New Years Day Breakfast Sandwich...... aka...hangover grub

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  for those of you reading this ON New Years Day, I'll be a little quieter ;).  For those of you reading this New Years Eve, go NOW....to the grocery store to get the stuff for this sandwich!   It is my favorite breakfast to have after a night of, well...too much celebration.  It's full of good fats as well as tons of vitamin, minerals and antioxidants.

Sooo, anyway, before I begin my celebration and am unelable to tipe ane furhtirher, hear is thea reciiepe for my favrite breasktfast sandwchins......<------ just kiddin........

Ingredients:

Sourdough bread or other hearty bread sliced thick
Egg
Avocado
Tomato
Arugula
S&P

Spray small non stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium low heat.  Once heated, fry egg, overmedium.  Meanwhile, toast bread.  Slice tomato and Avocado, set aside.

Once egg is overmedium (yolks runny, whites solid) place egg on toast.  Poke the yolk so it breaks slightly.  Shmear avocado on other side of bread.  Add one to two slices of tomato on egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add arugula and place second slice of break with the avocado shmear.  Cut in half and serve with a tall glass of orange juice and 2 aspirin :)

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

I wanted to get in one more recipe before the new year.  We'll all be on vacation for the next few weeks.  I'll be taking mad pictures and probably posting to my facebook  all the yummy food I'm eating.  So continue to check it.

We celebrated our Christmas a few days early and I wanted to do something festive but not to repetative.  Although we are looking forward to a delicous traditional Christmas dinner at Grandma Mary's house.

As soon as I found these noodles at World Market I knew exactly what I was going to make for our small family Christmas feast.  Check these out!

Isn't that the most beautiful pasta?  ALMOST too pretty to eat..almost ;)  I didn't want a heave sauce that would cover them up so I thought butternut squash would work perfectly..It did. 

Grammar disclaimer #2- please excuse my wreckless misspellings, I'm blogging as I mulitask.  Remind me to remind the kids to not forget their toothbrushes. 

Ingredients:

This is to fit an 8X8 pan.

8 lasagna noodles

12 slices of mozarella cheese

Additional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Ricotta layer:

1 8oz carton of ricotta cheese- I prefer whole milk. So rich and creamy

1 Large egg

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano         

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Salt and pepper

Béchamel layer

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

2 ½ Cups milk

1 box frozen pureed butternut squash thawed

Sprig of sage

Sprig of thyme

2 tsps pumpkin pie spice

Generous salt

Pepper

Cooking instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring large pot of water to boil and cook noodles by following package directions.  Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix together ricotta mixture and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk until butter and flour are incorporated. Lower heat to medium low. Slowly whisk in first 1/2 cup of milk until all is incorporated and there are no lumps.  Add the rest of the milk an continue to whisk.  Salt and pepper the mixture.  Add pumpkin pie spice and the whole sprigs of sage and thyme.  Keep them whole so you can remove them later.  Bring the mixture to a low boil until thickened.  Remove the herbs and stir in the thawed butternut squash puree.  Once completely incoporated turn heat off and cover until noodles are done.

Béchamel

Once the pasta is drained, begin assembling.  Spoon about 1/2 cup of the butternut squash mixture in the bottom of the 8X8 pan. Add enough noodles to cover the bottom.  This will differ depending on brand.

First layer

Next add a half the layer of ricotta and 4 slices of mozarella.  Repeat the next layer with a layer of noodles, bechemel noodles, ricotta and cheese.  I was able to squeak out 4 layers. 

Goin in the oven

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden.  It's best to let the lasagna set for at least 15-20 minutes.  It will cut perfectly. 

Fluffernutter fudge

I'm in complete sugar shock.  Tooooo many marshmallows!!!  Just kiddin..no such thing ;).  I was reading my Food Network Magazine and stumbled, fumbled or plain ole turned the page to their current recipe contest.  Ingredient??? Marshmallows.  What can I make with marshmallows?  Oh, I don't know, maybe...marshmallows?  I've been wanting to make marshmallows for years now and just never have.  So I dove in.  It was a blast and really not hard at all.  Instead of licking the bowl, my son made a fluffernutter sandwich!  I do suggest have a candy thermometer. It'll come in handy for both portions of this recipe. And by they way, both of these things are equally delicous on their own.

Peanut Butter Fudge Layer:

1 5oz jar evaporated milk

1 ½ Cups sugar

2 Tbs Butter

1 ¾ Cups Peanut Butter

1 7 oz jar marshmallow cream

1 tsp Pure Vanilla extract

Marshmallow Layer:

3 ½ envelopes gelatin

1 Cup cold water

2 Cups sugar

½ Cup light corn syrup

2 pasteurized egg whites or merengue powder reconstituted

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbs Pure Vanilla extract

To prepare fudge:

Prepare and 8X8 or 9X9 pan by cutting two strips of wax or parchment paper to size.  Butter the paper and line the pan with the paper crossing each other to create  “handles”. This will help remove the fudge from the pan once it’s time to cut it.

