Crockpot Brisket & Brie Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS:
3 lb brisket
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz Coca Cola
1 package 8" flour tortillas or bigger
8 oz brie, thinly sliced
1 cup Monterrey Jack, shredded
Olive Oil cooking spray
Mango barbecue sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Rub the meat with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic.
2 - Place brisket in the crockpot and pour the Coca Cola over the top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the crockpot and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain (1/8-1/4 inch thick).
3 - Heat a large pan over medium-high (or pre-heat the George Foreman Grill)
4 - Assemble each quesadilla by topping each tortilla with meat, brie and Monterrey Jack on one half of the tortilla then folding in half.  Place the quesadilla on the heated surface and cook until the bottom is crisp.  Flip and cook the other side.
5 - Remove from heat, cut into wedges and serve with barbecue sauce.

THOUGHTS:
Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:
 2 deep dish 9 inch frozen pie crusts
1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
1/3 - 1/2 bag frozen veggies (such as mixed mushrooms, carrots, peas, asparagus, corn, etc), slightly thawed
2 cans cream of chicken & mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

 DIRECTIONS:
1 - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and remove the frozen pie crusts from the freezer. Leave one pie crust in the tin and invert the other onto wax paper so that it will flatten into the pie top.
2 - Prick the bottom pie crust with a fork to release air and bake the bottom pie crust (still in tin) for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
3 - While the crust is baking, mix the chicken, slightly thawed veggies, two cans of soup, milk, and seasonings in a large bowl.
4 - When the lower pie crust is done, let cool for about 5 minutes and lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
 5 - Pour the filling into the baked crust. Top the pie with the flattened crust. Crimp the edges and make several slits in the top of the pie.
6 - Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes or until crust is brown.

Lisa's Gluten-Free Birthday Cake

Marbled Batter

INGREDIENTS:
For yellow cake:
1 package gluten free yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz package vanilla instant pudding
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 egg white, room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup no-pulp orange juice
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For devil's food cake:
1 package gluten free devil's food cake mix
1 3.4 oz package chocolate instant pudding
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup water
3 eggs

For icing:
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 box confectioner's sugar (approximately 3 1/4 cups)
7 Tablespoons milk (or less)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS:
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 or 9" round cake pans.
2 - Mix together all yellow cake ingredients in a large bowl.  Blend on low speed 30 seconds and medium speed for 2 minutes.
3 - In a separate large bowl, mix together all devil's food cake ingredients.  Blend on low speed 30 seconds and medium speed for 2 minutes.
4 - Using 1/4 cup measures, spoon yellow and devil's food batters into pans, alternating flavors until pans are filled evenly. Cut through batter with a knife in a zig zag pattern to marble.
5 - Bake 40-45 minutes (checking after 30 minutes) or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes, then turn cakes out of pan and let cool (right side up) for 1 hour or more.
6 - While the cake is cooling, make the icing by melting the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Let cool completely.
7 - In a medium sized bowl, blend the confectioner's sugar with up to 7 Tablespoons of milk adding 1 Tablespoon at a time until a thick, yet smooth consistency is achieved.
8 - Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla to the sugar and milk mixture and blend well.  If too thin, chill in fridge until it thickens.
9 - Place one cake, rounded side down, on a cake plate.  Ice the top of the cake with 1/4 cup of the icing. Top with the second cake, flat side down and use remaining icing to ice the top and sides of the cake.

THOUGHTS:
We haven't gotten to taste it yet, but the batters sure did taste good!!!

Completed cake with Gold Sugar on top (also Gluten Free!)

Upside-Down Orange French Toast

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup pecans
2 Tablespoons grated orange peel
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
12 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick)
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
1 cup orange juice

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Place butter in a 13in X 9 in baking dish. Combine the sugar, pecans, orange peel and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over butter.
2 - Arrange bread in dish and dot each slice with cream cheese.
3 - In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and orange juice, then pour over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4 - Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean.
5 - To serve, invert slices onto plates.

THOUGHTS:
Another wonderful recipe from Taste of Home magazine.  I had held on to this recipe over a year waiting for an opportunity to make breakfast for a large group.  I shouldn't have waited.  I could eat all six servings in one sitting.  A good idea?  Of course not, but I could do it without a second thought.

