Overnight Creme Brulee French Toast Bake

This recipe came from sixsistersstuff.com. I put it together this morning before work and we had it for dinner. It was a huge hit at our house. My picky eater wondered why I can't make French Toast like this all of the time. The other two children talked about switching their birthday meals (I always cook their favorite meal on their birthday) to have this. The smart one in the group said how I can make this for breakfast on his birthday and he would come up with something else for dinner. :) It was a win for me because there wasn't a whole lot of prep to this meal.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Corn Surup
12 Slices Texas Toast or Thickly Sliced Bread -- Day-old or stale bread is recommended
5 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Half-and-Half
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Dash of Cinnamon
Fresh Berries (Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, and Blueberries)(I am sure you could use the frozen berry mixture. I just opted for fresh because they are in season)
Whipped Cream in the Can

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture onto a large greased jelly roll pan (18x13x1"). Spread around to cover the surface

Place 12 slices of bread in a single layer to cover pan. I had to cut some in half to get them to fit. I also didn't set the bread out the night before and so I put it under the broiler to dry it out a little bit before placing them on the pan and sauce.

Mix together eggs, cream, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread. (I didn't end up using all of the sauce. There was probably about a fourth, I did not use.) Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve.

I made vanilla syrup (recipe also found on this blog). I cut up fresh berries and put them together. Spoon over toast and add a little whipped cream. YUMMY!

If you are not serving immediately, turn each slice of bread over (this will prevent bread from sticking on the bottom of the pan.

Wednesday Chili

My sister, Lori, received this recipe while living in Nevada. It is very easy to prepare and very tasty!

2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
10 oz. Can French Onion Soup
1 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Few Drops of Tabasco Sauce (to your taste)
21 oz. Can Red Kidney Beans, Undrained
6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce

Brown ground beef and drain. Puree soup in the blender. Pour over meat and heat until it is the consistency of rice. Stir in spices, add beans, tomato paste, tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Heat over low heat at least 20 minutes. Great frozen and warmed for later meals.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breasts
15 oz. Jar of Salsa
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1/2 - 1 Package of Cream Cheese

This version of Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos is so yummy in either a taco salad, hard or soft shell tacos, or to make enchiladas .

Combine the chicken breasts, salsa, taco seasoning, and cream cheese in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Once cooked, remove chicken from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crockpot and stir to combine in sauce before serving. The serving options are endless -- over salad, in taco shells, over rice, use as enchilada filling, etc.

Minestrone Soup

1 Cup Onion, Chopped
1 Cup Celery, Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
10 Cups Beef Broth*
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 29 Oz. Can Hunt's Pasta Sauce
1 Cup Carrots, Sliced
2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Pounds Ground Beef, Cooked
1 1/2 Cups Zucchini, Sliced
1 Can Kidney Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Can Garbanzo Beans, Rinsed and Drained
2 Cups Uncooked Ditalini Pasta

In a large stock pot, saute onions, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, pasta sauce, carrots, basil and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Then add zucchini beans, ground beef and pasta. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat.

* * I like to use an actual beef base paste instead of buillon as it has more flavor. I am a little more generous in my measurements so that it is a little more concentrated (more flavor).

Crockpot Kalua Pork -- Cooks 16 Hours

Kalua pig is a popular at Hawaiian lluaus where a whole pig is smoked in a sand pit with sea salt, banana leaves and wood. This simple corckpot method mimics the smoked flavor of using natural liquid smoke and the results are an easy, mouth-watering juicy pork recipe anyone can make at home.

You can serve this over rice or serve on hamburger buns as a sandwich. Make sure to make the Pineapple Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce recipe also found on this blog.

Coarse Red Hawaiian Sea Salt can be found at Trader Joes. Make sure to use boneless pork shoulder blade roast, as it is leaner than the pork shoulder picnic. A pork loin roast would also work, although it's a bit leaner and therefore drier. This slow cooks in your crockpot for about 16 hours.

2-3 Pounds Trimmed Pork Shoulder Blade Roast
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke
Coarse Red Hawaiian Sea Salt

Place prok in the crockpot. Stab it all over with the tip of a knife. Rub sea salt all over pork. Drizzle the liquid smoke all over and set crockpot to low and cook for 16 hours.

Remove from crockpot and place on a large platter. Remove any fat you may have missed. Shred pork with a fork.

Pineapple Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

I found this recipe on The Recipe Rebel's website. This sauce is delicious. I make it and serve it over the Kalua Pork recipe here on my blog.

200 ml of Pineapple Juice
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 Cups Ketchup
1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes (More if you like it spicy)
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Pinch Salt
1-2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1-2 Tabelspoons Water

1. Add all the ingredients except the cornstarch and water to a medium-size pot.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low, simmering for 10-15 minutes, until flavors come together.
3. Mix equal parts cornstarch and water. Slowly add to sauce and stir until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Serve with pork, chicken or beef.

Chili's Copycat Salsa

This is a family favorite at our house. I love this recipe because you can make it anytime of the year and just not during tomato season.

2 (14.5 oz) Cans Whole Tomatoes, Drained
1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Lime Juice
1 (4 oz)Can Diced Jalapenos (I only use about half a can. You can decide on how much heat you like.)
2 Roma Tomatoes, Diced

Place all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.