Sausage & Cream Cheese Bake

Wow! I've been on quite the hiatus from blogging; but I'd say it was needed. After going back to work in August, taking graduate classes, and chasing around an adorable little boy, not to mention being preggers and due any day now with Baby #2 has made for quite an extended "vacation." I took these pictures weeks ago and am finally getting around to sharing the recipe.

I first had this recipe when I was stayed for New Years' Eve 2008 when my husband and I were just dating. His mother made them and would wrap bits of the sausage and cream cheese into individual crescent rolls. I started making them this exact same way until we visited Adam's Aunt Mary in Greensboro and she had the exact same recipe but in simpler format: just bake it in a 9x13 instead of wrapping them individually. It saved a lot of time and is still just as delicious, and this is what I present to you today, enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 roll of sausage
• 1 8oz package of cream cheese
• 1 package of crescent rolls

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 (or whatever the package of crescent rolls indicates)
2. Unwrap cream cheese and have it sitting out so it can begin to "thaw" a little (this will help with mixing later)
3. Cook sausage in a saucepan; drain
4. After sausage has been cooked and drained, place the block of cream cheese in a mixing bowl, then add the sausage (which will still be hot) on top--this is best since it will help melt the cream cheese, which will make mixing easier. 
5. Next, put the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan; you may grease this if you like. I usually don't and I've never had an issue with it sticking to the pan.
6. Next, open the crescent rolls and unwrap it so that it covers the sausage and cream cheese mixture. 
7. Lastly, place in the oven and bake according to crescent roll instructions. 
8. Allow the finished product to cool about 5-10 minutes then dig in!

Final product, I had to get creative with the crescent rolls because they started falling apart but you get the general idea of what it should look like (and it was still just as every bit delicious!)

MIL's Meat & Potato Pie

Step 1

Step 2

Despite being new to this whole mommy role, I've thoroughly enjoyed my role as a wife to Adam and hope to for many MANY years to come. In becoming a wife I certainly found myself reveling in the whole "domestication" process. Not that becoming a wife necessarily means that for all women, but it did for me. All of my creativity and energy became focused on pleasing Adam, but now this includes my son as well. I want to be the best wife and mother I can possibly be each day. At the moment, that's keeping the house clean, having a hot meal (or hot leftovers) on the table each night, and taking care of Caleb. As for tonight, I thought I'd share with you my mother-in-law's meat and potato pie recipe--more commonly known as Shepherd's Pie.

Step 2

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups frozen hashbrowns
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or any cheese you prefer)
•  3/4 cup diced meat (chicken, hamburger--I prefer Jimmy Dean sage sausage: 1 lb cooked)
• 1/4 cupped chopped onion (optional)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• Parsley flakes (optional)

Step 3

Directions

1.  Put oil in the bottom of a 9" pie plate and add frozen hashbrowns (I like to mix them up thoroughly) -- bake @ 425 for 15 minutes
2. Mix cheddar cheese, meat and onion -- immediately layer on top of cooked hashbrowns
   (I prefer to mix the potatoes with the cheese and sausage rather than layer)
3. Mix milk, eggs, salt, and pepper then pour on top of dish
4. Bake @ 425 for 30 minutes
5. Add parsley flakes (optional--I usually skip this)

   

   Step 3

**I never follow this to a "t"--in fact I always use a bag that contains 2 cups worth of cheese and I usually use a whole bag of hashbrowns that's just over 3 cups. It's good to let everything just overflow with this recipe. Oh and it's a-okay if the hashbrowns aren't frozen. I've used them completely thawed out before and it's worked just as well! When everything's done it'll look like the finished product below. This recipe can be tweaked and you may add vegetables to this dish to follow a more traditional shepherd's pie recipe, but if you fix it like this then I highly recommend adding something green to the side like green beans, broccoli, etc. Enjoy!

Step 4: The End :-)

Mr. Proffitt's Meatloaf

When I was in the 9th grade I had Ms. Stone as my Geometry teacher. I also had Mr. Proffitt for English 9 Honors. These were two of my favorite teachers and what's really neat is that they were dating during my high school years. It was my 11th grade year that Mr. Proffitt proposed and they were married during the summer. I was privileged to be one of the few students invited to their beautiful wedding.

Later, when I was in college, I came back to BHS (neither Mr. or Mrs. Proffitt were teaching there anymore) but I completed some of my practicum hours there with another one of my favorite teacher's Mrs. Holland, whom kept in touch with the Proffitt's. When I graduated college in December 2008, that spring I was filling out applications and sending my resume to any county that had a potential social studies position available. I was just recently engaged when Mr. Proffitt (who then became an assistant principal and was no longer a teacher) called me to say that there was a position available at the middle school where he was working. It so kind and generous of him to remember me and that I needed a job. However, after much prayer, the Lord told me not to take the job. That it wasn't the one for me. Instead, I took a job with Charles City--one I detested, but needed for much growth!!!

