Breakfast Casserole

This is a breakfast casserole that I started making after dating a guy because he made it, and I liked it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 pkg hash browns, thawed
1/3 c melted butter (optional)
1 lb country sausage, cooked
Bite-sized sautéed vegetables (optional)
12 eggs
1/2 to 2/3 c milk
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 c cheese (or more if layering)

Place hash browns in baking dish. If wanting to make a more cheesy casserole, layer in some cheese. Pour melted butter over top. Sprinkle sausage (and vegetables) over hash browns. Mix milk, eggs, and spices. Pour mixture over hash browns and sausage. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Top with cheese so it melts.

This recipe can be made in a crock pot by layering potatoes, sausage and cheese in three layers. Don't top with cheese until after it's completed cooking. Pour egg mixture over the top of the layers and cook for 7 hours on low overnight or until the egg is thoroughly cooked. Top with final layer of cheese a few minutes before serving until it melts. If your crock pot doesn't cook evenly, it may be best to use a crock pot liner to prevent burning or hardening on the sides or bottom.

Zuppa Toscana - Crock Pot

This is one of my favorite crock pot soups of all time.

1 lb country-style sausage

3 russet potatoes, cubed

1 onion, diced

3 Tbsp minced garlic

32 oz chicken broth

1 c heavy cream

2 Tbsp flour

3 or 4 stalks of kale, cut off the rind into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Garnish: Grated Parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in frying pan. Add to crock pot with potatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken broth. Fill with water to cover meat and vegetables, if necessary. Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or high for 3 - 4 hours. 30 minutes before serving mix flour into cream. Add cream mixture to crock pot. Also add kale and seasonings to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Tom Khar Gai Soup

This soup is delicious, even when it's leftover.

1 piece ginger, peeled and smashed or 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp lime zest and 1/4 c lime juice
6 c chicken broth
1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
8 oz mushrooms, cut into small pieces
13.5 oz can coconut milk
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp lemongrass paste or peeled and smashed fresh
1 tsp sugar

Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime zest, and lime juice to boil in chicken stock. Reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain and discard solids. Add chicken and return to boil. Reduce heat and add mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (approximately 20 minutes). Skim top if necessary. Mix in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar.

Serve with chili oil and lime wedges.

Egg Drop Soup

This is the easy soup I like to whip up as a side to Chinese meals.

4 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp chopped chives
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 eggs
Vegetables, like corn, peas, or small pieces of carrots (optional)

Dissolve cornstarch in 3/4 c broth. Pour remainder in saucepan with spices (and vegetables). Bring to boil. Slowly pour in cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Stir the hot soup into circles and slowly pour in eggs, creating egg ribbons, if possible.

Roasted Vegetables

I love to roast Brussels sprouts this way, but most vegetables are awesome this way.

Preheat oven to 400 or 450 degrees

Vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary
Olive oil
garlic, garlic salt, or garlic powder

Toss vegetables in olive oil or sprinkle olive oil on vegetables to coat. Add garlic. Roast in a hot oven for 25 minutes. If the vegetables are frozen, roast for another 15ish minutes.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

This is the recipe for chicken broccoli casserole that we always ate as children, teens, adults, and basically all the time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 whole chicken
2 pkgs frozen broccoli crowns
1 c mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 c real margarine, melted
1/2 c shredded cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs

Boil chicken and broccoli. In a 8 x 8 baking dish, layer shredded cooked chicken and broccoli. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry, and margarine to make the sauce and pour over broccoli and chicken. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with rice cooked in the chicken and/or broccoli broth.

V8 Stew

The "V8 Stew" that we had as children came originally from the Betty Crocker cookbook with some adjustments. It's in there as Old-Fashioned Beef Stew. This is the recipe as adjusted by Cardine.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups of carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups V8 juice
1 Tbsp or 1 cube beef boullion
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook beef in oil in a pan for 4 to 6 minutes, until browned on all sides. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.