Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Bake...Baby It's Cold Outside

Well our morning temperatures have definitely dropped as of late.  It's just a tad bit chilly when we wake up now.  Still no snow yet though, just crisp fall air which is perfectly okay with me at this point.  I'm not quite ready to pull out every parka, coat, scarf, hat and gloves quite yet.  Although, I have already started wearing a few of my pashmina scarves that I love so much (don't ask how many colors of them I have), because I am fashionable like that.

A few weeks ago when we were entertaining family, I decided to have a send off Sunday brunch for my sister-in-law and her husband.  In planning the menu I really wanted to do biscuits and gravy but they can really get heavy sometimes.  I decided to make a breakfast bake instead with the same ingredients, only cutting up biscuits into quarters.  This way it is much more portioned control and health conscious for those of us watching our figure...well, that's the story I was trying to convince myself of anyway.  

WOW!!  This dish was awesome.  My husband went back for seconds and thirds.  The bake was gone in a blink, before I could even get a photo of it.  So, as luck would have it, I made another batch of it the next week, so I could get photos and it was still a huge hit with the family!  If you have upcoming holiday company in the near future, I highly recommend this one for breakfast.

Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Bake

2 (12 ounce) packages Jimmy Dean Reduced Fat Sausage

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups whole milk

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Lawry's season salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (12 ounce) container Pillsbury Grands Jr. Biscuits (10 count)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 glass baking dish

with non-stick spray inside (bottom and sides).

If you have a cast iron skillet, I recommend using that

to make the sausage gravy.

Brown sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Sprinkle half the flour and stir so

that sausage soaks it all up, then add more a little at a time.

Stir around again and pour in the milk, stirring constantly.

Cook the gravy, stirring frequently until it thickens (up to 15 minutes).

Sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper and continue cooking.

If it gets too thick, add 1/2 cup milk at a time, if needed.

While the sausage gravy simmers, cut the biscuits into

quarters and spread around baking dish.

Pour the sausage gravy over the biscuits and stir well, 

to make sure all the biscuits are coated and evenly distributed.

Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes,

until biscuits are cooked through and lightly browned.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

One Year Ago:  Creamy Artichoke Bruschetta
Two Years Ago:  Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Pear Cake, Pinterest and Prayer

In my never ending effort to search out and find new innovating recipes, I have become an avid subscriber to Pinterest.  It's actually really more of a love-hate relationship.  I haven't decided if the site motivates me and inspires me to create and "think outside the box" or depresses me because there are so many talented people in this world and I am just in awe of them, their specialties and jealous of the time they have to create so many beautiful things...be it foods, crafts, events, tabletops, etc...

My world has been quite busy as of late and I have been in need of anything new that can be created on a budget and in a time friendly manner.  I just have to keep reminding myself that "this too shall pass", take a deep breath and pray.

This cake is one of those gems that I recently stumbled on during one of my Pinterest binges.  It was incredibly easy, fast, amazingly delicious and fit my budget.  I think it would also make a great coffee cake (for those rare special days that I actually get to sit during a weekend morning and relax).

Pear Cake
Adapted from An Italian In My Kitchen

1-1/2 cups flour
5-1/2 Tbl. cornstarch
1 Tbl. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup mascarpone
2-1/2 Tbl. canola oil
pinch of salt
2 pears
powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 9" cake pan.  (I used a spring-form pan).

Clean and peel the pears.  One pear chop into medium sized cubes, and the other pear thin slices and set aside.

In a medium bowl, at medium speed beat eggs and sugar until creamy, add mascarpone and continue beating until smooth.

In another medium bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and baking powder.

Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture and stir gently to combine, then add the oil and salt and stirring to combine.

Fold in the medium-sized cubed pear, spoon into the prepared cake pan.

Top with the sliced pears and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake approximately 45 minutes.  Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.

One Year Ago:  Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Two Years Ago: Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas

Lemon-Blackberry Olive Oil Cake

As I was looking to see which post to do today, I went back to find the "One Year Ago" recipe and saw that today is the 2nd Anniversary of my blog, which means I now also get to do "Two Years Ago" and the end of the recipes/posts.  Oh my gosh, where has this year gone?  Can anyone please tell me?  I am amazed how fast time keeps ticking by me.

