Ultimate Coffee Cake

I saw this great coffee cake being made on the Paula Deen show and thought this would be a perfect cake to make for a Sunday morning. It is SUPER easy and looked delicious, I just didn't know it would end up looking like something off the I Love Lucy Show. RULE #1 stick to the recipe!

This is the perfect dish to make when you have company over. You make it the night before and it only takes seconds to make plus it sits overnight so in the morning all you have to do is stick it in the oven and 30 minutes later you have the most delicious tasting coffee cake that your guests will think you slaved over!

The first time I made this I thought gee 18 of those balls of dough just doesn't look like enough so I tossed in about 3 or 4 more. BIG MISTAKE. This is what I found when I got up in the morning.


So after everyone was done laughing at my dough monster in the oven I managed to stuff most of the hanging dough balls back into the pan and baked it. What I ended up with is this which isn't bad considering what I started with.

When I placed a plate on top and flipped it over the pan pulled away easily and I was left with this gooey, sticky, absolutely delicious pull apart coffee cake. Just remember to stick to the 16 - 18 dough balls and you will be fine! Another thing to remember is that by unbaked dinner rolls she means the frozen dough balls you find in your freezer section at the grocery store like these http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/800 . These come in round balls of dough that have to rise and then bake just like homemade rolls.

ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE
16-18 each unbaked frozen dinner rolls
1 3 oz pkg Butterscotch pudding - non instant
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans chopped
1 stick butter, melted

The night before you serve this, place the frozen rolls in a well greased Bundt pan.

Sprinkle the dry pudding mix evenly over the rolls.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pudding mix then the chopped pecans. Pour the melted butter over all of it. Take a piece of plastic wrap and spray it with cooking spray or wipe a thin layer of oil over one side and then place the oiled side down over the Bundt pan. Don't wrap it tight but make sure it covers the whole top.

Then just let it sit on your stove or counter over night and when you get up it will have risen over the top. I placed mine inside the oven overnight (oven turned off of course).

Then just heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes and place a plate on top and flip it over. It should come right out onto the plate.

Sausage and Egg Casserole

This recipe works just as well for a dinner as it would for a breakfast or a brunch. Though I saw it in one of the Taste of Homes Annual Recipe books I actually got this recipe many years before that at the bank I used to work at. My boss brought this dish in for a potluck we had one morning and I begged her to give me the recipe. I don't make this very often but always enjoy it when I do. I have found ways to lighten it up a bit. For the bread I used a rustic sourdough to give the bread a bit more density but you can use any bread you wish.

SAUSAGE AND EGG CASSEROLE

1 lb bulk turkey sausage
1 1/2 cups of egg substitute (like Eggbeaters) or 6 eggs if you are not watching your cholesterol
2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon salt (I left the salt out)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
6 slices bread, cubed
1 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°

In a skillet, brown and crumble the sausage; drain and set aside. In a large bowl beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Stir in bread cubes, cheese and sausage. Pour into a greased 11 X 7 X 2 inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Pizza Burgers

I was first introduced to Pizza Burgers at summer camp. For 10 summers I went to a wonderful summer camp in Maine and during the last few years I was a counselor and worked in the kitchen. It was there I found out how they made them. After I stopped going to camp I lost the recipe and could not find anyone that knew what was in them so I went about trying to recreate them myself. This recipe comes pretty close. These were a favorite with my kids when they were growing up. Very easy to make and very tasty.

I used Texas Toast to make these but in the past I always used hamburger buns, either works fine.

PIZZA BURGERS

1lb lean ground beef
1lb ground turkey
2 cans Campbells Tomato Soup
1 Tbl. sugar
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 teas. Italian seasonings
10-11 slices of Texas Toast or about 7 or 8 hamburger buns split in half

Preheat oven to 400.

Brown the meats together in a skillet, breaking the meat up into very small crumbles. When cooked through drain any grease from the pan and add the Tomato Soup and mix well. When heated through add the sugar and the cheese. Mix thoroughly and allow cheese to melt. Cook another 10 minutes or so and remove from heat. Set aside. If you are using Texas Toast then toast each slice in the toaster and arrange on a large cookie sheet. If you use the hambuger buns then place each half face up on the cookie sheet and put in the broiler until toasted. Be careful not to burn them.

Whether using the buns or toast scoop a good size spoonful onto each slice. Spread over toast until you have about a half inch layer on each. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve hot. If you use the Texas Toast slice each one in half before serving.

**NOTE** You can also substitute 1 small jar of pizza sauce for one of the cans of soup.

Crispy Chicken Salad

This is really great in the summer when you don't want to heat the oven but I like to make it all year long. It's very easy and tastes wonderful with any kind of salad.

Take boneless chicken tenders (about 1 per person) and coat with eggbeaters and then in cornflake crumbs(the kind you get in a box in the baking aisle). Brown on both sides in a little bit of oil in a frying pan just until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Drain on a paper towel and slice at an angle. Add to whatever kind of salad you wish and add your preference of dressing. Easy and very tasty! For extra flavor you can season the chicken while it is frying.

Veggie Side Dish

I was never a big vegetable lover but I have been learning to eat more and more of them. This is a really easy way to get multiple vegetables with your dinner with lots of flavor. I was never a big fan of broccoli and cauliflower before but making them this way taught me to love them.

All you need is a bag of the Broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix (I get mine at Sam's Club), a sweet onion and a little bit of grated cheddar cheese (I use low fat).

Place the frozen veggies in a casserole dish and microwave for about 5 to 7 minutes depending on how much you are making. Meanwhile slice the onion into 3/4 inch slices and then cuts those in half. When the veggies are done toss the onion to mix in with the veggies and microwave another 5 minutes or so. This will soften the onion just enough. When everything is thawed and piping hot. toss in the shredded cheese and let melt. Serve with just about any meal!

The Holiday Feast

No recipes for this entry but I wanted to post pics of some of the wonderful food my husband makes at Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. He does all the cooking for those Holidays (well the turkey, pies and vegetable platter anyway), it's his favorite thing to do.

Hot And Cheesy Chicken Casserole

This is a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that I adapted a little bit. I only changed a few things like adding the french fried crispy onions on top and using only cheddar cheese instead of cheddar and mozzarella. I also added just a sprinkle of Taco seasoning to the soup mixture to zest it up a bit.

There are so many flavors running through this it seems like every bite tastes different. The family seemed to really like it so I am sure I will be making this again. I suppose you could use some of that left over turkey in this instead of the chicken.

HOT AND CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 14-oz. pkg. frozen broccoli florets
2 cups cooked rice
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can fiesta nacho cheese s; oup
1 10-to 10.5-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup french fried onions, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. In large bowl combine chicken, broccoli, rice, and peas. Spread mixture over the chicken. In medium bowl combine cream of chicken soup, nacho cheese soup, diced tomatoes, milk, and crushed red pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese . Pour mixture over broccoli mixture in baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Sprinkle crushed crackers and onions evenly over all.

Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden. Makes 8 to 10 servings.