Chicken Noodle Casserole
A Mrs. G Original

Ingredients:
6 oz. no yolk noodles
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp .butter
3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
Pinch of salt
1 3/4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat free milk
8 oz. frozen petite peas, thawed
12.5 oz. can premium white chicken, drained
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Prehat oven to 375º. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook noodles as directed on package; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook on medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and a pinch of salt, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat.

3. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until well combined. Add the milk and bring to a boil. When boiling, add peas, and simmer on medium, stirring until the sauce thickens (about 6-8minutes). Add chicken and continue stirring for another minute.

4. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar chesse, mixing until it melts. Add the noodles to the sauce and mix well until evenly coated. Pour into casserole and top with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray and top and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes. Place under the broiler a few minutes to get the crumbs crisp (careful

French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches
Adapted from The Crockin’ Girls

Ingredients:
1-2 to 3 lb. pot roast
1-10.5 oz. can low sodium beef broth
1-10.5 oz. can beef consumé
1-10.5 oz. can French onion soup
Sandwich Rolls
 Swiss, mozzarella, or provolone cheese

Directions:
1.  Cut the roast into big chunks. Put all ingredients in the slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours.

2.  After about 8 hours, use spoon to shred the meat. Spoon meat into rolls, top with cheese, and serve with beef juice on the side.

Marinated Lamb Chops
Adapted from Cooking Light, April 2011

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbsp.  flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp.  onion, minced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp.  extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 (4-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp.  ground black pepper

Directions:
1.   Combine first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lamb; seal, toss, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).

2.  Preheat oven to 450°.  Prepare a broiler pan with cooking spray.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove lamb from bag, discarding marinade. Sprinkle both sides of lamb evenly with salt and black pepper. Add half of lamb to skillet, and saute for 2 minutes or until browned. Transfer lamb, browned side up, to the broiler pan. Repeat procedure with remaining lamb. Bake lamb  for 8-9 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

I made the cake the day before Easter and glazed it Easter morning.  The cake itself was not that sweet, which was nice; the glaze added the extra sweetness too it.   I could have eaten the cake by itself though.  It got good reviews, and I would make it again.

Hummingbird Bundt Cake
Adapted from Southern Living, February 2012

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 cups sifted Confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp. milk

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 8-10 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Grease and flour a 14-cup Bundt pan. 

2.  Stir together flour,sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in eggs, bananas, pineapple, oil, and vanilla until dry ingredients are moistened.  Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans into prepared Bundt pan, and pour batter over pecans. 

3.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until  a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Remove from pan and continue to cool completely before glazing.

4.  Beat cream cheese, Confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk in a food processor until well blended.  Added remaining milk 1 teaspoon at a time until smooth.  Immediately pour glaze over cooled cake and sprinkle with remaining pecans.

He is doing fun things like rolling over and giggling.  He even holds his own bottle sometimes.  Baby G is so observant and is taking in so much of his surroundings.  I love to look to where or what he is focusing in on.  He is such a happy little person and such a joy in our lives.  Here are some pics from Easter.  He has gotten so big since the last time you saw him!

I knitted that teddy bear!

I promise you that he smiles.  He just seems to not like to smile when I get the camera out.

It so was so good!  I had nothing but Brussels sprouts for dinner!  I could have added more goat cheese but I wanted to save some for the other pound of sprouts that I bought.  I did not always like these little green things, but I enjoy them now!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese
Inspired by Yeah! Burger

Ingredients:
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1/2 tsp. roasted garlic sea salt (or whatever sea salt you have on hand)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh goat cheese

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 º.  Remove any outer yellow or scarred leaves from sprouts and cut off brown stems.  Rinse and pat dry.

2.  Toss sprouts, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil in a medium bowl and pour them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

3.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.  They should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

4.  Remove pan from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes; add goat cheese.

It has sausage, eggs, waffles, and cheese.  This was great for a weekend breakfast and that’s just when we had it.  I prepped it on a Saturday night and baked it on Sunday morning.  My sister came over to join us as well; she picked all of the peppers and onions out, but I expected that.  For you non-pork eaters, try turkey sausage.  I bet it would be good with vegetarian sausage as well.  You could easily double this recipe for a crowd and tailor it to your tastes.  Bring on the breakfast!

Maple Sausage and Waffle Casserole 
Adapted from Cook’s Country via What’s Cookin, Chicago?

Ingredients:
8 frozen Eggo Homestyle Waffles
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
16 oz. Maple Sausage
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375º and toast waffles on a baking sheet on both sides for about 10 minutes.

2.  Brown sausage in a skillet until no longer pink and drain on paper towels. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

3.  In the same skillet, saute onions and peppers until softened. Transfer to bowl with sausage.

4.  Coat an 8 X 8 inch square baking dish with non-stick spray. Arrange 4 waffles in the bottom and sprinkle with half the sausage/vegetable mixture and half the cheese. Repeat layer, with remaining waffles, sausage/vegetable mixture and cheese.

5.  Whisk eggs, milk, syrup, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour egg mixture over the waffles layers. Cover with plastic wrap and set a weight on top.    Refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour.

6.  Preheat oven to 325º, uncover casserole and bake 45 to 50 minutes until edges are puffy and middle is set. Cool 5 minutes and serve.