Sausage Egg Casserole

My brother specifically requested I post this recipe - so here you go Ryan...



This is the perfect breakfast casserole for overnight company and my family enjoyed this when we were staying in the mountains for some R&R over Thanksgiving.



Ingredients:
6 eggs
2 cups milk
2 slices of bread (torn into small pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pound sausage
1 cup grated cheddar



Instructions:
1. Brown sausage and drain
2. Mix eggs, milk, salt and mustard
3. Add bread, cheese and sausage
4. Pour into greased glass 9x13 and refrigerate overnight
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Pumpkin, Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

I need to admit to being a bit behind on blogging....this is the delicious pumpkin, caramel & pecan cheesecake I served for Thanksgiving this year and yes, I am posting this the day after Christmas so I am a little over a month behind.  Regardless, the cheesecake was decadent and I wanted to share!  My precious niece at 4 helped me unwrap the caramels.
Source: Kraft Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans (divided)
1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps
1/4 cup butter melted
4 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
25 kraft caramels
1/4 milk

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 325
2. Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely, place in a medium bowl.  Add ginger snap crumbs and butter; mix well.  press onto bottom of 9x13 inch pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla; mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on a low speed after each just until blended.  Pour over crust.
4. Bake 45 min or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate 4 hours.
5. Microwave caramels and milk in microwavable blow on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds; spoon over individual servings of cheesecake.  Sprinkle with nuts and serve with whipped cream.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

I can't take much credit for this recipe...except for eating it!  My family loves to have salty snacks around the house during the Holidays and the yummy results and recipe are courtesy of Erik.  I hope you enjoy these addictive salty snacks like me!

Ingredients:
1 (1 oz) package dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
5 cups oyster crackers

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 250
2. In a large bowl, combine the dressing mix, dill weed, vegetable oil, lemon pepper, and garlic powder.  Add oyster crackers, and toss to coat.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring gently after 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.

Peanut Butter (PB2) Smoothie

One of my favorite breakfast smoothies!  PB2 is one of my recent discoveries and it adds great peanut butter flavor!  PB2 is basically peanut powder and it works great in smoothies.

Ingredients:
4 cups Ice
2 bananas
1/4 cup PB2
1 cup Fage Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 cup Chocolate Almond milk - unsweetened
4 scoops whey vanilla protein powder

Instructions:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve while chilled.

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

I was in search for the "best roasted broccoli recipe" so I googled it and came across the Amateur Gourmet website and her prized roasted broccoli.  I taste tested and it was a winner in my book!

Source: Amateur Gourmet

Ingredients
2 pounds of broccoli cut up into florets
4 Tbs olive oil (divided)
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground)
1/8th tsp hot chili powder
salt and pepper
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
lemon zest from one lemon

Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 425.
2. On a large cookie sheet, toss together broccoli florets, 2 T. olive oil, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, 1/8th tsp hot chili powder and salt and pepper. Spread into a single layer and pop into the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss together shrimp, 2 T. olive oil, lemon zest and salt and pepper in a bowl. When the broccoli’s been in the oven 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss (carefully.)
3. Roast another 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the broccoli is tender and golden around the edges.

I served it with brown rice and squeezed some lemon on top.

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie is a staple at my family holiday gatherings! This is an old family recipe and my paper copy has my Great-Grandma's name (Anna) on the top.  Pecan pie is one of my dad's favorites and this Thanksgiving I even had some help making the pecan pies.  Thanks Erik!   (Just realized I hadn't posted this...so I'm giving my readers a head start on Thanksgiving 2014!!)


Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan halves

Instructions:
1. Before beating the eggs, use to coat the pie crust
2. Beat the eggs until blended, not frothy, set aside
3. Combine 2 T flour with 1/2 cup sugar
4. Melt butter and mix together butter, karo syrup, and salt.  Then add flour mixture.  Next add eggs and vanilla.
5. Pour mixture into pie shell
6. Drop pecans on the top
7. Cover edge of pastry with 2-3 inch wide strip of foil to prevent excessive browning removing foil for the last 15 minute of baking
8. Bake in a hot oven (425) for 10 minutes, and then bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until center is set.
9. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled before serving.  Store in refrigerator.