Quick and easy {freezer friendly} Breakfast Sandwiches

My kids think I'm kind of mean when it comes to breakfast on school days.  They would all love to take down a big bowl of sugary cereal and head off for the day but there's something about that that just doesn't sit right with me.  Between "feeding their brain" and giving them something that will keep them full until lunch time, a bowl of sugar just doesn't cut it.  If you feed your kids cereal for breakfast, I'm not judging.  I promise.  I'm not opposed to a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles and it's hard to beat PB Cap'n Crunch.  We just save that stuff for the weekends when they are at home and can grab a snack if they get hungry before lunch.  I used to do the cereal thing and when I changed that policy my kids were not happy campers.  To avoid a full on mutiny, we decided to compromise with "healthy cereal" on Fridays.  They don't do that much brainwork on Fridays, right?  School mornings are pretty hectic so I needed to come up with yummy healthy breakfast options that didn't require me waking up an hour before the kids to make it.  I'm not a big morning person.  We have things like oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast smoothie, muffins, PB toast, frozen pancakes and sausage.  It's all quick and easy and so much better than sugary cold cereal.  Another favorite is breakfast sandwiches.  They're pretty easy to make but most mornings there isn't enough extra time to make them.  Unless I were to wake up early.  And remember, I don't like to do that.  I prefer to make a big batch of these at the beginning of the week and throw them in the freezer to use throughout the week.  Sausage is our favorite but you can substitute it with bacon or ham or even make it meatless.  To make the fried eggs in large quantities, I didn't want to stand over the stove that long so I searched for a better way.  Guess what I found.  You can BAKE eggs!  Isn't that the coolest thing?!

For the sandwiches, I use a jumbo muffin tin.  It makes the eggs just the right width and thickness. A regular sized muffin tin would work as well but the eggs would be a little thicker and a smaller circle.  Grease the pan and crack one egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until egg is set.  After cooling for a few minutes, use a rubber spatula to gently separate egg from the pan and it will easily slide out of the pan.

To assemble the sandwiches, cut open english muffins.  If you're going to eat it right away, toast the english muffin and layer each one with a slice of cheese, one sausage patty and one baked egg.

Top with the other english muffin half and enjoy!  To reheat if frozen, microwave for 60-90 seconds.

Ingredients
6 eggs
salt and pepper
6 english muffins
6 slices of cheese
6 sausage patties, cooked
6 baked eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a jumbo muffin tin.  Crack an egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until egg is set.  Cut the english muffins in half and toast.  Layer each sandwich with an english muffin half on the bottom, a slice of cheese, a sausage patty and a baked egg.  Top with the other half of the english muffin and enjoy!

For the Freezer
Bake eggs as directed.  Cut the english muffins in half but do not toast.  Use a napkin or paper towel to soak as much grease out of the sausage patty.  Too much grease will make the english muffin kind of soggy when you reheat it.  Build each sandwich as directed.  Wrap each sandwich in foil or place in a sandwich sized ziploc bag.  Place them all in a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag.  To reheat, remove from bag and foil and microwave for 60-90 seconds until heated through.

Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

When I first came across this recipe, I knew it was going to be a keeper.  They are so quick and easy to make and totally a hit with the kids!  I wondered if the canned biscuits flavor would bother me (not a big fan them).  But between the butter, seasonings, cheese and pepperoni the canned biscuit taste was not an issue.  They totally get an adult thumbs up too.  They are a perfect appetizer, after school snack or fun way to mix up family pizza night.  You'll want to have some marinara sauce on hand to dip them in.  Here is my favorite recipe for homemade marinara sauce or you can go the store bought route.

Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.

Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.

Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  Brush with garlic butter and bake.

Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Ingredients
3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
pepperoni slices
Block of cheese
4 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp dried parsley
2 TBS dried or 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Cut the block of cheese into 30 thick squares.  Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.  Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.  Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, garlic salt and parsley.  Brush with garlic butter on rolls then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes.Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Source:  The Gunny Sack

Biscuits n' Gravy Breakfast Pizza

I created this recipe several years ago.  We had a lazy Saturday morning ahead of us and I was going to make our favorite Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole.  When I pulled out what I thought was a can of crescent rolls, I was disappointed to discover that it was actually a can of biscuits.  The crowds were hungry so I started digging around to see what I could pull together to make this work.  After mixing in a dash of creativity, a little of this and that, 20 minutes later, breakfast was ready.  It was most definitely a hit!  It's been requested many times since then and has become a family favorite.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 425.  Open the can of biscuits and lay them out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.

Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.

Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Slide the parchment paper onto a pizza stone and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Ingredients
1 can of refrigerated biscuit dough
1 package of white country style gravy, prepared according to package directions
1 lb ground sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Lay the biscuits out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.  Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.  Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Shredded Rubbed Pork Gyros with Homemade Slaw

Where do I even start with this one?!  I think this is a new favorite.  I've been dreaming about it for the past few days since I made it.  First you combine the perfect seasonings to make a rub for the pork.  Massage it into the meat and then pan sear the seasonings into it.  Then you'll put it in the crock pot where it will spend the day slowly cooking into perfectly seasoned, fall apart tender pork.  And it will make your house smell uh-maze-ing!  Everyone that walks into your house will ask what that incredible smell is.  Guaranteed.  By the time dinner comes, you will probably want to eat the meat straight out of the crock pot.  Hold on though.  Make this fabulous slaw, cut up some tomatoes and avocados and then wrap it all up in pita bread.  And now, you can enjoy the most delicious gyro you have ever eaten.

For the pork:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 1/2-3 lb pork loin, excess fat trimmed (they don’t have pork loin here, so I used a pork shoulder and it still worked great)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium red onion, quartered

For the slaw:
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1-2 carrots, peeled and grated

For the Gyros:
4-6 pita breads
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, diced

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper. Rub seasonings evenly on all sides of the pork loin. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork loin and sear both sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place garlic, onions, pork loin and 1 cup water into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat, then return to the crock pot with the juices and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. For the slaw: In a large bowl, combine prepared cabbage and carrots. In a separate small bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar, to taste. Pour mixture over cabbage slaw, and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. To assemble, toast the pita bread for a few minutes in the oven or warm them in a microwave until heated through, then top each pita bread with pulled pork, slaw, tomatoes and avocado. Serve immediately.

Source:  Whisked Away

Prosciutto, Blackberry & Basil Pizza

Pizza is a lot of wonderful things.  "Fancy" and "elegant" are usually not one of those things though.  I would have to say that this pizza falls into both of those categories, as pizza goes anyway.  I made it using pre-made flat bread.  Naan, to be specific.  Use your favorite flat bread or you can stick with a traditional homemade pizza crust.  (Get my pizza crust recipe here.)  The toppings for this pizza are fabulous!  Think of it as a modified Hawaiian pizza.  Swap out the pineapple for the blackberries and the the prosciutto for the ham and voila, you've got this lovely dish.  Totally working.  Totally delicious.  Totally fancy.  You totally need to try it.

Ingredients
2 pieces flat bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
8 pieces of Prosciutto
1 cup Blackberries, cut in half
¼ C Basil, chopped
soft mozzarella cheese, cubed
parmesan cheese, shredded


Directions
Preheat oven to 400.  Mix olive oil and mince garlic.  Spread garlic infused olive oil over flat bread.  Add prosciutto, blackberries, mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil.  Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and crust is golden brown.

Source:  Your Homebased Mom

Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Years ago a friend of ours invited our family over for brunch.  I think it was around Christmas time, but I don't remember for sure.  The one thing I do remember though is this awesome breakfast casserole that she made.  You can trade out the ham for any meat you'd like.  Bacon and sausage are some other favorites I like to use.  You can also try different cheeses and throw in some veggies as well.  Mushrooms, peppers and onions are a great addition.  Here's the basic recipe though.  I'm sure it'll be a hit!

Ingredients
1 can of crescent roll dough
1 cup cooked ham, cubed
8 oz shredded cheese
1/2 cup milk
5 eggs
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Press crescent rolls into greased 9X13 pan.  Sprinkle ham and cheese over dough.  In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Mix well and pour over ham and cheese.  Use a spoon to gently spread egg mixture evenly.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until egg is set.

