Slow Cooker Layered Ratatouille

2 onions, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch rings
1 eggplant, washed and sliced in 1/2 inch rings
4 zucchini, washed and sliced in 1/2 inch rings
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green bell peppers, cut in 1/2 inch strips
6 large ripe tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch thick wedges
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil

Get out your crockpot.
Put half the vegetables in the crockpot in the order listed: onion, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, green bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Repeat the same layers.
Evenly sprinkle the basil, salt, pepper, and parsley over the top, then drizzle the olive oil evenly over all.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until all vegetables are very tender.
You have several options for serving. 
Spoon it directly out of the crockpot, hot, as a side dish, being careful to maintain the layers to show off how pretty they are.
Remove to a large bowl and chop it up into a coarse texture and serve as a side or a spread.
Or put the mixture in a food processor and pulse it until you get a finer texture and serve as a dip or spread.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef Pita Pockets

3 to 4 lb beef roast
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup soy sauce
5 garlic cloves, grated
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp grated ginger root
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
pita bread, lightly toasted in oven, to serve
1 bag (16 oz size) finely shredded cabbage (coleslaw)

Place the beef roast in the crockpot.
Put the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT cabbage and pita) in a small bowl and whisk to combine, then pour over the beef.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or until beef is very tender.
Remove beef to a cutting board and shred (using a couple forks should work) then return the beef to the crockpot, stir, and heat through again.
Warm the pita bread on a baking sheet in the oven set on low heat until just toasted lightly.
When ready, serve by opening up pita bread and stuffing with shredded beef and top with some cabbage coleslaw mix.
May spoon on a bit of sour cream also.
Serves 6 to 8.

Irish Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

When Irish Cooks Are Smiling

Think of Irish cuisine and you probably think about corned beef and cabbage, right?  Well, yes, that may be true.  But, are there ways we can enjoy this cuisine besides at St. Patrick's Day?  Of course there are.  Let's take a look at what we know and love about Irish cuisine.

We Eat What We Have

Like other cuisines, the Irish recipes and dishes we see today are a bit removed from their origins.  The Irish ate from the land, just like everyone, especially before the days of transporting foods around the world.  Soups and stews were made with root vegetables and mutton, most often.  Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, parsnips, and the like were added to a big pot of water, then a bit of mutton, or more likely just the bone, was added for flavor.

If a family was lucky they may know a neighbor raising a pig and be able to share in the meat when it came time.  No matter what the source, each ingredient was stretched as far as it could be stretched to fill a pot.  Potato soup was a staple, sometimes with just a sprinkling of ham or the flavor from a ham bone thrown in.

When beef was available, it had to be either eaten fast or preserved somehow.  Corned beef is the result of salt-curing the beef in order to keep it as long as possible.  Through the years, corned beef has evolved from just a simple salt-cured product to a very nicely seasoned cured beef available at any grocery store.  But, originally it was a tough, but safe, cut of beef that could be added to a stew and slow cooked along with vegetables.

Beer is a Well Regarded Ingredient

Another element of living on the barren Irish landscape was that fresh water was often a limited commodity.  Like many cultures, the Irish learned to ferment grains in water to not only have something to drink that was safe, but something to drink that they liked!

What the Irish discovered is that when beer is used in cooking, it tenderizes the meat and 'lightens' a dish.  The bubbles or carbonation, along with the hops and grains, made bland soups, stews, and other dishes taste better.  A simple potato soup can go from plain to having layers of flavor with the addition of one stout ale.  Now when we think of making the most mundane Irish recipe we know, corned beef and cabbage, with the addition of a dark beer, we won't hear any complaints.

Slow Cooker Cooking and Irish Recipes Go Hand in Hand

Back then, most regular folks didn't have the best cuts of meat to cook.  There really wasn't a filet mignon or tenderloin on the grill at a typical Irish farmer's home.  Meat needed to be cooked low and slow to be tender.

Doesn't that sound familiar?  The slow cooker is the perfect place to start an Irish stew cooking.  Or your Corned Beef and Cabbage.  All the ingredients found in Irish cooking work perfectly in a slow cooker.  Just remember to add a stout ale at the last minute to enjoy the pleasure of what Irish cooking is all about. 

Slow Cooker Kale Garbanzo Italian Seasoned Soup

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
12 cups fresh chopped kale
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can (15 oz) fire roasted tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp grated garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups broth, vegetable or chicken
garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese

Place ingredients (except Parmesan) in the crockpot and stir.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.
Serve hot with good crusty bread and a little Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Will serve 4 to 6.

Slow Cooker Island Luau Pineapple Pork

1 1/2 lbs lean pork, cut in 1 inch strips
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained liquid reserved
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
cooked brown rice for serving

Season pork with paprika.  In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, then quickly brown the pork; set aside.
To crockpot, add the salt, brown sugar, cornstarch, reserved pineapple liquid, vinegar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, stir well.
Add browned pork, onion and green bell peppers; stir gently.
Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours, then add the pineapple chunks, cover and cook on LOW 1 more hour.
May serve over cooked brown rice if desired.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Indian Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

The Cuisine Of India Comes Alive At Home

Think of Indian food and what do you think of?  Curry?  Vegetarian?  Spices brought from India to the New World?  All of these thoughts are correct.  But Indian cuisine has evolved, just like other cuisines around the world.  Let's take a look at a few ideas about what the cuisine of India is like.

Spices Make the Meal

You can't talk about Indian food without talking about spices.  There are people who simply won't consider eating Indian food because they believe they can't handle the hot spices inherent in the dishes.  However, there's more to Indian cuisine than burned tongues.  The proper blend of spices has been learned through the ages to impart just the right balance between hot and sweet.

Like most ancient cuisines, the people used what they had available.  In the case of the cook in India, they used spices.  Through the thousands of years of trade and conquest, Indian cooks found and used many spices we still know today.  Chili peppers, mustard seed, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric, and of course, ginger, are recognized today.

One popular spice found in just about every kitchen today is Curry.  This is, however, not a spice.  It is a mix of spices.  More accurately called Garam Masala, this mix is a granulated or ground powder that includes a number of spices which include at least these three;  cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.  When we buy the mix we know as Curry or even Garam Masala, we are getting a calculated blend of flavors known as 'Indian Spices."

These spice blends have a wide range of flavors, and hit the taste buds in totally different ways.  A good cook will know which to choose for which dishes.  Of course, this is something learned through trial and error, but it's a fun lesson, and very tasty!

Dishes We Need to Know

Many who learn about Indian cuisine at first are puzzled by what they find, or don't find, on the menu.  You won't find beef or pork because Hindus don't eat beef and Muslims don't eat pork.  Much of the population eat a vegetarian diet, since Buddhism was a big influence in India.

But don't let that stop you from trying an Indian recipe.  The spices can, and do, work wonders on any recipe!  Cooking methods also create splendid dishes.  For some of the most tender, juicy chicken  you'll ever have, try a Tandoori Chicken.  And after the main course, you will be tempted by another familiar treat - Kheer.  Think 'rice pudding' then take it up a notch way beyond a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

All in Your Kitchen

Tender spicy chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables, and rich, fragrant spices are no stranger to the home cook.  We all want to fill our kitchen with these aromas.  Indian cooking is the perfect way to savor so many spices and flavors all at the same time, and your slow cooker is just the place to start.

Get your spice blend together and season up your meal.  No matter what's on the menu, Indian spices will provide a warm and wonderful treat for the taste buds.  Then, calm it all down with a dish of Kheer to complete the experience.  With just these few simple dishes, you can enjoy the wonderful world of Indian cuisine.

SLow Cooker Herbes De Provence Beef Bourguigon

4 Lbs beef chuck roast, cubed
1/4 cup cooking oil
6 carrots, chopped
2 medium onions, diced
2 cans beef broth
2 cups dry red wine
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tsp Herbes de Provence (or mixture of fennel/basil/rosemary/thyme)
1/2 lb fresh whole mushrooms, quartered
12 small pearl onions, peeled
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
salt and black pepper to taste
boiled gold or new potatoes for serving, optional

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and cubed beef and quickly brown the beef, then add the beef to the crockpot, scraping out the browned bits and oil into the crockpot along with the beef.
Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT flour and butter and salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.
Before serving, in a bowl smash the flour and butter together with a fork, then stir into the mixture in the crockpot; turn heat to high and bring up to a boil, stir until thickened, then turn crockpot off.
May serve over boiled potatoes.
Serves 8 to 10.

Slow Cooker Guinness Brew Beef Stew

2 lbs. new red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
4 carrots, chopped coarse
2 celery stalks, chopped coarse
2 bay leaves
3 lbs stew beef, cubed
1/2 cup flour, season with salt and pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15 oz size) beef broth
8 oz. fresh whole mushrooms, cut in half
2 (8 oz. each) can tomato sauce
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
12 oz. Guinness Stout Beer (or other very dark beer)

Put the potatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaves in the crockpot.
Put the stew beef in a paper bag and add the flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper; shake the bag to coat the beef.
In a large skillet, add the olive oil, heat over medium-high heat, and brown the coated beef stew meat in the skillet, removing as it cooks, and set aside.  (Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the skillet.)
When beef is all browned, add onion and garlic to the same skillet and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the beef broth and let cook for 1 more minute, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Now put the browned beef in the crockpot, along with the onion/garlic/broth mixture from the skillet.  Add the mushrooms, tomato sauce, onion soup mix, and all seasonings, stir gently.
Pour in the Guiness, then cover the crockpot, set heat to LOW, and cook for 7 to 8 hours.
Serve in big bowls with crusty bread along side.
Serves 4 to 6.

