Caramel French Toast

I got this recipe from the Storyteller's Cafe in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. I kind of tweeked it but not much. The carmel sauce for this recipe is what I use for ice cream.

Vanilla Sauce:
4 egg yolks
4 Tbs sugar
1 Vanilla been split & scraped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a small bowl. In a saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean & extract to a low boil, then remove from heat. Add a little heated milk to the egg mixture to temper it, then add the tempered egg mixture to the heated milk. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly thickened, but do not boil. Transfer to a bowl and set aside in an ice bath.

Caramel Sauce:
8 Tbs butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and mix well. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Keep warm until needed

French Toast:
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 slices of texas style bread (I prefer French Toast bread, it is Texas style (thick) but it has vanilla and cinnamon already in the bread.
Mix first four ingredients. Dip bread in egg mixture and cook on griddle. This step can be replaced with your favorite french toast recipe.

This is how you assemble this delicious breakfast. Place one slice of french toast on your plate top with vanilla sauce, top with second piece of french toast. And for the creme de la creme, smother with the caramel sauce. Continue with remaining pieces of french toast.

This is wonderful to serve with strawberries to dip in the sauce left on your plate.

Banana EggNog

This is a family tradition. I only wish I could stay away from it all year, but I crave it!

3 eggs
3 cups milk, divided
3 TBS of sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 bananas depending on your preference (I love it with 2)
5-6 ice cubes

In a blender measure in one cup of milk, add eggs, sugar vanilla, lemon extract and salt. Mix well, add bananas and mix again. Finally add icecubes, mix until smooth. Poor into a pictcher and add final two cups of milk mix together. This serves about 3 people if you really like the stuff. My kids only drink about 1/2 cup each so this makes enough for my whole family.

Mexican Hot Pockets

I know, another recipe from our competition, Just That Good, but isn't it nice that someone else tried it out for you so you know that it is good. And it is, although mine were not triangular, they were squarish (see their picture for pretty example)... still tasty!

You will need:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shredded
1 cup salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 package puff pastry (not phyllo)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg

To do:
1. Thaw pastry at room temperature for 40 minutes
2. Place chicken, salsa, seasoning, and 1/2 cup water in skillet. Heat through.
3. Cool chicken mixture completely.
4. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
5. Stir the egg and water together in a little bowl, for an egg wash.
6. Unfold puff pastry on floured surface and roll into 14 inch square. Cut into 4 (7 inch) squares. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet.
7. Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto half of square, top with 2 T of cheese.
8. Brush the edges of the pastry with water, fold plain half over, seal edges with fork, so you have a pocket of chickeny goodness.
9. Place pockets on baking sheets, brush with egg wash.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with extra salsa and sour cream.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Tara and Jeff have both stated this is good with Costco Taquitos... I serve it with tortilla chips and celery sticks.

20 oz canned chicken (or boil fresh chicken, about 1 pound, and shred)
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup hot sauce (Franks Buffalo Sauce works the best)
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients, reserving about 1/2 the shredded cheese to top dish.
Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese on top has melted.

Cashew-Pear Tossed Salad

This salad is pictured below. The dressing was fantastic and is what made the taste blend.

1 bunch romaince, torn
1 cup (4 oz) shredded swiss cheese
1 cup salted cashews
1 medium pear, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries

POPPYSEED VINAIGRETTE:
2/3 cup salad oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 TSP poppyseeds
2 TSP finely minced red onion
1 TSP ground mustard
1/2 TSP salt

In large salad bowl, combine the romaince, cheese, cashews, pear and cranberries. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinaigrette ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. YIELD: 12 servings.

Thai Chicken with Pear Salsa

I got a fantastic cook book for Christmas from my sister in law. It is a compilation of recipes that a woman in her ward, who is a phenomenal cook, passed around. I have been trying them out over the past couple of weeks. This one is so easy and good. It can be made with or without the fruity salsa. I also added one of the cookbook's salads (also pictured) to the meal.

1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 frozen boneless chicken breasts

Combine the first 8 ingredients. Put chicken in crock pot and add the sauce. Cook over low heat for 4-5 hours, shredding chicken with a fork when it is tender. Serve over rice or noddles with pear salsa.

PEAR SALSA:
1 cup chopped fresh fruit (pears, peaches or mangos)
1 cup chopped, seeded cucumber
2 TBSP sliced green onion
2 TBSP snipped cilantro
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salad oil
1 TBSP vinegar

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Chicken Pot Flies

I saw this recipe on Just That Good... and had to try it. Once again, it was for the sake of my picky husband. I love chicken pot pie, but he does not like the soupy runny insides. So this seemed perfect, and it was. All the goodies of chicken pot pies, little personal sizes, no soupy insides. I changed the recipe a little bit, to clarify it, also known as me-making-up-some-stuff. I also had a ton more insides than filled the 1 can of rolls (I used jumbo crescents, less bread, more stuffing), you could probably make 2 cans of rolls with all the insides I made, if you are little less generous and then the fillings wouldn't spill out everywhere.

You will need:
1 can crescent rolls (once again, I think you could make 2 cans with these insides)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1/2 small onion, diced
1-2 Tablespoons flour
2/3 cup milk
1 chicken bullion cube
garlic salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

To make:
Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in skillet until hot. Add chicken breasts and diced onion to hot skillet. Garlic salt and pepper them. Cook 5-10 minutes, or until brown. Remove chicken from skillet and allow to rest in a bowl, or on cutting board.
Add chicken bullion cube to skillet with olive oil remains. Add flour to the pan and combine with a whisk. Have the milk ready.
Add milk, while whisking, to create a roux, the sauce will thicken quickly.
Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little more milk.
Add peas & carrots and "rested" chicken to skillet with potato mixture. Heat throughout, about 5 more minutes.
Unroll crescent rolls. Spoon mixture onto the roll and bring the top over to "close" the roll. (There is a good picture of this on the other website).
Brush the tops with an egg wash and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.