Breakfast Sloppy Joe's

Holy cow but these were good! IT Guy was all over these for dinner and there was enough leftover that he had some for breakfast, too! These would be great to serve at a breakfast buffet type event but like I said....we had them for dinner because I have an aversion to eating breakfast food for breakfast. No kidding, you guys....try them SOON!

Breakfast Sloppy Joes



1 8-pack package of English Muffins
1 pound breakfast sausage
2 cups grated cheese
8 eggs
2 cups milk plus a little extra for the scrambled eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 drippings from cooked sausage OR 1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly toast English Muffins then place on a cookie sheet.

In a large cast iron skillet, cook sausage until done. Remove cooked sausage to a plate.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings (or use butter if there's not enough drippings). Stir in flour and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in the milk, salt and pepper to taste and cook and stir until thick.

Stir cooked sausage into the gravy. Set aside but keep warm.

In a clean skillet, scramble the eggs with a little milk, salt and pepper.

Spoon sausage gravy over the English Muffins then add some scrambled eggs.

Sprinkle cheese over the top and broil on high for a minute or two to melt the cheese and warm through.

 
Let's go!

 
Toast the muffins and place 
them on a cookie sheet.

 
Cook the sausage then remove from 
the skillet, leaving 1/4 cup fat in the 
 pan. I had to use 1/4 cup butter because 
my sausage rendered almost no fat at all.

 
Pour in the flour and cook 
and stir for a few minutes.

 
Then pour in the milk and allow to 
thicken. Then add the sausage and stir.

 
Scramble the eggs with a little milk.

 
Start building your sloppy joes! 
Heat under the broiler to melt the cheese.

 
Plate 'em up!

Baked Zucchini Coins

Who doesn't love good fried zucchini? I know we do! But what if you could get almost the same result if you baked them? All the flavor...none of the guilt! These little zucchini coins are so easy to put together you'll wonder why you didn't do sooner. Using all the same ingredients, you get nearly the same tasty treat! Yeah, yeah....anything fried is almost always better but why not save a few calories where you can by baking?

Baked Zucchini Coins



2 zucchini squash
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1/2 Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper

In three shallow dishes or pie pans combine the following ingredients:

1) 3 beaten eggs

2) 1 cup flour and salt and pepper to taste

3) 2 cups Panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini in 1/4 inch "coins".

Place zucchini in a single layer on some paper towels. Salt then turn over and salt the other side. Place more paper towels on top and allow to sit for 15 minutes so salt can draw out the moisture inside the zucchini.

Dredge coins in flour mixture, then the beaten egg then the Panko mixture. Place coins onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once half way through.

Serve with Ranch Dressing.

 

Okay....let's start!

 

Slice your zucchini and lay them on 

some paper towels in a single layer. Salt.

 

Place a layer of paper towels over 

the zucchini and allow the moisture 

to release. You can lay a cookie sheet 

on top to add some weight.

 

Prep your dipping ingredients 

then start dipping! First flour, 

then egg, then the Panko mixture.

 

Then lay them on a cookie 

sheet in a single layer.

 

Then bake...turning once.

 

Serve with ranch dressing!

Asparagus & Shrimp in Lemon Ginger Sauce

This was my lunch the other day. No one was home and I treated myself to this yumminess. IT Guy won't touch seafood of any kind so I got to eat it ALL! Well, I didn't eat it all at once, but at some point I will eat it all. It's SO delicious! You could even cook up some pasta to go with this and it would be great! Seriously...if you are a lover of shrimp and asparagus...make this TODAY!!!

Asparagus & Shrimp 
in Lemon Ginger Sauce 



1 pound large shrimp ~ cleaned and peeled
1 bunch asparagus ~ ends chopped off and cut into 3 inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil ~ divided use
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic ~ minced
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
Salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, corn starch and ginger. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In a large skillet, pour half the olive oil.

Add the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes, turning once. Remove shrimp to a plate.

Add the remaining olive oil and the butter to the skillet. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.

Pour in the sauce mixture and add the shrimp.

Stir to combine and cook another couple of minutes until sauce is thicken and shrimp are heated through.

 
Here's what you need.

 
Whisk together the chicken stock, 
soy sauce, sugar, corn starch and 
ginger. Set aside.

 
Cut your asparagus then set aside.

 
Cook the shrimp until almost 
done then remove from the skillet.

 
Add the remaining olive oil 
and the butter to the skillet.

 
Cook the asparagus and 
garlic for about 3 minutes.

 
Add the chicken stock mixture 
and the cooked shrimp to the 
skillet and cook until the sauce 
is thick and the shrimp are done.

 
Serve by itself or with pasta!

