Stuff it!!

Sausage & Herb Stuffing

I know that the big controversy with a turkey at Thanksgiving is do you stuff the bird or not; I say stuff it!!  Stove-top has no business being in my pantry or kitchen when homemade stuffing is so easy to make.  This stuffing brings together the flavors of the season with sweet dried cranberries, tart apples, spicy sausage, and fresh herbs.  I would definitely add more sausage next time; maybe 1 to 1.5 pounds.  I even made this up a day in advance to travel to Vermont with; just be sure to keep the wet mix, bread, and sausage separate until ready to cook.  A great addition of flavor to spice up your plain old turkey.

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Weeknight Winner Casserole

Penne & Sausage Casserole

A great dish for the colder months, warms you from the inside out.  Super cheesy and only as spicy as the sausage you choose.  I used the wine in the sauce instead of beef broth which added a rich flavor to the sauce.  Also, choose your favorite type of pasta to use because any kind will work (I always pick the fun shapes).  Spicy poultry sausage and sliced portobello mushrooms add a nice flare.  It's even better as ooey-gooey cheesy left-overs; almost as cheesy as me!

Penne Sausage Casserole Recipe

So Much Better than an Italian Cookie!

Chocolate Hazelnut Drop Cookies:

These cookies are easy and delicious!  The only complaint I have is that the recipe doesn't make enough of them, so double it.  These cookies are moist and flavorful, unlike traditional Italian cookies.

Hazelnut Cookie Recipe

Chicken & Waffles, Not Your Usual Sunday Brunch

Chicken & Waffles

Another recreation of a combo that Funk N Waffles has on their menu.  They're a great little restaurant that serves all different kinds of waffles and were even noticed by Guy on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.  I used my usual buttermilk waffle recipe which can be found on the blog under "Waffles of Insane Greatness" and the rosemary chicken tenders left-over from the night before.  When drizzled with a little bourbon maple syrup it makes and oddly good combination of sweet and savory.

Murphy's Red Potatoes on the Fly

Smashed Baby Reds

I needed a quick side and had a bag of baby red potatoes in the house.  I boiled them until fork tender (15 min) then mashed them while still hot (skins still on).  I added a few dollops of sour cream, a few shakes of seasoned salt, a few dashes black pepper, a few shakes of garlic powder, and Tastefully Simple brand bacon mix.  I like adding light sour cream rather than milk or butter because it creates a much creamier consistency and a healthier substitution.  They actually ended up being quite delish!

There's Another Use for French Fried Onions That's Not a Green Bean Casserole...

Crispy Onion Chicken

Like Funions for adults.  An extremely easy recipe that leaves the chicken moist and flavorful.  The only change I made was to cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces to make sure they cooked through in the oven.  Next time I might add some fresh herbs; rosemary or thyme.

Crispy Onion Chicken

A Breakfast Favorite and Dessert All in One

French Toast Bread Pudding

This is my new favorite dessert that I was first exposed to at a wonderful gourmet restaurant in downtown Syracuse, BC.  It's so rich and decadent that they serve it in mini ramekins a la mode.  Of course, I had to run home and test it out.  The aroma of the cinnamon and french toast fills the house and reminds me of a relaxing Sunday brunch. The recipe I found calls for many real vanilla beans which happen to be $10 for 2 at Wegmans.  They are definitely worth the price because the flavor can't be matched with imitation vanilla or extracts.  Instead of using 7 beans, I only used 2 for the whole recipe and put the pods in when boiling the liquid as well.  Challah bread works great for soaking up all the liquid and bourbon (mmm).  This bread pudding is a little labor intensive and takes two days with refrigeration included.  The recipe makes enough pudding (liquid) to make two large pans of bread pudding; double the goodness!  I made this up ahead of time to take to Thanksgiving dinner, which worked great (keep the liquid and bread separate until just before baking it).

French Toast Bread Pudding Recipe