Green Bean Casserole

The humble green bean casserole has always 

been a popular Thanksgiving side dish.

Did you know that more than 40 million 

Americans will be making it this year?

Why just make it at Thanksgiving? There are

 so many other soft foods that day that I 

prefer a sauted green beans almondine 

or roasted brussels sprouts. 

I like it much better throughout the year
with a roasted chicken, pork roast,
or grilled steak. It's so easy and I can
make it ahead of time.

Green Bean Casserole
2 16oz cans green beans, drained, 4 C
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C milk
1/8 t pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
1 t soy sauce
1-2/3 C French's fried onions
Combine: beans, soup, milk, seasonings and
2/3 onion rings. Pour into a greased 1-1/2 qt
greased casserole. Bake @350º for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir to combine. Top with
remaining 2/3 C onions. Return to the oven  for
another 5  minutes.
Serves 6

Pumpkin Pecan Baked Brie

You don't need to wait for company to enjoy 

this appetizer treat.  It was the perfect

  little delicious snack to have with our 

Sunday afternoon tea.
This recipe adapts easily to different
flavors and is very similar to
my other baked brie recipe. 

Pumpkin Pecan Baked Brie
1 can crescent rolls
1 8oz round brie cheese
¼ C pumpkin butter
¼ C pecans, plus additional for decorating
1 egg
1 T water

Roll out the dough and press the seams together

place the pecans in the center of the dough, top

with pumpkin butter. Place the cheese on top of

 the pumpkin butter and pecans. Wrap the dough 

around the cheese, pinch seams to seal. Whisk 

egg with water and brush over the top. Place 

seam side down on a baking sheet, brush the top 

with the egg wash and decorate with additional

pecans and cut scraps from the excess dough. 

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden.

Enjoy!

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Crockpot French Onion Soup

Making French onion soup in the crockpot will

save you the trouble of watching and stirring

the onions while they carmelize on the stovetop. 

I've adapted my favorite recipe for 

French Onion Soup for the crock pot. 

Add the onion slices to the crockpot 

along with the seasonings. Cover and 

cook on high for 6 hours. 

 The important step is to let the onions cook

 until they are golden brown and caramelized.

This gives the soup depth of flavor that's lacking

if you just dump everything in the crock pot. 

 Now you add the beef broth, sherry, bay leaf, 

and Worcestershire sauce. 

Cover and let cook another hour. 

Toast some slices of French bread.

Laddle soup into oven-proof bowls; top

with bread slices, add a little more

soup, then top with cheese.

 Sprinkle a little paprika on top. 

Broil for several minutes until the

cheese melts, bubbles, and turns

golden brown. I love the crispy-gooey

pieces that stick to the sides of the bowl. 

 Yummy-yummy!

Crock Pot French Onion Soup
5 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 stick butter
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t sugar
1 t thyme
1 t paprika
3 cans condensed beef broth
2 cans water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 C dry sherry
French Bread, toasted
8 slices cheese, provolone, Gruyere, 
  or mozzarella 

1. Place the onions, garlic, butter, sugar, salt, 
    pepper, thyme, and paprika in the bottom of
    the crock pot. Cover and cook for 6 hours 
    on high.
2. Add the beef broth, water, Worcestershire, 
     bay leaf,and sherry. Cover and cook on high 
     for another hour.
3. Ladle into ovenproof soup bowls, top with
    toasted bread and 1-2 slices of cheese. 
    Sprikle with paprika.
4. Broil until the cheese melt, is golden brown
     and bubbly


Enjoy!


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Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

 You can pretend that you're in a charming 

Bed & Breakfast in Vermont 

enjoying the splendor of Fall with

 this hearty pumpkin spiced breakfast.

Top it with cinnamon sprinkled whipped cream.

 Combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, salt, 

spices, and vanilla. 

* you can substitute all the spices with

1 t pumpkin spice mix. 

 Then whisk in the milk.

 Stir in oats and baking powder. 

Pour into 4 sprayed ramekins or custard cups. 

Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar. You could

also add some chopped nuts. 

 Bake until set and golden. You can unmold

these or just serve in the cups. Top with your 

choice of maple syrup, milk, cream, 

or whipped cream, and more cinnamon sugar

This is also good cold or reheated 

the next morning.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 C  canned pumpkin  
1 egg
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
1/8 t ginger
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C milk
2-1/4 C oats
1/4 t baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 375º. Spray 4 ramekins.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together: pumpkin,
    eggs, sugar, salt, spices, and vanilla.
3. Then whisk in the milk.
4. Stir in the oats and baking powder.
6. Pour into prepared cups, Sprinkle the
   top with cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center is
    no longer looks wet and the edges are
    lightly golden brown.
Serve with: additional cinnamon sugar, milk,
cream, maple syrup, or whipped cream.
4 servings.
Tip: can substitute the spices with 1 t pumpkin pie spice

Enjoy!



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Asparagus & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

This fancy-looking chicken dinner is ready in 

under 30 minutes. It's cheesy, tender, juicy

deliciousness will make it a favorite dinner 

any night of the week. Plus it's impressive 

enough for entertaining. 

Start by butterfly-cutting the chicken breasts.

Give the chicken a spritz of lemon juice, then 

season well with salt and pepper.

 Lay the cheese and about 3-4 trimmed stalks 

of asparagus in the center of each breast. 

Fold over to enclose the filling. 

Generously season the outside of the chicken

 with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. 

Rub in the seasoning. 

Heat a large cast iron skillet, or any oven-proof

skillet over medium-high. Add 1 T olive oil to the

pan and swirl around to coat the bottom of the 

skillet. Carefully add the chicken and cook 3-5 

minutes until the chicken easily releases from 

the pan and the bottom is golden brown. 

Carefully turn and  brown the other 

side for 3-5 minutes. 

Cover the pan with foil and put into a 425º oven

for 15 minutes to finish cooking. Remove from 

pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Start the rice

 cooking when the chicken goes in the oven. 

You'll get some nice pan juices. Add a spritz of
lemon juice to the the pan and whisk to combine. 

Pour the juices over the chicken. 

I like to serve this on a bed of rice pilaf. 

 You could add a salad and crescent rolls for company.

 I love the combination of flavors and the

oozy-melty provolone cheese. 

Asparagus & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
2 chicken breasts, butterfly cut
2 slices provolone cheese
6-8 asparagus spears, ends snapped off
1 t salt
½ t pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
2-4 lemon juice
1 T olive oil
Preheat oven to 425)
1. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
Open the breast and pound if necessary for an
even thickness.
2. Give the chicken a spritz of lemon juice then
season well with salt and pepper.
3. Lay the cheese and about 3-4 trimmed stalks of
asparagus in the center of each breast.
Fold over to enclose the filling.
4. Season the outside of the chicken well with
salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Rub in the seasoning.
5. Heat a large cast iron skillet, or any oven-proof
skillet over medium-high. Add 1 T olive oil to the
pan and swirl around to coat the bottom.
6. Carefully add the chicken and cook 3-5 minutes
until golden brown on the bottom and the chicken
easily released from the pan. Carefully turn over
and brown the other side for 3-5 minutes.
7. Cover the pan with foil and put into a 425º oven
 for 15 minutes to finish cooking.
8. Remove chicken from the skillet and let rest for
5 minutes. Add a spritz of lemon juice to the
pan juices and whisk to combine. Pour the juices
over the chicken. Serve on a bed of rice pilaf.
2 servings

Enjoy!

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