Cinnamon Apple French Toast

I came up with this recipe by simply combining two great things: apples & french toast!

First, make the cinnamon apples (click for recipe).

Second, make french toast (click for recipe).

Third, add some whip cream & serve. It is like breakfast, dinner & dessert all in one meal.

French Toast

I love french toast! It is probably my favorite breakfast item. I am not big about breakfast in the morning but I love it for dinner. I have played with my french toast recipe for a couple years until I finally came up with what I think is the tastiest.


Ingredients
8 slices Texas toast
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon


Directions
Beat eggs, milk & vanilla. Add cinnamon to egg mixture according to how much you like it. I love it so I add lots of cinnamon. Take a slice of bread, dip one side in egg mixture, flip bread & dip other side in egg. Place bread onto hot griddle. Continue coating all pieces of bread until all are on the griddle. Also, I usually add more cinnamon after dipping 2-3 slices. Allow bread to cook several minutes before flipping to other side. Serve with syrup or just sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cinnamon Apples

I hate when I buy a bag of apples & they start looking a little sad like 2 days after I get them home. I start eating & feeding the kids apples so I don't have to throw them away. It happened again this week so I decided to come up with a way to use all of those apples. I created this warm & delicious recipe. You can serve as a side dish to pork or chicken or you can serve with breakfast or you can simply add as a topping to vanilla ice cream. I ended up using it with my yummy french toast - Cinnamon Apple French Toast.


Ingredients
8 apples, peeled & diced
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c apple juice


Directions
Put all ingredients except apples into a large saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until butter has melted & everything is combined. Add apples. Cook over medium low heat for 25 minutes or until apples are soft. Stir frequently. Serve warm.

Little Slugger Chili Mac

This time of year (with the start of Little League baseball) it can be so busy. Between homework, practices & games there is little time to prepare dinner. I named this version of chili mac after my little slugger. He ate 2 plates of this after batting practice one night. I think it was a home run!

Ingredients

1 1/4 c uncooked elbow macaroni

1 # ground chuck

1/2 c green pepper, chopped

1/2 c onion, chopped

2 cans chili with beans

1 can corn, drained

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook macaroni according to package directions. In a large skillet cook ground chuck, green pepper & onion until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in chili & corn. Drain macaroni. Add macaroni to skillet & heat through. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover until cheese is melted.

Garden Vegetable & Chicken Skillett

Don't you just love those meals that are quick, easy & all in one pan? I do too! You will enjoy this one-skillet dinner.

Ingredients
1 1/2# boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 tbsp butter
3 c fresh baby spinach
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c uncooked instant brown rice
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions
In a large skillet, saute the chicken, squash, onion & carrot in butter for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain. Add spinach, garlic, salt, thyme & pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in rice & water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover & simmer for 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in lemon juice.

Meal Planning...Simplified

Hello everyone! It's that time again - menu planning! Since I have heard from some of you that you like the meal planning, I am passing along some more from my Bistro. Take time to have dinner with the family this week! Enjoy! By the way, we had friends over for pizza & rollers so that is why you see all of those goodies.

Pizza

Spinach Rollers

Roni Rollers

Hot Dog Bean Soup

Cheddar Spirals & Hamburgers

Baked Chicken Breasts

Pork Piccata

Garden Vegetable & Chicken Skillet

Little Slugger Chili Mac

Black Bean Enchiladas

Spinach Rollers

Ingredients
Pizza Dough (click for recipe)
1 bag fresh baby spinach, chopped
Olive oil

Garlic powder

Red pepper flakes

Grated Parmesan cheese

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can/jar favorite pizza sauce

Directions

Note: You can also make roni rollers (click for recipe & instructions). I like to do make half & half :)

Drizzle chopped spinach with olive oil. Add garlic powder, red pepper flakes, & Parmesan cheese to taste. I actually taste the mixture to make sure it is seasoned perfectly. Set aside & allow it to marinate. Stir occasionally. Make your pizza dough according to the directions listed on my blog. Once the dough is ready. Using a sharp knife pull dough & cut a 7 ounce ball of dough. If you don't have a scale just eyeball it. Place the dough ball on a olive oiled surface. Pat dough until you form a circle (about 10 inches). Spoon spinach mixture onto dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan & top with mozzarella cheese.

Start rolling dough from one side. About halfway through fold both sides into the center as shown here. Then complete roll until you form a complete roller.



Place spinach roller (seam side down) on a greased baking sheet (for best results grease heavily with shortening).

Once you roll all the dough you will have a nice full sheet of spinach rollers (careful they are heavy). Place in a 425 degree oven.

