Pain Perdu Casserole

Pain Perdu was a breakfast that my Dad made for me ALL the time. Pain Perdu, is French for “Lost Bread”.  It was a way to “do something” with the stale bread that would be wasted.   This is a take on what my Dad made, but it is a recipe from "The Pioneer Woman".

 

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf crusty Sourdough or French bread, preferable stale

Custard:

• 8 large eggs
• ½ C. heavy cream
• 2 C. whole milk
• ½ C. sugar
• ½ C. brown sugar
• 2 T. vanilla extract

Topping:

• ½ C. flour
• ½ C. brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 t. cinnamon
• ¼ t. salt
• ½ C. (1 stick) butter, cold, cut into 16 pieces

• Maple syrup and powdered sugar, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.
3. Slice the bread into small bite size cubes and place in a 10” by 15” casserole dish or baking pan.
4. Pour the custard over the bread and allow the custard to soak into the bread for 10 minutes before putting the casserole dish into the oven. (You can press down on the bread, so it absorbs more of the custard.)
5. Make the topping while the bread absorbs the custard; combine all the topping ingredients in a medium size bowl with a pastry cutter, if you have one, just use a large fork, if you don’t.  The topping should look like small peas when you are finished.
6. Sprinkle the topping over the bread custard mixture.
7. Bake for 45 minutes for a soft pudding like consistency or for 1 hour for a firmer consistency.
8. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Tips and Tricks:

• This can be made ahead of time.  Pour the custard over the bread and cover tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight.  Make the topping and place it in a Ziploc bag until you are ready to bake the next day.   
• This makes 10 large sized servings.

Country Gravy and Biscuits Casserole

Country gravy isn’t big on our list of thing for breakfast here in New Orleans, but when we visit our daughter in Monroe, it is on most breakfast menus.  I found this recipe on Pinterest from a blog called “Miss Information”.  Now I’m ready with a great casserole for breakfast the next time the kids come to visit.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of biscuits
• 1 lb. of breakfast sausage
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 C. sour cream 
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• 2 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 envelope of Peppered Country Gravy Mix
• 2 C. water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the breakfast sausage for 10 minutes or until fully cooked and crumbled.
3. Remove from the skillet and allow draining on paper towels.
4. Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan with cooking spray.
5. Cut the biscuits into fourths and drop into the bottom of the pan.
6. Sprinkle the breakfast sausage on top.
7. In a bowl, scramble the eggs, sour cream, and Creole seasoning together.
8. Pour the eggs in and cover with the cheese.
9. In a small sauce pan, make the Country Gravy by combining the packet and the water and whisking over a medium heat for about 2 minutes or until thickened.
10. Pour the gravy over the casserole.
11. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, or until browned and eggs are set.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5 minutes.
13. Cut into pieces and serve.

Tips and Tricks:

• I use an immersion blender to scramble the eggs with the milk.  They are light and fluffy this way.
• I use Jimmy Dean’s Hot pork sausage, Grands Jr. Flaky Layers Honey Butter biscuits, and Pioneer Country Gravy packet for this recipe.
• I cut this casserole into 16 pieces.

Quick Breakfast Sandwich

Here is another breakfast favorite.  I got the basic recipe from "The Pioneer Woman" and made a few adjustments.  Great for a group or just for yourself, several times.  ; )

Ingredients:

• 6 English muffins
• ½ lb. of breakfast sausage
• 6 boiled eggs
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• ½ C. mayonnaise
• ½ T. Dijon mustard
• ½ T. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ t. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• ½ t. garlic powder
• 1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the breakfast sausage for 10 minutes or until fully cooked and crumbled.
2. Remove from the skillet and allow draining on paper towels.
3. Give the boiled eggs a rough chop.
4. In a medium bowl combine the sausage, boiled eggs, green onions, mayo, Dijon, Worcestershire, Creole seasoning and cheese together.
5. Preheat the broiler to low and put a generous heap of the egg mixture on both sides of an English muffin that has been cut in half.
6. Place in the broiler for 3 – 4 minutes or until the cheese melts and the egg mixture begins to brown.
7. Serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

• You can use bacon in the place of the sausage.  6 thick slices of bacon is about a ½ lb.
• I use Jimmy Dean’s Hot pork sausage.
• I make this on the weekend and I have a hot breakfast for the rest of the week.

Migas

"Refuel" in uptown New Orleans introduced Donald and I to this wonderful concoction.  I searched several recipes online and reworked several to ultimately make my own version.  We LOVE it.  Hope you do too!