Source:  Lara Nielsen

Battered Ciabatta Ham and Cheese Melt

My amazing sister is living this amazing dream of spending two years in New Zealand with her family.  I say "wow" with every picture she posts on Instagram.  The experiences they are having, the things they are seeing, the places they are going...it is truly incredible!  In the midst of all this amazingness, she has become this amazing cook as well.  Actually she's always been a great cook but she's really uped the ante.  I have yet to try one of her recipes that doesn't get added to my list of repeats.  She recently went on a girls trip to Australia and on the way home, had this fabulous sandwich at the airport, of all places.  She quickly came home and recreated it and then was kind enough to share it with the world.  I may or may not have drooled when I first saw the picture she posted.  We had a chilly, rainy day recently and it was the perfect night for a big bowl of Tomato Bisque and this lovely, melty, cheesy sandwich.  Just so you know, the soup is a must with this sandwich.  I tried adding some dijon mustard to the sandwich and loved it!  It's great without the mustard too, if you're not a fan.  Our tummies were very happy when we went to bed that night, dreaming of far away adventures in New Zealand.

6 ciabatta rolls
4 eggs
1 Tbs milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb deli shaved ham
12 slices Mozzarella or Swiss cheese
6 tsp dijon mustard, optional

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper. Cut rolls in half lengthwise and dip each side in egg mixture then arrange on skillet. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Preheat oven to broil. Layer ham onto the bottom rolls, top with a slice of cheese and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese starts to melt. Add the top rolls and top each with an additional slice of cheese. Return to oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble. Enjoy warm out of the oven, or dipped in a bowl of Tomato Bisque Soup.

Source:  Whisked Away

Cheesy Potatoes {with no cream of anything}

This is such a classic recipe that I have to include it on here for our family cookbook.  Some of you may know this dish under the name "Funeral Potatoes".  It was given that name because it is often served at the family luncheon following a funeral.  I've never been able to tell my kids that we're eating something for dinner that has the word "funeral" in it though.  This dish has affectionately adopted the name "Cheesy Potatoes" around our house.  Doesn't that just sounds so much more appetizing?  It's so full of creamy, cheesy goodness and always a hit when it's served for dinner.  The original recipe omits the first six ingredients and uses 2 cans of cream of chicken soup instead.  I'm not a big fan of the stuff and totally prefer this version.  I also prefer to use "Southern Style" hash browns over the shredded but you can use either.  I like to add in chunks of ham (great way to use leftover ham) to make this a main dish.  You can omit the ham to make it vegetarian or to use as a side dish.

Ingredients
1 bag Southern Style hash browns
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 cups cooked ham, chopped
 Topping:
3 cups corn flakes, lightly crushed
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
 Preheat oven to 350. Melt 3 Tbs butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and broth. Add the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheese and sour cream until smooth. Pour hash browns into greased 9X13 baking dish.  Pour cream mixture over hash browns and mix gently.  Sprinkle remaining 2 cups shredded cheese and then crushed corn flakes evenly over hash brown mixture.  Drizzle 4 tablespoons of melted butter over corn flakes.  Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges.

Source:  Whisked Away

BLT Pizza

I am such a big fan of a big, juicy BLT sandwich.  Always have, always will.  I remember the first time I had a BLT pizza, I swear, I heard heavenly angels singing.  It was a glorious moment.  I love bringing that classic flavor combo to our family pizza night with this delicious recipe!

Ingredients
1 uncooked pizza crust*
1 large ripe tomato, cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 center cut bacon slices cooked and chopped
8 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 cup lettuce, shredded

Directions
Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of an oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Arrange tomato slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Place baking sheet on baking stone. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Tomatoes should no longer look wet. Remove tomatoes but keep the pizza stone warming in the oven.  Increase the oven temperature to 500.  Combine the mayo, oil and garlic.  Using well floured hands, pat dough into a on parchment paper.  I always use my favorite homemade pizza crust* but you can use a store bought crust if you want.  (These directions are for the homemade crust.  Follow the baking directions that come with your crust, if you choose to use something else.)  Brush mayo mixture over crust leaving a 1 inch border. Top with tomatoes, bacon and cheese.  Carefully pull the hot stone out of the oven, slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto the pan. Return to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.  Brush crust with olive oil right after baking.  Top with shredded lettuce before serving.