Thai Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Thai Cooking With Perfect Balance

Learning to cook a different cuisine than you are familiar with takes a bit of experimenting, and Thai cooking is no exception.  Many of us learned about the delicious world of Thai cuisine when we have our first bowl of Pad Thai.  This traditional meal has many variations now, but started as a simple dish with locally found ingredients.  What sets Thai and Vietnamese food apart from other regions is the very specific blend of flavors that must include a balance of these four taste centers - salty, spicy, sour, and sweet.  How do we create these tastes at home?

Choosing the Right Ingredients

Like many ethnic cuisines, the first step is the simplest; the right ingredients.  In Thai and Vietnamese cooking the ingredients really start with the spices.  So many other cuisines have the protein, vegetables, fruit, and starch as the most important ingredient.  And, although there are definite regional and ethnic ingredients like that in Thai cooking, it's the seasonings that make this cuisine unique.

In traditional Thai kitchens, the cook begins by making a paste, called nam phrik, of these essential seasonings, often with the old fashioned pestle and mortar, but certainly the same can be done with a food processor.  You can also buy pre-made seasoned pastes if you prefer.

You'll begin your homemade paste with onions and garlic, or shallots, then add chilies.  That's the base. To that you will start adding in your herbs.  Often, whole herbs are used because you'll be crushing them up.  This makes for a very aromatic kitchen!  A blend of coriander, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, curry powder, and turmeric can then be added.  If you can find kaffir lime leaves to add, your recipe will be quite authentic.  And don't forget the fresh basil.  I believe with these spices and herbs you have touched all the taste buds necessary now.

Once you have the paste you want, to create the sauce for a recipe, it is a matter of adding the other standard ingredients, such as lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, and fish stock.  You'll also want to keep the peanut butter and chopped peanuts handy.  And if you have a supply of lemon grass, be sure to include them, as well.

Many Thai dishes use fresh fish and seafood because of the proximity to the ocean and other waterways.  But, chicken and duck are also a favorite protein in Thai cooking.  Beef and pork are also found in Thai cooking, but often slow cooked to become more tender.  Jasmine rice is the 'vehicle' of many Thai dishes, as well as the familiar rice noodles we know from our Pad Thai meals.

So Many Variations

As with many cuisines, the regions of Thailand are vast and varied, and have been influenced by many factions.  Because Thailand has been ruled by royals throughout the centuries, there was a class distinction in cooking methods and the foods that were served.  Eating dinner in a palace differed greatly from eating dinner at a farm.

Then, as Thailand became better known to Americans during the 1960s and 1970s, this interesting and unique cuisine suddenly became a topic to explore.  Of course, now you find Thai restaurants in every populated area in America, as well as some not so populated.

But, of all the variations of Thai cuisine, there is one thing that remains the same;  you must impart all of the four flavors in order to produce a desirable dish.  Those four flavors again are; salty, spicy, sour, and sweet. 

Bringing it Home

One of the best ways to incorporate Thai cooking into your own kitchen is to prepare the meat for the dish.  Most of the dishes associated with Thai cooking are either stir-fried or cooked fast, but that doesn't mean your slow cooker can't be put to use.

Cook beef, pork, or chicken in the slow cooker and season with the paste you made with all those aromatic spices and other ingredients.  Slow cook the meat in your slow cooker until it falls off the bone.

Now when you're ready to make a delicious Thai dish, you have meat or poultry that's flavored perfectly and tender.  All you need to do is serve it over rice or noodles with some freshly sauteed vegetables.  Sprinkle on a few chopped peanuts, chop up some lemon grass, and you have a meal that echoes centuries of Thai cuisine perfection.  Remember, it all starts with the basic seasonings that hit all four of the taste centers.  From there, the sky's the limit!

You don't have to be a chef in a Thai restaurant to put together those same great flavors right at home.  Stock your pantry and refrigerator with a few basics, and let your imagination inspire you to put the flavors of Thailand on your very own table.

Slow Cooker Greek Beef Kapama

3 to 4 lbs beef chuck roast, cubed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch allspice
hot cooked rice for serving

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, put the beef and oil and brown quickly, then remove and set aside.
Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and heat briefly, stirring to scrape up the brown bits.
Put beef and the mixture from skillet into the crockpot.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
Serve spooned over hot cooked rice.
Will serve 6 to 8.

Slow Cooker German Beer And Mustard Pulled Pork

2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 to 5 lbs pork roast (shoulder or butt are fine)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 Tbsp coarse stone ground mustard
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (12 oz) bottle DARK beer
hearty potato buns, rolls, or bread for serving

Put the onions, carrots, and celery in your crockpot.
Season the pork roast with salt and pepper all over, to taste.
Set the pork roast on top of the veggies.
In a bowl, mix together the thyme, rosemary, mustard, and chicken broth, then pour all over the pork roast and veggies in crockpot.
Open the beer and pour it on the veggies, around the pork.
Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or until pork flakes with a fork.
When tender, remove the pork to a cutting board and take two forks and shred it for sandwiches.
Serve on hearty rolls, buns, or bread.

French Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Taking The Fuss Out Of French Cooking

French cuisine can be a culinary masterpiece, created using techniques that require intense focus and attention to detail.  Many French dishes take lots of steps and numerous ingredients to complete, and the cook must be knowledgeable in many areas just to get one dish right.  French chefs take pride in their creations considering them much more than just a meal, but rather a piece of artwork full of color, flavor, and detail.  Yes, but how can we make this detailed style of cooking somewhat easier for the rest of us? 

Getting to Know French Cuisine

The cuisine of France has continuously changed throughout the years thanks to the many great chefs that have graced the cooking arena.  Over the centuries, ingredients have been added, recipes have evolved, and the presentation and beauty of the meal has become just as important as the flavor and taste.  

You will be happy to know that many of the ingredients used to make French dishes are found in the homes of each and every one of us right now.  Milk, eggs, cheese, and bread are staples of French cooking.  Other spices and seasonings such as nutmeg, garlic, onions, and vinegar give these typical French meals that extra something that makes them unique.

The quality of the food used in French cuisine is what makes the meal, not necessarily how it’s prepared.  In French cuisine, you'll find choice cuts of veal, lamb, poultry and beef in many entrees.  You'll also find a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs straight from the garden.

Bring French Cooking Home

You don’t have to blow the budget or stress yourself out trying to figure out the art of French cooking.  There are many ways to be frugal and creative at the same time.  Take what seasonings and spices you already have and don’t be afraid to use them.  The problem with many first-time cooks is they are afraid to mess up the meal by using too much of something.  You have to let your imagination run away with you for a little bit when it comes to French cooking. 

Not every French meal needs to be complicated.  With the use of your slow cooker, you can make tasty French dishes much easier than you might imagine, and with less effort and stress.  In fact, many French dishes are better using the slow cooker process; Beef Bourguignon is the perfect example.  You simply place your cut of beef, wine, vegetables, and whatever spices and seasonings you choose in the slow cooker, give it time for the flavors to meld together.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and you will be magically transported to a cozy cottage in the French countryside.

You can make everything from traditional soufflés, fish, and other seafood in the slow cooker and not have to worry about watching it every second.  Slow Cooker cooking is definitely an easier way to cook for anyone pressed for time, or patience, but still wanting to create a French inspired meal. 

Although French cooking may be a little intimidating at first, you don’t need to go to cooking school to prepare a delicious meal inspired by the best French cuisine. There are ways to shape any type of cuisine around your style and your budget, and French cuisine is no exception.  The key to French cooking is to use your imagination, use what you learn, and then add to it over time.  Weave together a tapestry of flavor, color, and the freshest ingredients right in your own home and you'll be serving truly inspired French cuisine before you know it.

Slow Cooker Easy Thai Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

2 lbs pork tenderloin roast, cut into 4 even pieces
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
garnish with chopped green onions, chopped peanuts, and wedges of lime
jasmine rice for serving

Place the pork pieces evenly in the crockpot.
Whisk together the teriyaki, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic, and pour evenly over the pork.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until the pork is fork tender.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the crockpot to a cutting board.
Add the peanut butter to the sauce in the crockpot, whisk to combine, cover crockpot.
Dice the pork and add back to the crockpot.
Serve hot over jasmine rice and garnish each serving with desired toppings.
Will serve 4.