Crock Pot Beef Tips

Yum. Yum. And yum. Also? Easy. I'm not kidding, guys....this makes the most simple and delicious and homey meal you can think of. Serve over pasta...which is what I did...or mashed potatoes would take it over the TOP!!! Seriously...make this SOON!

Crock Pot Beef Tips



2 pounds stew meat
1 packet gravy mix
1 envelope beefy onion soup mix
1 10-ounce can Golden Mushroom soup
1 cup water

Mix gravy mix, onion soup mix, soup and water together in your crock pot.

Add stew meat and stir to combine.

Allow to cook on high for 4 -5 hours or on low for 6 - 8 hours.

Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.


 

Here's all you need.

 

Here's all you do.

 

Mix, cook....

 

...serve!!!!

Apple Fritter Casserole

You guys know apple pie and IT Guy. He's all over anything that has to do with apples or pies so when I made this little ditty he was all over it as well. This is so easy and is perfect for a dessert or to serve at a brunch. break out the ice cream or the whipped cream for this dish because you're going to need it.

Apple Fritter Casserole



6 medium sized croissants ~ sliced in half horizontally
5 cups chopped apples ~ any kind (I used Honey Crisp)
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple butter ~ store bought or homemade
1 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons heavy cream

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.

Stir in the apple and toss gently to coat. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. 

Combine the cornstarch and water in a small dish. Pour mixture into the apple mixture. Stir and allow to cook another five minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray

Arrange the bottoms of the croissants in the prepared pan.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the 1/2 cup heavy cream, the apple butter, eggs and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth.

Pour half of the apple butter mixture over the croissants in the pan.

Spoon half of the cooked apple mixture over the croissants.

Place the tops of the croissants on top.

Pour remaining apple butter mixture on top of the croissants then the rest of the cooked apple mixture.

Press down on the top of the croissants with a spatula to help submerge them in the liquid.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and the 5 tablespoons cream until smooth.

Drizzle over warm casserole.


 
Let's get started.

 
Melt the butter...

 
..then add the brown sugar.

 
Add the apples and cook for a bit.

 
The add the cornstarch/water mixture 
and cook until thickened and syrupy.

 
Slice the croissants and 
lay the bottom portions in 
the pan, cut side UP.

 
Mix the eggs, vanilla, apple 
butter and the 1/2 cup of cream...

 
and whisk until smooth.

 
Pour half of the apple butter 
mixture over the bottom portions 
of croissants. Then spoon half of 
the cooked apple mixture on that.

 
Place the top portions of the 
croissants in the pan and pour 
the remaining apple butter mixture 
on and the remaining cooked 
apple mixture on top.

 
Press down with a rubber spatula so 
all the liquid is absorbed then bake.

 
Mix together the powdered sugar 
and the 5 T. of cream until smooth.

 
Drizzle icing over warm casserole.

 
Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened 
whipped cream for a yummy treat!

Grilled Cheese Bacon and Avocado Sandwiches

There's probably nothing as homey as a grilled cheese sandwich, right? I've been eating them since I was a kid and I bet you have too. But who says a grilled cheese sandwich has to be only cheese? Let's throw some stuff inside that will get your taste buds rockin' and rollin'. Since we are a bacon lovin' family and also a family that can't get enough avocado (we ARE from California, after all!)...I decided to throw those bits of deliciousness in there to see what would happen. Want to know what happened? Well...I'll tell you...a bunch of crazy yumminess happened, that's what! You guys have got to try these! So good! Would I steer your taste buds wrong? 

Grilled Cheese Bacon 
and Avocado Sandwiches



1 loaf good crusty bread (sourdough, Italian, etc)
Sliced cheese of your choice (I used sharp cheddar)
2 - 3 ripe avocados ~ cut in half then sliced
1 pound bacon ~ cooked to your liking
Lawry's Seasoning Salt
Olive oil

Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. 

Decide how many sandwiches you're going to make.

Brush one side of each piece of bread with olive oil.

Lay one piece of bread in the pan then layer the other ingredients, starting with the cheese.

I put down two cheese slices, side by side because my bread was large. Then I put down the avocado. Next comes a very important part. Sprinkle the avocado with Lawry's Seaoning Salt. You won't be sorry. Next comes the bacon then two more slices of cheese. The cheese should be next to the bread so it melts and also to act as "the glue" to hold everything together.

Grill until cheese has melted and sandwich is golden brown on both sides.

Slice and serve! 


 

Here's what you'll need!

 

Brush olive oil on one side 

of each piece of bread.

 

Plop it in a hot pan then start layering 

your cheese, avocado, bacon then more cheese.

 

Top with another piece of bread then grill!

 

Delicious!