Sweet and Savory Apple Pancake Bake

Here is the original recipe that inspired my version of this meal:

2 apples chopped into small bites
1/2 red onion chopped
1/2 pound of bacon (frozen for a bit and then sliced into thin bits for browning)
1 1/2 c baking mix
1 1/2 c milk
1 c. liquid eggs
4 tbsp brown sugar (divided)
4 tbsp real maple sugar (divided)
2 c. shredded cheddar
2 apples peeled and then diced

Spray two pie pans with baking spray and preheat oven to 375. Place the diced apples into the pie plates, one apple per plate. add the brown sugar to the apples and mix until well coated. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, baking mix and milk until  together, may be a bit lumpy. pour the baking mixture over the apples adding an equal amout to each pie plate. meanwhile brown the bacon in a pan, rending as much fat as possible (this means you brown on a low setting). Drain the bacon on towels and add the red onion to the hot oil and slowly carmelize the onion in the bacon drippings. Then add two tbsps each of the maple syrup to the pie pans of apple mixture. When the onions are browned and tender sprinkle half into each pie plate. Do the same with the bacon. I stirred each pie plate at this point to make sure everything was evenly distributed and that the maple syrup didn't just sink to the bottom. Then add the cheddar (half in each pie plate) and press it until it sinks under the batter. Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until it is golden and a tooth pick or knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Slice into eight pieces each and serve warm with more real maple syrup.

This is like a big apple/bacon/cheddar pancake...We enjoyed it!

Brown Rice Porridge

1 c brown rice cooked to package directions
1 c milk
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter or margarine

After rice is cooked (leftover brown rice works great too) heat the milk, sugar vanilla and butter/marg in a med sauce pan of med heat until it is mixed well. Add rice. Be careful not to over heat the milk or it will spoil. Heat until it becomes thick and creamy. Serve warm.

My kids loved this, could be a great breakfast or a dessert, which is what I served it as this afternoon. They seriously gobbled it up!

Cheesy Obrien egg casserole

1 28 oz pkg obrien frozen potatoes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled (I don't usually use that much bacon unless I am serving more than just my family!)
12 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
2 c shredded cheddar

In large skillet cook hashbrowns how you like them, we like 'em crispy. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Place in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with soup. Sprinkle with 1/2 bacon. In another skillet or the same one (your preference) scramble eggs in butter until nearly set. Spoon over bacon. Spinkled with shredded cheese and remaining bacon. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted and eggs are done.

Egg Casserole

2 C croutons or bread (wheat works fine, if using homemade you could make the bread into croutons)
1/2 c shredded cheddar
4 slices bacon, crumbled or 1/2 c sausage crumbled (if I don't have this I use whateve I have sauted veggies or extra cheese)
2 c milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder

in a greased 8x8 in pan. add the croutons and the cheese to the pan. In a bowl cobine the eggs, milk, and seasonings and mix until blended. Pour egg mix over croutons and cheese. top with bacon, sausage or your choice of topping. Bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes. serve immediately!

Buttermilk Waffles with Bacon and Blackberry Syrup

While looking for a way to use up my frozen blackberries, which I LOVE btw, and not just doing the same ole thing again. I found this fantastic recipe for waffles and syrup. I did some tweeking and obviously doubled the recipe, which gave everyone 2 apeice plus a couple extra squares. I also purred the berries as I don't really like lumpy syrup, it came out really smooth, I also added a little brown sugar to thicken the syrup a bit. I didn't have any buttermilk either so I just added 1 tbsp vinegar to 1 c milk and stirred it well. I also didn't use as much bacon grease, the recipe calls for 1/4 c per recipe, I used maybe two tbsps until it looked like the right consistency. They came out beautiful. I would definately make this a special treat meal we enjoy time after time! Well worth the time, even though this really didn't take too much extra effort.

Potato Pancakes

left over mashed potatoes
1 egg
5-6 tbsp flour
5-6 tbsp milk
seasoning salt to taste
pepper to taste
oil for frying

In a bowl mix together first six ingredients together until it has a real pancake consistency. Heat a large skillet over med heat add oil and then fry the pancakes until they are crisp. Serve them warm. We often serve this with a homemade gravy or sausage (polish sausage) and even a chicken pecan thing that we like a lot! This is very versatile.

My Mom's Coffee Cake

2 c. busciut mix
2/3c milk or water (if you are suddenly out!)
3 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp canola oil

Topping:
1/3 c. biscut mix
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Mix first first ingredients and pour into a greased 8x8 inch glass baking dish.  Mix topping and then sprinkle over top. Slice cold butter (not margarine) over the top, about 1 tbsp. The place in a preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Mom has made this coffee cake since I was little and we always loved it. We still do love it!

Yummy Breakfast Sandwiches

Whole Wheat English muffins, split
Canadian bacon slices
Swiss Cheese Slices
1-2 tomatoes sliced to your desired thickness
Coarse salt and fresh round pepper


heat oven to 400 degrees. Place however many muffins on a baking sheet as you are making (we usually do alot since as previously mentioned we have a lot of people to feed)and toast until the tops are slightly browned. Spread bottom halves of muffins with a touch of butter (only a touch, not much at all or it gets soggy). Then layer on 2 slices of bacon, 1 slice of cheese and 1 tomato slice (in that order). Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and return to oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tomato is beginning to pucker and is heated through. I usually allow the tops of the muffins to go through this second toasting because then the tops are nice and crispy, my preference, but you do whatever you like best!

These are so yummy, but can be a bit pricey for a large fam, so we usually don't do this to often or only when tomatoes are in season because my former gardening hubby hates hydroponic tomatoes.