Brunch for a Bunch

They suggested eating out this morning.

I am fine with that as long as it is the "Underwear Cafe".  (okay there's a story.... I will include it at the end of this post)

Underwear Cafe Brunch Menu

Thomas potato casserole

Sausage casserole

Oven fried bacon

Rebecca's frittata

Roasted asparagus

Scrambled eggs

Berries or Fruit along with juice & milk & coffee

Chocolate chip cookies

Thomas potato casserole

Frozen shredded potatoes

Sour cream (small)

Can of cream of chicken soup

Cheddar cheese (1 cup)

Seasoned salt or salt & pepper

Crushed corn flakes

Melted butter

Mix potatoes, sour cream, soup, and cheese & seasoning together.  Put into a 9x13 dish sprayed with Pam.  Mix butter and corn flakes together and spread on top of casserole.  Bake at 350 for an hour.  

Hints - set potatoes in fridge over night or microwave for a couple of minutes before mixing - they are better if not completely frozen.  I use about 8 ounces of sour cream which is usually a couple of scoops from a large container.  For the soup - I prefer the Healthy Valley organic gluten free brand.  If you use the regular you might add 1/4 can of milk.  Any "yellow" shredded cheese is good - I typically have the Mexican blend.  Crush the flakes in a baggie and add butter to mix and then put on top of the casserole.  

Sausage casserole

1 package of ground sausage

1 package of cream cheese

2 cans of Pillsbury crescent sheets

Mustard 

Egg wash

Brown sausage, drain, add cream cheese to melt.  

Using a Pampered Chef baking stone (or sprayed cookie sheet) - lay out one crescent sheet.  Spread a very thin layer of mustard, top with sausage/cream cheese mixture and top with other crescent sheet.  If industrious make an egg wash (scramble one egg and add a little water) and smear on top of the crescent sheet - it does make a prettier dish.  Bake at 375 until evenly brown on top.

Oven fried bacon

Pound of bacon

Iron skillet

Using all natural bacon - put strips in the skillet.  Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes depending upon how you prefer your bacon!  

Rebecca's frittata

Fresh broccoli

Fresh mushrooms

Fresh spinach

Farm fresh eggs - seasoned

Feta cheese

Using an iron skillet layer mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach.  Top with grated feta.  Scramble eggs (at least 6 and up to 12).  Pour egg mixture over vegetables and bake at 350 until set - about 20 - 30 minutes.  

Hints - add red bell pepper and onion for more vegetables.  Rebecca uses a 9x13 dish to cook hers and she uses cheddar cheese.  Any fresh vegetables will work - just use your preference.  To have more egg portion - mix milk with your eggs and pour over.

Scrambled eggs

See May 25, 2015 entry

My favorite guests at The Underwear Cafe. 

The Rest of the Story

When Son One & Son Two along with Nephew Three were growing up.  If they wanted to eat out and I knew we had eaten out way too much - then we would order from "The Underwear Cafe".  This cafe is located in my kitchen - at my bar - and if we are alone and you are under the age of 8 - you may just wear your underwear!  True story - I promise.  We called that kitchen bar at that PK Lake house - "The Underwear Cafe"

Our reason for the celebration - Nephew Three graduated from GHS! Nephew One & Extra special friend, along with Nephew Two & family and GG & Papa all came to town to celebrate! Plus Son One & family along with Son Two and K3 & A'Dee.  What a fun time. 

Dish at the back of the picture is the Sausage casserole & the Thomas potato casserole at the front.  Why "Thomas"?  The first time I had this dish was for the birthday brunch for Ross Thomas.  His mother made this casserole - it is just a perfect dish.  I think of the Thomas family every time we have it - that just might be another blog entry....

If there is ever (which there will not be) - a Mimi 4 Three real live restaurant - I would serve complimentary bite sized chocolate chips cookies while my friends wait for their plates.  So - today The Underwear Cafe served complimentary Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Roasted asparagus - great compliment to breakfast foods.

Rebecca's frittata

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

Pimento Cheese

Pimento Cheese - one of my most favorite sandwiches!

Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread

2 1/2 cups grated cheese (use a variety - cheddar mild/medium/sharp & colby jack)

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 small jar pimentos

Dash seasoning salt

For the best spread - grate your own cheese rather than buying the pre-grated packages.  Add mayo by the large spoonfuls and stir.  Continue adding mayonnaise until the spread reaches the consistently you prefer.  Add pimentos & seasoning salt.  

