Brunch Strata

From Taste of Home


(not the best photo, I know...)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3 small zucchini, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
12 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cubed day-old bread
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and ham; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain and pat dry.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs. Stir in the remaining ingredients and vegetable mixture.

Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I halved this recipe because, good gracious, I don't need that many leftovers! Once again, a good deal of prep work, but yielding a satisfactory result. I do think it needs... something. I'm not altogether sure what that might be. Adam voted for more meat. I'm thinking it just needs a flavor boost with some herbs or something.

Adam Cooks: Rosemary Dinner Rolls

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
1 egg
1/4 to 1/3 cup canola oil

EGG WASH:
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Place the flour, sugar, 2 teaspoons rosemary and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add the warm milk, egg and yeast mixture; cover and pulse 10 times or until almost blended.

While processing, gradually add oil just until dough pulls away from sides and begins to form a ball. Process 2 minutes longer to knead dough (dough will be very soft).

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide and shape into 12 balls. Roll each into a 15-in. rope. Starting at one end, loosely wrap dough around itself to form a coil. Tuck end under; pinch to seal.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

For egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and milk; brush over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks; serve warm.

Comments:
This is our contribution to the Paalman Thanksgiving being held this afternoon. His mom told us to bring two dozen rolls and Adam kind of ran with it. We tried one last night when they came out of the oven. Pretty tasty!

Adam Cooks: Ham and Cheddar Brunch Strata

From Crock-Pot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
8 oz French bread, torn in small pieces
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups diced ham
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions, divided
4 large eggs
1 cup half & half or whole milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Directions:
1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of stoneware and press into place. Spray paper lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Layer in following order: bread, 1 1/2 cups cheese, ham, and all but 2 tbsp green onions.

3. Whisk eggs, half & half, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper in small bowl. Pour evenly over layered ingredients in slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 3 1/2 hours or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Turn off heat. Sprinkle evenly with reserved cheese and green onions. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.

4. To serve, run a knife or spatula around the outer edges, lifting bottom slightly. Invert onto plate and peel off paper. Invert again onto serving plate.

Comments:
Adam made this so I can't speak of ease of preparation, but it tasted good. We skipped the inverting it part and just served it out of the slow cooker. Worked fine.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Bread:
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray
Glaze:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Comments:
Ridiculously easy, turned out great. I tried to be artistic with the glaze, but you can see how well that went. Bah. I'm not a fan of bananas. At all. And it was kind of hard to mash the things up and put them in the batter. The smell... ugh. But once it was baked it wasn't so bad. And the peanut butter glaze definitely helps cut the "banana" in the "banana bread." Adam says he doesn't like the banana/pb combo, but he hasn't tried it yet so I hope he's reserving his opinion.

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 (1-pound) loaf country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese, divided

Directions:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic; cook for 8 minutes or until artichoke hearts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool 10 minutes.

2. Combine milk, black pepper, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and bread; toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture, and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375°.

4. Spoon half of bread mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of goat cheese, and top with remaining bread mixture. Sprinkle remaining half of goat cheese over top. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Comments:
Quite a bit of prep work on this recipe as well, although not all of it is active. This one is worth it though - great results. I cannot believe I went so many years not knowing how awesome goat cheese is. Yum.

Pimiento Cheese Sliders

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
16 slices good-quality white bread
1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon paprika or sweet smoked paprika
1/2 cup lager beer
Salt and pepper
A drizzle of oil (olive or vegetable)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons well-drained chopped pimientos
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Several drops hot sauce
8 slices good-quality dill pickle chips or bread-and-butter pickles

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350°. Cut the bread into 3-inch rounds or trim into slider-size squares. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Combine the meat with the garlic, onion, paprika, beer, salt and pepper. Mix and form 8 burgers (about 3 ounces each) and drizzle with oil. Heat a griddle pan or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and milk and simmer to thicken for about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Melt in the cheese and stir in the pimientos, mustard and hot sauce.

4. Divide the patties among 8 toast slices and top with the cheese sauce and another slice of toast. Garnish with the pickles and secure with toothpicks

Comments:
How do I not have any round cookie cutters or a biscuit cutter? With the mountains of kitchen crap I have it seems almost impossible that I don't have these. But, alas, I don't, so we all get to see my shoddy knife skills at work in that picture. *sigh*

Anyway.

Not bad, can hardly taste the pimientos, Adam thought the cheese was nacho cheese from a can. Not sure I'd do these again, but they didn't suck.

Fontina Ham Stromboli

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup prepared pesto, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 pound sliced deli ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto or additional deli ham
1/2 pound sliced fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool completely.

On two greased baking sheets, roll each loaf of dough into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread each with 2 tablespoons pesto; sprinkle with onion mixture and basil. Arrange the ham, prosciutto and fontina cheese over each rectangle to within 1/2 in. of edges.