After two years at CCHS, I was called about a job back at my alma mater. And this time, Mr. Proffitt would be working there as an AP. I have enjoyed working with him these past two years. He's still as quirky and wired as ever! When Adam and I were married Mrs. Proffitt came to my bridal shower and gave us this recipe. It's taken me over three years, but I finally fixed it and it's absolutely delicious! Check it out:

Meat loaf before

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. grated onion
• 1/4 tsp season salt
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup 

Directions

•  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, spray bottom of a loaf pan, then put the meatloaf in the pan. It is to be baked at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Optional

• Top loaf with 1 can of tomato soup before baking 
• This dish is great with rice-a-roni, extra fine green beans and rolls

  

  Meat loaf after

Homemade Doughnuts

This is the best thing since sliced bread (not that I was around before it wasn't sliced but you get the idea)! Homemade doughnuts, I don't know why I didn't blog about this before! It's very very simple, too--no need to get out flour, eggs, etc.

Ingredients/Supplies

• Pillsbury buttermilk canned biscuits
• Vegetable oil
• Frying pan
• Fork to turn doughnuts with in frying pan
• Soda cap to cut out doughnuts
• Plate to put doughnuts on
• Powdered sugar (fill in one ziplock bag)
• Brown sugar/cinnamon (fill in one ziplock bag)

 The collage on the right is the order in which this works: open up your buttermilk biscuits, using a cutting board or anything flat, take the top from a soda bottle (I took the top from a vanilla bottle) and you simply punch out the middle like I did, next you fill your frying pan with vegetable oil, put the stove on medium-high heat (watch out for splatters--that stuff hurts) and then you take your cut out doughnuts and put them in the pan, in a matter of a few seconds flip them over, they'll look golden brown. We're you're done (and don't forget the doughnut holes either) grab two ziplock bags. We like our doughnuts with powdered sugar and brown sugar/cinnamon, but you can also use icing mix or any other item you like your doughnuts covered in. Put a doughnut or two in the bag of your choice at a time and then shake it up, take it out and voila! You're very own homemade doughnut! Enjoy!

Mom's Lasagna

I am home today after feeling and being sick all week! At first I just thought I had a sinus infection, however, I decided that if I wasn't better by last night then I'd call in sick today and go to the doctor, which is exactly what I did. It turns out that NO we are not pregnant, NO I do not have strep and YES I have a GI (gastrointestinal infection), so yay, go me! My doctor was gracious enough to write a note for me today, and said if I needed to take tomorrow as well, then to do it. With SOLs right around the corner I need to be at school as much as possible, so I'm trying to make the most of my day at home, by propping my feet up and resting.

I am planning on taking a nap, but decided that before I do, I should update the blog. I am a much better blogger than I previously was, however, I still lack the dedication like some of the more avid bloggers I follow. I think that with summer fast approaching I'll do better! Anywho, one of my favorite recipes to fix for my  husband is my mom's lasagna--she received this recipe from a church cookbook when we lived in Broadway, VA and has altered it throughout the years, and believe me, it's the best around (even beats out some of those real Italian restaurants)!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/2lb ground beef (Adam and I have switched to ground turkey -- you can use up to 1 lb. if you prefer more meat) 
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 can tomato sauce (12oz or 14oz if you prefer for sauce)
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 box lasagna noodles 
• 1 large container of cottage cheese (Adam and I actually add about 1 1/2 large containers -- we LOVE cheese!)
• 3 packs of mozzarella cheese slices
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

1. In a frying pan, brown ground beef/turkey and drain.
2. In saucepan, add brown ground beef/turkey, tomato soup, 1/2 can water, tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano--simmer on low heat for 30 minutes (be sure to stir every now and again) 
3. While your sauce is simmering, in a large pot, bring about 8-9 cups of water to a boil, add 9 lasagna strips (you can add more if you prefer) and sprinkle around about a teaspoon of salt. Be sure to pre-heat your oven during this time to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
4. In a 13 x 9 pan, lightly grease bottom with oil or crisco to prevent sticking (I accidentally forgot to do this once and it turned out fine!) and add a layer of noodles (should be about 3), on top of that add a layer of cottage cheese, a layer of the meat sauce, and then mozzarella cheese slices--continue two more times!
5. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, when finished, let it stand and cool for at least 15-20 minutes. 
6. Enjoy with a salad and garlic bread!

Banana Nut Bread

Lately I had a hankering for banana nut bread! Yum! So I went to my handy dandy and most cherished cook book - Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, the red plaid cover. If you yourself have been fortunate enough to this book then you'll be even more delighted that you're just a few pages away from sheer joy. If you open to the Bread section, you'll notice the Favorite Banana Bread recipe on page 130. This is the recipe I used for my banana nut bread.

I realize that not everyone may have this cookbook so I'll share with you this particular recipe:
Prep Time: 25 minutes        Bake Time: 55 minutes
Oven Setting: 350 degrees Fahrenheit  
Makes: 1 loaf (16 slices)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (5 medium)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine



Lumpy Banana Nut Bread Batter

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Steps:

1.  Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, mashed bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just enough until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. (See photo)
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center come out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack. Wrap, store overnight before slicing. 

Yeah I didn't follow that last part. As soon as it cooled down from the oven, I sliced and lathered on with butter a piece for me and a piece for my father-in-law. Wholly goodness. Yum. Try it!