Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

dash salt
2 tblsp butter
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
7 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
Butter, for pan
1 8-pack of hamburger buns (no seeds!!)
8 slices of cinnamon swirl bread

Directions

Arrange bun bottoms, cinnamon bread and bun tops (in that order) in a generously buttered 9X13 casserole dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Dot with butter, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.

IKEA's Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2/3 lb lean ground beef
• 1/3 lb ground lean pork
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Gravy:
4 tablespoons butter
4- 5 tablespoons flour
3-4 cups beef stock

Directions:

1. Saute onions in oil until translucent. Set aside and let cool.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and milk, let soak for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine onions, breadcrumbs, milk egg, meat and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Form tablespoon of the meat mixture into balls.
4. Line meatballs on baking sheet at least an inch apart and bake for 35- 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
5. To make gravy, melt butter and add flour and let brown slightly. Add stock about 1 cup at a time while whisking constantly until it's gravy!
   
6. Serve meatballs with gravy, boiled or mashed potatoes and maybe even some lingonberry jam!

Real Housewives of NJ's Caroline Manzo's Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup – QUICKIE VERSION!!!!

Usually the base for the soup is home made chicken soup, but this is quick and easy.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 ½ lbs ground beef, pork, veal

5 good sized garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

Handful of grated cheese Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Salt & pepper to taste

3 slices white bread, crust cut off, broken up

Combine all ingredients and then shape mixture into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Place on cookie sheet or plate and put in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Mixture should make about 50 meatballs.

Soup:

11 Cups Chicken Broth

1 sweet basil leaf

½ cup carrots chopped

½ cup celery chopped

1 medium sized onion chopped

1 pound escarole (you can also use spinach)

salt and pepper to taste

fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large soup pot sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in oil about 2 to 3 minutes

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium to high heat.

Add meatballs and escarole and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and escarole is tender.

Now you have to options here, you can add egg and cheese or pasta. Don’t do both because it’s too much.

If you’re going to add egg and cheese get two large eggs and wisk them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.

Stir the soup in a slow circular motion, gradually drizzle egg and cheese mixture into broth gently allowing it to blend.

If you’re going with the pasta option use a small grade pasta like Acini de Pepe or Orzo.

I usally use about ½ lb of pasta and throw it right into the broth and let it cook out, usually about 10 minutes.

Whatever your choice add grated cheese to garnish, and a little garlic bread on the side doesn’t hurt either!

Tate's Chocolate Chip Cookies

The following recipe is from Tate's Bake Shop cookbook and they will come out tasting exactly the same as the ones you can buy in Southampton or in gourmet markets. Perfect every time!!

• 2 cups all-purpose pour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
  

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon water

• 1 teaspoon vanila

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (usually, one bag)
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
   

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In another large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars with a mixer. Add the water and vanilla. Mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Add the eggs and beat lightly to thoroughly combine.

4. Add the flour mixture to the sugar/butter mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips. Don’t overmix the dough.

5. Drop the cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets using two tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop.

6. Bake them for 12 - 15 minutes or until the edges and centers are brown. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Also, once the chips are mixed in, you can roll it in parchment and freeze the dough for up to 3 months. I am testing this myself now, but Kathleen King, Tate's owner and Cookie Queen herself has told me she has had success freezing the dough. So, we'll see!!

Sorry, here's the picture of the soup!!

Chicken Rice Soup

This recipe could not be any easier!! Seriously! And there is just nothing like it on a cold winters day.

3 Quarts Chicken Stock (See Chicken Stock recipe)
2 tblsp Olive Oil
2 cups cooked and shredded, chicken
3 medium carrots
2 large celery stalks
1 large onion
1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried, thyme
1 cup peas
Salt and Pepper to taste

• Heat oil in soup pot or dutch oven, and add chopped mirepoix (onion, carrots and celery) and lightly saute.
• Add rice and make sure to evenly coat rice with oil, by stirring.
• When vegetables start to soften (about 3 or 4 minutes) add stock and allow to come to a boil. Add thyme, a pinch of salt and 10-15 grinds of pepper.
• Turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
• Stir in frozen peas and chicken and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve!
  

Yellow Split Pea Soup

• 
  
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 pound bag split peas, rinsed and picked through
1 1/2 - 2 pounds smoked ham hock
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart water
1 or 2 Tbsp Half & Half (optional)
Salt and black pepper
• • 
    

  In a large dutch oven, saute onion, celery and carrots over medium-high heat. Add split peas (I liked the yellow ones) stock and water. Nestle ham hock into pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 1 1/2 hours until soup is thick and peas have almost disintegrated and vegetables are soft. Season, to taste with salt and pepper. Remove ham hock and let cool. Pull meat from ham hock bone, shred and add back to pot and remove from heat. Stir in half & half. Garnish with bacon bits, croûtons or just nothing at all!