I perused through my photo cache of recipes from the past few months and realized I had not posted this one yet.  It's easy, refreshing and a perfect summer dessert.  In our case, also a great coffee cake for mornings.  

I changed up the Orange Olive Oil Cake that I made a few months ago to see what switching out a couple ingredients would do.  The end result was awesome.  I cannot wait to make this for my grandma when we visit her during our vacation.

Lemon-Blackberry Olive Oil Cake

Non-stick baking spray
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 3 Tbls. juice, 1 Tbl. zest)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Spray 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick baking spray.

Mix together the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended and light.  Drizzle in the olive oil and vanilla and mix until light and smooth.  Add the lemon juice and zest and mix well.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl.  Add the flour mixture half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix on low just to incorporate.  Carefully fold in the blackberries to the batter, until evenly distributed.

Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let the cake cool 15 minutes.  Serve with fresh whipping cream and blackberries.

One Year Ago:  Fry Sauce
Two Years Ago: Pickling Cucumbers

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones

This past weekend was my 18th wedding anniversary.  Last year we had the fortunate blessing of being able to take our family to Mauni Lani Resort in Kona for a special, beautiful anniversary week.

With all our unfortunate weather we have been having this month, it has made me yearn for Hawaii even more this week.  Our first morning we woke up on the island, my husband and I treated ourselves to a taste of Hawaii with Kona coffee and chocolate chip coconut scones.  I have been desperately craving them since.

Last year's Kona coffee and anniversary scones.

Well, I was determined this week to bring back some of those tastes and wonderful memories of our family vacation to us this week.  I started off this weekend with creating my own Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones.  Oh dear heaven, they were amazing!!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones
Adapted from Joy The Baker
(makes 12 scones)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons raw or granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 large egg
3/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

buttermilk and sugar for topping, before baking

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place shredded coconut on parchment paper lined baking sheet

and toast in the oven about 8 to 10 minutes.

Keep your eye on the coconut, it browns quickly.

Remove from oven when toasted and let cool.

* Heat oven now to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Toss the cold butter into the flour mixture.  Using your hands,

quickly work the butter into flour mixture, breaking it up with

your fingers.  Some butter bits will be the size of small pebbles,

 and some will be the size of oat flakes.  Set in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Remove the flour and butter mixture from the refrigerator and

add the coconut and chocolate chips.  Whisk together.

Make a well in the center of mixture.  Add the buttermilk

mixture all at once to the well.  Use a fork to bring the wet and 

dry ingredients together.  Mixture will be shaggy.

Lightly flour a work surface and dump the shaggy dough mixture

onto the counter.  Bring together the dough with your hands into

a 1-1/2 inch thick disk.  Use a 2-1/2 inch square pastry cutter to

cut out scones.  Flour the cutter if it starts to stick.

Place scones about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

(I used the same sheet that I toasted the coconut).

Brush with a bit of buttermilk and sprinkle a few pinches 

of granulated sugar.

 Bake scones for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked

through.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

Aloha!!!

Blackberry Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

A hint of Spring peeked in our front yard this week.

Spring is in the air and Easter is around the corner (and more snow, if you can believe it).  As I have seen all these beautiful little signs of spring pop up in our yard, I look at the weather channel and see it is supposed to snow this Friday...really??  Hard to imagine.

Unfortunately, my husband will have to deal with the snow alone, as my daughters and I leave in the morning for a national tournament.  Also, unfortunately for the first time in 22 years, we will all not be together for Easter morning.  As we return very late Sunday night, it will be historical to not have Easter baskets, morning Mass, or our family brunch together and that makes all of us so incredibly sad.  So much that I didn't even put out one Easter decoration from my menage of decor that I have acquired over the years.

To try and cheer up both of us, I made a coffee cake today so my husband could enjoy for breakfast while we are away.  This is so delicious and would be perfect for your Easter family brunch or even as a dessert with a wonderful freshly made whipped cream topping (or just go ahead and have the whipped cream topped cake for brunch too - why not??!!)