*This pizza crust recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas.

Source:  Lemons For Lulu

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Asian Slaw

Okay, here I go again with my BBQ love.  You just can't go wrong with a good BBQ sandwich.  And just when you thought it couldn't any better...BAM...along comes this incredible Asian Slaw.  I'll confess, I'm not a big fan of the coleslaw when it's flying solo.  So if you fall in that "no slaw" zone, don't pass on this sandwich.  The coleslaw compliments this sandwich so perfectly.  The tangy crunch of the slaw mixed with the sweet spicy BBQ sauce is a match made in heaven.  And it's the perfect meal for a busy night.  Make the coleslaw ahead of time and throw the pork in the crock pot in the morning and come dinner time, all you have to do is chow down!  I'm totally smitten.

For the pork:

1 pork roast (2-3 pounds)
1 12oz can coke
2 cups barbecue sauce
12 rolls (I think ciabatta is the best for these sandwiches)

Pour coke over pork in crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hrs. Remove pork and pour out juice from crock pot. Shred the pork then return to the crock pot and mix in the bbq sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For the slaw:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chopped green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrots - or use a store bought packaged coleslaw mix

Mix ingredients together and refrigerate for an hour.  When ready to serve, broil buns in oven for 2 minutes then spoon on shredded pork and top with slaw.

Source:  Whisked Away

Maple Bacon and Caramelized Onion Pizza

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first.  Part of me said yum and part of me wondered if it would be a flop.  I'm always game for a new pizza creation though, so I gave it a try.  I was thrilled that the first part of me won with a definite "YUM"!  All the big guys loved it, as I thought they would.  It's hard to go wrong when bacon is involved, right?  I love savory/sweet combos, so I the mix of the sweet maple syrup with the salty meat and cheese totally a win.  The caramelized onions are fabulous too and have a fairly prominent taste.  My littles aren't big onion fans so I thought they'd pass.  I didn't actually tell them that it had onions on it and was shocked when they took their first bite, kept chowing down and ate the whole thing.  The whole flavor combination package is definitely a winner!  If you're going to make this, and I totally recommend you do, you have to splurge and get the good bacon.  Don't skimp here or you won't get the full joy that can be found in this pizza.  Trust me,  it'll totally be worth it!

Ingredients
1 uncooked pizza crust*
6-8 slices of bacon
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoon pure 100% maple syrup
3 TBS olive oil
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions
I always use my favorite homemade pizza crust* but you can use a store bought crust if you want.  (These directions are for the homemade crust.  Follow the baking directions that come with your crust, if you choose to use something else.)  Preheat oven to 500.  Place pizza stone (best choice) or pan in oven to preheat with the oven.  Cook the bacon in a frying pan.  Drain grease, saving about 2 tablespoons of it.  Return the 2 tablespoons of grease to pan and cook onions in grease over low-medium heat, until soft and translucent.  Cut up cooked bacon and place in small bowl.  Pour maple syrup over bacon and set aside.  Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper.  Drizzle olive oil over dough and spread around with a spoon.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over crust.  Add bacon and onions.  Top with parmesan cheese.  Carefully pull the hot stone or pan out of the oven, slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto the pan. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Brush crust with olive oil right after baking.

*This pizza crust recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas.

