Monkey Bread

Difficulty: *

Ingredients:

• 3 12 oz. pkgs refrigerated biscuits
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. butter

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease tube pan.
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Break each biscuit into 3 or four pieces and coat with sugar/cinnamon mix.
3. Place pieces around the center tube of the pan in overlapping circles from outside to inside.
4. Melt butter and stir in brown sugar until smooth. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over biscuits.
5. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Feeds 8 to 10.

Feeds 6 to 8.

Cinnamon Rolls or Bread

Difficulty ***

Ingredients:
6-7 cups all-purpose or self-rising flour
2 packages active dry yeast (2 Tablespoons)
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of butter
2 teaspoons of salt
3 eggs

In a larger mixer bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt until just warm (115 to 120 degrees). The butter does not have to melt. Add to flour mixture and add eggs. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute scraping bowl often. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Add in another 3-4 cups of flour until dough doesn't stick to the side of the bowl. Continue to beat or remove beaters and stir with spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead dough gently until it is smooth and elastic. Grease a large bowl with butter and place dough in bowl to rise. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double 1 1/2 to 3 hours.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll each half into a 15 x 7 rectangle. Brush entire surface with melted butter. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Sprinkle half the mixture over each rectangle.

If you wish to make bread, start on the smaller side and roll. Tuck each end underneath and place in a lightly sprayed loaf pan.

If you wish to make cinnamon rolls, start on the longer side and roll. Cut into one inch portions and lay flat in a 13 x 9 sprayed pan.

Let rise until double 30-60 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Check. Cinnamon Rolls should be firm and golden brown and ready to take out. If not, bake another 5 minutes and keep checking until they are.

Bread should be covered with foil at the 30 minute mark if the top is getting too brown. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Tips: Never leave the salt out of bread recipes. Salt helps the yeast activate.
Be care of the temperature of your hot liquids. They should be lukewarm. Warmer liquids can sometimes interfere with the raising action of your dough.

Favorite Coffee Cake

Difficulty: **

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray round layer 9" x 1 1/2" OR square 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 pan. Blend the above ingredients. Spread batter in pan.

Mix Topping until crumbly
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons melted butter

Sprinkle topping mixture over the top of the batter. Use a knife to twist topping through the batter in a random pattern.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm.

Fried Apples

Difficulty: *

Ingredients:

• 2.5 c. Apple juice
• 4 med. apples, peeled and wedged
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 tbsp. sugar

Method:

1. Combine 2 c. apple juice and all apples in a medium skillet and simmer until tender.
2. Remove apples to a baking dish.
3. Combine remaining apple juice, cornstarch, cinnamon and sugar, stirring until no lumps remain. Heat in skillet until mixture thickens.
4. Pour juice mixture over apple piece and stir to coat. Place in an oven heated to 300 for 10 minutes and serve while warm.

Feeds 6 to 8.

Southwestern Egg Casserole

Difficulty: **

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized potatoes, peeled
12 slices thick-cut bacon
12 links Jimmy Dean sausage
12 jumbo eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375.

1. Slice potatos into small, bite-sized pieces after peeling.
2. Cook potatos in boiling water for 12-15 minutes, until each piece can be easily pierced with a fork.
3. Fry bacon and sausage using your preferred method - on a Foreman grill, on your stovetop or under your broiler. Ensure bacon is crisp and sausage is thoroughly cooked.
4. Slice sausage into tiny pieces and cut/slice/crumble bacon into tiny pieces as well.
5. Whip scrambled eggs with a fork or whisk, stirring in milk, until an even consistency is achieved.
6. Form an even layer of potato bites on the bottom of a 9 x 12 glass baking dish.
7. Spoon and smooth an even layer of salsa over potatos.
8. Spread bacon and sausage bites over salsa - either combining the two or using bacon on one half, sausage on the other.
9. Pour egg mixture on top and place in preheated oven, uncovered.
10. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, occasionally checking to ensure progress. No stirring is necessary.
11. Remove casserole and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Return to oven for 5 to 10 additional minutes, or until the egg mixture is firm and starting to brown lightly.
12. Remove and serve, piping hot!

Variation:

~A variety of chopped vegetables can be added to this breakfast treat to spice it up.

Tips:

~Your egg mixture will solidify rapidly in the last few minutes of cooking - while it may be liquidy and uncooked for the first 18 minutes, it can become solid and start to brown very quickly, so watch carefully.

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Eggs Benedict

Difficulty ***

Eggs Benedict is a step by step process. Many do not attempt it because of the Hollandaise Sauce. Do not be afraid.

Ingredients:
1 package English Muffins (6)
20 Eggs
1 Pound of Ham
Salt and White Pepper to Taste
3/4 tsp lemon juice
Tabasco
1 Pound of Salted Butter (Do Not substitute Margarine)


Step 1. Place Ham into oven to heat thoroughly

Step 2. Hollandaise Sauce

Melt Butter into liquid and set aside.
Heat water in a double boiler to boiling. You can also utilize a pot of water and a metal bowl placed over the pot to fit snugly. In the metal bowl mix together 8 egg yolks, 3/4 tsp lemon juice, 3 dashes of Tabasco. Place bowl onto boiler to allow steam from pot to heat bowl. Use a hot-pad to hold the bowl to avoid burning fingers from steam. Using a wire whisk, whip yolk mixture until the eggs yolks begin to scramble. Just as they begin to thicken slowly stir in about half of the melted butter keeping the heat on the bowl. Add Salt and White pepper to taste. Continue to add butter in until the desired consistency is achieved. The entire pound of butter may not be needed. Once consistency is reached, remove from heat, and set aside.

Step 3. Utilize Egg Poacher to poach 12 eggs cooked to Medium

Step 4. Toast English Muffins.

Step 5. Remove Heated ham from oven and slice into 1.5 ounce portions.

Place Toasted English Muffin halve on plate and top with portioned ham. Place Poached egg on top ham. Pour a liberal amount of hollandaise sauce over the top. Sprinkle paprika and garnish with fresh sprig of parsley.

Tips: Melt the butter very slowly. No high heat in this recipe. Once you have heated the water to boiling on the stove, reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Make sure the egg mixture does not get too hot or cook too fast. High heat will cause the sauce to separate instead of blend. Slow is key here.