Blackberry Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

• 2 cups plus 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 eggs, beaten, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 pint blackberries
• 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the pecan streusel:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dust the pan with a little flour, tapping out the excess.

In a bowl, sift together the 2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and orange zest on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs and then the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, beating until smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In another bowl, combine the blackberries, brown sugar, cinnamon and the 1 Tbs. flour. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Top with the berry mixture, taking care that no berries touch the sides of the pan. Spread the remaining batter over the berries, smoothing the top.

To make the streusel, in a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and butter. Using your fingers, work the ingredients together until just combined, then work in the pecans. Press the mixture together into a ball and then separate it with your fingers into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cake.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Cut the cake into squares and serve. Serves 12.

Breakfast Casserole and Breaking The Rules

I love looking at the world through the eyes of a child.  When my twins were toddlers, they would look out our large picture window, into the backyard and watch the dogs run.  They would laugh and laugh and happily watch them run back and forth chasing each other.  I would get down on my knees at look at everything with them at their height.  There is so much joy at that age (and height) and I think we can all take away a little life learning lesson with that.

As I spent the last week with our niece I was reminded of  how we need to open ourselves up to let the pressures go and enjoy a little happiness every now and again.  We had so much fun with her, she had us laughing every single day.

A special stop at our favorite Happy Cakes.
Oh so good!!!

Painting our very lucky charm, complete with a rainbow
and pot of gold, during "Paint Me A Story" time at Crackpots..

During our "Paint Me A Story" time at Crackpots, we painted a four leaf clover and added the centered rainbow and pot of gold.  My niece asked me to help her with the rainbow.  I did the first two colors and she asked to finish the rest of it.  Now being an art and design major, I tend to get a little particular when it comes to art projects.  She took her brush, dipped in the next paint color and followed my lead in the rainbow.  I watched her diligently try to keep it neat and not mess up the lines...she is 5 years old and of course the lines were not perfect...and it didn't matter.  I just let her paint.  She was so happy and excited with her accomplishment.

So in the end, I learned it is okay to break the rules a little...paint outside the lines and eat a cupcake. 

Do what makes you happy and one day, stop and look at the world through the eyes of a child. 

Breakfast Casserole

24 oz. frozen hash browns (about 3/4 of a bag)
16 oz. ham steak, cut into cubes
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
12 large eggs
1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
(optional) hot sauce (like Franks's) or your favorite brand

1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Add the frozen hash browns, ham, and cheese to a large bowl. Mix and combine well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. 

In the same bowl you mixed the hash browns in, whisk the eggs with the milk, (a couple dashes of hot sauce) salt, and pepper.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hash browns, cheese and ham.

Bake until the center is set and the edges are lightly brown. (about one hour for baking time).

One Year Ago:  Sweet Dreams

Theo, my photography assistant was there to oversee
the photo shoot of this dish during breakfast.

Cross My Heart Danish

This has been one of those trying weeks that I am glad is over (I hope)...full moon, sick kids, multiple PMS cases in the house, carpool challenges, snow storms, etc...which has also given me not the best frame of mind or attitude.  I don't know what it is about the month of February, the stars are never in alignment for me.

I should apologize to those I have crossed paths with this week and to my family.  I cross my heart that I will try to be happier and nicer next week.

Cross My Heart Danish
Adapted from Chocolate Chip Danish by Pillsbury

1 can Pillsbury™ Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Hershey's red M&M's)

Heat oven at 350°F. Line 17x12-inch cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper

 or silicone nonstick baking mat.

Unroll dough onto lined cookie sheet; press dough into about 16x10-inch rectangle.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. 

 With sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 1 1/2-inch-long slanted cuts 1 inch apart along both long sides of rectangle, leaving center of dough uncut.

 Make sure you have the same amount of cut strips on both sides.

Spread mixture on uncut center of dough. 

Sprinkle chocolate chips (or candies) over cream cheese mixture.

Braid dough by crossing strips over filling, alternating from side to side.
At end, trim off any overhanging dough.

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or just until golden brown. 
Remove from cookie sheet to bread board, serving platter or cooling rack. Cut into slices to serve. Best served the same day.