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.

Brush with remaining pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Comments:
I think I'm still on the fence with this fontina cheese thing. There's this biting aftertaste that I'm not sure I like. Overall, these were good. A little messy, but satisfying. I made one roll with pesto and one without since Adam decided he doesn't like it.

Deluxe Grilled Cheese

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 ounce herbed fresh goat cheese
1/2 small tart apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion until tender; set aside.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet; spritz with butter-flavored cooking spray. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Spread goat cheese over two untoasted sides of bread slices. Top with apple slices and reserved onion; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining slices.

Comments:
I made these in the toaster oven. I heart the toaster oven! These sandwiches were pretty good. Interesting combination of flavors and textures. Onions and apples really go well together. And goat cheese, oh man, I can't get enough of it.

Chicken Swiss Bundles

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1-1/2 teaspoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
12 frozen bread dough dinner rolls, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the chicken, peppers, mustard and seasonings; heat through. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese.

Flatten each roll into a 5-in. circle. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of six circles. Brush edges with water; top with remaining circles. Press edges with a fork to seal.

Place on greased baking sheets; brush with butter. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cut bundles in half to serve.

Comments:
I kind of went off on my own way on this one. I skipped the mushrooms and peppers, used mozzarella cheese instead of swiss, used olive oil and an egg wash instead of butter. It all turned out pretty good, except for a few unexpected pockets of mustard. Heh.

Fruity Stuffed French Toast

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
A couple drops pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves
1 cup pure maple syrup
8 slices white bread
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla and set near the stove. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and preserves; set aside.

2. Ask a GH (grown-up helper) to warm the syrup in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave on high for 1 minute.

3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over 4 bread slices. Top with the remaining 4 bread slices to make 4 sammies. Cut each sammy using a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Snack on the crusts.

4. Have your GH melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the hearts in the egg mixture and, with the help of your GH, cook in the skillet, turning once with a spatula, until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve the hearts with the warm syrup.

Comments:
Obviously I didn't need a grown-up helper and I skipped the cheesy heart-shaped bit. These were pretty good, although you'll notice the cream cheese didn't mix too well with the strawberry preserves. Kinda chunky. Kinda messy to eat too. But yummy.

Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
10 cup (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
15 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Arrange bread in single layers on 2 jelly-roll pans. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Turn oven off; leave pans in oven for 30 minutes or until bread is crisp.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 11 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add sausage to pan. Increase heat; sauté 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon; add sausage to vegetable mixture. Stir in bread, herbs, and pepper; toss. Combine broth, 1 cup water, and egg, stirring well. Drizzle broth mixture over bread mixture; toss. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 20 minutes or until browned.

Comments:
This was my contribution to our Thanksgiving meal at Adam's parents' house. It takes some time, but the end result is pretty good. At least I thought so.

Cheesesteak Kebabs

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound sirloin steak, cut into 8 strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces crusty bread, cut into cubes

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. In a medium saucepan, heat half of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. Stir in the cheese until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

2. Thread the steak onto 4 skewers. Divide the bell pepper among 4 more skewers. Brush the pepper and beef with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide the bread among 4 more skewers and brush with the remaining butter. Arrange the bread and peppers on the grill and cook, turning, until charred on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange the steak on the grill and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the cheese sauce for dipping.

Comments:
This recipe is pretty much for fondue. You cut up the meat, pepper, bread and grill them while making a cheese sauce for dipping. It wasn't bad, just not really what I think of when I hear "cheesesteak."

Nuevo Cubano

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
4 (3-ounce) whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham
1 peeled mango or 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions:
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.

2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a food processor; process until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango or tomatoes, and provolone cheese; replace top halves of rolls.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.

Comments:
Left out the cilantro and used the panini press instead of cooking them in a skillet. Other than that, kept to the plan. I used the mango option rather than the tomato and I think that was definitely the right choice. Added just the right touch of sweetness. Overall, pretty good. Go easy on the garlic though - it was really overpowering.

Mozzarella, Ham, (and Basil) Paninis

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta, cut in half horizontally
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
12 basil leaves
8 ounces sliced 33%-less-sodium cooked deli ham (such as Boar's Head)
2 sweetened hot cherry peppers, sliced
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Brush cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush cut side of top half with vinegar. Top bottom half with mozzarella, basil, ham, peppers, and tomato. Top with remaining bread half.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges.

Comments:
Left out the basil and cherry peppers, but actually used ciabatta bread! We made a stop at Manderfields for brat buns last week and since we were there I decided to splurge and get fancy bread. I had them slice it though so that's why it looks different from the picture on the CL website. Worked out well. These were really good sandwiches.