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• ¼ C. half and half
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 4 corn tortillas
• 1/3 C. vegetable oil
• 1 T. butter
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 Plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 C. cheese
• ¼ C. cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, and Creole seasoning, then set aside
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat oil and fry each corn tortilla just until crisp, about 30 – 45 seconds, drain each on a paper towel and chop tortillas, then set aside
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter, add the onions and the peppers, cook for 3 – 5 minutes until they start to brown
4. Add the jalapeños and the tomatoes, cook until tomatoes start to wilt, about 2 minutes
5. Reduce the heat to low and allow the pan to cool before pouring the egg mixture
6. Stir all the ingredients together and when the eggs are starting to set, stir in the cilantro and cheese
7. Serve with tortillas and black beans

Tips and Tricks:

• The cheese choice is yours.  Cheddar, pepper jack, or Queso fresco.
• A whole jalapeño is great, but the sliced, picked jalapeño will work well also.

Breakfast Pizza

This is a great breakfast when you have overnight guest to feed.  It's quick and easy and feeds 8 people (2 servings each).  My friend Karen shared this recipe with me.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of crescent rolls
• ¼ C. of chopped green onions
• 1 lb. of breakfast sausage
• 10 eggs
• ½ C. sour cream
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• 2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the breakfast sausage for 10 minutes or until fully cooked and crumbled
3. Remove from the skillet and allow to drain on paper towels
4. Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan or corning ware with cooking spray
5. Press the crescent rolls into the bottom of the pan
6. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the crust and press them into the crust
7. Sprinkle the breakfast sausage on top
8. In a large bowl, scramble the eggs, sour cream, and Creole seasoning together
9. Pour the eggs in and bake for 30 minutes
10. Remove from the oven and add the shredded cheese
11. Bake for an additional 10 minutes
12. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5 minutes
13. Cut into pieces and serve

Tips and Tricks:

• I use an immersion blender to scramble the eggs with the sour cream.  They are light and fluffy this way.
• I use Jimmy Dean’s Hot pork sausage,
• I cut the breakfast pizza into 16 pieces.

Shrimp and Grits

This is a Paula Deen recipe.  I serve the Shrimp with my Garlic Cheese Grits.  I posted that recipe on Wednesday, February 9, 2011.  Rich and decadent, the perfect meal to serve to those special to you.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. shrimp, 20 count, peeled and deveined
• 2 C. tasso, chopped into small cubes
• ½ C. olive oil
• ½ C. onions, chopped
• ½ C. green peppers, chopped
• ½ C. celery, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ¼  C. Crystal hot sauce
• ½ T. Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
• ½ C. white wine
• 4 C. heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook tasso in olive oil until crisp
2. Add onions, green peppers, celery, and green onions and cook until onions are translucent
3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute
4. Add shrimp and sprinkle with Creole seasoning
5. Cook until pink about 2 minutes
6. Remove everything from the pan and add the white wine to deglaze
7. Slowly add the heavy cream and hot sauce and cook until the cream thickens
8. Add everything back to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes
9. Serve over Garlic Cheese Grits and garnish with chopped chives

Tips and Tricks:

• Serve in a shallow bowl and ladle the shrimp mixture over the grits.
• This can be made the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, then reheated before serving.
• Follow my link to find out how I make the Garlic Cheese Grits.

Gorilla Bread

This is a great weekend breakfast.  I have made Monkey Bread on Christmas morning for years. This is similar to that, but with cream cheese.  It is a Paula Deen recipe, so bring out the butter.  It makes enough for 10 people, so put on a pot of coffee and gather your family or friends.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of buttermilk biscuits, (10 count)
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• ½ C. granulated sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 C. brown sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
• 1 ½ C. chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray
3. In a small sauce pan, melt a stick of butter on low heat
4. Add the brown sugar and stir until fully incorporated
5. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar
6. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal squares
7. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with ½ t. of the cinnamon sugar
8. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit and seal the dough around the cream cheese
9. Sprinkle ½ C. of nuts and 1/3 of the mixture in the sauce pan into the bottom of the Bundt pan
10. Place 10 of the stuffed biscuits into the pan
11. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and pour another third of the mixture in the sauce pan and ½ C. nuts
12. Place the next 10 stuffed biscuits into the pan
13. Pour the remaining mixture from the sauce pan, nuts, and cinnamon sugar over the biscuits
14. Bake for 45 minutes
15. Remove from the oven and let the Gorilla Bread cool for 5 minutes
16. Place a plate on top of the Bundt pan and invert

Tips and Tricks:

• I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese.
• To manipulate the biscuits, just pat the biscuit flat between your palms.  Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, then crimp the edges of the biscuit around the cream cheese forming a semi-circle.

