Lasagna Cups

I am always on the look out for easy recipes to make for my family.  This is one recipe that I have seen a lot recently and thought to give it a try.

I write for a local magazine and for January my task was to come up with conventional recipes that have been given a make-over.  I thought this fit the tab perfectly.  When I think of lasagna I automatically see a huge 9X13 inch pan loaded with cheese, meat, sauce and noodles.  These little cups, baked in a muffin pan, give this already popular dish a sleek new look.

I don't have an original source to link this recipe to.  If anyone has that information leave it in the comments and I will give full credit to that person.  UPDATE: I was contacted by Connie from Smitten Foodie that she had made these cute lasagna cups toward the beginning of the year (THANK YOU for letting me know).  Please visit her site and see how she created her cups.  The ingredients that she used are different then mine so you will have two recipes to use the wonton wrappers for.

The cups were easy to throw together, even the kids could get in on the action and the best part was they were easy to eat.  

I went the route of using my leftover meat in the fridge and using an organic premade sauce.  If you want to make a simple marinara from scratch, I have this recipe that is delicious.  GO HERE.

If you would like to make gluten free wonton wrappers, this is a great recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoe String.  GO HERE for recipe.

Better Batter Gluten Free mix has a recipe too, go HERE.

Here is a video I found on the internet to show you how to make the a different gluten free wonton wrapper.  See below:

My kids don't have to eat gluten free, even though they do most of the time, so this is something I made when they had friends come over last weekend.

Sometimes it is  just nice to have options, and I like this option.

Recipe:  Lasagna Cups

Adapted from Smitten Foodie

Makes 12 cups

1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained

1 cup marinara sauce or your favorite tomato based sauce

1 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated +1 cup for topping (see below)

1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup cottage or ricotta cheese

24 wonton wrappers (link for gluten free wonton wrappers is above)

Topping: 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray your muffin tin with Pam.

Line the muffin tin with 12 wrappers.

In a small bowl combine the three cheeses and mix.  You can combine the meat and sauce too if you would like, I did not and they turned out great.

I used a small cookie scoop and added a scoop of the cheese mixture to the bottom of each wrapper.

Add a small spoonful of meat and then sauce.  Added the second wonton wrapper.

Repeat with cheese scoop, meat and then sauce. You should have two layers in each cup.

I topped each of my cups with more shredded mozzarella cheese.

Baked for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and wontons are brown.

Remove from oven and let set for a few minutes, run a plastic knife around the cup and remove to a serving plate.

See pictures below:

Written by Sherron Watson

Cheesy Meat Casserole

I have had lasagna made with some pretty unique ingredients.

I love how people have their own interpretations on food dishes.  The combinations that I remember the most and are quite good but very different are: one made with Velveeta and one made with pepperoni.

Mr. Thompson always made his lasagna with slices of pepperoni and I thought it was super good.  The pepperoni added a bit of spiciness to the dish and it was quite the conversation piece when everyone figured out what his secret ingredient was.

The second unique lasagna that I remember is the one Cory's Mom used to make.  It was super easy and simple.  The secret ingredients were chopped black olives and Velveeta Cheese.

Every once in a great while I will buy a small brick of Velveeta Cheese.  We try very hard to stay away from overly processed foods and this one just screams processed to me.

I asked on my fan page if anyone had ever made the "From Scratch" version that is floating around on Pinterest.  Several had with varying results.

Most of the comments were recommendations of the types of cheese that I could use to get the same creamy cheesy texture of the dish.

I took their suggestions and headed to Whole Foods to chat with the cheese man.  I actually think he was a boy (lol, kids are looking younger and younger to me). He also recommended the same types of cheese.

I decided to go with the recommendations and this amazing dish was created at home.

OH WOW…the cheese combination is so good!

The three cheeses that were suggested and used are: gruyere, triple cream and fontina.  I will tell you that these three cheeses can be purchased in a wide range of prices.  WIDE…like ultra cheep to super expensive.

I went for the mid priced range and spent, are you ready….$20.00 on cheese.

I know, too much?  Never!  The cheese is what makes the dish so delicious.  If you want a top product you must be willing to spend the money for the result you want.

Will this dish get made often in my home? Probably not. I am thinking twice a year.  Twice a year I can spend the extra money to have a delicious in-my-home meal.