Slow Cooker Easy Arroz Con Pollo

3 lbs chicken thighs, skin and bones removed, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 can (15 oz each) stewed tomatoes
2 cups long grain rice
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp dried crushed oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 package (16 oz) frozen peas, thawed in colander

Put all ingredients EXCEPT PEAS in a large bowl and stir gently to combine.
Pour mixture into the crockpot.
Cook, covered, on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
10 minutes before serving, stir in the peas, cover crockpot again and let peas heat through.
Serve hot.
Will serve 6 to 8.

Korean Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

The Korean people view their meals as one of the most important social times of the day, so they take pride in the culinary dishes that are prepared.  Korean cuisine stands apart particularly because of the variety of dishes  prepared and served at each meal.  You may be surprised to learn that most Korean homes don't have ovens.  This means the majority of Korean dishes are cooked in pots on top of the stove, making this cuisine the perfect cousin to slow cooker cooking. What are some of the ways that this type of cooking stands out from the rest?

The Big Difference

In America, we are used to eating an appetizer, main course, and possibly a dessert if we still have room.  In Korea, a dozen or more dishes are prepared for every meal.  Vegetables, soups, rice, and a variety of meat and seafood can make up one meal, and they are served at the same time, unlike our meals where one dish comes out at a time.

All of the food, including meat and seafood, is cut into small pieces.  Chopsticks are frequently used.  At a family meal, each dish is placed on the table beforehand and everyone gets to pick and choose what they want, effectively 'grazing' across the array of dishes.

Main Ingredients

Rice is an extremely important ingredient in Korean cuisine and can be found in almost every meal.  Seafood is a staple in the cuisine, although meat is more popular than ever.  A traditional dish called Kimchi, is at virtually every meal, from morning to night.  Kimchi is made up of cabbage and a large variety of different vegetables.  This can be made in a range of spicy flavors, depending on how you like it. 

Korean cuisine is loaded with spices and seasonings that give dishes a distinct 'kick.'  A few of the most widely used are chili pepper, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.  Korean dishes are perfect for a vegetarian diet because of the vast amount dishes made up strictly of vegetables.

Easy Korean Recipes in the Slow Cooker

You don’t have to be an expert to be able to put together a tasty Korean meal.  What makes it even better is the meal doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time and energy.  The only thing you need is a good recipe and the right ingredients, oh, and a slow cooker!

Many Korean dishes are perfect for slow cooking.  Slow cooked spicy beef, chicken, or pork are standard fare.  These recipes require only the meat or poultry of your choice, the right seasonings and vegetables, and you'll have a delicious meal without any fuss.  Make a pot of rice and your meal is complete.  When you break the recipes down into the basic ingredients, you will see just how simple it is to put those same ingredients into your slow cooker and create a delicious Korean dish.

Because Korean dishes are cooked on top of a stove - there are no ovens in most Korean homes -  it's easy to learn a few recipes that will easily work in your slow cooker.  Slow cooked, one pot meals are common, so what could be simpler than making these same meals in your slow cooker? 

Learning a new type of cuisine is not only fun, but interesting because you are immersing yourself in a different culture.  Give Korean cooking a try.  Open your mind to a variety of foods you wouldn’t normally eat.  It may just surprise you!

SLow Cooker Cornbread Topped Chili

2 lbs ground beef or turkey
1 can (14.5 oz) kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz size) stewed diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
1 Tbsp (more or less to taste) chili powder
1 cup water
1 box (8.5 oz) cornbread mix
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add to crockpot.
Add to the crockpot the beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and the chili powder, stir.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Prepare cornbread:  Use the package directions and prepare the cornbread batter, then uncover the crockpot and drop the batter in little piles around the top of the hot mixture to form 'biscuits.'
Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 30 more minutes or until the cornbread is cooked through.
When fully cooked, uncover and sprinkle the shredded Cheddar cheese on top.
Serve immediately in bowls with a couple cornbread 'biscuits' on top of each serving.
Will serve 4 to 6.

Slow Cooker Classic Hungarian Goulash - Crockpot

2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
1 cup sour cream
hot cooked wide egg noodles
freshly chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Put the beef and onion in crockpot.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, then sprinkle into crockpot and gently stir to coat the beef well.
Pour the diced tomatoes into the crockpot, carefully distributing evenly over the beef, then add the bay leaf.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until beef is fork tender.
Take bay leaf out and add sour cream to crockpot, stirring gently.
Allow sour cream to get warm, then turn heat off and serve immediately.
Spoon over hot cooked wide egg noodles and sprinkle fresh parsley on top of each serving.
Will serve 6 to 8.

Cajun Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Kick Up Your Slow Cooker With Cajun Flavors

Cajun cooking originated in the Southern swamplands, bayous, and farmland. The Cajun people were hard-working and lived under very stressful conditions. Their meal choices revolved around local foods that were easy to find. To save time and money, and to feed as many people as they could, meals were very often cooked up in one big pot. This makes using a slow cooker for Cajun cuisine a natural.

The one thing you can be sure of is you can cook up Cajun foods in your slow cooker with great success and enjoy those potent flavors we have all come to love.  As a matter of fact, the key to great Cajun cooking is to simmer the dish for many hours, and that is why slow cooker cooking and Cajun foods go hand in hand.  Let's take a look at some dishes and the ingredients and seasonings that make them stand out from other southern cooking.

Cajun Meets the Slow Cooker

Jambalaya, gumbo, beans and rice, and stew are all easy to cook in the slow cooker.  Why?  Because they're not complicated or fussy.  The neat thing about this type of ethnic cooking is recipes are not set in stone.

When recipes were passed from one generation to the next, ingredients were substituted as needed because of what was available at the time. That is probably why there are so many different variations of the same recipe. Shrimp, oysters, crab, wild game, fish, pork, beans, okra, tomatoes, and rice are all staples in Cajun cooking, but are specific to regions.

Because Cajun foods have an exotic multi-layered flavor and that 'bite' we love, many people think that the recipes call for dozens of different or complicated spices and mixes, but that is not so.  There are really just a few very recognizable spices and condiments that give Cajun food its unmistakable taste.  The following are considered essential in every Cajun kitchen and are perfectly suited for the slow cooking method we love – slow cooker cooking.

Cayenne pepper is the most common spice used in this type of cooking. The mature pepper is ground into a fine powder and is used in conjunction with white and black pepper to give recipes a potent kick.

Gumbo powder, called filé powder, made from ground sassafras leaves, is used in gumbos, soups and stews not only to flavor the food but to thicken the sauce as well.

Tabasco sauce is one Cajun spice most of us are familiar with. It is used in cooking and as a condiment on the table. You will find other hot sauces to enjoy, but you don't want to eliminate Tabasco sauce from your kitchen.

Creole mustard is also a common ingredient found in Cajun cuisine. Although it is often used as a spread for sandwiches and as a dip, many recipes also call for it as an added ingredient in sauces, marinades, and other dishes.

Cajun slow cooker cooking is very flexible and tasty. Whether you want exotic dinners or just plain old good eating, Cajun foods and flavors fit the bill. Because many Cajun dishes are traditionally slow-cooked in one pot, you will find it easy to transform your favorite Cajun meals and make them right in your slow cooker.  All you need is the right ingredients, spices, and a little imagination.  Oh, yes, and a hearty appetite!

Slow Cooker Chop Suey Chicken

2 Tbsp cooking oil
6 chicken breasts, skin and bones removed
1 carrot, diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, grated
1 can (8 oz) bamboo shoots, drained
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup COLD water
hot cooked rice for serving

Put a large heavy skillet on medium-high heat, add oil and chicken, browning chicken quickly; put chicken in crockpot.
Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT cornstarch and water.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.
In a bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water, then stir into the mixture in the crockpot, cover the crockpot and allow to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Serve over rice.
Serves 6 to 8.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Spiced Shredded Pork

3 lb. boneless pork loin roast, diced 2 inch pieces
salt and black pepper to taste
2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chipotle sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the roast, then set in the crockpot.
In a bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the pork in the crockpot, making sure a little gets underneath.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until pork is fork tender.
Remove the pork from the crockpot to a cutting board and use a couple forks to pull the meat apart into shreds, then put the pork back in the crockpot.
Stir and allow to cook 10 to 15 more minutes, then serve on hearty rolls or buns for sandwiches.

Italian Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Italian Cooking Beyond Spaghetti

When I dream of a plate of Italian food, it usually looks something like this;  spaghetti, tomato  sauce, Parmesan cheese, and garlic bread.  However, that type of dish is as American as they come.  What truly makes up an authentic Italian dish?  Is Italian cuisine based on the spices and seasonings or possibly the way the pasta is made?  What are some ways we can differentiate a true Italian meal from its American counterpart?  

A Love Affair

If you know anything about the Italian culture, you already know about the passion.  Italian cuisine is all about understanding the relationship between the people and the food.  Yes, it's a love affair.  Besides spending hours and hours eating their meals, Italian cooks also spend time searching for the right ingredients and preparing everything with love.

You'll find on the Italian table an array of dishes from appetizers to entrees to desserts, creating a  culinary masterpiece, in appearance, aroma, and taste.  With the introduction of new ingredients and seasonings through the ages, the Italian meal is constantly evolving. 

