Cinnamon French Toast Bake

With the holidays being so chaotic - I almost forgot this recipe I made on Christmas Morning!  it was yummy!  I only used 2 eggs and added a little more cinnamon and nutmeg.  Oh and of course - left off the pecans!  

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cans (12.4 oz each) Pillsbury flaky cinnamon rolls
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (half & half works too)
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Icing from cinnamon rolls
Powdered sugar, if desired

1. Melt butter and pour into 9x12 baking dish.
2. Open cinnamon rolls, slice into eighths and place in buttered dish.
3. Beat eggs with cream, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional) and vanilla and pour over cinnamon rolls.
4. Sprinkle with pecans and then bake on 375˚ on lower rack for 30-35 minutes.
5. Remove bake from oven. Warm icing in microwave for 30 seconds and pour over bake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Chicken and Roasted Red Potatoes

January 21st!  Martin Luther King Day - meant no work for me!  It was also the inauguration of President Obama!  Spent the day at home with Ole waiting for the Dishnetwork guy to fix my reception!  It was bitterly cold outside which meant it was a day to figure out a meal to cook in the oven!  PINTEREST - Here I come!  On my board of recipes to make - poultry - I found Chicken and Roasted Red Potatoes.  Ingredients - Potatoes - check, chicken - check, ranch dressing - check (sorry not Kraft), bacon - check (microwave kind), cheddar cheese - check, onions - no check but because I don't like onions - no problem!  Oh and I skipped the parsley and used plain shredded cheddar cheese!

Here is the recipe - courtesy of Pinterest which is courtesy of Kraft.  :)  
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-roasted-red-potatoes-132470.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20120320-_-1023&cm_lm=D56E5397C186FC3D277384E63837EF9A

ingredients

1/4

cup  KRAFT Classic Ranch Dressing

6

large  bone-in chicken thighs (1-3/4 lb.), skin and visible fat removed

4

slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon

1-1/2

lb.  red potatoes (about 5), cut into 1-inch chunks

1

 onion, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1

cup  KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA

2

Tbsp.  chopped fresh parsley

Directions

POUR dressing over chicken in shallow dish. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.

HEAT oven to 400ºF. Cook bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels.

ADD potatoes and onions to reserved drippings; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Add to potato mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken over potato mixture.

BAKE 55 min. to 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and chicken is done (165ºF). Top with cheese and parsley.

Crockpot chicken

Well - I have really been slacking on my blogging and mostly my cooking!  Since it is just Paul and myself I haven't made much to eat.  (frozen pizza's, burgers on the grill and meals that I have already frozen).  And we don't need desserts or treats!

I also haven't made many pinterest meals!  I know what is wrong with me!  This will be hard to believe but I have hardly even been on pinterest since Kiefer left for boot camp.  I have been spending my time writing to Kiefer on a daily basis, writing to his friends he has mentioned and to all the recruits listed that aren't getting mail.  I also spend too much time on navyformoms.com and my navy family facebook pages.  Wow - it will be nice to have him done with bootcamp!  I am still going to continue to write to people at bootcamp that aren't getting letters. but will also do more cooking!

On 1.11.13 I wanted to make several recipes in my to make - poultry but... didn't have milk, mayo or ranch dressing!  So I settled for Crock pot Chicken.  I need a new name for this.  haha

4 chicken breasts
Half can of cherry coke 
Bottle of BBQ sauce 
1/2 Cup brown sugar

Place it in the crock pot on low for about 5 hours. An hour before serving, take the chicken out and shredded it with a fork, put the chicken back into the crock pot with the sauce until ready to serve.  You can serve this over rice or noodles or maybe even a bun!

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pull Aparts

I suppose I am getting to that age where it happens, but it is still mind blowing!  A fellow graduate student became engaged to her now fiance during the holiday break!  So, we did what we do best - throw an engagement party for the happy couple!  Smiles, laughs, and games were bountiful, as was the food! 

Here was my contribution to the delicious spread prepared:

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pull Aparts
Ingredients and How To for the Bread can be found on Mom's post for No Knead Bread.  Otherwise, the original recipe called for a sour dough bread in a round loaf.