For those that want to try the Velveeta version, I have added the amount needed.  I will tell you that the cheese makes the dish a bit soupy right out of the oven (this never bothered me) so you may want it to sit for a few extra minutes.

I also don't have gluten free lasagna noodles so I used a whole box of wide rice noodles and it worked great.

This dish makes great left overs and a perfect casserole to share with neighbors that may be in need of an easy dinner.

ENJOY!

Recipe:  Cheesy Meat Casserole

1 pound of hamburger, browned
3 cups of homemade spaghetti style sauce  RECIPE HERE
1 box of rice noodles or 6-8 wide lasagna noodles, cooked according to package
1 small can of sliced black olives, drained
1.5 cups of gruyere, grated
1 small wedge of triple cream cheese (similar to Brie), sliced with mold removed
1.5 cups of fontina cheese

NOTE: If using Velveeta, use enough cheese, sliced in thin slices, to cover two layers.

Have your meat browned, cheese grated or sliced and noodles cooked.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl add sauce to meat and stir.  You don't want you sauce to be too runny.

In a rectangular baking dish (9X13) start layering ingredients.

I did meat on the bottom, olives sprinkled, cheese, noodles and repeat.  I topped my dish with a final sprinkle of cheese. I also mixed the cheese's up on each layer (this is your choice).

Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Let rest for 10 minutes once removed from oven.

  

Chicken Florentine, Individual Portions

 I found these cute little ramekins at Target right before Halloween. I had planned on using them for a recipe to be featured in the magazine I write for but totally forgot about them.

This would and will not be the first time I forget about a prop that I have purchased…LOL

My house is full of odd plates, bowls and silverware.  Nothing really matches and I rarely have more than two of any one thing.

It's a bit eclectic come dinner time.  I try to stick to basic white when it comes time to buy sets of bowls and plates in large numbers.  This makes the addition of all of my little mismatched dishes work in perfect harmony.

I have made this recipe before from the 2009 edition of Cooks Country magazine and it turns out great every time.

I decided I would make it again but do them in the ramekins.  It worked great and made cleanup so much easier.  Leftovers were a piece of cake.  All I did was cover them up with Saran Wrap and refrigerate. The kids could microwave the leftovers without any issues.

I served mine in the ramekin with a salad on the side of a large plate.  For the purpose of pictures and so that you could easily see the combination of chicken, spinach and sauce, I spread it out on a plate below.

When you finally add the ramekins to be broiled, remember that everything is already cooked.  All you are doing when you add it to the oven is melting the cheese.  The reason this is important to know is because you are working with a cream based sauce and over cooking it can cause it to break down and get runny.  It still taste really good, just not as creamy.

There are lots of recipes that can be made into individualized portions.  Some of my favorites are lasagna, shepherds pie and eggplant parmesan.

Do you have a delicious dish that you like to make in single portions?  If so, leave a comment below and share. I am always looking for new ideas of great recipes.

Recipe: Chicken Florentine
Makes 8 individual sized portions

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups of fresh spinach, washed and dry
4 cups of cooked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup of onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups of water
1 cup of heavy cream
6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Use a cookie sheet to line your 8 ramekins together. This makes it easier to transfer in and out of the oven.

In the bottom of each ramekin, add chicken.  See photo.

In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and add spinach.  Toss for 2-3 minutes until wilted.  Add the spinach to the ramekins on top of the chicken.  See photo.

In a saucepan, a bit more olive oil and saute onion and garlic.  Add broth, cream and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Sauce should start to get thicker the longer it has simmered. Ideally you want about one cup of reduced broth/water/cream sauce.

Remove from heat once desired thickness has been reached and stir in 4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice.

Add the sauce to the top of each ramekin, over the spinach.

Add the remaining Parmesan Cheese to each cup.

Turn oven to broil.  Add cookie sheet with ramekins and broil for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately or pour onto plates and serve.

Reuben Dip

Last week I made a couple loaves of gluten free pumpernickel bread.  It turned out wonderful and you can find the recipe here.

Because the loaves are short and foccacia like, I decided to make a dip instead of a sandwich.  I love my dips!

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Pizza Dip

This one is right up there is taste and texture to being pretty amazing.  There is just something about warm cheese and bread.