Source:  Carmel Moments

{Breakfast} in a Blanket

My in-laws have this long standing tradition.  Every year on Ground Hog's day they eat sausage.  Get it?!  Don't worry, I didn't get it for years.  We kept faithfully eating sausage every February 2nd in honor of the tradition but I had no idea why.  Then one year it clicked.  What is sausage made of?  Ground hog.  Not groundhog, but ground hog.  Get it yet?  Like I said, it took me a while.  Anyway, at the end of January, I start looking for new and creative ways to serve our traditional Groundhog's day food.  I came across this new idea and gave it a try this year.  The kids were excited about this twist on the classic "Pigs in a Blanket" that they all love.  They were a hit.  I wasn't so sure if they'd be better dry or with syrup.  They kids all voted that it was definitely best with syrup and quickly ate every last one.  I don't think we'll be waiting until the next Grounghog's Day to be having this again!

Ingredients
16 fully cooked sausage links (I used frozen)
2 cans crescent rolls
1 cup maple syrup

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.  Separate dough into triangles.  Get one dough triangle and place one sausage link on the wide end.  Roll up sausage in the dough.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Drizzle syrup over top.

Source:  Pilsbury

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders

I love it when I can make something that then doubles for two different meals.  Two meals for the work of one!  I love this Honey Sesame Pulled Pork from Chef In Training.  I served half of it over rice for one meal and then threw the other half in the freezer for another meal later.  When I pulled it out of the freezer a couple weeks later, I wanted to mix it up and do something different than rice again and decided to go the sandwich route.  They turned out amazing and with so little effort.  That right there is dinner perfection!

For the Honey Sesame Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
2 to 3 pounds pork roast
1 cup diced onion
2 Tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup honey
½ cup ketchup
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
15 ounce can crushed pineapple
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
After cooked
3 Tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup cold water

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and place roast in the bottom. In a small bowl combine diced onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds, pineapple and red pepper flakes. Mix well and pour over the roast.  Cook on LOW for eight hours or HI for 4 hours, until pork is completely cooked through.  Remove roast and place in a large bowl. Mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and slowly pour into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker. Stir until it is well incorporated and cover with the lid.  With two forks pull the pork until it is all shredded. Return meat to the slow cooker and stir in with the sauce.

For the Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders
Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of Honey Sesame Pulled Pork, shredded (see above)
12 Hawaiian King Rolls
12 pineapple rings
1/2 cup sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Slice rolls open and toast until lightly browned.  Pat each pineapple ring dry with paper towel so that they don't make rolls soggy.  Put a pineapple ring on the bottom half of each roll.  Put a spoonful of shredded pork on each pineapple ring.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).  Top with the other half of the roll.

As a Freezer Meal
I like to put a really big pork roast in the crock pot, leaving enough to throw in the freezer and thaw out for another night.  To do this, follow crockpot directions as listed.  When meat is cooked, shredded and cooled to room temperature, put in a gallon sized, freezer ziploc bag.  When ready to use, thaw then heat in a pot on the stove or in a microwave safe bowl, in the microwave.  Serve on salad, sandwich, tortillas, etc.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Crescent Rolls

I love Chicken Cordon Bleu.  I tried making it once, years ago.  It took forever and didn't turn out that great.  I'd like to think my culinary skills have improved a bit since then, so I'll have to give it another go sometime.  When I came across these yummy little Chicken Cordon Bleu Crescent Rolls, I decided it would be a good place to start.  They were super easy to throw together and taste wonderful!  The honey mustard sauce makes a pretty drizzle on the top or a perfect dunking sauce for little hands.  Win all around.  Maybe I'll tackle the real deal again sometime.  For now, this lovely dish will meet my Cordon needs.

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 slices deli ham

2 chicken breasts, cooked, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Sauce:

2 TBS honey (optional)

2 TBS Dijon mustard (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Remove crescent rolls from can and lay out in a long rectangle. Pinch the seams together well.

Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Layer first Swiss cheese, then ham and finally the chicken breast on the rolls.

Roll up like a cinnamon roll and cut into 8-10 rolls.  Place in a pie pan or 9-in square baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Mix honey and Dijon mustard and serve with rolls if desired.

