FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

French Toast Casserole


1 stick (1/2) unsalted butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 tbs. light corn syrup
8 -9 inch french bread loaf
5 large eggs
1 1/2 c. half n half
1 tsp pure vanilla extact
1 tsp ground cinnamon
optional 1 tsp. Grand Marnier

How to fix French Toast Casserole
DIRECTIONS:
In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring until smooth and pour into a 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking dish

Cut six 2 inch thick slices of french bread loaf and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla. until combined well and pour evenly over bread, Chill bread mixture covered over night or at least up to 8 hours.

Pre - heat oven to 350 degrees and bring bread to room tempurature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35  to 40 min.

Serve hot French Toast Casserole immediately

Red Velvet Cake (from a mix)

1 box white cake mix (2 layer size)
1 box (4 serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbs. white vinegar
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 oz. red food coloring

cream cheese frosting
4 oz. butter softened
8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar


Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, cocoa, vinegar and food coloring. Beat for 4 min. on med. speed. scrapping the sides and bottom of the bowl several times. Grease and flour 2 cake pans. Distribute the batter among the pans evenly. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 min. or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center. 


I use this cake in my 4th of July trifle. It is wonderful. I use the red velvet cake and strawberries, blue berries, vanilla pudding and cool whip. This is a very big hit year round, but lots of fun during the 4th of July. 

Note: I make this cake in my pampered chef large bar pan. cut it up and use it in the trifle. Remember to use less milk for the pudding in the trifle, and use instant pudding. Enjoy!

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN LASAGNA

Southwestern Chicken Lasagna

2 c. shredded chicken breast - cooked
1 1/2 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 garlic cloves minces or pressed
2 cups favorite salsa
1 pk. shredded mexican cheese
1 tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1 sm. onion - chopped
1 tbs. veg. oil
2 c. can chili w/ beans
pkg. flour tortillas

Combine first 5 ingredients let stand 5 min. set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a lg skillet over med heat until tender 3 -4 min.
add salsa, chili beans, optional - green ortega chilies reduce heat and simmer
Line the bottom of an 11 X 7 baking dish with 3 flour tortillas, layer with 1/2 of the chili, 1/2 the chicken
mix. 1/3 of cheese. Repeat layers, top with remaining tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese on the top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 -30 min. let stand 5 min before serving.

note: warm tortillas on a grill before layer. I cook the chicken breast, just by boiling them. You can use deli cooked chicken chunks too.

BAKED CARAMEL CORN

Baked Caramel Corn

1 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 quarts popped popcorn

Melt butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then boil, without stirring for 5 min. Remove from heat, stir insoda and vanilla. Gradually pour over popped popcorn, mix well. Turn into two large, shallow baking pans. Bake at 250 degreesF for 1 hour. stir every 15 min.

Remove from oven, cool completely, break apart and store in tightly covered container.

MANGO SALSA

MANGO SALSA

2 mangos
1 seedless cucumber
1 red onion
1 jalapeno
1/4 bunch of cilantro
2 limes, or lime juice
salt and pepper

Cut up mangos into small chunks. peel and chop seedless cucumber. chop onion, place jalapeno in garlic press and squeeze. chop cilantro  up fine. squeeze both limes, use only the juice from the limes. Mix all ingredients together, season with salt and pepper.

I used my pampered chef chopper on all the ingredients, except the jalapeno and limes. This salsa can be served with chips, or used on tacos, or eaten with fried plantains (dried bananas)

Enjoy!

PUMPKIN TRIFLE

Pumpkin Trifle

1 pkg. Spice Cake
2 sm. pkg. Butterscotch instant pudding
2 sm. pkg. vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 ~ 16oz can 100% pure pumpkin
2 1/2 c. milk
12 oz. cool whip

Bake cake in either 8 inch or 9 inch pans, remove and cool on baking rack. Bake cake according to box directions. Mix together pudding, cinnamon, ginger, milk and pumpkin. Layer cake pumpkin, cake, cool whip. cake, pumpkin, cake cool whip.  Save a little of the cake to crumble on top of the last layer of cool whip. chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.

note: after the cake cools, crumble the cake for the cake layers. or you can cut small squares. Crumbling is easier. Enjoy.

PUMPKIN ROLL

Pumpkin roll

3 eggs, beaten
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. pure pumpkin
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
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filling

1 ~ 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c. confectioners sugar
4 tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

__________________________________________________________
To prepare roll, beat eggs for 5 minutes. Add sugar, pumpkin, flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured 10 X 15 inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min. Turn baked roll out onto long length of paper towel or kitchen towel, that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll the cake into the towel, beginning with the narrow end. Let cool about 1/2 hour. Meanwhile beat together all filling ingredients until smooth.
Unroll cake and remove paper towel. Spread filling on top side of cake roll and roll up again without towel. Refrigerate to chill, slice and serve.


This is a family and friends absolute favorite. I get requests to make this all the time.

GERMAN PANCAKE

German pancake

Scrumptious!  Bring this spectacular breakfast or brunch dish to the table as soon as it comes out of the oven for a lot of oohs and aahs!  A German Pancake is a cross between a soufflé and French toast- it is a light, airy pancake with sides.

Ingredients:

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

4 large eggs

1 cup milk

4 tbs. unsalted butter

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees, 

in a medium bowl sift together flour and salt

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together until combined

in a heavy 12 inch skillet, melt butter until hot and frothy

pour batter into skillet and transfer quickly to into the oven. 

bake 20 min until golden brown and puffed. Do not open oven during baking

serve immediately topped with confectioners sugar, maple syrup and fresh fruit. 

Scrumptious!  Bring this spectacular breakfast or brunch dish to the table as soon as it comes out of the oven for a lot of oohs and aahs!  A German Pancake is a cross between a soufflé and an omelet - it is a light, airy pancake with sides.




1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
4 tbs. unsalted butter


Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees, 
in a medium bowl sift together flour and salt
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together until combined
in a heavy 12 inch skillet, melt butter until hot and frothy
pour batter into skillet and transfer quickly to into the oven. 
bake 20 min until golden brown and puffed. Do not open oven during baking
serve immediately topped with confectioners sugar, maple syrup and fresh fruit. 




This is a family favorite. I like to make this in my pampered chef pie stone. or in a heavy cast iron skillet.

HASH BROWN QUICHE ~by Charisse

Hash Brown Quiche ~ by Charisse

3 cups loose packed hash brown potatoes

1/2 cup  butter ~ melted

4 oz cheddar cheese ~ grated

6 oz Canadian bacon ~ diced (1 cup)

4 oz swiss cheese ~ grated

1/2 cup half n half or light whipping cream

2 eggs

1/4 tsp seasoning salt

Directions:

Press hash browns in between two paper towels to remove moisture.

Press hash browns onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 in. pie plate to form a crust.

drizzle melted butter over hash browns crust. 

bake @ 425  for 25 min. Remove from oven

reduce heat to 350, toss together the Canadian bacon and cheese and place in the hash brown crust. 

Beat together cream or half n half and eggs and seasoning salt.

Pour over Canadian bacon and cheese mixture.

bake uncovered @ 350 for 25 ~ 30 min. 

let stand for 10 min. 

serve

This is such an easy recipe, it can serve as breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and even a snack. It is an easy quick meal, and one teenage kids can make and not go wrong with. I have used this recipe for baby shower brunches, breakfast with the whole family and even for a quick dinner when short on time. Enjoy... and feel free to mix it up and add your own seasonings and extras... 

from the kitchen of  Charisse Jimenez

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

It's a twist on the classic peanut butter cookie! Crunchy outside, creamy inside, with just a hint of cinnamon. A real winner. 

Servings: Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts , finely chopped
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 roll (16.5 ounces) Pillsbury refrigerated peanut butter cookies , well chilled

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside. 

In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls, about 1 inch each. 

Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls. 

Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls. On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Spray bottom of drinking glass with l non-stick cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture. Flatten each ball to 1/2-inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into dough. 

Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered. 

EASY BEER BREAD ~ by Charisse

Beer Bread

by Charisse 

3 cups of bisquick

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 can or bottle of beer 12 oz

mix bisquick  and sugar, then add the beer. mix well, spray a loaf pan with cooking spray, and pour batter into the pan. Bake at 350 for 35 - 45 min or until center is done and knife comes out clean. 

This is a wonderful sweet bread and even better when you use flavored beer. ...

SEX IN A PAN

Sex in a Pan!

by Charisse 

• graham cracker crust
•  2 pk.  graham ( crumbs)
•  2-4 tbs. melted butter
•  1/4 cup sugar
• filling
•    8 oz. cream cheese
•    1/2 cup powdered  sugar
•    1 tubs cool whip
•    1 pkg. instant choc. pudding
•    1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
•    2-3 cups milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix graham crumbs, butter and sugar.
3. Press into a pan and cook for 8 - 10 min.in oven at 325 degrees
4. Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup cool whip. spread over crust. Mix puddings and milk. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Spread the remaining cool whip over the pudding mixture. Sprinkle grated candy bar over cool whip.
5. Keep refrigerated. Also can be frozen for up to one month
   

YOGURT PANCAKES

Yogurt Pancakes

Ingredients 


16 oz. plain yogurt
4 c. flour
1/2 c. butter
4 tbs. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 c. milk


Directions: 
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  in a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk. Pour egg and milk mixture into dry ingredients, add yogurt. Stir until smooth. Make like regular pancakes. Enjoy. This can be made ahead of time and warmed in the microwave. sprinkle powdered sugar and drizzle real maple syrup... a family favorite!