A typical Italian meal is rich in local fruits and vegetables, making this cuisine one of the healthiest in the world.  Another healthy ingredient used throughout the ages in Italy is now well known around the world.  We are, of course, talking about extra virgin olive oil.  Many Italians credit this ingredient for their robust health and beauty, which may be true.  What we know for a fact is that olive oil tastes wonderful and imparts a nice richness and flavor to the Italian foods we love.

Pasta Brings Us Together

When it comes to Italian cuisine, the country is divided into regions, with each region having its  own favorite ingredients and cooking methods.  Each is unique and each is authentic.  When it comes to pasta, however, there is no disagreement.  The love of pasta unites each region in the country. 

Whether you are using dried pasta or fresh pasta, there are some rules to follow when preparing a pot of pasta.  Many American cooks make one common mistake; we tend to overcook the pasta, making it soft.  Taking the pasta off the stove a little bit sooner, when you think it isn't quite ready, will bring the pasta closer to the Italian ideal. 

Always start with a huge pot of cold, salted water.  The pot of water should seem much too big for the pasta you are adding.  Having lots of room for the pasta to move around in the pot will prevent the pasta from sticking to itself.   And I did say salted water, didn't I?  Yes.  Add plenty of salt.

Bring your pot of water up to a rapid boil, drop your pasta in, give it a spin, and turn the heat down.  Cook it now in the slowly boiling water just until it's al dente, or if you bite into a noodle, it bites back just a little.  Immediately dump into a strainer or colander and DO NOT RINSE.  This is another misconception.  You don't want to wash away all the salt and starch in the pasta;  that's where the flavor and texture is.  Some folks like to add oil to the cooking water.  That will help prevent the pasta from sticking to itself, but if you allow enough room for the pasta in the water, you won't have a problem.  Oil may prevent your sauce from sticking to the pasta, however, so you can decide what's best for your dish.

Add your sauce to the warm pasta and the flavors will intensify.  You can spoon in a bit of the pasta cooking water if you want a saucier sauce.  If your recipe calls for cold pasta, just let it sit out at room temperature.  It will cool off pretty fast.  Or, you may cover the pasta and set it in the refrigerator for just a few minutes.  Stir it up and it will be cool.

Put Your Slow Cooker to Work

If you read about a typical Italian meal, it might seem like it would take forever to prepare.  Well, you might be right, in some instances.  Like many cuisines, you can take as long or as short a time to prepare a meal as you like.  But, you'll need a few tricks and recipes to speed things up if you want your house to resemble an Italian restaurant in no time.  The slow cooker is an excellent way to take the work out of the meal and have more time for the important things like spending time with your family. 

For example, lasagna is a popular dish that many cooks avoid because of the time it takes to prepare.  However, even lasagna can be turned into a slow cooker sensation with a few simple steps.   Set out your ingredients as you would if you were cooking it in the oven.  Use a large ladle and put your sauce in the slow cooker, and layer with uncooked noodles and other ingredients until you are satisfied that you have enough, about 3/4. of the way full.  Now you can 'set it and forget it' as they say.  Set the slow cooker to low and cook it covered for about 4 hours.

Italian cuisine is loved not just in Italy, but throughout the world.  It is simple enough to learn how to create authentic Italian dishes through practice and maybe even a cooking class or two.  Remember, the secret to creating an authentic Italian meal is to focus on using the right  ingredients, including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, and to treat your pasta properly!   Have fun and experiment until you put your own spin on a classic meal right from the heart of Italy.    

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp grated ginger root
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 can (28 oz) tomato puree
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
6 chicken breasts, bone and skin removed, then diced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
garnish with chopped fresh cilantro

In a bowl, stir together the first 16 ingredients.
Add the chicken and stir again to combine and coat the chicken well. 
Pour mixture into crockpot, cover, and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
30 minutes before ready to serve, put heavy cream and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together, then add to mixture in crockpot and stir gently; continue cooking for 30 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with fresh cilantro.
Serves 6 to 8.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chickpea Curried Rice

3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 32 oz. kosher vegetable or chicken broth
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tsp curry powder

Put all ingredients in crockpot and stir gently until combined.
Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or until rice is tender.
Serve immediately.
Will serve 4 to 6.

Hungarian Heritage Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

If you want to talk about a cuisine that's rich in flavor and texture, you definitely want to include Hungarian cuisine.  The evolution of Hungarian cuisine came about due to influence from neighboring countries Germany, Italy, and France.  Hungary has a history of making one-pot  meals, so it would seem like as easy style of cooking for a beginner to learn, and perfectly suited to cooking with your slow cooker.  Let's take a look at some of the ingredients and cooking methods that make this cooking unique.

Paprika and More

The best thing about Hungarian cuisine is it is not complex.  There are simple ingredients used and basic cooking techniques applied such as frying, baking, and boiling.   Paprika is known to be a key ingredient in many Hungarian dishes to give them more flavor.   This, along with garlic, lard, onions, and sour cream give these dishes a distinctive taste not found anywhere else.  

The meat stew known as 'goulash' is a favorite in Hungarian cuisine.  Locals rely on a supply of  pork and beef for their meals, which is one reason it’s hard to find dish without meat anywhere in Hungary.   A wide array of vegetables are used, however, and some types of fish can be found and cooked for a healthier menu choice. 

Each region in Hungary has its own selection of favorite foods and recipes.   As the land changes, so do the types of fresh foods that grow in that area.  Hungarians take pride in what they cook and want to showcase their culinary art by creating dishes full of sweet aromas and hearty flavors.  Some dishes may not be welcome by the sensitive stomach, but if you can handle the spice and rich meats, this is one of the most distinctive cuisines in the world and shouldn’t be missed.

Hungarian Meals and Slow Cooker Cooking

In the early history of Hungarian cuisine, most dishes were cooked all together in one kettle.  For this reason, using a slow cooker to cook modern Hungarian meals is a great way to create an authentic meal with ease and less stress.  With the world at our fingertips through the internet, it’s easy to find recipes that you can throw together for a Hungarian feast.  

What better recipe to try in the slow cooker than the Hungarian favorite, goulash?   For an authentic taste you will need a few simple ingredients including paprika, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.   Small cuts of beef are added, soaking up the flavor of the seasonings and spices.  You can choose to serve with noodles or without, depending on how you like it.

You can choose to make other classic recipes like chicken paprikash or chicken and dumplings in the slow cooker as well.   Both of these recipes require a few easy to find ingredients.  Because these well known recipes are so simple to make, it is a great starting point for beginners who want to try their hand at Hungarian cuisine.

You don’t have to spend a ton of time going through cookbooks and finding odd ingredients you’ve never heard of to cook a Hungarian meal.  Most of the things you will need are already in your fridge or pantry.  Take advantage of your slow cooker and immerse yourself in Hungarian culture and cuisine without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Slow Cooker Caribbean Isle Style Black Beans

6 cups cooked (or canned) black beans
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 mangoes, cubed
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground cayenne

Put all the ingredients in crockpot
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.
Serve hot in bowls.
Will serve 4 to 6.

Mexican Food Slow Cooker Coking Tips

Exploring The World Of Mexican Cooking

Mexican cuisine can be described as having a wide range of intense color and flavor.  The food is colorful and the spices and seasonings give it that extra kick.  The cultural influences span over many countries including Spain, India, Europe, and even the Caribbean, resulting in this food being so varied.  However, although recipes differ from region to region, the ingredients and style of cooking remain the same.  How did Mexican cuisine become what it is today and what sets it apart from any other styles of cooking?  Let's take a look.

Color Pops

The use of a wide selection of vegetables give a Mexican meal a pop of color and flavor at the same time.  Mexican cooks rely heavily on the use of tomatoes, chili peppers, green peppers, radishes, and broccoli, just to name a few.  Avocados, corn, and papaya are also important staples of many Mexican dishes.  The use of so many vegetables with such brilliant colors also makes the nutritional value increase, making Mexican food extremely healthy.

Tips and Techniques

Mexican cooks do quite a bit of sautéing and roasting while they create these masterpieces.  Fire is of utmost importance and helps to unleash the flavors inside tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and a number of other ingredients.  Chilies are roasted over an open fire not only to loosen the skin, but to give them a sweeter taste.  Slow simmering is another technique used in many Mexican dishes.  You can throw all your meat and vegetables in a pot along with spices and seasonings of your choice and let it simmer all day until it’s time to eat.  Doesn't that sound like slow cooker cooking fits right in?

Spices

Chipotle chile powder, ancho chile powder, and chili powder blends are all staples in Mexican dishes.  These spices add not only heat but flavor to meat and vegetables, as well as sauces and soups.  Garlic is also a staple and used in many bean recipes and sauces.  Although oregano seems to be more Italian than Mexican, it is used in combination with other spices and is often an ingredient in homemade chili powder blends.  There is a wide variety of spices used in Mexican cooking, some for heat and some for depth of flavor.  Choosing the right spices can make all the difference between a so-so Mexican dish and a real knock out.

Slow Cooker Meals Mexican Style

You can turn just about any Mexican dish into a slow cooker sensation if you just know the right ingredients and technique.  A few favorite recipes such as taco soup, chicken and white beans, shredded pork, and enchiladas all can easily be changed from stove top to slow cooker. 

