Embracing Him

On New Year’s Eve, JT and I will spend a cozy, quiet evening at home. Since we’ll be at home, I’ve planned a fun evening menu featuring a variety of fingerfoods, sandwiches, and dips.

BLT Dip and Buffalo Chicken Dip are easy to prepare and taste fantastic! (Plus both recipes feature cream cheese, one of my favorite spreads!) These dips will be perfect for our low key evening at home but would also be excellent additions to a Superbowl Party menu.

BLT Dip:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tomato, seeded and diced
6 slices bacon – cooked, drained, and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Chill for two hours before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Dip:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup bleu cheese dressing
3/4 cup hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into bite sized pieces or shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and half of the Cheddar Cheese. Stir until well combined. Add the chicken and stir. Spread mixture in an 8×8 pan and top with the remaining Cheddar Cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Photo: Courtesy of ipanemic (Flickr)

A few years ago, I decided I wanted us to have a special breakfast on Christmas morning. That Christmas, JT and I spent too much time standing over the stove cooking and even more time cleaning up the breakfast dishes. I didn’t think that was any way to spend Christmas morning, so shortly after the holiday I began searching for a low prep, delicious, filling breakfast recipe that would be perfect for Christmas the following year.

My search eventually led me to various recipes for French Toast Casserole and French Toast Souffle. These recipes were perfect because they could be prepared the night before and then baked to golden perfection in the morning.

Last Christmas morning, we enjoyed French Toast Casserole and I’m looking forward to indulging myself again this year. The casserole is a rich decadent delight!  Yes, it has quite a bit of sugar. Yes, it has cream cheese and half and half. Yes, it has nearly a half dozen eggs. But, in its defense, the casserole also boasts fantastic flavor and the rib sticking comfort necessary for a cold and perhaps snowy Christmas morning!

Embellish the recipe if you wish. Raisins, nuts, bananas, and apples would be excellent additions. Once prepared, serve the casserole with fresh fruit and bacon (ours will be microwaved!) and you’ll enjoy a delightful breakfast. What a wonderful way to start the most special day of the year!

French Toast Casserole

5 cups bread cubes
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)

Place the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in half and half, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg until mixture is smooth.

Pour cream cheese mixture over the bread; cover, and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake 15 minutes more or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Photo: Courtesy of Klara Kim (Flickr)

We have a large chest freezer in our basement and I like to keep it well stocked with all the frozen foods we need. Recently I noticed our meat supply was dwindling, so I had to make a trip to the grocery store.

Before I pay full price or even sale price for meat, I always check the meat department of one of our local supermarkets. On Saturday mornings, this particular market has great deals on a variety of meats. This is because most of their meats have a Sunday sell by date, so on Saturday the supermarket lowers prices on certain meats to lure buyers. In addition to the discounted prices, these meat packages often have a peel off coupon for an additional $1 to $2 off.

If you’re a savvy shopper with storage capacity, these deals are a great way to keep your freezer full of meat without paying full price for any of it. This past Saturday, cube steak was reduced, so I purchased several large packages.

I was thrilled with the deal because cube steak and gravy is one of favorite cold weather comfort foods. This particular recipe is a delicious “fast fix”. When served with a side of rice or mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, you’ve got a dynamite meal!

Cube Steak and Gravy

4 to 6 Cube steaks
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 cups beef broth
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste)
1/4 cup cooking oil

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season the cube steaks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Dredge the cube steaks in 2 cups of flour and shake off the excess flour. Place the steaks in the skillet and lightly brown on both sides. Remove the cube steak from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining flour to the skillet and whisk to incorporate. Pour the milk and beef broth into the pan and whisk. If you desire, add seasoning to gravy to taste. Reduce the heat to low and place the steaks back into skillet.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Photo: Courtesy of Kitzzy (Flickr)