4 c parmesan cheese, grated and divided

1/2 c Monterey jack cheese, shredded (I used cheddar jack)

1/2 lb bacon, cut into pieces and fried

Directions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and pre-heat broiler. Line broiler safe baking dish with paper towels or a lint free kitchen cloth. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and set both stalks and ends aside.

 

Bring water to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus ends and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook covered, for 5 minutes.

Pour asparagus water into liquid measuring cup. If liquid does not read 1-cup mark, add water until it does. Mine was the perfect amount.

Melt butter in now empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in reserved asparagus water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in ½ cup Parmesan and Monterey jack until smooth. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove paper towels from baking dish, blotting any excess water remaining. Drizzle sauce over center of asparagus and top with remaining Parmesan. Top with bacon pieces. Broil until cheese is golden and asparagus is tender, 4-8 minutes.

 

Serves 6-8.

Well...I was right. I'm not a fan of asparagus. But the sauce was wonderful. I will try to find other vegetables to use with this amazing cheese and bacon sauce. We paired the asparagus with sirloins on the grill and the sirloins turned out perfect. Anyone who likes asparagus and cheese should love this dish.

 

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