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

Cracked Out Chicken Bubble Up

Our 95 degree days of sunshine have made way for more clouds, rain and thunderstorms this week. 

Another dreary event has been one of our little guys, Theo recently had surgery to remove a skin tag on his eye, teeth cleaned and a lump removed from his thigh...poor guy.  Between that and the noise of fireworks, he's had a tough couple weeks around our house.

It's time for warm comfort food again and this one definitely does the trick!  Super easy, delicious and makes great leftovers.

Cracked Out Chicken Bubble Up
Courtesy of Plain Chicken

2 cups chopped or shredded chicken
1 (10.75oz) can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 Tbsp Ranch dry dressing mix
1/4 cup cooked, chopped bacon
1 (12oz) can refrigerated Grands Jr biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Combine chicken, soup, sour cream, cheese, Ranch mix and bacon.  Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Toss with chicken mixture.

Pour chicken mixture into prepared pan. (Make sure the biscuit corners are separated from each other and placed throughout the pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

One Year Ago: Quick Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad

Chicken Tetrazinni for Comforting on Wine Down Wednesday

In the matter of one week my children have hit a milestone birthday, got their driving licenses, are now driving without me and started interviewing for jobs to save for a car...I have cried more in this one week than I care to admit and am pulling out gray hairs faster than I can keep up with coloring them.  I say a prayer every time they leave the house in our car and cannot believe how fast the time is passing before my eyes.

This, on top of the winter doesn't want to let up.  We still have lots of snow, chilled mornings and nights and icy roads mixed with wind here and there.  All I have wanted lately is comfort meals, hibernation (and wine of course)!  It's taking every ounce of resistance in me not to power down on a Blackjack Meatlovers Pizza, a bottle of Ferrari Carano Chardonnay (it is Wine Down Wednesday after all), Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream and a box of Kleenex.

I am doing my best to stay strong, trying to make the gym a few days a week and somewhat stick to a South Beach(esque) menu.  Trying....

Well, this casserole doesn't make the diet cut, but it hit my comfort zone for one night (and freezes well for individual work lunches), super easy and luscious flavors.

Chicken Tetrazinni

(1) 16 oz. package of angel hair pasta, cooked
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 chicken breasts cooked, shredded
(2) 10.5 oz. cans Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped finely
2 Tbl. parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine melted butter, shredded chicken, soup, sour cream, salt, garlic powder, pepper and chicken broth.  Add the cooked angel hair pasta and mix well.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.  Sprinkle the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses over the parsley.

Bake covered in foil for 45 minutes.  (Tip: Spray the foil with non stick spray on the side that will be near the mixture/cheeses, so it doesn't stick.)  Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with more fresh parsley before serving.


One Year Ago:  Black and White Parfaits