One Year Ago:  Mediterranean Chicken and Sausage

Crepes for Cranky Mom

The new year celebration is now over.  The Rose Parade was beautiful and football games exciting. It is now back to reality.  Today we will take down our Christmas decor and pack them away for another 11 months and it will be very sad.  I have been spoiled with 5 days off of work and next week will feel tremendously long. Starting Monday it is back to school, volleyball practices and prepare for traveling tournaments next weekend, but not before we get through all the laundry and housework this weekend.  (Let us not forget the homework assignments that have sat for a week and a half that also need to be done before Monday!)  I am already starting to feel my crankiness set in...

Before I realized all of this though, yesterday we spoiled ourselves by making New Years brunch items for the family.  My husband and I started off with a quiche and a side of raspberry-cream cheese coffee cake while my youngest daughter wanted to make crepes.  It was a quite a feat so early in the morning, but why not...we only do this once a year.

Theo also approved of the crepes.

She immediately got on her phone and searched out a crepe recipe for us...and found the perfect rendition that took no time at all to accomplish.  Delicious!!

Basic Crepes
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups whole milk, room temperature, plus more if needed
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet    

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together milk and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking to combine. Whisk in butter. Strain mixture into a medium bowl, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day)   **(I am certainly not that organized to plan out crepes 24 hours in advance.)  We stirred, we poured and we ate all in 1/2 hour and they were great.  Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream; add more milk if needed.

Heat an 8- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, and brush with butter. Ladle or pour 3 tablespoons batter (for small crepes) or 1/3 cup batter (for large crepes) into pan, turning and tilting skillet to coat bottom evenly with batter. Cook until top of crepe appears set, bottom is firm and golden brown in spots, and center is lifted by pockets of air, about 1 minute.

Run a spatula around edge of crepe to loosen. Slip spatula under crepe, and gently flip in one swift gesture. (If it doesn't land quite right, that's okay; use the spatula to unfold or rearrange it.) Cook until bottom is firm and golden brown in spots, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate, and cover. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing pan lightly with butter as needed (every 2 or 3 crepes). Serve immediately.

**Recommended serving...drizzle with a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice and powdered sugar.  Fold and top with sliced strawberries.  (Keep your dog from stealing it.)

One Year Ago: S'More Dip

Blueberry-Banana Muffins and Mangers

Of all the decorations we have, our favorite by far, are the homemade ones that have stood the test of time in our lives.  The burlap gingerbread man from my husband's kindergarten days or the glitter covered metal baby food jar lids that my girls in preschool, transformed into beautiful ornaments.  

The one that has the most special meaning is our manger.  My husband made this many, many years ago for their family.  They had all the figurines, but needed a home.  He built this perfect nativity for them, complete with lighting, grass roof and the outer deck is on hinges, so it folds up perfectly to store in the off season.  I love having this in our family room to look at every evening.

Since Christmas is in only three days, I think it is safe to say that my baking endeavors just aren't going to happen this year.  I had all the inspiration to try out some new desserts and make some of our family standby favorites....none of them have surfaced at this point.  The only thing I have been accomplishing is muffins.  Every weekend I am craving muffins.  I love the aroma of muffins baking on Saturday morning and filling the house with their warmth. (Unfortunately, they are also filling my pants a little too much!)

I saw these muffins on my friend Toni's blog site and added some remaining blueberries I had in the refrigerator to use up.  These are so incredibly good!

Blender Banana Muffins
from my Muffin Recipe box (courtesy of A Taste of Alaska)

Sift together in a bowl:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Place in the blender and blend until smooth:
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

*** (1) cup fresh blueberries, which I added to the recipe.

For topping:
Granola, without dried fruit

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Add blender ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing well.  Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup almost full. (At this point, I added a few blueberries to each of the muffins).  Top with a generous sprinkle of granola.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 18 large muffins.

One Year Ago:  Holiday Cake Cookies

Christmas Muffins and My Elves

We are of course in the throws of a whirlwind week for the entire family.  Action packed with sports practices, company parties, concession commitments, school finals and assignments and my husband's birthday tomorrow. Thank goodness though, the holiday decorating is complete and I didn't have to lift one box.

