Egg Casserole

Want a very unhealthy egg bake that tastes yummy?  I have a recipe for you.  This was pretty tasty but as you can see it isn't very good for you.  It is a little on the salty side.  You probably could half the recipe and make in a 8x8 pan.  Best part of this recipe is you can assemble the night before and just bake it in the morning.

1 dozen hard boiled eggs (sliced)
1 lbs. bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups crushed potato chips
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 cups Velveeta cheese, diced

Sauce:
Cook together butter and onion until onions are clear.
Mix flour and milk.  Heat until this thickens.  Add cheese.
Put butter and onion in sauce

Put 1/2 of the 1st three ingredients in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Then pour over 1/2 of the sauce.  Repeat layers (make 2 layers).

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour.

New Recipes

I promise I have new recipes.  I just keep forgetting them at home and when I get home the last thing I want to do is look at a computer.  I have put it on my list to remember to grab the recipes tonight and put them in my work bag.  Most are new freezer meals that I made for my sister for her birthday present.  Stay tuned....

Wild Rice Chicken Dinner

This is another freezer meal so please note the serving sizes.  I halved the recipe and made 2 - 8x8 pans.  I posted the original recipes but it is easy to adjust this recipe.  The green beans don't have to be thawed, mine were frozen and it tasted fine.  To make this recipe even easier, put the chicken in the crock pot in the morning, start the rice when you get home or make it ahead of time.  The rest of the recipe take about 15 minutes.  It is a fast recipes if you take a little time and planning ahead.


Serving size:
2 casseroles (6-8 servings each)


Ingredients:
2 pkg (8.8oz each) wild rice
2 pkg (16 oz each) frozen french-style green beans, thawed
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) cream of celery soup, undiluted
2 cans (8 oz each) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 jars (4 oz each) sliced pimientos, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp pepper
6 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup slivered almonds, divided


Directions:
Heat the rice according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the green beans, soup, water chestnuts, onion, pimientos, mayo, milk and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken and rice, cook 3-4 minutes longer or until chicken is heated through.


Transfer half of the mixture to a serving dish; sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds.  Serve immediately.  Pour remaining mixture into a greased 13x9 pan, cool.  Sprinkle with remaining almonds.  Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.


To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the fridge overnight.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

Oh-So-Good Granola Bars

So I try a new granola bar recipe.  I don't think I picked the right combination of dried fruit for mine but I will make this recipe again with a few adjustments.  I will cut back on the amount of fruit bit (too overpowering with 16oz), add a few more dark chocolate chips, and maybe try almonds instead of walnuts.  All in all... definitely a hearty granola bar and good for a breakfast on the run or a mid-morning snack.

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 16-ounce package mixed dried-fruit bits
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dark-chocolate chips

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
2. 2. In a large bowl, combine oats, both flours, ground flaxseeds, Grape-Nuts, and ginger. Add egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil; mix well. Stir in fruit bits, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
3. 3. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use edges of foil to lift cooked granola from pan, and cut into bars.

Super Simple Bacon, Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I made this for a dinner with some friends.  Start to finish 20 minutes.  It is great if you are in a hurry.  I used bagel chips but you could serve it with chips, crackers or bread chunks. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Cool; chop coarsely.
2. Stir together the bacon, spinach, artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese until well combined. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Super-Simple-Bacon-Spinach-and-Artichoke-Dip/Detail.aspx

Brandy Carrots

Again a big thank you to Linda Hallman for this recipe.  Super duper easy to make and gives cooked carrots a new spin.  Of course the carrots can be cleaned and cut up ahead of time which makes for an easy vegetable dish the day company is coming.

1 1/4 lbs carrots - cut into strips
1/4 c. melted butter/margarine
1/4 c. brandy
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Put carrots in an oven safe covered dish.  Mix other ingredients together and pour over carrots.  Cover and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Opulent Chicken

Shout out to Linda Hallman for this recipe.  This is an awesome recipe.  And with the advice from Linda, it is perfect to make the night before and warm it up the next day.  We (Bf and I) made this on Wednesday night and put it in the fridge over night.  Then when we were getting ready for our dinner guest we put it back in the oven to reheat.  You couldn't even tell it was made the night before.

We used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.  Either will work.  Please don't let the artichoke heats scary you away.  I'm not a fan of artichokes either but once everything is cooked you can't even tell they are in the dish.  I actually forgot they were in the chicken dish until we were clean up dinner, then it dawned on me.  We served with Brandied Carrots and part wild rice and part white rice.  Makes a fancier meal that can be done ahead of time.  My 6 qt. dutch oven worked perfect for this recipe and fit 8 chicken thighs with no problems.

8 chicken thighs or breasts
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
1/4 lbs butter (1 stick)
1 - 15oz can of artichoke hearts
1/2 lbs fresh mushrooms
1 pinch tarragon
3 tbsp flour
1/3 c. sherry
1 1/2 cups chicken bouillon

Slather the chicken in paprika, salt, and pepper.  Saute in 1/2 stick butter until golden brown.  Place the chicken pieces in a large serving casserole and add the artichokes among them.  Put the mushrooms and the remaining half of the butter in the same skillet you used for browning the chicken.  Season with the tarragon ans saute for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour in gently and add the sherry and bouillon.  Simmer for 5 minutes and pour the sauce over the chicken and artichokes.  cover the casserole and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Recipe taken from Saucepans and the Single Girl