I hope that you give this a try and share how you enjoyed it.

I know that I will get several question or comments about certain things so let me try to answer those in advance.

1.  Yes, this can be cooked in the crock pot.  Allow a few hours for it to get completely warm through out the dip.

2.  You can definitely substitute any type of meat for the corned beef if that is not a favorite of yours.

3.  The swiss cheese can be replaced with another variety, but keep in mind that it's supposed to be similar to a rueben sandwich.

4.  To stretch the dip you can add mayonnaise, sourcream, plain yogurt or more cream cheese.  You may also need to increase some of the other add in's to make the dip shine.  I liked this dip chunky.

5.  This can be made in the oven or warmed up in the microwave.  The white bowl above was heated up in the microwave for 3 minutes.

If you have any other questions please post below and I will try to get back with you as soon as possible.

Recipe: Rueben Dip

2 cups of diced corned beef brisket (I buy this at my local deli)
1 1/2 cups of fried sauerkraut, drained well
1 1/2  (12 oz) packages of cream cheese, soft
1/4 cup of green onion
2/3 cups of mozzarella cheese
8 oz swiss cheese, grated (the whole block will be used in and on top of the dip)

Topping:
3/4 cups of 1,000 Island salad dressing (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a sauce pan, add drained and dry sauerkraut.  Fry for 5 minutes.  When I make a rueben I always fry my kraut. To fry the sauerkraut you can add a bit of oil and fry until it is browned a bit.  I like the added flavor it gives to the sandwich or dip.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients including all but 1 cup of swiss cheese.  This one cup will be used to top the dip.

Spread dip in a shallow baking pan (I used a round stoneware pan 10X10).

Spread dip with 1000 Island Salad Dressing.

Add remaining cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese and dip are warm and melted.

If microwaving, the time required will depend on the size of pan being used.
 

Recipe:  1000 Island Salad Dressing

1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of ketchup
1 tablespoon of pickle relish
2 teaspoons of onion

Put all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.  Blend until fine pieces are visible, does not need to be smooth.

Taste and adjust flavors according to your taste buds.


  

Creamy Parmesan Corn

I love this side dish.

I have always been a huge fan of corn and this dish is by far my favorite corn dish.  I used to make this without bacon, but then we all know that bacon makes everything taste that much better.

I like this recipe best cooked in a slow cooker for a few hours verses heating it up on the stove top.

In the slow cooker it gets nice and creamy and the corn has a chance to drink in the flavors of the parmesan and cream cheese.

Leftovers, if there are any, are the best.  The parmesan really shines the next day along with the smokiness of the bacon.  I make it a priority to have left overs of this dish.

I have only used canned corn to prepare it, so if you try to use fresh corn please let me know. I would love to hear how that turns out too.

A simple side dish of corn turned into a gourmet treat for your family.

ENJOY!

Recipe:  Creamy Parmesan Corn

3 cans of corn, drained
1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, soft
1/2 stick of butter, soft
1 cup of parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/2 pound of bacon, cooked crispy
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a slow cooker add the above ingredients.

Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally or on low for 6 hours.

Serve immediately.

  

Pizza Dip

My kids request this all the time, especially when they are having friends over on Friday and Saturday nights.

I think this is for two reasons.  One: it's cheesy and creamy.  Two: the leftovers make excellent midnight snacks.

I will buy a couple loaves of french bread to serve with the dip or make my own.  A great recipe for rustic white bread, in under an hour, can be found here.

I make the base and let the kids add their favorite toppings.

You can customize this with different cheeses, toppings, meats and veggies.  Have fun creating your version of "Pizza" dip.

Recipe: Pizza Dip

2-8 oz packages of cream cheese, soft
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of mozzarella cheese + 1.5 cups for topping dip
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons of green onion
1 cup of pizza sauce or marinara (you can use less, we just like the sauce)
toppings:  pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, red onion, hamburger, bell pepper, bacon, etc…


Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine soft cream cheese, mayonnaise, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, green onions and the parmesan cheese.  Stir well.

I use a round stone ware oven proof pan to cook my dips in.  It measures 12 inches across.  The smaller the pan the thicker the dip, the larger the pan would result in a thinner cream cheese base.  I have made both and they are both delicious.   The thicker dip may require a few more minutes to cook.