Ingredients for the Rest:
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Bacon bits
1/4 C butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp ranch dressing mix

How To:
1.   Preheat oven to 350.
2.   Slice the bread in two directions (grid like), not cutting totally through the bottom of the bread so it all stays together!
3.   Shove the cheese and bacon bits into the cuts to your hearts desire (I loaded mine)!
4.   Mix the ranch seasoning into the melted butter and drizzle over the top of the loaded bread (I made sure to get as much in the cuts as possible).
5.   Wrap bread in tinfoil and bake for 15 minutes.
6.   Unwrap bread and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese it melted.
7.   Pull apart and enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie and Peaches and Cream Cake

Well, I suppose I should get caught up on my end of the blog after the whirlwind we call the holidays!  With many hours spent in the car between Ames, Duluth (to my parent's home), Chetek (to see Papa), Chicago (to get Mom and Dad's adorable puppy, Ole), back to Duluth a few more times (for Christmas Eve dinner, family gatherings, and chances to catch up with friends) and back to Ames (yay, New Years and work), I have not had much time to putz in my kitchen!  However, I was able to squeeze in a few num nums.

As most of my baking goes, I try to make the dessert which will most please one (and hopefully more) people at the gathering.  This past Christmas Eve dinner, Papa's choice of Coconut Cream Pie was the primary dessert, and Dad's choice of Peaches and Cream Cake the second (with slight modification so Mom would enjoy the deliciousness, too).  Now, I was slightly nervous for the Coconut Cream Pie as it was my first time making a custard pie, let alone a pie itself!  But the reviews were fantastic so I am calling it a success!  I also have to admit that Mom made the cheesecake since I was out and about running errands, but she is who I got my recipe from in the first place!

Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients for Crust:
Pie crust from store :)  (to be honest, my first store bought pie crust fell into the pan when it was
   baking... FAIL!  However, I don't feel all that bad because Mom's didn't work perfectly, either!

Ingredients for Coconut Custard:  
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt (if anybody watches me bake, I just shake my salt shaker until I'm content)
1 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk (shake the 13.75 oz can first, or don't be surprised to find a
   solid layer on top of the milk that you have to dig through to find the milk!)
1 1/4 C whole milk (I used 2%)
4 large egg yolks
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (if anybody watches me bake, I just pour in and don't measure :) )
1 C shredded sweetened coconut

Ingredients for Topping:
1/2 C large-flake unsweetened dried coconut (I used the same coconut as for the custard filling)
1 1/2 C heavy cream (I used 2 C)
2 tbsp powdered sugar (pretty sure I used granulated now that I think of it)

Directions:
1.   Prepare the crust according to directions on the box.

2.   Make the filling:  Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan.  Whisk in coconut milk and whole (2%) milk (this is when I discovered that there are two layers in the coconut milk can and was slightly confused to not find liquid milk immediately... so shake that sucker a bit before opening!).  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about seven minutes or until bubbling and thick.  While heating, whisk egg yolks in a bowl.  Add the milk mixture to the yolks in a slow, steady stream and whisk until incorporated.  Return back to saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly (1-2 minutes). 

3.  Now, the directions I was following stated to strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl... I just poured the custard into the bowl after discovering it did not like to go through the sieve I had, and it still turned out fine!  Stir in vanillla and shredded coconut.  Pour into pie crust (this is where I waited while Mom's attempt to bake the crust was in progress... again, the custard turned out just fine!).  Wrap tightly in plastic and refridgerate until completely set (about four hours).

4.   Make the topping:  Prehead oven to 350 degrees.  Spread whichever coconut you decide to use evenly on cookie sheet.  Bake until golden (10-12 minutes), tossing occasionally.  Let cool.  Beat together cream and powdered sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form.  Top pie with cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Serve and enjoy!


Peaches and Cream Cake
Ingredients for Cheesecake:
Can be found on my other cheesecake recipes.

Ingredients for Peach Topping:
1 can peaches in syrup
Cornstarch
Sugar, to taste

Directions:
1.   Make cheesecake.

2.   Make peach topping:  puree peaches in food processor.  Stir back into syrup.  Add cornstarch until the peaches gain a sauce-like consistency.  Add sugar to taste.

3.   Pour peach sauce over cheesecake for serving.