FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

A very yummy addition to any breakfast, especially when there are people spending the night, or you want to have a nice warm breakfast for the kids before they go to school.   You can make ahead and refrigerate overnight ready to bake in the morning.  

Ingredients:

1 loaf French or Italian bread

8 large eggs

2 cups half and half

1 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash salt

Tear the bread into big chunks and set aside in bowl.  Spray Pam  into a 13 x 9 dish.   Spread the bread all over the pan evenly.   In a large bowl, put the eggs, half and half , milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.   Beat well with a whisk until totally blended.

Pour mixture over the bread.  Make sure it's all covered evenly .   

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Bake for at least 45 minutes or until it's browned and fluffy and the edges bubbling.  

Remove from oven and serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar.  

TUNA BOATS

A really quick and tasty dinner for those after school days is Tuna Boats.  Ask my kids about it and they will smirk and turn their noses up to it.  In the "lean" days especially during Bible School and having a brood of seven kids, I really had to watch my budget.   So----Tuna Boats were made really only once a month.  But if you were to hear them,  "We had them ALL the time."

Ingredients:

1 pkg. hot dog buns ( 8)

2 cans white tuna, drained (which I prefer rather than the regular tuna)

1/2 chopped onion, fine

1/4 cup chopped celery, fine

3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (more if you like)

In a medium sized bowl, place drained tuna and flake it till all the big chunks are gone.  All the onions, celery, may and shredded cheddar until mixed well.

Fill each of the hot dog buns with the mixture.  Place each one in aluminum foil and close up on top and sides.   Put the open side facing up. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.      Bake for about 20 minutes.  Check one to be sure the cheese is melted.  If it isn't, then leave them in for another 10 minutes.   Take out and keep out til ready to serve.  

It's really VERY good.   I think you'll like it!!

A VALENTINE TEA (from February 2013)

Having  a tea takes a little planning, but you first have to take into consideration the month or time of year. 

This was from February 2013, so obviously I chose the Valentine theme.   It was so much fun to do. 

It's so much fun to shop for Valentine things.  The old fashioned doilies are always a beautiful accent as well as rose petals and red candles.   I always buy and use fresh flowers.  Most times, I use tea pots as the vase to hold the flowers.

I found these delicate with  red and pink rose bud soaps that I decorated as a favor in the middle of the dessert plate (with doily beneath).    Each setting also had a mini cupcake holder with candy hearts AND of course, CHOCOLATE!!

I don't think there's anything more beautiful with a well set table.  Very appealing to the eye.  I always use my Grandmother's china.  And I have a collection of tea cups and everyone gets their own special one for the meal.  

I made home made chicken salad sandwiches.  I bought a heart-shaped cutter thus making heart-shaped sandwiches.  Yum.

Veggies are always a good addition to any luncheon.  What I loved about this was a "Pinterest" idea to make the dip servers out of peppers.  Very pretty, aren't they?

A favorite part of this luncheon was fresh fruit with a yummy fruit dip.   I had blueberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi, blackberries and strawberries.  Delightful to any palate. 

Then, of course, what would a Valentine themed tea be without chocolate.  I found the most awesome, delicious triple chocolate cake and prettied it up with some hearts.  

Cheers!!!

And to add a little more ... here's the dessert I made for my hubby for Valentine's Day.  Scrumptious.

BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

1 lean round steak (2 to  3 pounds)

1 # baby carrots

1 large onion

4 stalks of celery (including leaves)

3 medium potatoes

1 can green beans

1 can corn

3 packets brown gravy mix

Garlic salt (or regular,  your preference)

Black Pepper

In a large frying pan, place round steak and cover with water. Put on medium to medium high heat and brown on both sides. As the water cooks down, continue adding water and turning the meat until tender. You have to keep a watch on this and not leave on the burner unattended so it will not burn. This can take up to 45 minutes. It should feel fork tender. When it is tender, remove from pan and trim the fat and cut into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board.

While the meat is cooking, in a 4 to 6 quart stock pot, place the onion, carrots, celery and potatoes, all cleaned and cut in the chunks and cover with water. Put on medium high and bring to a boil.  Turn down  the heat and cook until the vegetables are tender.

In the frying pan that you cooked the steak in, you may return it to the burner and put on medium heat, pour the liquid from the cans of beans and corn and enough water to compensate what is needed to make the gravy from the packet instructions. Mix well with a whisk and allow to come to a slight boil and thicken. Set aside.

  

When the vegetables are finished cooking and tender, drain the liquid and add the cut round steak pieces along with the canned vegetable  and gently stir with a wooden spoon, add the gravy mixture and again toss lightly. Add desired black pepper and garlic salt (or salt) to taste. Mix lightly again and if you need a little more liquid, add a little water at a time. Put the lid on the pot and allow to cook for at least an additional 30 minutes on medium low heat and make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.   Turn to warm and sit until served.

Can be served with biscuits or even white rice which the stew can be poured over. Noodles work with this too.