Spread the cheese mixture in the bottom of the pan first.

Spread the pizza sauce next.

Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce.

Decide on your toppings and scatter those around the top of the cheese.

Bake your dip for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with chunks of french bread.

This dip is very hot when it comes out of the oven. Please be careful.  The cheese makes it stringy and gooey.

Rueben Eggrolls

Sometimes our Rueben sandwiches are messy.  They drip juice and our fingers and hands are sticky. With these little logs of heaven, our hands stayed dry.  Happy dance!

Now don't get me wrong, these will never replace my beloved Rueben sandwich but they are a close second, awesome treat, easy to serve, great appetizer and so tasty good!

ENJOY!

Recipe:  Reuben Eggrolls

4-8 slices of Pastrami or Corned beef from the deli
8 slices of Swiss or Provolone Cheese
1 can Sauerkraut
12 eggroll wrappers, large
mayonnaise
ketchup
oil

In a large pot start heating your oil.  I put about 2 inches.  Bring to a temperature that you can deep fry the eggrolls.  I usually test the oil first with the tip of the eggroll, if it starts to bubble then it is ready.

Mix equal parts of mayonnaise and ketchup for the sauce.  Depending on how many eggrolls you are serving will decide how much to make.

While the oil is heating, prepare your mixture.

I used 4 pieces of pastrami, diced. If you want more meat, by all means, add more. I used 8 slices of provolone, diced.  I used 1/2 cup of sauerkraut.  Mix together in a bowl.

Spread out your eggroll wrapper and put about 3 T. of the mixture inside.  Fold over one corner, then the sides and roll towards the last corner.  Use water to seal the ends to the eggroll.

Fry the eggroll until golden brown.  Mine took about 5-6 minutes.  You may need to turn them halfway through so that both sides get browned.

Let cool on a wire rack.  Cut diagonally and serve with the mayonnaise/ketchup sauce.

Broccoli Cheddar Bites

I started off my "working" career in the restaurant business. My Mom owned a restaurant in a very small town named Kernville in California. You may have heard of the Kern River, it is quite famous for kayakers, the windy road to the valley and its a beautiful drive.

I remember starting off washing dishes, then waitressing and then doing a little bit of cooking. I was very young, maybe 9 when I started. We moved and my Mom bought another restaurant, and then another and so on. She always had a key to a restaurant for as long as I could remember.

It was definitely a family affair. We all worked there: my Mom, my Sisters, my cousins, my Grandparents...you know the kind of place. One minute we were friends and family and the next you could hear us yelling in the background because someone forgot the right toast.

We loved it, we tired of it, we worked ourselves to the bone, we loved it some more and then we promised ourselves we would never work in a restaurant again...LOL AND start all over the next day with the same zeal and statements.

It's hard work. You never have a holiday off. Yet, this is the only thing you know. You miss it when you are away. You miss the people, our "regulars" became family. We knew everything about them...the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. In many cases, we were the only family.  They remembered our birthdays and we never forgot theirs.

I love the restaurant business but I know that I never want to own a restaurant. It's just too much work, When I left high school, got married and moved to Austin, TX I needed a part-time job. Oh, I tried the office thing...boring! I tried the stay at home thing....boring! YEP, you guessed it...I found a part-time job waiting tables and I felt like I had returned home. In a few short years, I was approached by a manager. I agreed and it was fun while it lasted. I did not have kids then and my hubby was in the military. He was gone a lot and so this kept me very, very busy. Some weeks we worked 80+ hours. It was crazy! It was fun! Bennigan's had a great menu and you may have remembered me talking about this before with the Monte Cristo Sandwiches.

This recipe is one that I found on the internet. Bennigan's used to sell these delicious Broccoli Bites. I tend to dwell on things for years and it never occurred to me until the other day to google for the recipe. I found this posting and had to try them and they were really good. In fact, I made a small batch (to test the recipe) and the next day made a double batch. YUM!

My only recommendation is that if you double the recipe, double everything…especially cheese. If the cheese is off then your bites will be dry and not cheesy.  We loved these little morsels of heaven…ENJOY!

Recipe: Bennigan's Broccoli Bites

 I found this recipe on Food.com and it's a keeper.  I try to put all of my notes in red.