Adam Cooks: Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Dough:
1 1/2 packages dry yeast (about 3 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 cup warm fat-free milk (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 11 1/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (about 7 ounces)
Cooking spray

Filling:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup raisins

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 teaspoons fat-free milk

Directions:
To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm milk and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Add butter and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir well. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; roll into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Coat surface of dough with cooking spray.

To prepare filling, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; sprinkle over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle raisins over dough, pressing gently into dough. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam to seal. Cut the dough into 16 rolls. Place the rolls, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Uncover rolls. Bake at 375° for 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare glaze, place powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Add 5 teaspoons milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring to form a thick glaze. Drizzle glaze evenly over rolls.

Comments:
Adam made these. They're good. Very yeasty. Not sure why the baking bug bites him every once in a while, but whatever. Now if I could only get him to rinse his dishes off... :-)

Baked Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove chopped fresh garlic
1 pound ground round
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
3/4 cup Heinz 57® Sauce
2 tablespoons Heinz ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 Pillsbury Grands!® Reduced Fat Buttermilk Biscuits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat;
add olive oil. Add first 4 ingredients; cook until beef is
browned, stirring to crumble. Remove fat from pan.
Stir in tomato sauce and the next 10 ingredients (Heinz
57® Sauce through water); reduce heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate and chill about 1 hour.

Spray muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Remove
biscuits from packaging and press dough into each
muffin hole, using your fingers to ensure it’s properly
pressed into each cup.

Fill each cup evenly with chilled sloppy joe mixture.
Bake for 22 minutes and serve hot.

Comments:
These instructions are a little off, I think. Why would you preheat your oven first if you had to let the filling sit in the fridge for an hour after you made it? Doesn't make sense. Good thing I ignored that chilling step! Heh. These were easy enough to make, but weren't "fall off your seat fabulous" or anything.

French Onion-Gruyere Cups

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
One 7.5-ounce can refrigerated biscuits
1 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 packed cup grated gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Invert a muffin pan and lightly grease the back side of ten muffin cups with olive oil. Pat a biscuit flat, place over a greased muffin cup and stretch the dough to cover the cup. Repeat with the remaining nine biscuits. Bake until golden-brown, 7 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the biscuit cups from the pan and invert onto a baking sheet to cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every 3 minutes or so, until the onions are softened and browned, about 15 minutes. Divide the onion mixture among the biscuit cups.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Pouring slowly, whisk in the heavy cream and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the cheese sauce over the onions; sprinkle the the thyme and remaining cheese and on top and bake until the cheese is melted and the biscuit edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Comments:
These were very good. Fairly easy prep, good taste. I might have cut the onions a little big though since they all seemed to come out in one big chunk when you bit into them.

Croque Monsieur-Style Monte Cristo Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
salt & pepper
Grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 slices good-quality white bread
5 ounces gruyère cheese, cut into 8 thin slices
8 slices baked ham
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

2. In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 1/3 cups milk and cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the mustard and turn off the heat.

3. Spread the sauce on 1 side of each bread slice. Top each of 4 slices with 1 cheese slice, 2 folded ham slices, another cheese slice and 1 of the remaining bread slices.

4. Beat the eggs with the remaining 2/3 cup milk and coat the sandwiches twice in the batter. Wipe the griddle with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter nestled in a paper towel, then add the sandwiches to the griddle and cook, turning once, until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Halve the sandwiches diagonally.

Comments:
So I skipped the mustard sauce stuff and I just used some regular mustard by itself. I thought it turned out pretty well. Not spectacular. Adam commented that it was like a combination of grilled cheese and French toast. Pretty much. Not sure we'd have these again, although they did give me a real hankering for grilled cheese!

Grilled Cheddar-Apple Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 granny smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
8 slices bread

Directions:
Divide the cheese and apple slices among 4 bread slices, then top with the remaining 4 bread slices. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
Totally simple, made even easier by skipping the accompanying parsnip soup and using a panini press. Oh, and we also added turkey. Perfect for those nights you come home from work after a long day and just want to fall into bed the second you get through the door but are then greeted by hungry cats and a hungry husband. *sigh*

Bread Crust Zucchini Quiche

From All Recipes.com



Ingredients:
3 slices whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 large tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut bread slices in half diagonally, and arrange around edge of 9-inch pie plate.

2. In a medium skillet, melt butter and saute zucchini until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add tomato and oregano, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the flour, and spoon mixture into center of the bread-lined pie plate.

3. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, yogurt, and 1/2 the Parmesan cheese. Spoon this mixture over the vegetables in the pie plate, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm in center.

Comments:
This was good, but I didn't even bother to take a picture of it when it was cut because it was so runny. Adam thinks it was the fault of the cottage cheese since the eggs were cooked through. In any case, good flavor, bad presentation.