After 10-12 minutes and rollers start to slightly brown, take a paper towel & scoop shortening onto towel & rub rollers with shortening. This will give the rollers a nice crispy, brown crust.

Bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until they look nice & brown.

Serve spinach rollers with pizza sauce - YUMMY, YUMMY!!!

Lasagna Stoup

Another hit at my Bistro! This hearty dish is great for a family meal or even for a get together of friends. Add a salad & some garlic bread to complete the meal. I recommend you try this soon!

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1# ground chuck
Salt & pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled & grated
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
One 28-ounce can Italian crushed tomatoes
1 pound lasagna noodles, broken into jagged pieces
1 c basil leaves, torn
1 c whole-milk ricotta
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, to pass around the table

Directions
In a soup pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt & pepper & cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrots & garlic and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the chicken broth & tomatoes; cover and bring to a boil. Add the pasta & cook until al dente, about 15 minutes. Stir in the basil & season with salt & pepper. Serve the stoup in bowls & dollop with the ricotta. Pass the parmigiano-reggiano at the table.

Recipe courtesy: Rachael Ray magazine

Spinach & Bacon Hash Brown Quiche

Oh my goodness. This was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect blend of eggs, hash browns, cheese, spinach & bacon. I knew from the smell as it was baking that it was going to taste so yummy. My husband loved it too! This would be good for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Ingredients
3 c frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/4 c butter, melted
6 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
3 eggs
1 c half and half
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 c fresh spinach, chopped
2/3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 c shredded Swiss cheese

Directions
Press hash browns between paper towels to remove excess moisture; toss with butter. Press onto the bottom & up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until edges are browned. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon & onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt & pepper. Stir in the spinach, cheeses & bacon mixture; pour into crust. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Egg Mixture before it is poured into the baked hash browns

Hash browns after they have baked

Recipe courtesy: Simple & Delicious

Chicken Salad

If you like chicken salad, I promise you will like sinking your teeth into this. These are great for parties, showers & family get togethers.

Ingredients
6 chicken breasts or 3 large cans of chunk chicken breast
2 tbsp vinegar (white or red wine)
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 c mayonnaise
2 tbsp mustard
Salt & pepper, to taste
Seedless grapes (green or red), sliced in half
Cashews or slivered almonds

Directions
If using fresh chicken, boil chicken for 30 minutes. Let cool & cut into bite size pieces. If using canned chicken, drain chicken. Toss chicken with vinegar. Add onion & celery. Toss. Add mayo, mustard, salt & pepper. Toss. Add grapes & toss. Add nuts right before serving. I like to serve on the small croissants.

Fruit Dip

This is my all time favorite fruit dip. I love it with strawberries & pineapple. Actually I could eat it by the spoonful. I served it with strawberries at a baby shower yesterday.

Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
7 oz jar marshmallow fluff

Directions
Mix ingredients until well blended & smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

Refreshing Citrus Punch

This is one of my favorite drinks to serve at parties (especially bridal & baby showers). It can be used for lunch, brunch or breakfast showers.

Ingredients
1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 large can pineapple juice, chilled
2 liter ginger ale, chilled

Directions
Put frozen orange juice into punch bowl. Add pineapple juice. Add ginger ale. This makes a full punch bowl.

Pear Custard Bars

This was sent to me by my friend, Brandee. She tasted them at Bunco & thought they were divine. They sound yummy.

Ingredients
1/2 c butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c chopped macadamia nuts

FILLING/TOPPING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) pear halves, drained
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour to creamed mixture. Stir in the nuts. Press into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sugar, egg & vanilla. Pour over crust. Cut pears into 1/8-in. slices; arrange in a single layer over filling. Combine sugar & cinnamon; sprinkle over pears. Bake at 375° for 28-30 minutes (center will be soft-set & will become firmer upon cooling). Cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Cover & refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

Ohio Chili

Sometimes I forget what recipes I already posted. My friend, Tammy, asked why my chili wasn't on the the Bistro. I was adamant that I already posted it, but when I searched for it I realized that I had not. So here is chili...the way I like it. I was born & raised in Ohio & this is the way my mom made chili.

Ingredients
1 1/2# ground chuck
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large can tomato juice
2 cans tomato paste
12 oz water
2 cans kidney beans (light or dark, undrained)
chili powder to taste
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Brown meat, onion & green pepper. Add tomato juice, tomato paste & water. Stir well. Add chili powder (more or less depending how hot you want it), salt & pepper. Cover & cook over medium heat for 35-45 minutes. Add kidney beans. Simmer for an additional 35-45 minutes. Note: you will want to taste the chili as it cooks so you can know whether it needs more chili powder, salt or pepper. Do not wait until the end to season the chili.