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.

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

It's Mardi Gras Time and Fat Tuesday!!

Next to a Ruben sandwich, the classic Muffuletta is by far my husband's favorite.

Since today is Fat Tuesday and the Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of Mardi Gras, I researched and found the history of this famous delicacy.

"The muffuletta sandwich has its origins at the Central Grocery in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  According to Marie Lupo Tusa, daughter of the Central Grocery's founder, it was born when Sicilian farmers selling their produce at the nearby Farmers' Market would come into her father's grocery for lunch and order some salami, ham, cheese, olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or a round muffuletta loaf. In typical Sicilian fashion they ate everything separately sitting on crates or barrels while precariously balancing their meals on their knees. Her father suggested cutting the bread and putting everything on it like a sandwich, even if it was not typical Sicilian fashion. The thicker braided Italian bread proved too hard to bite and the softer round muffuletta loaf won out. Shortly thereafter, farmers that came for lunch began merely asking for "muffulettas."

To change it up this week, I decided to make a Muffuletta Pasta Salad with all the great ingredients and flavors that you would enjoy in the classic sandwich.

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

(1) 16-ounce box tri-color rotini
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 cup green olives, sliced

1 cup black olives, sliced

2 cups, grape tomatoes, sliced
1/4 pound ham, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound Genoa salami, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound mortadella, cut into thin strips
1 cup diced provolone cheese

1 cup Newman's Family Italian Salad Dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Rinse under cold water, drain and set aside.  

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, red onions, green olives, black olives, grape tomatoes, ham, salami, mortadella and provolone.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss with salad dressing.  (If possible, chill in refrigerator for 4 hours) to let the flavors fuse together.  Spoon pasta salad onto plates.  Makes 8 servings.

One Year Ago:  Chocolate Layered Pudding

The Hobbit's Famous French Sandwich

A few years ago, I was fortunate to first have this "sandwich" at a company event and experience  The Hobbit Restaurant in Orange County, California.

ACT I Begins in the wine cellar

All guests are invited into the wine cellar to begin the evening. You are handed the evening’s menu and a flute of Hobbit Champagne, which is truly amazing. Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres are placed throughout the cellar for you to enjoy while selecting your wine for dinner. (This is where I ever so enjoyed their French Sandwich)

ACT II Guests are invited upstairs to their own table.

Act II includes a shellfish or fish course, followed by a fowl or light meat, and then a salad course. You are then invited to enjoy “intermission” – take a walk, relax on the patios or visit the kitchen to speak with the chefs (Of course, I loved visiting the chefs in their kitchen, while they prepared dinners).

ACT III A return to the table

Ten to fifteen minutes later you are invited to return to your reset table for Act III. A flavorful sorbet is next as a palate-cleanser. The main entrée is served complete with accompanying vegetables. Dessert arrives next, always available with an after dinner list of coffee drinks, liqueurs and fine cognacs.

I had been wanting to recreate this for years, but was just too intimidated.  I am so glad I did because it brought back wonderful memories of The Hobbit experience and was actually very easy to make.

Before our fall frost hit, I made this for lunch and we enjoyed it out on our patio one sunny weekend. This sandwich makes a wonderful lunch for guests or equally great to cut it up in small diamond shapes and serve as an appetizer for your upcoming holiday events.

The Hobbit's Famous French Sandwich

Adapted from The Hobbit Restaurant

1 package puff pastry dough (Pepperidge Farm)

Dijon Mustard

1/2 lb., Monterrey Jack shredded cheese (or Swiss cheese)

4 ounces, deli Salami or Ham slices

(1) egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw pastry by leaving it out at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out thawed puff pastry sheet.
Spread mustard over pastry, leaving about 1/2" border around edges.

Add ham or salami slices on top of the mustard.

Cover with shredded monterey jack or swiss cheese.

Cover with second sheet of pastry and seal the edges.
Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbl. water)
Score top of pastry lightly with a sharp knife, careful not to
pierce the to layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes,
or until golden brown.
Once baked, serve warm.

Honey Ham Biscuit Sliders - Wife Of The Year

This morning I won the "Wife of the Year" Award.  Well, actually it was self-awarded, but I'm sure many would agree with me.

Today was the first golf tournament of the season - yeah !!!!  I get my mornings back to myself again...pajamas, coffee time, food episodes, reading magazines, blogging, manicure, pedicure...ah, the life of a golf widow.

However, the weather was 30 degrees with a chance of rain and snow.  Tournament still on, husband bundled up and ready to go.  Tee time set for 9:20 am.  However he realizes that he never had a chance to buy his "winter" golf gloves before the tournament.  Slight issue...sports stores don't open until 9:00 am., and there is no way he will have time to drive out, purchase gloves and make his tee time, in time.

"Honey, will you please run out and buy the winter gloves for me and hand warmers and drop them off a the clubhouse before my starting time?"  This was all asked as I was in my pajamas, just put the recliner in "lounge position" and topped my coffee off with my own warmer.  I'm not going to say what went though my mind at that point (because he also reads this blog...)

The only saving grace he had was that I also needed to do the weekly dinner menu grocery shopping and needed to get out eventually...just wasn't planning on that early.

Needless to say, he made it through 13 holes,
and then this happened.

For those chilly tournament mornings, these are the best little breakfast sandwiches.

Honey Ham Biscuit Sliders
Courtesy of  plainchicken.com

1 can Grands Jr Butter Tasting Biscuits (10 count)
1/2 lb deli ham, shaved
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup honey mustard dressing
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey
Preheat oven to 400.

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

Separate each biscuits into two layers.  Spread each layer with honey mustard and top with swiss cheese.  Place half of the biscuits, cheese side up, in the bottom of prepared pan.  Top with ham.  Top ham with remaining biscuits, cheese side down.  Brush biscuit tops with melted butter.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Heat honey in microwave for 20 seconds.  Brush biscuit tops with warm honey.  Serve immediately.

Ham & Cheese Biscuit Bake - Breakfast for Champions

Good news was there was no volleyball tournament this weekend, so we got a little break...yeah, sure we did!!!  Our weekend was crazy busy, once again.  Oh how I long for a "Sea Day".  My friend Annie and her sister coined the phrase "Sea Day".  This is a day where you pretend you are at sea, don't leave your pajamas, watch movies all day and snack to your heart's desire.  I will keep thinking positive thoughts...someday...Sea Day.

Lots of things to do and not much time.  Clean house, grocery shop, bathe the very stinky dogs at our favorite self service dog wash Paws 2 Groom, prep for Super Bowl party meal and get ready for the upcoming week.  Of course, our plan was to do a lot of bbq and using the smoker on Sunday and what does Mother Nature do...she dumps over a foot of snow the night before.

Our teenagers contributed by making the touchdown cupcake platter.

We had great ambitions during Super Bowl for our guests Heather and Matt.  Heather is a phenomenal stylist and Matt is a computer guru.  Heather was kind enough to come over and beautify all our hair and Matt cleaned up our laptop, the trade was a full evening of Super Bowl Foods.

All of this needed a good start to the day with a hearty breakfast I found on Pinterest - Ham & Cheese Biscuit Bake.

Ham and Cheese Biscuit Bake
Courtesy of plainchicken.com

1 can Grands Jr. flaky biscuits (10 biscuits) 8 oz diced ham 1 cup grated swiss or cheddar cheese 2 tbsp honey mustard dressing 3 eggs 2/3 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Separate biscuits and cut into quarters. Place biscuits in bottom of pan. Top with ham and swiss cheese. Whisk together eggs, honey mustard and heavy cream.  Pour over biscuits. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes.