Christina's Breakfast Cookies

from my mom

2/3 C butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together well.

3/4 C flour (1/2 C white, 1/4 wheat)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Combine and add to butter mixture.

1 1/2 C quick oats
1 C (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C wheat germ or finely chopped nuts (such as almonds or pecans)
6 crisp bacon slices, crumbled

Stir all together and add to dough.

Preheat oven to 350. Place cookies on greased cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges golden.

Christina's Overnight Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole

from Our Best Bites

6-8 slices bread
about 1/4 C softened butter (just for buttering the bread slices)
4 C grated cheese (Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Cheddar or some combination)
12 oz pork sausage, browned and drained if necessary
1 4 oz or 7 oz can green chiles
6 eggs
2 C milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Place bread butter side down in a 9×13 baking dish. I usually need 6 pieces of bread, plus 1 cut in half to finish up the bottom row. You just want the bottom of the pan covered with no big gaps.

Grate your cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the bread.  Spread the browned sausage on top of that, and top with the green chiles.

In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk eggs. Add milk and then seasonings and whisk to combine well.  Slowly stir the egg mixture while you pour it evenly on top of the assembled casserole. You’ll want to keep stirring or else the spices will all gather in one spot and drop onto one single piece of casserole.

Cover well and place in the refridgerator overnight.

In the morning preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pop the casserole in there and bake (uncovered) for 50-60 minutes. You’ll want the center to be set and the outside edges to be golden brown. It’s important to let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it or it will just fall apart.

Christina's Easy Mexi-Dip for Chips

1 8 oz block cream cheese
1 cup drained salsa
2 cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided.
1 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn, rinsed with the black beans and drained

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the cream cheese, salsa and 1 1/2 cups grated cheese. Add black beans and corn. Spread in 9x9 baking pan. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Serve with tortilla chips.

Optional: I think the following things would be good in this dip, but I haven't tried them.

1 minced chipotle pepper
chopped cilantro
chopped bell pepper (red or green)
shredded chicken
chopped celery

Christina's Bacon Onion and Cheddar Biscuits

 from the Pioneer Woman Cooks

10 slices thick cut bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup finely diced onion
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 C + 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 heaping cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until all combined. Combine milk, oil, and egg in a separate bowl. Whisk together.

Combine flour mixture, milk mixture, bacon, onions, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir gently until all combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes on 375 until golden Remove from pan and serve warm.

Lorri's Cheddar, Onion, and Sour Cream Drop Biscuits

5 1/2 Tbsp cold butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps chopped fresh basil
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream (or buttermilk)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1. Saute onion until translucent in 1 1/2 Tbsp butter. Add garlic adn cook for 30 seconds then remove the pan from the heat.
2. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and add the basil. Cut the remaining butter into the mixture. Add the cheese and onions.
3. Blend the sour cream and milk together. Gently mix into dry ingredients and let stand until for 5 minutes.
4. Scoop blobs of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes at 425.
(As a note - do not use silpat because you will never get them to smell the same. Onion and garlic taste delicious in a biscuit but not on a cookie.)

Christina's Ranchero Mexi-Chicken Crostada

from Picky Palate

1 roll Pillsbury Pie crust, thawed
1 can chunk chicken (from Costco), or about 1 ½ Cups cooked shredded chicken
1 drained can Mild Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies
½ Cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
1 Teaspoon Ranch dressing seasoning, from packet that makes the dip
1 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of salt and pepper
½ Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll pie crust and place onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

2. Place chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, ranch seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper into a large bowl. With a fork, stir and cut up chicken pieces until well combined. Pour chicken mixture into the center of pie crust and top with cheddar cheese, leaving about 1 ½ inch border around edges. Fold crust up over chicken forming little pleats every 2 inches or so pressing gently. Brush edges with olive oil and sprinkle crust with garlic salt.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown on edges. Let cool for 5 minutes then cut into wedges to serve.

Christina's Broccoli, Red Pepper and Cheddar Chowder

from Epicurious

• 1 small head broccoli (1/2 pound)
• 1 large boiling potato (1/2 pound)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• l large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 6 oz sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
  

Discard tough lower third of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and finely chop. Cut remaining broccoli into very small (1-inch) florets. Cook florets in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain. Reserve 3 cups cooking water for chowder.
Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook potato, onion, bell pepper, broccoli stems, and garlic in butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper, and mustard and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water and simmer (partially covered), stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, then season with salt and pepper.
Purée about 2 cups of chowder in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Add florets and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Christina's Creamy Mac and Cheddar

from Smitten Kitchen

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not low fat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (Deb note: I skipped this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (Deb note: I’m a big fan of Cabot extra-sharp, in the purple wrapper)
1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.

2. In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together.* Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

3. Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Christina's Breakfast Tacos

from $5 Dinners

10-12 eggs
4-5 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt/pepper
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
8 corn or flour tortillas

In large skillet, add olive oil and let warm for 1 minute. Add peeled and diced potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring often. (Add a little water to help them cook faster!) Season with other favorite seasonings if you like!

In bowl, whisk together eggs. Add a few dashes of salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes after they have been cooking for 6-8 minutes. Cook eggs with potatoes and scramble them as they cook.

Warm tortillas in oven wrapped in foil or tortilla warmer (so they don't get crispy!).

Serve potato/eggs with cheese and salsa in a warm tortilla!

Christina's Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

1 t olive oil
3 c thinly sliced mushrooms
1 c chopped onion
1 c chopped red bell pepper
3 c chopped fresh spinach
1 T chopped fresh oregano
¼ t freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz.) carton cottage cheese
4 c hot cooked penne
2 c shredded chicken
1 c cheddar cheese, divided
½ c Parmesan, divided
½ c milk
1 can cream of chicken
Preheat oven to 425.
Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes, or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes, or just until spinach wilts.
Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken ¾ c cheddar, ¼ c Parmesan, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Parmesan. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.