Forget the notion that Mexican food is simply bean burritos and quesadillas.  There is much more to enjoy with this simple cooking that yields intense results.  You can turn any meal into a Mexican feast with the right type of authentic Mexican ingredients.  Experiment with a variety of recipes and see what you can create in or out of your slow cooker, and you'll be an expert in Mexican cuisine in no time.

Slow Cooker Cannellini Italian Beef Stew

2 lbs cubed stew beef
1 can (10 oz size) tomato soup
1 can (10 oz size) beef consumme
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can (14.5 oz size) diced tomatoes
3 large carrots, chopped
2 cans (16 oz size) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

Put all EXCEPT cannellini beans in crockpot and stir gently.
Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours until beef is tender.
Stir in the cannellini beans (gently), cover and cook for 15 minutes more.
Serve hot in big bowls with crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Black Forest Sausage And Sauerkraut

1 lb bacon, diced and fried crisp
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp flour
2 lbs sauerkraut, drained
2 lbs bratwurst or kielbasa, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large tart apples, cored and diced
1 tsp caraway seeds

Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then remove to a paper towel, keeping the bacon fat in skillet.
In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until slightly softened.
Sprinkle in the flour and whisk, cooking just until flour turns yellow and thickens into a roux.
Add the sauerkraut to the skillet, stir to get up all the browned bits in skillet, then dump mixture into crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to crockpot, stir to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until sausage is cooked through.
Serves 6 to 8.

Kosher Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Cooking Kosher In Your Slow Cooker

With our fast-paced lifestyles, it is hard to find the time to cook great meals for our families. It can be even harder for those families who follow specific diets, such as a kosher diet. Kosher foods must be prepared a certain way - no mixing of meat and dairy, no pork or shellfish, etc. The rules for the kitchen and food preparation are strict with no deviations.

Slow Cooker cooking is a great solution for meal planning in many households, but is it good for preparing kosher foods? I am happy to say that it is.

If you eat kosher, then you know how to prepare your foods, where to purchase them, and what you can and cannot eat. Even though you may not be able to cook some items together, who's to say you can't have more than one slow cooker to cook different foods.  Let's take a look at familiar dishes and see how we can work in our slow cooker.

Consider Cholent Stew in your Slow Cooker

There are many kosher foods that may benefit from being cooked in the slow cooker. The most popular being the cholent stew cooked for Shabbat and to be eaten on a Saturday. Because there is a ban on cooking or lighting a fire during Shabbat, starting this stew in the slow cooker on Friday and serving it Saturday is appropriate.

There are a few different types of cholent stews that can be cooked kosher in the slow cooker. Here are three dishes for you to consider making in your slow cooker.

Schalet is a hearty stew that is made up of beans, barley and kosher meat. Schalet is a pretty generic food, depending on where you live. There are many cultures that cook this dish in diverse ways with different ingredients.

Tebeet is a dish that is made with a whole chicken that is stuffed with seasoned rice. This is not exactly a stew, but it is traditionally slow cooked, therefore making it perfect for the slow cooker.

Hamin is made with chicken instead of the traditional meats that make up cholent stews. You can add potatoes, carrots, prunes, rice and many other yummy ingredients to make this hot hearty meal. Again, ingredients differ depending on what area of the country you are in.

Because of the slow cooker, families can now have hot cooked meals during the times when no cooking or fire lighting is allowed.  Before the invention of the slow cooker, meals that require strict kosher rules were tough to prepare for, especially during special observances and holy days.

Kosher slow cooker cooking need not be complicated. There are many cookbooks now that are specific to kosher slow cooker cooking. If you have the time, you can take any recipe that is slow cooked, make a few changes so that is meets the kosher requirements, and you have a hot, tasty meal.

Families living in kosher homes can have the convenience that so many enjoy when it comes to preparing meals with limited time to do so.  All it takes is a slow cooker (or two!), the proper kosher foods, and a creative cooking imagination.

Slow Cooker Chicken And Caramelized Onions In Turmeric Yogurt Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, sliced in thin strips
4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 lbs chicken thighs, skin removed
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
hot cooked wide egg noodles to serve

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet on medium-low heat, add the oil and onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown and caramelized. If done right, this will take about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add to the skillet the garlic, spices, and broth, stir to combine.
Arrange the chicken in the crockpot, then spoon the onion mixture over the top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or until chicken is tender and cooked thoroughly.
When the chicken is done, add the yogurt and cilantro, stir so yogurt dissolves into sauce, turn crockpot off.
Cover crockpot again and let sit for 5 more minutes or until sauce is hot again.
Serve spooned over hot cooked wide egg noodles.
Serves 4 to 6.

Mix And Match Breakfast Casserole

2 cups milk
6 eggs
6 slices of bread, cubed
1 onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon mustard, ground
2 cups your choice shredded cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, etc.)
1/2 cup your choice meat (sausage, bacon, ham, etc)
1/2 cup your choice vegetables (tomato, spinach, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix together. Once mixed, pour into the greased baking dish and bake for 60 minutes.
Remove and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Will serve 3 to 4.

Very Vegan Breakfast Casserole

1 block tofu, firm
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon turmeric (please note: this will make the tofu yellowish looking)
1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Olive oil
5 ounces 'smart bacon'
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 small yellow squash
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 green onion
2 small zucchini
1 tablespoon high heat oil (safflower oil or grape seed oil work well)
16 ounces tater tots 

Rinse and drain the tofu. Place into a casserole dish and with a fork, smash it up. Add the onion powder, garlic powder and turmeric.  Mix well.  Add the vegan cheese.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the bacon and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat until the peppers are browned. Add this mixture to the casserole dish.
Using the same skillet, place the squash, onion and zucchini. Cook until the squash in tender and translucent. Add to the casserole dish.
In the same skillet, add the high heat oil and add the tater tots. Once the pan starts to sizzle, add a little bit of water to give it some moisture and steam. Cook until you can break apart the tater tots with a spatula. Add to the casserole dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, season with salt and pepper if you wish.
Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Terrific Start Tofu Breakfast Casserole

tofu 'egg'  mixture:
1/2 cup soy milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound tofu
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup yeast 

casserole:
1 package lean sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package shredded hash browns
1 package cheddar style shreds

While preheating oven to 450 degrees, add all the 'egg' mixture ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil.
Use the other tablespoon of oil to grease the bottom of a large baking dish.
Layer the hash browns, sausage and cheese in the greased baking dish. Pour the 'egg' mixture over this and then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.  Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet Red Apple French Toast Breakfast Casserole

1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 peeled, cored and sliced red apples
1/2 cup raisins
1 pound French baquette cut into 1 inch slices
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix. Add the apples and raisins and combine thoroughly. Once mixed, pour into the greased baking dish. Place the bread slices evenly over the apples.
In a mixing bowl, beat the milk, eggs, vanilla and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Pour over the bread. Be sure that each slice is saturated.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes (covered). Remove the cover and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Southwest Sausage And Egg Breakfast Casserole

6 slices bread with crust removed
1 pound sausage
4 cups Colby Jack cheese
6 eggs
2 cans green chilies
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon mustard, dry
1 teaspoon salt
Picante sauce

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place lightly buttered (on both sides) bread. 
In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain well.
Sprinkle the sausage as evenly as possible over bread slices – make sure bread is covered. Sprinkle the cheese over the sausage layer and then place green chilies over the cheese.
Beat the eggs in a medium sized mixing bowl and then add in the half-and-half, mustard and salt.
Once mixed thoroughly pour over the casserole and cover with tin foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.
To prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes and then serve with Picante sauce.

Creole Smoked Sausage Breakfast Casserole

16 ounces smoked sausage
1/2 cup green bell pepper
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices bread, torn into 1 inch pieces
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

While preheating oven to 350 degrees, butter a 2 quart baking dish.
Cook the sausage in a large skillet with the green bell pepper and onion. Cook until the vegetables are translucent.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, Creole seasoning, parsley and pepper. Set aside.
In the greased baking dish, evenly layer the bread.
Sprinkle sausage mixture and tomatoes over the bread.
Sprinkle cheese on top and then pour the egg mixture as evenly as possible over this. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned and puffy.

Big Time Sausage And Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

2 packages sausage links
3 cups milk
9 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
40 ounces (2 packages) shredded hash browns
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup green onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups salsa

In a large baking dish, bake the sausage at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink. Drain the fat and slice the sausage into 1/4 inch pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper and mustard. Add the sausage, hash browns, bell pepper, green onion and cheese; mix well.
Pour the egg mixture into a grease 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to bake, let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake (uncovered) for 65 to 75 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with salsa.