About This Recipe, from the author (unknown)

"If you've ever been to Bennigan's, you may have enjoyed this wonderful appetizer. We go there quite often for them. They're basically a blend of broccoli, cheeses, bacon, and onion rolled in bread crumbs and deep-fried. They are then dipped in a special honey-mustard sauce. This is a copycat recipe from the website Recipe Goldmine and it's right on the money! They're very easy to make and if you want to WOW your party guests with something deliciously different, by gosh- that'll do it!"

Ingredients

Broccoli Bites

3 eggs
6 ounces shredded Colby cheese
6 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 (16 ounces) boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained, and dried (I used fresh.  I just steamed it and cut it very finely and it worked great.)
2 1/2 ounces Hormel real bacon bits ( I fried up my own bacon and chopped it into small pieces.)
1/2 ounce diced yellow onions
1-ounce all-purpose flour (For GF, I used brown rice flour)
Italian breadcrumbs, as needed (For GF, I used Glutino Crackers, finely crushed)

Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup hellman mayonnaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Drain thawed broccoli by pressing through a strainer.

Dry well with paper towels.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until well-blended.

In a large plastic container, place all ingredients except bread crumbs.

Add beaten eggs.

Stir together with a spatula until thoroughly combined.

Refrigerate for 1 hour{This will bind the mixture together}. ( I tried to skip this part and it worked but it was very difficult for them to stay together.  If you have the time, I would strongly recommend this step.)

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard.

With a whisk, blend the mixture thoroughly.

Slowly pour in honey and lemon juice and continue mixing until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat about 4 cups of oil in a deep fryer or deep pan at 350°F.

Pour bread crumbs into a shallow pan.

Remove mixture from fridge and form portions into 1 inch balls and coat well with bread crumbs.

Place Broccoli Bites into fry basket or pan.

Make sure they do not stick together.

Fry one minute, then remove and place on paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with Honey-Mustard Dipping sauce.

Note; These are best kept warm so you may want to use a chafing dish or even a slow cooker set on"low" for serving.

Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce

  

I have been wanting to make homemade ravioli for a very long time.  I kept thinking that I would buy a pasta machine, get the molds, and on and on and on.  I will someday have those things, but for right now I must do it by hand or the old fashion way. No molds and no pasta machine.  

I like getting my hands in the dough and playing in the flour.  This does take some time to prepare, but it is so worth the time and effort to make a good ravioli.  My family absolutely fell in love with these little morsels of heaven.  

I will be making this again and trying some different fillings.  I would love to try a combination of spinach, mushroom, and cheese.

I make a lot of food in my house but this is by far the best tasting pasta dish I have ever made.  I think it has a lot to do with fresh ingredients (herb and pasta), the homemade marinara and my love for cooking.  I have to admit it, making something like this makes me happy and I do feel like betty homemaker when I can whip up a ravioli dinner...LOL

Recipe:  Asiago Cheese Ravioli

If serving the ravioli with the marinara sauce.  Make this first, it is listed below.

You will need your favorite pasta dough. The filling listed below will make about 40-50 ravioli’s, depending on how large you make your squares and how full you stuff them.  If you need a recipe, The Pioneer Woman has an excellent step by step recipe that can be found here with pictures.  It is amazing! 

I use a gluten-free pasta dough that is wonderful and tastes amazing. I never have any problem with it and can roll it very thin.  That recipe can be found here.

2/3 cup of Ricotta Cheese

½ cup of shredded Asiago

1 T. garlic, minced ( we like a lot, so if this is too much, just reduce)

1 T. fresh Basil, chopped

1 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. of salt

Mix all of the above ingredients together and set aside while you roll out your pasta dough.

Take a large pot and fill with water.  I would add about 10-12 cups of water.  I also add 1 tsp. of olive oil to the water.

For the dough:  I flour my work surface and rolling pin.  I cut my dough into small sections.  

You want equal sections so that you have a top and bottom piece to make your ravioli. Shape your dough like a rectangle (2 short ends/2 long sides).  I roll the dough out very thin.  I roll out the first one, pick it up and set it on a cookie sheet.  Roll out the second piece of dough. I use a cookie scoop to scoop my filling and space them apart on my second piece of dough.  I like my ravioli at about 2 X 2.  I can sometimes get three rows across, but usually just 2.  Once you have placed your filling, grab the first rolled out dough and lay it on top of the second.  I use my fingers and gently push the top down around the scoops. 

