Emeril Lagasse: Breakfast Casserole

It's not Christmas morning unless there's a breakfast casserole involved.  I've made this casserole before, and it's always a good choice when you want something easy to slide into the oven in the morning without any work.  It's filling and tasty.  You could honestly season it any way you want; the bread soaks up anything you throw at it.

Breakfast Casserole
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, as seen at Food Network

6 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon dry mustard

1½ teaspoons Emeril's Essence or other all-purpose seasoning

3 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices Texas Toast (thick cut, crusty white bread), cubed
1 pound spicy pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3 green onions, chopped

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until homogenous. Add the half and half, mustard, and seasonings. Mix well and set aside.

Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the bread cubes. Sprinkle the bread with the cooked sausage, cheese, and green onions. Pour the egg mixture over the entire pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Big Oven: Mexican Tortilla Rollups

In full disclosure, I did not make these tortilla rollups, my sister did.  But that certainly didn't stop me from frequenting the plate a little too often to grab another bite.  These are really simple, and yet a very tasty appetizer that comes together quickly and is popular with the whole family.  Definitely a keeper.

Note: Some other recipes also included shredded Cheddar cheese, and honestly, I think that's also a fantastic idea.  Add away.

Mexican Tortilla Rollups
Adapted from Big Oven

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions

½ teaspoon garlic powder
6 slices cooked ham, chopped
6 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

Salsa, for serving

Drain black olives and give them a rough chop. Place green chiles, chopped black olives, and green onions into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add the cream cheese and garlic powder to the green chile mixture. Work the cream cheese into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Mix until the cream cheese is completely combined.

Using a spatula, spread 1/6 of the mixture evenly on top of a flour tortilla and place a slice worth of chopped ham on top. Roll up the tortilla, then wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow flavors to meld.

When ready to serve, slice each roll into pinwheels.  Serve with salsa.

Sweet Pea's Kitchen: Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins with Streusel Topping

Every year for Thanksgiving, my mom makes cranberry orange pecan muffins.  They're good, but I felt like I could get some more flavor into them.  More orange-y sunshine for the cold winter months.  So I tinkered with the recipe below, and I got a muffin with some pretty fantastic flavor.  The orange-soaked cranberries in these really pack a punch.  And the streusel topping is just a great crunchy foil for the super tender muffins.  Definitely give this one a try.

Note:  If you want to use fresh cranberries, you can substitute 1½ cups fresh, but just know that the orange flavor won't be as pronounced.  The orange juice I call for below is just an individual serving size bottle.  If you don't want to buy a small bottle just for this recipe, you can use a little over a cup of orange juice to soak the cranberries.

Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins with Streusel Topping
Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen blog

1⅛ cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 (11.5-ounce) bottle orange juice, divided use

1 cup pecan halves

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided use

1 cup plus 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided use

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons softened and remaining 6 tablespoons melted

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

⅔ cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Put the dried cranberries into a small bowl.  Open the orange juice bottle and set aside ⅓ cup for the muffin batter.  Heat the remaining orange juice until steaming, pour over the dried cranberries, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit for the dried cranberries to reconstitute, approximately 30 minutes, or until cranberries are soft.  Drain the cranberries, discarding the soaking liquid.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread pecan halves out on a sheet tray and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant.  Once cooled, chop and set aside.

To make the streusel, in a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of softened butter with the 3 tablespoons flour, 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.  Cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand.  Mix in half of the chopped pecans, reserving the other half for the muffin batter.  Set aside.

Prepare 2 muffin trays with liners for 18 muffins.

In another small bowl, combine the reserved ⅓ cup orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Mix well to distribute the ingredients.  Pour in the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Add the cranberries and the remaining chopped pecans.  Mix to combine.

Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Evenly sprinkle the prepared streusel topping over the muffins, gently pressing into the batter to help it adhere.  Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool muffins in tins on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing and serving.

Makes 18 muffins