Old South Sausage and Grits Breakfast Casserole

1 pound sausage
1 tablespoon onion, chopped finely
6 eggs (beaten)
1 cup milk
1 cup grits cooked in 4 cups water
6 ounces corn muffin mix
1 teaspoon any type herb seasoning
1/2 pound Colby jack cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, sauté the sausage with onion until all the pink is gone.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then add the milk, cooked grits, corn muffin mix and herb seasoning.
Into a 9x12 inch pan, spread the sausage mixture, add the grits and cheese, then sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. 
Remove and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

Spinach and Ham With Rosemary Dijon Breakfast Casserole

4 egg whites
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cups whole-grain bread cut into 1-inch cubes 
5 cups spinach
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)
3/4 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

While preheating oven to 375 degrees, grease a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites, eggs, and milk together. Add the rosemary, pepper and Dijon mustard and mix together.
In a large bowl, add the bread, spinach, red peppers and ham. Add the egg mixture to this and toss to evenly coat. Pour into greased baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with tin foil.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake until it’s puffed and golden brown on top, approximately 15 to 20 more minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Granny Smith Apple And Sausage Breakfast Casserole

1 package pork sausage roll
6 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
3 cups skim milk
10 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided 

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish while preheating oven to 325 degrees.
In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt.
In another large mixing bowl, mix together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. Make sure the apples are well coated.
In the prepared baking pan, layer half the bread crumbs on the bottom and then half the sausage, half the apples and then 1 cup of cheese. Continue to repeat layers until ingredients are gone.
Take the egg mixture and pour evenly over the layers.
Bake for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly.

Roasted Mixed Vegetables and Swiss Cheese Breakfast Casserole

cooking spray
olive oil
7 or 8 new red or gold potatoes, sliced
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped asparagus
3 tablespoons milk
7 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices Swiss cheese

While preheating oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a pot of water, boil the potatoes for about 5 minutes. Drain well.
On the baking sheet, place the cooked potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli and onion. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the tomatoes and asparagus and continue to roast for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees.
In the bottom of a pie pan, small casserole, or tart pan, place some of the roasted vegetables and some of the Swiss cheese.
In a small bowl, mix the milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in the pan and add the remaining roasted vegetables and then use the remainder of the Swiss cheese to place on top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole comes out clean.
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Pecan French Toast Breakfast Casserole

6 slices French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 slices Pumpernickel bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup pecans
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 cups half-and-half
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Maple syrup

In a 3 quart glass baking dish, add the French and Pumpernickel bread, bacon and pecans.
Mix together the pumpkin puree, half-and-half, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and make sure the bread is coated as evenly as possible. Using a spatula press the bread down to help absorb the egg. Cover with tin foil and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When oven is preheated, bake (covered) for 40 minutes, remove from oven, uncover, return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes. Drizzle maple syrup on top and serve immediately.

Easy No Eggs Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. sausage, browned
1 bag frozen O'Brien hash browns, thawed
2 cups Cheddar cheese, divided
1 carton (16 oz) French onion dip
2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Mix in a bowl the browned sausage, hash browns, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, French onion dip, and sour cream, then spread mixture into baking pan.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top, return to oven, and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until cheese browns on top.
Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Sourdough Egg Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

1 pound sourdough
4 tablespoons melted butter
12 ounces bacon
1 large onion, sliced
28 ounces diced tomatoes, drained 
4 cups cheddar cheese 
4 green onions, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
Salt
6 eggs

While preheating oven to 350 degrees, in a large mixing bowl toss the sourdough and butter. Spread the sourdough evenly on a large baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Once the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Save 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, pouring out the rest.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook until caramelized (approximately 10 minutes).
Now add the tomato and cook until all the liquid has evaporated (approximately 5 minutes). 
In a large mixing bowl, pour the onion mixture and add the bread, bacon, green onion, stock and cheese. Stir together until well mixed and season to taste with salt.
Spread this mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and cover with tin foil, and refrigerate overnight.
To bake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Keep the tin foil on the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Now, remove from oven and make 6 indentations in the bread. Once the indentations have been made, crack 1 egg into each indentation. Once all 6 eggs have been added to the indentations, bake for another 15 minutes or until egg whites are set.

Cheesy Mushroom Sausage Breakfast Casserole

cooking spray
1/2 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 pound sausage
2 cups tater tots
6 slices bread, cubed
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups of milk
8 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tomato, sliced

Brown the onion, mushrooms and sausage in a large skillet until the sausage is fully cooked. 
Use the cooking spray to grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In the greased baking dish, dump the tater tots and evenly spread on the bottom of pan and then add a layer of cubed bread. Now add the onion, mushrooms and sausage mixture over the bread and sprinkle a layer of cheese on top.
Whisk the heavy cream, milk, eggs, salt, pepper and mustard in a medium bowl. Once whisked together, pour over the casserole and then layer with tomatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
To prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Once the oven has been preheated, uncover the casserole and bake for 60 minutes.

Egg Mushroom and Asparagus Breakfast Casserole

1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 pound goat cheese, sliced
1 cup cottage cheese
10 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat the oil, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add the thyme, garlic, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
In the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish, evenly spread the asparagus. Spread the mushrooms and goat cheese over the asparagus.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the cottage cheese and eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the cottage cheese and egg mixture into the baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 to 30 minutes (or until golden brown on top).
Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Start Your Day With A Nutritious Breakfast Casserole

Wake Up Your Brain With Breakfast

We have all heard the phrase, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  There are many reasons why it's important to start the morning with a proper breakfast.  Simply stated:  Breakfast is the fuel your body and brain needs to function.

It is especially important for children to eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning.  Young, growing brains need lots of energy to help focus and keep learning.  A child who skips breakfast is going to feel tired, restless, and irritable, possibly for the entire day.  Studies have proven time and time again that children who do not eat a healthy breakfast in the morning suffer both academically and socially.  They also suffer physically, often with obesity being the result.

You know how you, as an adult, feel if you skip breakfast.  Now just imagine if your brain was developing and growing at the rate of a child.  That empty tummy you experience if you skip breakfast is nothing compared to what a child will feel, or how a child will suffer.

With that said, we know that eating a healthy breakfast every morning is important, especially for a child.  An easy way to ensure your child gets a healthy, well-rounded meal in the morning is with breakfast casseroles. 

I can hear you saying right now; “But I can't make a breakfast casserole in the morning!”  You don't have to.  Avoid a lot of preparation in the morning by planning ahead and you won't skip a beat during the morning rush.  Design a few breakfast casserole recipes to suit your family member's tastes and make several smaller casseroles on the weekend and put them in the refrigerator.  Now, before you wake your children up for school, pop their casseroles in the oven.  Before they walk out of the door, they'll have a delightfully delicious and nutritious breakfast to wake them (and their brains!) up. 

There is so much you can add to a casserole to meet everyone's nutritional needs.  To wake up your brain you want to eat foods that are high in protein, good carbs, fiber, calcium, iron, other minerals, and lots of vitamins. 

Make a breakfast casserole that contains whole-wheat or multi-grain bread, eggs, milk, maybe some cheese, meat, poultry or seafood, and vegetables, too, for a savory nutrition-packed dish.  If your child prefers a sweet breakfast, make a breakfast casserole that contains the same hearty bread, eggs, and milk, then add fruit and even nuts to the mix. You still get the protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but this time in a sweeter version.

With a nutritious breakfast, you can boost body and brain function, helping your child feel better and think better so he or she can perform better in school and throughout the day.  All of this in one simple to make breakfast casserole!

There are many great ways to get the nutrition needed in the morning, but breakfast casseroles are definitely a great option.  They are versatile, easy to mix up and serve, and ready when you are.  How will you start your day out tomorrow?  Give your brain, and your child's brain, a chance to wake up with a hearty and healthy breakfast casserole.

Louisiana Morning Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole

Cooking spray
3 cups sweet potato cubes, cooked
1/2 cup milk
15 ounces egg beaters
1/4 cup maple syrup (pure works best)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 frozen brown and serve sausage patties
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup cottage cheese

While preheating oven to 350 degrees, use cooking spray to grease an 8x8 inch glass baking dish.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cube them. In a microwave safe bowl with 1/4 inch water, cook the sweet potatoes for 4-5 minutes on high. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Now add the sweet potatoes, sausage, 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese and cottage cheese and mix together. Pour into the baking dish. 
Bake for 1 1/4 hour (75 min) or until knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top and continue to bake until cheese is melted.

Mexican Egg And Cheese Breakfast Casserole

12 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup flour
1 small thing small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup butter
8 ounces green chilies
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly and pour into a well greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

How To Turn Your Favorite Breakfast Casserole Into A Dinnertime Delight

If you have a few favorite breakfast casseroles, you may be wondering how you could serve them as a wonderful dinner.  You don't just want a breakfast repeat – you want to transform your morning dish into a delightful evening meal.

A hearty breakfast casserole is a treat when you have an easy going, lazy morning to relax.  If a lazy day isn't in the cards for you, but you have a hankering for one of those filling and frugal breakfast casseroles you love, try making one for dinner.  You can enjoy the same warm feelings you get when eating a breakfast casserole, and, at the same time, get away with being more creative and adding ingredients not necessarily considered breakfast food.

Traditional breakfast casseroles are made with sausage, bacon, ham, eggs, bread, cheese, and milk. You can start with this basic recipe and add or substitute just about anything to wish to make a savory casserole that's quite delicious for dinner.