I don’t have a ravioli cutter (this is a round or square tool with a handle). I use my pizza cutter and cut the rows of filling into squares.  You will cut long ways and then cut across, forming individual squares or ravioli. You want dough around the ravioli so it does not fall out during boiling.

I have a cookie sheet lined with parchment ready for me to place each ravioli on.  When I pick up the ravioli, I like to pinch the edges to make sure they are sealed.  The pizza roller does not always seal them like a ravioli cutter will.  If they need to be sealed, I part the layers on the edges brush some water in between and pinch again.  I usually lose one or two fillings in the boiling process.

The ravioli will sink to the bottom of the boiling water and rise to the top.  I cook my ravioli’s for about 6-7 minutes.  I want the filling to be warm, the noodle cooked and the cheese starts to melt.  I transfer the ravioli to a large plate, sprinkle with cheese and serve with the marinara.

FOR GLUTEN-FREE DOUGH:  Use white rice flour when rolling out the dough.  Starch is too slippery and will change the color of your dough.

I served the ravioli with a homemade Marinara Sauce.

Recipe: Marinara Sauce

2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes, with juice

1 T. fresh oregano

2 tsp. fresh thyme

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

salt to taste

dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan.  I have the heat set at medium. Once the marinara starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low.  I like for this to be simmering while I am making the ravioli.  I think the longer it simmers the more the flavors have a chance to meld.  I like the tomato chunks in my sauce, if you do not, then you can cut or mash the tomatoes so they are not so big.

Salt is a tricky thing with tomato sauces.  Some people like very little and others a lot.  I always start out with 1/2 tsp and do the: taste, add, taste, add..method.  It is a personal choice of how salty you like your food.  It's always easier to add more then it is to start over because you over-salted something.

Written by Sherron Watson

Monte Cristo Sandwich

I first had this sandwich about 20 years ago while I was a manager for Bennigan's, a restaurant in Austin, TX.  I thought I would never eat anything else again.  I love every bit of this sandwich.  The ham, turkey, and cheese.  The powdered sugar and jam.  WOW...then deep fry the sandwich!  I know, it's deep-fried.  I have tried all types of Monte Cristo's through the years and I can tell you that the baked sandwiches don't taste like the deep-fried.

The last time I had this sandwich before I made them last week, was probably 5 years ago.  Obviously not being able to eat bread is a huge issue with this sandwich..it takes 3 pieces.  I have to say that I wanted this sandwich and was willing to experiment with my GF bread.  It worked!  I made my family sandwiches using traditional wheat loaf bread and mine with my flatbread.  There were happy faces all around.

The success of making this sandwich is to get it done early.  I try to make my sandwiches the night before or first thing in the morning.  You have to create a seal between the bread, meat, and cheese.  You will see in the pictures below what I mean.

I served it with Blackberry Jam for 2 reasons.  One, that is what I had (you know me, use what I have) and second, my kids do not like the seeds in raspberry jam.  I have to say it tasted just as good.  ENJOY!

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

For each sandwich you will need:

3 pieces of bread
3 slices of ham
3 slices of turkey
1 or 2 slices of Cheddar cheese
1 or 2 slices of Swiss cheese
Saran Wrap

A dusting of Powdered Sugar
Raspberry or Blackberry Jam

To Deep Fry:

Pancake mix ( I used a GF version)
about 2 inches of oil in the bottom of a large pot


When I make this sandwich, I decide how many I need and make them all together.  I lay my bread out, layer the cheese and meat and then stack.  Your layers will be: bread, swiss, turkey, swiss, bread, cheddar, ham, cheddar, bread...with me so far?  See pictures, it helps.

Before and after

Take a piece of Saran Wrap and place a sandwich in the middle.  You want to squish the sandwich and then wrap it tight.  The sandwich should be half of what you started with.




Place sealed and wrapped sandwiches in the fridge until you are ready to fry them up.

Make Pancake batter according to the box.  It should be thinner than the cake mix batter.  Add some milk/water to make it thinner. The mixes are all different.  Thick will work, but it adds a lot of bread to the sandwich.

