Making good French Toast

The secrets to good French toast is: 

1. Good yet going stale bread. 

2. Season your egg and milk mixture. I always put a splash of vanilla extract, less milk to add a splash of heavy cream and cinnamon. 

3. Cook on medium low to low. 

4. Always use a good syrup, honey or jelly. 

5. Remember sugar burns fast. Add it to the end of you are planing on adding it in. I never do cause we use real maple syrup which is sweet enough. 

Enjoy! 

~Mrs. Milly~

Healthy Tacos

I have been trying to eat healthy and sneak veggies in so my kids will too. I got one of those chopper things that cuts your food in to little squares. It is perfect a for a dish like this and I was excited to use it. I love kitchen gadgets! My kids ate it with out even a second thought and they could still see the veggies! 

Healthy Taco's: 

1lb ground turkey 

About 1/4 cup of diced onion

1 diced carrot 

About 1/4 cup dice zucchini

1tbs of my chili seasoning 

1tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1tsp cumin 

Salt to taste 

5 steps to a healthy yet flavorful meal: 

1. Brown turkey

2. Add onion and carrot and sauté till the onion starts to turn transparent

3. Add seasoning and zucchini 

4. Cook for 3 more minutes 

5. Serve anyway you like to eat taco meat. Salad, soft or crunchy, or nachos and top how you like. 

NOTE: No need to add any liquid or drain the meat, the vegetables will make enough and turkey is so lean the little fat it makes is good to leave. 

Enjoy! 

~Mrs. Milly~ 

Collard Greens

I made these for Thanksgiving and they were a big hit. Even my four-year-old likes them! 

Collard greens: 

3 cans chicken broth

2 tbsp butter

3 garlic cloves, minced 

1/2 onion, diced 

2 bags greens 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar 

3 Ham hocks or 2 big ones 

2 tsp bacon grease 

6 slices bacon, cooked to medium and diced up 

2 tbsp salt 

1 tbsp black pepper 

1 tsp ground cayenne red pepper 

1 tbsp hot sauce 

Cook on low 2 hours 

Pick ham hocks and add back in 

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

12 strips of lasagna noodles, cooked half way

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered 

1 bag fresh spinach, sautéed and drained or frozen thawed and drained   

1 jar Alfredo sauce or can make homemade. 

1 pound chicken diced and cooked

1 small container ricotta cheese 

1 large egg

1 tbsp dried basil 

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp black pepper 

1 tsp garlic salt 

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese  

1. Mix chicken in with Alfredo sauce 

2. Mix ricotta cheese and next 5 ingredients 

3. Mix mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for top 

4. Butter dish

5. Layer noodles, sauce, ricotta cheese, then repeat. 

6. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese mixture 

7. Cover with tinfoil 

8. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

9. Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes. 

10. Let cool 

11. Serve 

Enjoy! 

Mushroom Brie Soup

It's finally cooled off in Florida which means we are FREEZING. Time to make soups to warm our bones. We have a restaurant here that has a great mushroom brie soup, but instead of going out to eat I thought I could make it at home. This turned out so good!!! Even my 4 year old who "hates mushrooms" had two servings. 

What you need: 

16 oz mushrooms, quartered 

1/2lb Brie cheese 

32oz chicken broth 

2/3 cup heavy cream 

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried parsley 

1/2 onion,diced 

2-3 cloves garlic diced

4 tbsp butter 

S&P to taste 

How to:

1) Melt butter in pan 

2) Sauté onions and garlic in butter 

3) Add mushrooms till slightly caramelized

4) Put in pot with broth 

5) Add thyme, parsley and a little salt and pepper 

6) Add cheese 

7) Let simmer in low till cheese melts. 

8) Remove rind 

9) Add cream 

10) Take off heat

11) Purée 

Serve and enjoy! 

~Mrs. Milly~ 

You can also make in the crock pot. Add cream just before you serve. 

Low 8-10 hours 

High 4-6 hours 

Fish Cakes over Cheese Grits

My husband fishes a lot which means we always have fish in the freezer. I've been stuck in a rut with it though. Cooking it the same few ways. 

As I was browsing the grocery store aka rushing to get milk and bread before the baby starts to climb out of the cart. I saw crab meat and thought dang that's expensive but crab cakes sound so good! Then duh!!! The idea to use fish instead of crab came to me. Why have I never thought of this before?! It makes perfect sense. Well it turned out great! 

Fish Cakes: 

2 filets of flakey fish. I used wahoo. If you are buying from the grocery cod or tilapia would be good. Salt and pepper both sides and cook it but just till its almost done thru. 

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp dried dill

1 tbs Cajun seasoning or old bay 

1 tsp dried cilantro 

1 tbs garlic salt 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 tbsp spicy brown mustard 

1 large egg 

Oil 

How to:

1. Heat oil to medium low heat. 

2. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix all wet ingredients together then mix the wet and dry together. 

3. Once fish is cooked break apart and gently mix in to mixture. 

4. Make cakes. 

5. Fry up, put on paper towels or paper bags to get excess oil off. 

6. Top with lemon and/or like juice 

7. Place on top of cheese grits 

Cheese Grits:

Follow directions on grits. Make sure to salt water. Once cooked add any cheese you like and 1 1/2 tbsp butter. I used Colby, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses from most to least in that order. 

Enjoy! 

~Mrs. Milly~  

 

French Toast Casserole II

Here is another version on my pervious French toast casserole. This has more of a "fall" taste to it with warm spices added. I made it in a pie pan so you could even call it French toast pie ;-) perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving morning! 

French Toast Casserole II:  

I used about 1-2 a loaf of sourdough bread that was in the verge of getting stale. Cut in bite size cubes. 

3 large eggs

1 cup milk 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp allspice 

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

2 tbsp or 1/8 cup brown sugar 

2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk 

(What do you do with the rest if the can you ask?! See my homemade coffee creamer post) 

Put bread in sprayed pan. 

Whisk all other ingredients together and pour over bread. 

Cook 25-30 minutes or until good and crispy on top. 

Topping: 

1/4 cup milk

3 tbsp powdered sugar 

1 Tbsp maple syrup 

Whisk all together and pour over cooked casserole as its cooling.  

Serves 4 

Enjoy! 

~Mrs. Milly~