Source:  Mom On Time Out

{Cafe Rio} Shredded Pork

You just can't beat good ol' Cafe Rio.  It should be illegal to not have one in every city.  But since I'm not president and can't put that into law, those of us that don't have a local Cafe Rio have to no choice but to go the homemade route.  I know this is a well loved recipe by many but I to be honest, I just made it for the first time recently.  And now I know what all the hype's about.  Let me just share my husband's narration at dinner tonight.  "Yum, this looks good.  Thanks honey."  Take first bite.  "This is good!"  Take second bite.  "Wow, this is really good!"  Take third bite.  "This is the best burrito I've ever had!!!"  So there you have it, straight from the hubbys mouth.  This kids were equally impressed as well.  This recipe is for the meat and then you can do what you want with it.  We used it on burritos but it would be fabulous on a salad or as a sandwich filling too.

Ingredients: 
3 lbs pork roast
16 oz jar chunky salsa
1 can coke
2 cups brown sugar

Directions:
Put pork roast in crock pot and fill with water halfway up the roast.  Cook on high for 4 hours.  Drain water.  Cut roast into thirds and put back in crock pot.  Mix salsa, coke and brown sugar, pour over roast.  Cook on low for 4 more hours.  Remove roast from crock pot and shred.  Combine with sauce.  Serve in tortilla with toppings or on a salad.

As a Freezer Meal
I like to put a really big pork roast in the crock pot, leaving enough to throw in the freezer and thaw out for another night.  To do this, follow crockpot directions as listed.  When meat is cooked, shredded and cooled to room temperature, put in a gallon sized, freezer ziploc bag with sauce.  When ready to use, thaw then heat in a pot on the stove or in a microwave safe bowl, in the microwave.  Serve in tortillas with toppings or on a salad.

*Source:  Heidi Riggs

Pear & Prosciutto Pizza

I know, it sounds so fancy. I think I can even pronounce prosciutto now. Besides sounding fancy, I think this may be the yummiest pizza I've ever made! I don't usually stray this far from our basic pizza faves but I'm glad I was feeling adventurous.  The swiss and mozzarella cheese combination totally nails it and the pear and prosciutto team up to make a killer sweet and savoury party in your mouth.  The bar for family pizza night just got raised a few notches.

Ingredients:
1 uncooked Pizza Crust*
6 cloves garlic
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 ripe pears, halved and cored
1 tablespoon olive oil
all-purpose flour for dusting
1 unbaked pizza crust
1 tablespoon cornmeal for dusting
6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
5 thin slices prosciutto*, cut into halves
1 (6 ounce) package fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil  

*For those that are first time prosciutto users be warned that it looks raw. You do not need to precook it before putting it on the pizza though. It will be thoroughly cooked by the time the pizza is done baking.

Directions:
I always use my favorite homemade pizza crust* but you can use a store bought crust if you want.  (These directions are for the homemade crust.  Follow the baking directions that come with your crust, if you choose to use something else.)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place the garlic in a small square of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the garlic. Wrap foil around garlic to seal. Roast the garlic in the preheated oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Smash roasted cloves with a fork. Place the pears in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil; toss to coat. Arrange pear slices on a baking sheet. Bake in hot oven until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees F (200 degrees C). Preheat a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Lightly dust a flat surface with flour. Roll the prepared pizza crust dough out onto the prepared surface. Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. Lay the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mashed garlic onto the dough; top with the Swiss cheese. Arrange the pears, prosciutto, and mozzarella cheese onto the pizza. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the edges of the crust with the 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

*This pizza crust recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas.

Source:  allrecipes.com

Bacon Potato Chowder

There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup waiting for you at the end of a cold winter day.  When the kids see the potatoes boiling and smell the bacon cooking they get excited because they know we're making this Bacon Potato Chowder for dinner.  And everybody's happy!  Serve this thick, hearty chowder in a homemade soup bowl and you will have a crowd pleaser for sure!  I use this recipe for my bread dough.  One batch makes 4-5 soup bowls, depending on their size.  You won't mind those cold winter nights so much when you have this guy keeping you company.

Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-4 red potatoes, cubed and boiled until slightly soft
1 cup sour cream
1/2 TBS dry onion
1 1/2 cup milk
1 can cream chicken soup
1/2 cup shredded cheese
8 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pot.  Stir together.  Simmer on medium heat until heated through. stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

*Source:  Jamie Young