Heat oil in pot.

Remove sandwiches from the refrigerator and unwrap.  Cut them in half, from corner to corner.  You should have a triangle.

Dip each triangle into the batter and VERY CAREFULLY add the triangle to the hot oil.  It will bubble up over the sandwich.  Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.  They should be golden brown.

With long tongs, remove sandwiches and set on bakers rack to cool.  Sprinkle each sandwich with powdered sugar and serve with jam.  If the cheese did not melt in the middle of the sandwich you can microwave for 30 seconds.

Most adults can eat a whole sandwich, but if served with something else you can plan on 1/2 per adult.  They are filling

Written by Sherron Watson

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

I have a few recipes that my kids ask for over and over, this is one of them!  We love cheese fondue.  Not just any fondue, this fondue.  It's made with cheddar and kids like this flavor much better than the traditional swiss.  I serve both when I host parties and oft times the adults like this one better as well.  I think the mild flavor served with fresh bread is always a hit with any age group.

I thought that this would be something that I would not be able to enjoy once I went on a gluten-free diet.  Thankfully it works great with a GF flour blend and I make my flatbread.  All of my guests love the bread and can't believe it is gluten-free.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

2 C. milk...I use whole milk.

1 T. Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp.  dry mustard

1 clove of minced garlic

3 T. flour (I use GF flour)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 T. water

6 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

**I use 3 cups of medium cheddar and 3 cups of sharp cheddar.  I have also substituted some of the cheddar for Swiss cheese.  Taste the fondue and make sure that you can "taste" the cheese, if not , add a little bit more cheese.  Cheese has different flavors and some are stronger than others.

1.  Combine the first four ingredients until just starting to boil; add the flour. 

2.  Mix baking soda with 1 T. water and add to flour/milk mixture. Cook and stir until thickened.

3.  Add all of the cheese at once.  Turn heat down and stir until well combined.  

 To reheat, either use the microwave or a saucepan on the stove.  Be careful not to burn it on the stove. 

 4.  Serve with apples and/or bread.

NOTE:  The baking soda blends the fondue so that it is smooth.  If you leave it out, it may look grainy and separate.

The recipe can be found here.

Written by Sherron Watson

Zucchini Puff Casserole

UPDATE 2020: We still eat this recipe at least once a month in the summer and sometimes in the winter. We love it!

It's summer and I can guarantee you that we will make this recipe at least 6-8 times before the zucchini surplus is over.  I found this recipe years ago in a cookbook.  I wish  I could remember the book, but all I know is the cover was a red and white check.  Any ideas readers?  LOL  

Everyone knows my love for cheese.  What I love about this recipe is it's easy, yummy and has the BEST cheese topping.  I wanted to post this recipe next week but I just found a blog hop on Julie's Eats and Treats and I want to participate.  I am here late Saturday night frantically writing up the post and recipe.  It's crazy how the foodie in me can get CRAZY excited about these little things in life.  But, they do make me happy...LOL

My oldest daughter absolutely loves this recipe.  It is her favorite.  I usually make 2 large pans and we eat it for every meal.  I have never tried the topping on any other veggie but I bet it would be just as yummy on any squash that you have in your garden or get from a friend.  ENJOY!

 Zucchini Cheddar Puff

2 lb. zucchini or yellow squash (sliced 1/4 inch thick) 7 cups

1 c. dairy sour cream

2 egg yolk, beaten

2 T. all-purpose flour (GF flour blends work well too)

1/2 tsp. onion salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1.5 c. shredded Cheddar

3 egg white

4 T. seasoned bread crumbs (I use GF bread crumbs)

2 tsp. butter

1.  In a medium saucepan cook squash, covered in a small amount of water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well and spread evenly into a 9X13 pan.


 2.  In a bowl combine sour cream, egg yolk, flour, onion, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese. 


3.  In a bowl beat egg whites until fluffy stiff peaks form. Fold into sour cream mixture. Spoon onto squash. Mix bread crumbs and butter together and sprinkle over the dish. 

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

NOTES:  I like a lot of the "puff" on my zucchini, I have made the recipe 1.5 times and it works well.  This recipe heats very well in the microwave the next day.

Written by Sherron Watson