Training Table Hickory Sauce

Training Table Hickory Sauce

1/2 c BBQ sauce
1/3 t liquid smoke
1/4 t chili powder
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/6 t dry mustard
1 c ketchup

Mayonnaise

Stir all ingredients together. Just before serving, add a fat dollop of mayonnaise on top.
Enjoy with fries!!

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

So this recipe has been all over the internet and with leftover ham and swiss cheese - this recipe fit the bill!! These were so much better than I even imagined. Definitely making these again.

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders
For the sauce:
3/4 c melted butter
2 T dijon mustard
1-2 t worcestershire
1-2 t poppy seeds
1-2 t onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

For the sammy:
12 rolls
ham
swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the rolls in half and set in a 9x13 greased casserole dish. Put the bottom half of the rolls in the pan. Top with ham and cheese and then the top of the buns.

Add all the sauce ingredients together and pour over sandwiches. Bake for 20 minutes.

Roasted Carrots

I saw these rainbow carrots at my local grocery store and HAD to have them. My kids love roasted carrots - but these make this simple side dish special...

Roasted Carrots
Carrots (cut into match sticks)
Kosher Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
EVOO

Cut carrots and drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Simple. Delicious.

Citrus Berry Salad

My sister told me about this salad she always gets at a restaurant called "Zupa's" and my mouth started watering! I HAD to make it tonight for dinner - it was so delicious - and even my kids and husband loved it!

The original has a house made dressing, pistachios instead of candied pecans and doesn't have chicken - I just went with what I had on hand.

Citrus Berry Salad
Spinach
Romaine
Blackberries
Mandarin oranges
Craisins
Candied pecans
Goat cheese
Grilled chicken
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette

OMGee. My son also added pomegranate seeds to his.

Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

This was another dish I made for a brunch I hosted for 30 people. Everyone raved about it!!

I found a basic recipe and then completely changed it - it was better than I even imagined!



Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
Great Harvest Cinnamon Burst Loaf *if you don't have a GH near you - any cinnamon bread will work
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c whole milk
1 T vanilla
1/4 t nutmeg

Grease a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Cut the loaf into squares approx 1" x 1" and lay them on the bottom of the pan.

Whisk all other ingredients together and pour over the top of the bread.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Take out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you put it in the oven. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar - or both!!

Bayou Bend Brunch Casserole

My awesome foodie friend, Elizabeth, suggested this for a brunch I was hosting for about 30 people. It was a big hit!! I made a few changes to the original recipe - which was featured on Good Morning America. I will most definitely be making this many many more times!!

It's not the greatest picture - but…

Bayou Bend Brunch Casserole

3/4 large loaf day old french bread, torn into small pieces

6 tbs. butter, melted

1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 lb. Genoa salami, julienned 

10 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk (whole)

3 large green onions, minced

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper 

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a well greased 9x13-inch casserole dish, spread bread pieces over bottom and drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with Montery jack cheese and salami pieces.

2. Beat together eggs,milk,wine,green onions,mustard and black and red pepper until mixture is frothy. Pour mixture over bread mixture. Cover casserole with foil and refrigerate overnight.

3. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake covered, at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

4. Uncover, spread with sour cream and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

Monterey Chicken

Once again, I forgot to take a picture with all the craziness going on around here. It isn't that attractive anyway - but man oh man does it taste delicious!

ALL my kids had seconds - ages 4 - 12 - rave reviews!!

Monterey Chicken
1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c cream cheese
1 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I've also made it with Mozzarella)
4 cooked chicken breasts (I use 2 large cans of chicken chunks)
4 oz diced chilies
3 c cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Tortilla chips, crushed

Blend all ingredients except chips, adding chicken and rice last. Make sure to break up the chicken chunks. Transfer into a 9x13 casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with tortilla chips.

Beef Stroganoff

I knew I had to make dinner tonight with ground beef - and I've sorta over done all my go to ground beef recipes lately. Then I remembered that my Mom used to make us a ghetto beef stroganoff - so I looked up a bunch of recipes and came up with this based on what I like and what I had on hand.

It's a weeknight (tons of running the kids to and from activities) and I was painting our family room - so we ate it all (in 2 shifts) so - as with most meals lately - I didn't take a picture and usually I forget to even blog the recipe - but tonight's recipe was just that good that I had to write it down!

The 3 big kids had TWO servings and I kept sneaking back to the beef sauce for more samples. Hubs liked his plate clean. Baby even ate her big kid size portion! Definitely making this again and again!

Beef Stroganoff(ish)
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lg white onion big slices
1 container mushrooms pre sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 T flour
12 oz stock (beef would be best - but I ALWAYS have chicken)
1 cup sour cream
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder
Pasta (usually this recipe uses egg noodles - but we have an egg allergy - so I just used penne)

Brown beef in skillet - drain on plate with paper towels. Sautee onion and mushrooms in butter and evoo until the onion is soft. Sprinkle flour over veg and stir to incorporate. Add beef back in, add cream of mushroom and stock, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 20-30 minutes - as long as it takes to boil the pasta water and cook the pasta.

Drain the pasta - drizzle in a little evoo and cover the pot. To the meat mixture add the sour cream and turn off the heat. Put the lid back on for a minute or two - then stir to incorporate. Taste and re-season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

In my house - we always serve the pasta separate from the sauce - because I have 4 kids. If I was serving adults - I would add the pasta in to the meat mixture and then serve.