Breakfast Casserole

 This is a yummy and filling breakfast type casserole.  I added more eggs than the original recipe calls for, and it was great. I also put the ingredients in a little differently, so below you will find how I do it.

Just look at that yummy goodness!  The original recipe came from Nelda on allrecipes.com (called Tater Tot Casserole I).

 What You'll Need:

1 lb. ground pork breakfast sausage

4 eggs

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 pounds tater tots

2 c. milk

What to Do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*.

2.  Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Place tater tots in a single layer at the bottom of the pan.  

3.  Cook the sausage, drain it, and spread it evenly over the tater tots.  Cover evenly with the shredded cheese.

4. Mix together the eggs and milk.  Pour over top of cheese.

5.  Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes.  Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Classic Banana Bread

Yet another successful recipe from Our Best Bites (seriously go check out their site!).  I believe they attribute this recipe to Cooking Light.  This is such moist and yummy banana bread.  The only change I made to it was to add in some cinnamon.  You'll love this bread - I promise!

What You'll Need:

2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/3 c. plain low-fat yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2-3 Tb. brown sugar

Cooking spray

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stirring with a whisk.  Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add bananas, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.  Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.  Spoon batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle brown sugar on top.  Bake at 350* for 1 hour (or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean).  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Broccoli Salad

For years my friend, Kalenn Stallings, would bring this salad for Christmas eve dinner.  This is the recipe she gave me after I begged her for it - it's one of my favorite salads.  I made this recently for a party, and there was none left - it's a real crowd pleaser!

You Will Need:

2 lg. heads of broccoli (tips or florets), cut into small pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated

1 lb. bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. sugar

1 Tb. vinegar

What to Do:

1.  Mix together the broccoli, onion, cheese, and bacon.  

2.  In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar.  Mix well and pour over the broccoli mixture.

3.  Mix well and chill until serving.

Candy Bar Brownies

A fun take on brownies, I found this recipes years ago in the Taste of Home magazine.  Enjoy!

You Will Need:

3/4 c. butter, melted

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. baking cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

4 Snickers bars (cut into 1/4 inch pieces)

3-4 plain milk chocolate candy bars (coarsely chopped)

What To Do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

2.  In a bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Combine flour cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside 1/4 cup.  Add remaining dry ingredients to the egg mixture, mix well.

3.  Toss Snickers pieces with reserved flour mixture, stir into batter.  

4.  Transfer to greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with milk chocolate candy bar pieces.

5.  Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes (until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean) - do not overbake!  Cool on wire rack.