Breakfast Casserole

Serves 6
1 pkg “Little Smokies” or other mini pre-packaged mini sausage*

1 8ou can refrigerated crescent rolls 

2C grated cheese of choice (mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey jack, etc.)

4 beaten eggs - maybe more depending on how many servings you want

3/4C milk

¼ t salt

1/8t pepper

• Preheat oven to 425degrees.
• Unroll refrigerated crescent rolls (if not cool, they will get sticky and not unroll well) and line bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, pressing perforations together to seal into one sheet.  This forms a bottom crust.
• Grate cheese.  
• Crumble meat (or use food processor).
• Sprinkle crust with meat and cheese, distributing evenly.
• Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper - beat well (until slightly frothy).  
• Pour over meat and cheese mixture, distributing evenly throughout pan.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until set and top is slightly brown.  
• Take out and sprinkle with fresh or canned parmesan cheese (optional: do this the last 5 minutes of cooking if you’d like parmesan to melt into casserole a bit)
• Let stand approximately 5 minutes to allow it to set up enough to cut.
• Cut into squares and serve immediately.  

*Note:  Cooked crumbled bacon, ham, bulk sausage (crumbled, cooked and well-drained) or other meat/protein of choice may be substituted for the sausage.

Blue Cheese + Honey + Bread

Strawberry Freezer Jam

INGREDIENTS
4 cups of hulled and crushed fruit
1 1/2 cups sugar
Freezer Jam Pectin put out by Ball.
Containers (Ball makes some specifically for their freezer jam recipes - 5 eight-ounce freezer jars)

DIRECTIONS
1. Hull & crush fruit.

2. Put sugar and the pectin in a bowl and whisk together well. Then stir in the crushed fruit.

3. Ladle the jam into your washed and rinsed freezer containers, let them sit out for half an hour to get the pectin activated, and then label them and pop them in the freezer.

from Barefoot Kitchen Witch

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

____________________________________
INGREDIENTS (makes 12)
1 ½ Cups of Flour
½ Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of peeled, diced Granny Smith apples
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg
1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ Cup of Milk
1/3 Cup of Butter, Melted
¼ Cup of Sugar
½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
¼ Cup of Butter, Melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Mix flour, ½ cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt together. In another bowl, mix egg, milk, and 1/3 cup of melted butter. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir.
Spoon batter into cupcake mold.

3. Mix in 1 cup of diced Granny Smith peeled apples (I soaked mine in a little sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon for a few minutes first).

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Combine ¼ cup of sugar and cinnamon. Cool muffins and remove from pan. Dip muffins into ¼ cup melted butter, then into sugar-cinnamon mix.

Peach Muffins with Brown Sugar Struesel

__________________________________
Makes large 12 muffins

Muffin Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon dark rum or pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peeled, pitted, chopped peaches

1. For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the butter, and mix until well blended.

2. For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners, and spray the top of the pan lightly with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, from flour to salt, and set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, sour cream and rum or vanilla. Fold in the peaches.

5. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until just moist and blended. Do not overmix.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3-cup scoop). The batter should come to the top of the paper liner or pan. Sprinkle with the Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping, and lightly press the topping into the muffin batter.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes clean. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan, and serve immediately.

................................................................
Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping:
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Variations: Almost any fresh or frozen fruit (except for very soft fruits like bananas or mango) can be substituted for the peaches.

from Ezra Lb Cake, adapted from Sara Foster’s “The Foster’s Market Cookbook”

Fresh Tomato Tart

___________________________
Basil-Garlic Tart Dough:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 tablespoons ice water

1. Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.

2. Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

3. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.

4. Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)

5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

.............................................................
Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust:
1 recipe Basil-Garlic Tart Dough (recipe follows)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella
2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Prepare the dough, and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the tart shell with mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)

from Ezra Lb Cake

Blueberry Hand Pies

INGREDIENTS
Crust: (I double this)
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 stick butter
4 tbsp ice water

Filling: (enough for for about 12 pies)
4 cups blueberries, rhubarb, apples, berries, etc.
1 cup sugar (use more for tart fillings)
4 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon or orange juice

DIRECTIONS
1.) Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Cut butter into cubes and add to the processor and pulse until just combined. Slowly add the ice water in while pulsing.

2.) Divide your ball of dough into equal segments (about 8) and roll out into discs.

3.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine ingredients for filling in a mixing bowl.

4.) Add about 1/4 cup of the filling on top of each disc on one side, then fold the dough over the filling to create a crescent shape. pinch the seams and fold over. Place your pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke holed on the top of each pie.

5.) Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then remove and brush with an egg wash. Bake at 350 for an additional 15 minutes.

Carmelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart

from Shelterrific

DIRECTIONS
First, prepare a standard tart-crust recipe for a 9- or 10-inch tart pan. I used a cornmeal crust to add some heft and crunch to the dish, but a basic crust would be just as delicious. Make sure you pre-bake the tart crust to keep it from going soggy.

To make the filling: Caramelize 3 large onions in a pat of butter until meltingly sweet and tender; set aside. Next, puree a small log (mine was 4 ounces) of goat cheese, a couple of eggs, a pinch each of salt and pepper, a splash of milk, 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, and a whole lotta grated parmesan in a food processor or blender. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked tart shell and top with the caramelized onions. Sprinkle with some more fresh thyme and some toasted pine nuts, then pop in a 350F oven until golden and set. Mine took just 25 minutes and it was ready to eat.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

6 slices bacon
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Saute mushrooms, garlic, and shallots in 1 Tbsp olive oil.
4. In a large bowl, whip together eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in bacon, spinach, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Transfer to the pie crust. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 50 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.