You can add more meat than you would normally use for breakfast.  Or, you can use another kind of meat altogether.  Think about dinnertime ingredients you may forget about during the morning hours.  How about trying shrimp, scallops, or even lobster for a real treat?  Chicken, turkey, and duck add an evening feel to your morning dish.  Use up leftover grilled fish like salmon for an intense flavor surprise. Saute firm tofu in soy sauce and olive or sesame oil for a vegetarian dish.  Remember, think breakfast casserole with dinner ingredients.

Once you've chosen the meat, fish, poultry, or other protein, you'll be ready to decide on the other ingredients to complement the flavors.  If you're cooking dinner for adults or young people with mature palates, think about adding a variety of ingredients like onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, jalapenos, artichoke hearts, okra, kale, snow peas, leeks, fennel, bok choy, or even Greek olives. The combinations are endless.

Perhaps you'd like to give your breakfast-turned-dinner casserole a Mexican flair by adding chorizo, carne asada (spicy grilled strips of beef), or taco seasoned shredded pork or chicken. You can add a variety of spices and peppers to make your casserole flavorful. Use well seasoned rice, beans, and tortillas as the base and you have created an entirely new twist on a classic breakfast casserole. Think about the ingredients in your favorite huevos ranchos and tweak them to fill your casserole dish for a spiced-up evening meal.

When you're looking at your traditional breakfast casserole, and you're longing for Italian spaghetti for dinner, go ahead and combine the two!  Turn cooked pasta into the base of the casserole by mixing in eggs and Parmesan cheese.  Fill up the baking dish with this pasta-egg-cheese mix, then pour on marinara sauce mixed with a combination of ingredients you like in a spaghetti dinner.  Include ingredients like oregano and basil, Italian sausage, mushrooms, and olives.  Cover with more Parmesan cheese and let it all bake together and you have flipped an egg breakfast casserole into a spaghetti dinner just by replacing the bread with pasta and adding lots of Italian dinner favorites.

Even a sweet custard style breakfast casserole can get turned on its ear and become a dinner casserole.  Apples and pecans go beautifully with big chunks of sweet sausage.  Add more interest with dried cranberries or golden raisins.  Use multi-grain bread and the casserole instantly becomes hearty. 

The main thing to remember is you can get creative and try pretty much anything that sounds good to you.  Look at the meals you like for dinner and use your imagination putting them together with your basic breakfast casseroles.  This is how some of the great recipes are created!

Start Your Day Meat Lover’s Breakfast Casserole

1 pound sausage
10 bacon slices
1 cup diced ham
30 ounces shredded hash browns
1/2 cup green pepper
1/2 cup green onion
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
6 eggs
salt to taste
pepper to taste 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, bacon, and ham.
In a greased 13x9 inch baking dish, place the hash browns on bottom and layer with meat mixture, green pepper, green onion and cheese. End the layering with cheese on top.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the milk, sour cream, eggs, salt and pepper together and pour over the casserole.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle with more cheese if desired and bake for 5 additional minutes.

Louisiana Jambalaya Breakfast Casserole

1 package original Jambalaya mix
1 lb. Ham, diced
2 cups half-and-half
8 eggs
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese

Make Jambalaya according to the directions on the mix - EXCEPT add the ham where the directions call for smoked sausage.
While preheating oven to 350 degrees, mix the half-and-half and eggs in a large bowl until mixed well. Add the green onion, red pepper and cheese and thoroughly combine. Set aside.
Dump the Jambalaya into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish and spread evenly over the bottom. Pour the egg mixture on top of it.
Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the eggs have set. Before serving, let stand for 5 minutes. 

Breakfast Casseroles You Can Share With Everone

Tiny Breakfast Casseroles Make Everyone Happy

Breakfast casseroles are easy to adapt to almost all tastes and diet requirements.  Using mini loaf pans or muffin tins will help expand breakfast casserole horizons even further.  Creating individual casseroles for different appetites and tastes in mind is a great way to serve a variety of guests. 

Tiny breakfast casseroles are also a wonderful way to feed kids with special diets, or even to make picky eaters happier.  Using a muffin tin, you can fill each spot with ingredients that are pleasing to each person around your breakfast table.

When you plan your mini casseroles, think about mixing and matching the ingredients, starting with some basics and then building on those.  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Eggs

Eggs are a breakfast standard used in most breakfast casseroles.  They are also the binding ingredient holding the casserole together.  There are many ways to incorporate eggs in your breakfast casseroles, mini or full size.  You can mix the egg in with the other ingredients, quiche style.  Or you can crack the egg into a nest of ingredients and bake it, fried egg style.  You can choose whole eggs, egg whites, or egg substitute. 

Fiber

This is the bread, biscuits, pastry, rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa, or other bulk that is either laid in the dish to form the body of the casserole or is mixed with the eggs and other ingredients.  Fiber can also be vegetables.  Consider grating carrots, zucchini, or sweet potatoes.  Or try spaghetti squash as an alternative. Your choice of fiber is very flexible.  Whatever works, works.  There are no rules when it comes to adding the fiber to your breakfast casserole.

Protein

Eggs alone offer plenty of protein, but you may want to expand your breakfast casserole with added meat, poultry, fish, or vegetarian options like tofu.  Bacon and sausage are traditional breakfast ingredients, but don't stop there.  Albacore tuna, grilled salmon, shrimp, or that leftover piece of pork tenderloin might just be perfect.  Again, there are no rules.

Cheese

Soft cheese that melts well is definitely desirable.  But, any good cheese will work if it's grated well.  Cheese can be mixed in, as you would with Ricotta or cottage cheese, or you can top your mini breakfast casseroles with shredded cheese to form a nice top 'crust.'  In these individual casseroles, you don't need a lot of cheese in each one, so use a cheese that has a lot of flavor to a punch in a tiny amount.

Fruits and Veggies

Some good basic choices for breakfast casseroles would be onions, celery, bell peppers, spinach, and   tomatoes for the savory bunch, and apples, bananas, and peaches for the sweet bunch.  But, when you're making individual breakfast casseroles, you can personalize each one a bit more since you don't have to please everyone's taste buds in the same dish.  Choose savory ingredients that make more of a flavor statement like asparagus, cranberries, olives, Brussels sprouts, fennel, rutabaga, and winter squash, or pineapple, guava, apricot, and mango.

Without the Eggs

What if you or your family doesn’t like or can’t eat eggs?  You can replace the eggs in a tiny breakfast casserole with pancake or biscuit batter to hold the ingredients together.  Line a muffin cup with a paper liner, and pour some batter in, then add your other ingredients, and fill the muffin cup up about 2/3 full with more batter.  Your ingredients will cook inside the batter and you'll have a nice hearty breakfast in a muffin.

Grated potatoes (hash browns) also work to hold a tiny casserole together.  Make a thick white sauce out of flour, butter, and milk, or just use a canned cream of something soup.  Mix in the shredded potatoes or thawed packaged hash browns until you get a gluey ball.  Either mix in your other ingredients and press into your muffin cup, or form a crust out of the potato mixture and fill with the stuff you want.  When you take it out of the oven you'll have a nice muffin shaped potato breakfast casserole.

There is an infinite number of ways to build your own casserole. By making tiny individual breakfast casseroles, you can even have each guest pick out their own ingredients.  Kids especially enjoy creating a personalized meal just for them.  Also, we know that kids who help cook usually eat better.  The key is to experiment with ingredients and cooking methods.  And, making tiny individual serving size casseroles is the perfect way to do just that!

Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole

1 pound Italian sausage
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups hash brown potatoes
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Grease a 2-quart baking dish while preheating oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until browned. Drain the grease.
Mix the Cheddar cheese and potatoes together in a medium bowl. Layer half the Cheddar-potato mixture, all of the sausage, tomatoes, spinach and remaining Cheddar-potato mixture. Top with all the mozzarella cheese.
Beat the eggs slightly in a medium bowl. Add the milk, salt and pepper and beat together. Pour as evenly as possible over the casserole. Cover with tin foil.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Return to oven (uncovered) and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Before serving, let stand for 5 minutes.

A Real Man's Breakfast Casserole

1 pound breakfast sausage
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup onion, shredded
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 pound cottage cheese
6 eggs
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

While preheating oven to 375 degrees, cook the sausage over medium-high until browned. Drain the fat and crumble the sausage. Set aside. 
Combine the butter and potatoes and evenly spread mixture in bottom of a glass baking dish. 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, green pepper, cottage cheese, eggs and cheddar cheese together. Pour this into the baking dish.
Bake for 60 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

There Is More To Breakfast Than Scrambled Eggs

Are you tired of the same-old same-old scrambled eggs every morning?  Looking for something new to spice up your breakfast?  Would you like something more filling while still being healthy for you?  Are you looking to feed a lot of people a hearty breakfast?

If you answered; “Yes!” to the any of the above questions, you may be ready to try your hand at making a breakfast casserole.