Last weekend I was receiving a verbal reprimand from my girls as to why the house had not been decorated yet, as it was way past December 1st.  I simply explained that they were now old enough to take over the duties and I was passing my torch on to them and they had full reigns to decorate as they wish.  They had plenty years of experience with helping me in the past and I shared I was fully confident that they would do a beautiful job.

On that note, I went upstairs, closed the blinds, curled up in a comfy blanket and took a nap (still trying to shake this terrible head cold).  An hour later I woke, opened up my bedroom door and saw a sea of red, green, silver garland and wreaths everywhere while listening to their favorite holiday hits.  In that one hour, they proceeded to pack up Thanksgiving, pull out all the Christmas bins from the basement and decorate away.  My little elves took over the house and I couldn't be happier.

To thank them, the next day I tried out a new muffin experiment.  I still have an abundance of pantry items from the family visit and am determined to use everything up before I do another major grocery store venture.

These taste like Christmas morning to me... a little of that cinnamon/sugar coffee cake we all grew up with and a touch of chocolate that brings back those hot coco memories.

Christmas Muffins

1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly mist a regular size (12 count) muffin pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.

Put the light brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl and stir well.  Set aside.

Put the yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, canola oil, water, eggs and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute.  Stop and scrape the bowl sides.  Mix again on medium speed for another 2 minutes.  Pour the mini chocolate chips in the batter and fold in to get it fully mixed.

Pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin tin until all 12 tins are full.  Spoon approximately 1 Tablespoon of the sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of each muffin.  Swirl the mixture into the batter with a toothpick so there is cinnamon/sugar in both the batter and on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-18 minutes.

Makes 18-20 muffins.

One Year Ago:  Zens Master Meatlovers Chili

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

I can now check one event off my list...Volleyball Season Banquet - done.  After two months of planning and preparation, it is now over and I can breathe a sigh of relief.  The next morning, I felt like I had been hit by a train... all the anticipation and work, had finally kicked my butt, but it was definitely well worth it.

Personalized Gift Bags
 for all 44 players and coaches.

Floral team centerpiece at buffet table.

Custom monogram lollipops, bubbles and mini volleyballs.

Lighted centerpieces for each table.

I needed a quick, easy breakfast for the weekend and these little beauties were perfect!  I cannot believe how easy they were and I really cannot believe (being the semi-homemade baker) that I had never heard of these two ingredient muffins.  If you go on Pinterest, you can find countless combination possibilities.

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

1 (18.25 oz) pkg yellow cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl mix together the cake mix and canned pumpkin until smooth.  Batter will be really thick.

Spoon equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin cups.

** At this point, we sprinkled half of the muffins with mini chocolate chips and the other half with our family cinnamon/sugar blend...both additions were equally terrific.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.

One Year Ago: Churchill Downs Signature BBQ Shrimp

Chile-Cheese Egg Bake

We just finished three whirlwind days at the annual Colorado Crossroads Volleyball Tournament in Denver.  Last year was our first year to experience this competition.  There are no words to describe such an event.
Imagine 90 volleyball courts, back-to-back and all filled with amped up screaming female athletes - Insanity!!

This is just half of the arena.

The other part of the weekend is a merchandiser's dream.  All the volleyballs, t-shirts, knee pads, blinged out headbands and sports paraphernalia you can imagine.

All the free Gatorade a girl could want.

The team did great and took 1st place in their pool on the second day.  They all worked so hard and came home exhausted every night.

Their "Dig Pink" uniforms for the day to support breast cancer awareness.

The tournament's famous donuts - people wait in line
 that is wrapped around the lobby for these little guys.

To start our morning off right, I made our family breakfast casserole.  Love this dish.  Wonderful for any gathering, weekend morning or sporting event for that much needed protein.  We paired it perfectly with blueberry muffins and fresh fruit.

Chile-Cheese Egg Bake

10 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pint creamed cottage cheese
16 oz. package shredded  jack cheese (or mexican blend)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies

In a large bowl, beat eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, grated jack cheese and melted butter.  Blend and stir in chilies.  Pour into well greased 13" x 8" casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is browned.  (Ingredients can be assembled a day ahead and baked at a later time).

** I cut up the left over casserole into individual sizes and freeze for weekday quick go-to breakfast.