Blueberry Sunrise a.k.a Blueberry French Toast

This recipe was given to me by friend Yoannis. It's super yummy!

Ingredients

12 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed (I like french bread)

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I have always used frozen)

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

For the Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon butter

Cut bread into 1-in cubes (or just leave in slices), place half in greased 13x9 in baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1-in cubes, place over bread (I like to spread the cheese on the bread). Top with blueberries and remaining bread cubes/slices.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and syrup, mix well. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hrs or O/N.

Remove from the refrigerator 30min before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min. Uncover, bake 25-30 min longer or until golden brown and center is set.

In small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 3 min. Stir in blueberries, reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 min or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve with french toast. (I usually make the sauce the night before)

slow cooker chicken taco soup

I make this all the time but have never posted it. It's a keeper!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired

compliments of allrecipes.com

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Muffin Batter

1-1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple

3/4 cup drained canned unsweetened crushed pineapple.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Line a 12-cup regular muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, coconut, sugar and macadamia nuts. Whisk together until well blended. Using a fork or clean fingers, work in the butter until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to come together.

4. Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended. Stir in pineapple juice.

5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Crumble topping over top of batter.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I had been eyeing these muffins on Kimmy'sKitchen a recipe blog I found linked on the TastySensations recipe blog. They have awesome recipes, check them out! These muffins were amazing!

Dutch Apple Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup broken walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

This bread was great! It's another goodie from allrecipes.com

Curried Coconut Chicken

Yum, Yum, Yum!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 bell pepper, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
3. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

This recipe was found and modified from allrecipes.com

It is so so good!!

Berry Easy Pie

Ingredients

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 1/2-2 cups fresh berries (I used frozen blueberries and fresh raspberries)

1 (8oz) container frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

1 package cream cheese

1 (6oz) prepared graham cracker pie crust

Instructions

1.  In a large bowl mix cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  

2. Fold in fruit and pour mixture into pie crust, refrigerate 4 hour or overnight

3. top with whipped topping before serving

This is one of my summer favorites!  It is a modified recipe from Eagle Brand

Chicken Parmesan

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7 ounces seasoned bread crumbs
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 ounces pasta sauce
6 slices Monterrey Jack cheese (I used Colby Jack)

1. beat eggs in a bowl and set aside, combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a second bowl.
2. dip chicken breast in egg and coat with the bread crumb mixture
3. Heat in skillet over medium heat in a little olive oil 5-7 minutes per side
4. Pour pasta sauce in the bottom of baking dish, add chicken, top with cheese
5. Cooked covered for 20 minutes, remove foil and continue cooking for 15 more minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

This was the first time I tried to make this dish and it was yum, yum, yummy.