Sausage Balls

My friend, Ron's mom, Judy makes these when Ron and Jeff have friends over for breakfast or brunch.  I took her recipe and tweaked it a bit. One recipe will make about 50 (1" balls).

Ingredients:

• 2 C. biscuit mix
• 1 lb. of hot breakfast sausage in a roll
• 2 C. Sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix the biscuit mix with the cayenne, salt, garlic powder, and Tony’s
3. Add the crumbled sausage and the cheese
4. Kneed the mixture together
5. Roll into balls about an inch in diameter
6. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 18 minutes
7. Use a spatula to flip the balls after 9 minutes
8. Remove from oven and move each to paper towels to absorb the excess grease
9. Serve with the dipping sauce in Tips and Tricks

 Tips and Tricks:

• These are a great for a brunch.
• These are good with a dipping sauce made with ½ C. mayonnaise and ¼ C. of Creole mustard.

Potato and Onion Omelet

I love the potato and onion omelet at "Camellia Grill" , this is how I make it at home.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• ¼ C. sour cream
• 1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin
• ¾ C. hash brown potatoes
• 2 T. butter
• 1 t. kosher salt
• ½ t. black pepper
• Chopped jalapeños
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet to medium heat
2. Cook the onions in the butter until soft
3. Add the hash brown potatoes
4. Cook both until they start to brown
5. Scramble the eggs with the sour cream, salt , and pepper
6. Pour the eggs over the onions and potatoes
7. Cook until the eggs are set
8. Serve with chopped jalapeños on top and salsa on the side

Tips and Tricks:

• I buy the hash brown potatoes in the freezer section.  They are cut into small square pieces.
• If you have an immersion blender, use it to scramble the eggs.  It adds a lot of air into eggs and they cook light and fluffy.
• I use light sour cream.

Grillades

Serving brunch?  You will need a Grits and Grillades recipe if you want to do it the "New Orleans" way. This is not the veal steak "Grillades".   It is just a lean cut of beef (round steak) simmered in a delicious gravy.

See how the meat is so tender it's falling apart?

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. of round steak cut into ½ inch strips
• 1 lb. of bacon
• ½ C. vegetable oil
• ½ C. flour
• 2 C. of chopped onions
• 1 C. of chopped bell pepper
• 1 C. of chopped celery
• 6 cloves of mined garlic
• 1 bunch of green onions finely chopped
• ½ C. of fresh parsley finely chopped
• 2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 T. Crystal or Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 T. salt
• 1 T. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 1 t. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 C. beef broth
• 1 C. red wine

Directions:

1.    Fry bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp and remove from pot

2.    Brown round steak in the bacon fat and remove from pot

3.    Make a dark roux with oil, flour, and drippings from browning the meat. This starts as a brown color because of the meat drippings.  Be careful to cook the roux long enough, at least 15 minutes.

4.    Add onions, bell pepper, and celery and cook until limp

5.    Add garlic and cook for 1 minute

6.    Add meat, crumbled bacon, and all of the other ingredients to the pot

7.    Cook on a low heat, covered, and stirring occasionally for about 4 hours

8.    When the meat looks like it is starting to fall apart and the gravy starts to thicken up “It’s DONE”

Tips and Tricks:

·        I’ve tried cooking this in the crock pot and I didn’t have success.  I have friends who say it can be done.

·        I usually start this the night before I am serving it.  I cook it for about 2 hours and then put it in the refrigerator.  The day it is being served I cook it for the additional 3 hours.  You know the theory on the flavors getting to “marry” in the refrigerator.

·        This is great with grits.  I make a Garlic Cheese Grits to serve with this.  Follow my link to get the recipe.

Garlic Cheese Grits

Great alone, but even better with Grillades.  It bakes like a casserole and serves like one as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 C. grits
• 4 C. water
• 1 t. salt
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cut in cubes
• ½ C. half and half
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 T. Crystal or Louisiana hot sauce
• 2 eggs well beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook grits in water with salt added and stir frequently
3. When the grits start to firm up add the stick of butter
4. When grits are cooked, add cheese then turn off heat
5. Add garlic, hot sauce, and cream
6. Fold in eggs
7. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray
8. Pour ingredients into dish
9. Bake for 1 hour

Tips and Tricks:

• I have not used quick grits for this recipe.  I don’t trust them, because they get hard too fast.
• This recipe called for a roll of garlic cheese by Kraft.  I tweaked it with the fresh garlic and Velveeta and I think it works well.