Scrambled eggs are a simple breakfast to make.  In less than five minutes, you have breakfast.  That's it.  That's great.  But that's boring.  In order to make those scrambled eggs a more filling meal, you usually add hash browns, bacon, and toast, right?  But, again, that's more of the same.  And, unless you have a restaurant style kitchen, you probably aren't going to easily get that sort of assembly line breakfast going to adequately make large quantities of scrambled eggs to feed more than a couple people, let alone a lot of hungry guests.

Perhaps you have a brunch or breakfast time party planned for a group.  If you need to prepare eggs for a large amount of people, you don't want to be standing over the skillet scrambling eggs.  Breakfast casseroles are a convenient way to cook a lot of eggs in delicious ways and serve them easily to a large group.  With a wide variety of ingredients to choose from, you know you'll be able to create a breakfast casserole that will please everyone.

You want breakfast to be filling, but not necessarily filled with fat, calories, and carbs.  Breakfast casseroles are the answer to that problem.  With an endless variety of foods to add to your eggs, you can let your imagination run wild while keeping tabs on the nutritional value.  Any combination of foods you dream up, you can probably mix together to create a yummy and healthy breakfast casserole.

For the purist who doesn't want to give up their favorite scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon breakfast, you can even make a breakfast casserole out of those ingredients.  The great thing is, you can walk away from the stove and let the oven do the cooking for you.  Enjoy that second cup of coffee visiting with your family or friends while the breakfast casserole bakes slowly and perfectly in the oven.  When it's ready to come out of the oven, you'll be ready, all refreshed and relaxed, and ready to dig in.

If you're ready to expand your horizons beyond the basics, you have a world of ingredients just waiting to entice you.  Get those eggs beaten and mix in something a little different, like fresh spinach and feta cheese, or even bleu cheese.  Try a healthy mix of tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and broccoli, and top it off with Parmesan cheese.  Don't forget to add different meat to the mix.  Of course ham, bacon, and sausage are all classics, but what about some leftover cooked chicken, or shrimp, or even grilled fish?  A classic strata is always welcome, using ingredients such as bread, milk, eggs, cheese, and ham.  This makes a warm, wonderful, and filling breakfast casserole.  Use hearty, multi-grain breads or even bagels for more interest and texture, along with nutrition.

Are these breakfast casseroles still too tame for you?  Try a Creole breakfast casserole with spicy andouille sausage, okra, hot peppers, and a little cumin and cayenne to boot.  Or how about a Chili Con Carne breakfast casserole?  Throw together the makings for a pot of chili, mix in the eggs, top it with lots of Cheddar cheese and you've got a breakfast casserole that will delight and surprise your family.  Whatever combination you can come up with, a breakfast casserole takes the scrambled egg breakfast to a whole new level.  The possibilities are endless;  just take a look in your refrigerator and pantry for inspiration.

Many breakfast casseroles can be made in advance, put in the refrigerator, and cooked in the morning.  This works very well if you have house guests in the morning or a big gathering for brunch.  You can have the breakfast casserole in the oven cooking while you're greeting and chatting with your guests.  Nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen trying to whip up large quantities of scrambled eggs while everyone else is enjoying their coffee and juice on the patio.  And, if you're like me, there have been plenty of times when a big bowl of scrambled eggs got cold.  Keeping scrambled eggs warm is a chore and nobody wants to eat cold dried out eggs.  You can avoid all that by making a breakfast casserole instead.

The next time you're having company over, or even just looking for a new twist on scrambled eggs, why not try a breakfast casserole?  It's the perfect way to go beyond the traditional scrambled egg breakfast in the morning and serve something inspired, delicious, and nutritious all at the same time.

Tasty Gluten Free Ham and Potato Breakfast Casserole

6 potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 onion, finely chopped
8 ounces ham
1 cup crème fraiche
8 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

While preheating oven to 350 degrees, peel the potatoes and slice into fourths. Place them in a large pot and fill with enough water that all the pieces are covered. Bring potatoes to a boil and continue boiling for 7 to 10 minutes (you want the potatoes to be soft but not so soft that you can’t slice them).
While the potatoes are boiling, put 4 tablespoons butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish and melt in oven, then tip baking dish to make sure butter is distributed.
In a bowl, toss together the cheddar and gruyere cheese; set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the crème fraiche and eggs together; set aside.
Once the potatoes are done, drain them and slice each piece in half.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and dump half the potatoes into the pan and layer as evenly as possible on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside. 
Take the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and place it in the same pot you boiled the potatoes in. Add the onion and sauté until tender, approximately 3 minutes.
While the onion is being sautéed, chop the ham. Mix the ham and onion together in the pot with the heat turned off, then layer half the mixture over the potatoes in the baking dish.
Scatter half the cheese mixture evenly over the ham-onion mixture, then put the remaining half ham-onion mixture on top, then use the remaining cheese mixture and sprinkle on top, then pour the egg mixture over all evenly.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Eggs And French Toast Breakfast Casserole

1/2 cup butter, melted
12 slices bread, cubed (the thick Texas toast style bread works well)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs

In a microwaveable safe dish, melt the butter. Pour melted butter into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and pecans.
Whisk the milk, vanilla and eggs together.
Using half of the bread, layer the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of brown sugar mix over the bread. Using the remainder of the bread, make another layer and pour the egg mixture over this. Make sure all bread pieces are coated as evenly as possible.
Sprinkle the remainder of the brown sugar mix on top. Cover with tin foil and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, remove foil and cover with a new piece.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Do Your Overnight Guests Long For The Luxuries Of A Bed And Breakfast?

It isn't an easy task hosting overnight guests.  With the popularity of quaint little inns and beautiful B&B (Bed and Breakfast) places, the bar has been set a lot higher for all of us.  Of course, we want our guests to be comfortable, but now many of us see an overnight stay as an opportunity to practice our decorating, cooking, and hospitality skills all at the same time. 

If you want to go beyond clean sheets and a plate of eggs for your guests, just think about the things that make you feel pampered when you stay away from home.  I'll bet a hearty, tasty breakfast pops into your thoughts first.  Perhaps that delicious breakfast is the reason you would go back to that little inn again.  The aroma from the kitchen wafting up the stairs wakes you up even before you smell the coffee.  It takes all you can do to get dressed before you head down to the dining room to see what's on the table.

A breakfast casserole is one idea you can take away from your favorite B&B and make at home.  You may not have lace edged linens or goose down pillows and comforters for your guests, but they'll feel plenty special when they sit down to a breakfast dish heaped with hearty ingredients coming bubbling hot right out of the oven.

Of course, you work hard to provide clean guest towels, fluffy pillows, plenty of blankets, and a cozy bed for your guests to sleep in.  You may even include special chocolates on their pillows and pretty arrangements of flowers.  Maybe those are luxuries you think any overnight guest should be treated to.  All those touches add up to a nice stay in your home.

You pull out all the stops to be the perfect host for your guest.  You have invited them into your home and you want them to feel comfortable and welcomed.  That's why you go above and beyond to provide these little pleasures for them.  There's no doubt that your guests appreciate all the amenities you have provided.  But, again and again, it's the breakfast that gets talked about later.  You want to make sure that your breakfast gets mentioned in glowing terms. 

Fluffy pillows, pretty little soaps, and chocolates on the pillow are all so pleasant, but they get left behind when the breakfast bell rings.  This most important meal of the day should go beyond what you eat on a busy day as you try to get the family off to work and school.  A box of Wheaties, a carton of milk, and a bowl of scrambled eggs will tell your guests that you just don't care and would prefer it if they didn't come back.  If that's the message you want to give, then by all means, serve that breakfast.

If you want the kind of breakfast that tells your guests that you love their company and you can't wait to have them come back, then you want to serve a big breakfast casserole.  This kind of hearty, scrumptious breakfast is 'love in a dish.'  It can be savory or sweet, filled with a variety of meat, poultry, seafood, fish, vegetables, herbs, spices, cheese, cream, bread, bagels, and even fruit and nuts.  The common denominator is eggs – beyond that, the sky's the limit.  Of course, there are even breakfast casseroles that eliminate the eggs.  Use the season and your creativity and design your own specialty.

Being the 'hostess with the mostest' can be a tiring task, though.  Morning comes early and your guests may be hungry the minute they smell the coffee brewing.  The beauty of a breakfast casserole is that many of them can be made in advance and cooked in the morning.  When you put that piping hot breakfast casserole on the table in front of your guests, you have successfully given the illusion that you got up way before they did to make this wonderful dish.  When the reality is that you just planned ahead.  A good host doesn't have to tell ALL her secrets!

Another benefit of making a breakfast casserole is you can serve a lot of people at one time.  No more standing over the skillet making omelets.  No more cold scrambled eggs.  No more over-done or under-done fried eggs.  Your guests (and even you!) can sit down and dig into a bubbling hot breakfast casserole and enjoy time together, chatting and planning the day.

Your guests will be impressed and truly appreciate the home-cooked hot breakfast that you have prepared for them.  Of course, there may be one drawback... your guests may never want to leave!  If you're willing to take that chance, then breakfast casseroles are the way to go.  Start collecting recipes now to get ready for your next overnight house guests.  What kind of breakfast casserole will you be serving?