Combine milk, sugar and butter in heavy bottom saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat and continue to boil until mixture reaches soft ball stage on candy thermometer.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine, peanut butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla.  Once sugar mixture reaches softball stage, remove from heat.  Quickly add the peanut butter mixture to the pan and mix to combine.   Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread evenly.   Let cool while you prepare the marshmallows

To prepare marshmallows:

In a heavy bottom pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, ½ cup cold water and salt.  Over low heat stir to dissolve sugar, then raise temperature to medium and bring to boil.  Again, boil until mixture meet 240 degrees or softball stage.  While the mixture boils, add other ½ cup cold water to stand mixer bowl or regular bowl.  Pour gelatin over water and let stand to soften.  In another bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  I would use pasteurized eggs or reconstituted merengue powder. 

Once sugar mixture reaches softball stage, remove from heat and pour over the gelatin mixture.  Stir until gelatin dissolves.  If using a stand mixer, attach whip attachment.  Beat sugar mixture until white and fluffy, about 3 times the original volume.  You can also use a hand beater but it may take a bit longer.   Once the sugar mixture has tripled in volume, gently fold in the egg whites and stir to combine.

Using an offset spatula spread a layer of marshmallow mixture evenly over the peanut butter fudge.  You can top the marshmallow mixture with a variety of toppings:  Chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, candies or sprinkles.  Refrigerate fluffernutter fudge for at least two hours until firm. 

To Serve:

Remove fudge from pan by pulling up on the wax paper handles.  Grease a knife or cookie cutters with cooking spray and cut into desired shapes.

You will have some marshmallow mixture left over.  You can spread it into a 9x13 pan coated with sifted confectioners’ sugar.  Sift additional powdered sugar onto the top of the layer as well. Refrigerate the mixture until firm.  Cut as above and roll in powdered sugar.  Marshmallows will stay fresh for a week in an airtight container.

Pineapple Stuffing

Christmas Ham, Easter Ham, Boxing day or Cinco De Mayo.  It doesn't matter WHEN you make ham, you won't do it without this delicious side dish.  I can't even remember where this recipe came from. I wish I could because I would give that person a giant hug. 
This pineapple stuffing is almost like a bread pudding....no no don't make that face...it's good!
It truly can't be any easier either.  I have adjusted the recipe over the years to suit my taste.  Less butter and sugar, more bread and eggs. 

Ingredients:

5 tbs softened butter
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (with juice)
3/4 C sugar
5 eggs
8-10 slices white bread

Baking instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat or whisk together the butter, eggs, sugar and pineapple until thoroughly mixed.  Tear the bread in pieces and fold into the mixture.  If the mixture still seems quite liquidy you can add a couple more slices of bread. I have used up to eleven.  Transfer into an 8X8 or 9X9 baking dish.  Bake for about an hour until bubbly and the top is light golden brown.  Let stand for about 10 minutes and serve beside your Halloween Ham. 

                                                                                                

Goat Cheese and Cranberry/Pear/Ginger relish crostini

Leftovers..leftovers...leftovers. What to do with the Cranberry/Pear/Ginger Relish leftovers.  I have to admit..my husband still digs the canned jellied cranberry sauce. So, you can still find it on on our holiday tables.  But....cranberry sauce is so easy to make there's no reason not too. Not only does it taste delicous, it looks festive as well.  So lets get to it:

Cranberry/Pear/Ginger relish ingredients:

2 bags Fresh cranberries

2 Bartlett Pears cored and diced

2 Oranges

1 Lemon

1 ½ cups sugar

½ Cup Dried Cranberries

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

¼ Cup Apricot Preserves

In a large saucepan over medium low heat combine the cranberries, pears, ginger, sugar, zest from two oranges and one lemon and the juice of one orange.  Let cook down until berries pop and the mixture becomes thick and syrupy.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.  Add dried cranberries and the apricot preserves and stir.  Continue to cook over low heat for 5 more minutes just to give the dried cranberries time to plump up.

Remove mixture from heat and cool.  Once cool, place in the fridge to thicken.  Relish will keep for at least a week in the fridge.   Before assembling crostini, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature

Crostini’s

2 6 oz logs of goat cheese

2 skinny baguettes

Pinenuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the baguettes on a bias in quarter inch thick pieces and place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with EVOO.  Place the crostini in the oven.  At the same time, put the goat cheese in oven safe dish and place that in the oven as well.  Bake the crostini until lightly golden brown and the cheese until warmed through.  It will be easily spreadable.  In order to keep the goat cheese warm, you can do two things.  You can place an oven safe serving platter in the oven to heat it.  Transfer warmed goat cheese to the heated service plate. If your serving dish isn’t oven proof, fill with boiling water while the cheese and crostini bake.  This will heat the plate enough to keep the cheese warmed.   While the cheese warms through, put pinenuts in small dry skillet over low heat just until they begin to turn light brown.  They will burn easily so be sure to not take your eyes off them. Immediately remove from heat. 

To assemble:

Spread a layer of the warmed goat cheese on a crostini, followed by layer of your cranberry relish.  Garnish with pinenuts and serve.