Cathy’s Cinnamon Rolls

Hearty oatmeal perfect for a Fall morning

Few breakfast items are is comforting to me as a warm and delicious oatmeal. I just know you’re going to love this recipe!

Ingredients

Cook steel cut oats as package directs. If you are pressed for time use regular oats but try not to use the instant oats. Make sure to cook the oats with vanilla almond milk and add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the milk.

When the oatmeal is done place in a bowl and top with hemp seeds, Chia seeds, golden raisins, toasted pecans and a drizzle of pure maple syrup and unsweetened coconut.

Goes great with a nice pumpkin latte!

Christmas Morning Monkey Bread

Christmas morning is full of excitement! Having a warm and sweet breakfast starts the morning off right. Here is my no fuss recipe! Enjoy:)

Ingredients:

2 cans Grands Butter biscuits

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter

2 cups light brown sugar

1TBS cinnamon

In a large ziplock bag add white sugar and cinnamon. Next, add biscuits. (I put them on a cutting board and cut them into 4,s. shake the bag and coat the dough. 

Next, combine the brown sugar and melted butter.

Place dough In greased bunt pan. Pour butter and brown sugar mix over the top. 

Bake for 4o min at 350 degrees

Let it sit for 5 min before turning over into a plate. 

Goes great with a side of bacon!

Holiday Party Menu for 40

I just love a good party! This year , my husband bought a fun new suit at Macy’s and we knew we had to have a party to celebrate the suit! Here are some pics of what I made. I will post each recipe in a separate post. Happy holiday’s everyone!

Perfect every time chicken pot pie

  

When I think of comfort food I think of creamy warm and hearty food that fills my belly and my soul. A delicious chicken pot pie is my idea of perfection when it comes to comfort food.
First make a Roux:

One stick of butter and 8 tablespoons of unbleached flour. Whisk together over medium low heat until it comes together and keep whisking for two minutes. Next slowly add in 32 ounces of chicken stock. If you want to make a vegetarian pot pie use vegetable stock. Add in only a fourth of a cup at a time and continue to whisk. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits on the medium low heat and you whisk it. Season the sauce with 2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper.

Add in peas, carrots, celery and chicken once you have turned off the heat.

I like to add 1 cup of diced carrots ,1 cup of peas ,half a cup of dices celery and one or 2 cups of cooked and diced chicken.

I like to cook this casserole style and will place my piecrust at the bottom of a 13 x 9 dish followed by the mixture and I top it with biscuits. If you bake it at 375° it should take 45 minutes , covered with aluminum foil, depending on your oven. The crust on the bottom should be light brown the inside mixture should be bubbly and the biscuits on top should be cooked through.

Let sit for 30 to 45 minutes before you serve.
*I have used the already made Pillsbury piecrusts and they work wonderful in this recipe and my family likes it if I top it with grands biscuits.

* use leftover turkey and turkey stock to make an after Thanksgiving turkey pot pie

* for a vegetarian option skip the meet and instead use vegetable stock

Stuffed Mushrooms

stuffed mushrooms are a classic appetizer for cocktail parties and I Love making them at home for a nice comfort meal. 

Ingredients

Two containers large white button mushrooms

Six cloves of garlic

Three large shallots

1/2 cup chopped parsley

One large tablespoon ghee or 2 TBSP butter

6 to 8 tablespoons olive oil

One cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

One package 8 ounce cream cheese or marscapone.

First remove the stems from the button mushrooms and place in a separate bowl. Clean the mushrooms on the inside with a spoon to create a larger cavity for stuffing.

Chop the stems in a find dice with the chopper and do the same with the garlic and shallots. Place in a pan on medium heat with olive oil and butter and cook until shallots are translucent. Add breadcrumbs and mix turn off the heat and add Parmesan cheese and Parsley. Put the mixture in a bowl to cool slightly.

Using a spoon ,spoon the mixture into the mushrooms that you have seasoned lightly with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes

  

Rainy Day Macaroni and Cheese

It is rainy and stormy today in Newport Beach. The house is cozy and I am craving something warm and tasty. I usually do not eat pasta. I usually substitute carrot or zucchini noodles instead. But today called for the real deal. 

Makes a 13×9 dish

Ingredients:

I box lg macaroni noodles (cook in boiling water that is heavily salted for eight minutes only and then drain. Remove to a large bowl and wait for other ingredients)

1 stick butter

8 TBSP flour

4 cups whole milk

2 TBSP ground mustard

1 egg

1 TBSP salt

1 TBSP black pepper

1 pinch nutmeg

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs lightly toasted in 2 TBSP butter.

2 cups of cheese + 1 cup to sprinkle on top (I like cheddar and jack)

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat add one stick of butter and 8 tablespoons of flour. Using a whisk melt the butter into the flour.  Add the mustard powder and whisk. Slowly add in the milk and continue to whisk. 

Crack one egg into a small bowl and mix. Set aside . When the mixture is hot add some of the hot liquid into The bowl with cracked egg and mix. This will temper the egg so when you add it to the mixture it does not make scrambled eggs. 

Add the egg in with the white sauce. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg and continue to whisk as the sauce thickens. When the sauce resembles a thick gravy ,add in 2 cups of cheese and continue to whisk until melted. When he cheese is melted add the cheese sauce into the bowl with the macaroni and toss to coat evenly.

Place the macaroni with the cheese sauce in a 13 x 9 casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese and toasted breadcrumbs and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Bon appétit!