Cappucino Brownies

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or just use chips)
3/4 cup butter, cut up
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
1 Tablespoon hot water
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Topping:
1 package cream cheese, softened
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
4 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 Tablespoon hot water
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or just use chips)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter, stir until smooth and cool slightly.
2 - Dissolve coffee granules in hot water.
3 - In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar.  Stir in vanilla, chocolate mixture, and coffee mixture.
4 - In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture until blended.  Fold in walnuts.
5 - Transfer brownie batter to a greased and floured 13in by 9 in baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack.
6 - For topping, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Add confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla; beat on low speed until combined. Spread over brownies.  Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
7 - For glaze, dissolve coffee granules in hot water. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; cool slightly. Stir in cream and coffee mixture. Spread over cream cheese layer. Let stand until set. Cover and freeze for up to 1 month.

THOUGHTS:
Thanks to Taste of Home magazine (October 2011) for this gem.  Takes a bit of time, but well worth it! Hint from Taste of Home:  Thaw frozen brownies at room temperature, cut into bars, then refrigerate leftovers.

Breaded Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 boneless pork chops

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together first 8 ingredients in a shallow bowl.  In another bowl, place the flour and in a third, the egg.
2 - Dip each pork chop in the flour, then the egg, then the crumb mixture
3 - Heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a pan.  Saute the pork chops for about 1-2 minute per side. Move skillet to oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.


THOUGHTS:
Easy and cheap dinner.  Quite tasty with some cous cous and broccoli.

Chicken Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups water
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 rotisserie chicken
1 small can refried beans
1 can sweet corn
1 package shredded cheese, Mexican mix
4 large tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 - In a medium saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in the flour until smooth.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Let boil approximately 1 minute.
3 - Add chili powder and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer approximately 10 minutes, uncovered and allow sauce to slightly thicken.
4 - Assemble each enchilada by spreading refried beans in the center of the tortilla and topping the refried beans with shredded chicken, corn (approximately 1 Tablespoon), and shredded cheese.
5 - Spread 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of a greased square casserole dish.  Place each enchilada, seam down, in the casserole dish.
6 - Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with more shredded cheese.
7 - Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until cheese on the top of the enchiladas is melted.

THOUGHTS:
So so so delicious.  Is rotisserie chicken ever bad?

Olympiade!

INGREDIENTS:
1 part Gin
1 part Club Soda
3 parts Limeaide

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Fill a glass with ice
2 - Add all ingredients
3 - Stir and serve

THOUGHTS:
This should probably be garnished with limes, but who has time for that?

Mini Basil Peach Pies

INGREDIENTS:
4 Frozen mini pie pastries
2 Fresh peaches, each sliced to 8-10 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 basil leaves, torn or sliced into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Take mini pie crusts from freezer to thaw as directed and preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 - Mix together the peaches, sugar, basil leaves, lemon zest, salt and almonds
3 - Brush each pastry with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
4 - Fill each pastry with the peach mixture
5 - Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until pie crusts are golden brown

THOUGHTS:
This was a very delicious different sort of dessert.  I'm still trying to figure out what "savory" really means, but I think this qualifies.

How to Cook Bacon

Good to know.

Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:
1 - In medium saucepan, combine orange juice, water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Mix well with wire whisk until smooth.
2 - Add cranberries, cinnamon, dry mustard, salt and cloves and mix gently. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and sauce thickens. Cook and stir for 1 minute then remove from heat. Let cool 20-30 minutes before serving.
3 - If prepared in advance, let cool completely and refrigerate. Reheat in saucepan until warm. Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

THOUGHTS:
My dad made this delicious sauce for Christmas to go with the ham.

Dad's Ginger Mustard Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup minced onion
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
1 - In a small saucepan, cook onion in butter until very soft ~6-7 minutes. Add ground ginger, salt and pepper and remove from heat.
2 - In a small bowl, combine mustard, egg yolks, vinegar and brown sugar. Beat well. Add a spoonful of the hot onion mixture and stir well. Then add all of the mustard mixture into the saucepan.
3 - Cover over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Cool 15 minutes, then chill until cold.

THOUGHTS:
My dad made this sauce for Christmas 2012 to go with the ham. Very tasty!