Serve with sandwich bread or crackers.   Also for a special treat - use pimento cheese as the cheese for your grilled cheese sandwich.  Grilled pimento cheese is my preference!

Grated cheese, Duke's Mayonnaise, & Pimentos

Homemade Pimento Cheese with Seasoning Salt

Grilled pimento cheese sandwich (gluten free bread of course) with cinnamon beets & cottage cheese

My boys pictured with Mrs. Jones - she was the inspiration to homemade Pimento Cheese.  When I was expecting Son Two - Mrs. Jones would make pimento cheese for me and bring it with her to school.  

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Scrambled Eggs (for the Guys or for Bible Study)

I love to cook breakfast.

I love to eat breakfast foods!

Yesterday I made pancakes for Sunday morning breakfast but I did not have time to make Gluten Free Pancakes so I made breakfast for me Sunday night!

I cook breakfast each day for the guys in my family.  I send them off to work with eggs and something.  Most of the days it is a breakfast burrito.

Scrambled Eggs (part of the breakfast burrito)
Fresh eggs (I prefer to buy farm fresh eggs - my next choice is organic - or free range)
Splash of milk
Salt
Grated cheese
Some use pepper - I don't

Crack the eggs in a skillet that has about 1 T of melted butter.  Pour in the splash of milk and mix.  Cook at medium heat stirring occasionally.  I like to keep some nice size bits of egg - not all crumbled in our scrambled eggs.  I think it is also important to cook the eggs to a doneness that suites the family.  Son Two will eat his eggs cooked - they are dry and some people will eat scrambled eggs a bit not so cooked - not us - we cook the eggs!  As the eggs are finishing I sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese.

For breakfast burritos we heat the tortilla on our iron (remember from yesterday).  I will add cooked sausage, cooked potatoes, fried bacon, grilled ham - just about anything one can find.  I try not to mix it all together because the sausage particularly will make the dish greasy - if I add each item separately it's better.

Scrambled Eggs for Bible Study
Fresh spinach
Fresh onions
Farm fresh eggs
Ham or other meat
Cheese
Avocado

Saute spinach and onions until almost done.  Add fresh eggs and lightly scramble.  Season with salt and add meat.  Gently scramble eggs, meat and vegetables.  Add cheese at the end.  Serve with avocado slices.

Bible Study Scrambled Eggs - eggs, spinach, green onion, just a small amount of cheese & add a slice of avocado.

Farm fresh eggs & green onion.

My favorite store brand of eggs.

Scrambled eggs & flour tortillas for the breakfast for my Guys. 

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalms 55:22

Sunday Morning Pancakes

When they came to stay with us for just a short time cooking Sunday morning breakfast became a tradition - (more on that story over on grace4greta -   grace4greta.blogspot.com).

I found the best from scratch pancake recipe from The Pioneer Woman - I recommend her recipe and mine is pretty much the same...

Mimi's Sunday Morning Pancakes - takes about 30 minutes to have warm pancakes ready to eat

3 cups of regular flour

3 T baking flour

2 T of sugar

2 cups of organic milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 T melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients, add the milk, eggs & vanilla.  Gently stir (I use a whisk).  Add the melted butter.  Be careful not to stir too much.  Lumps are okay.  Heat a skillet or pancake iron using oil is the best. And cook your wonderful pancakes.  I use a 1/4 measuring cup for my size of pancakes.  And this recipe will make plenty for 6 people.  I add a little oil after each pancake - I cook one or two at the most at a time.  Also remember that the batter will bubble & kind of puff up when you are ready to flip them the first time.  I keep my oven on warm and put finished pancakes in there to stay warm while I finish cooking the batch.  

Or ... when you realize you don't have flour but you have store bought pancake mix - it works just almost the same!

This will work! I use 2 cups of the mix for 3 adults.

I hope you have a hand made iron!!  Special thanks to Daughter One's father for making this for us.  It is perfect!  And honestly makes a difference when cooking pancakes.  Notice the "G"?  Such a wonderful gift for this cook!

Even though they are now living at their home - Grandson One still comes over for Sunday morning breakfast! Nephew Three enjoys breakfast too!

My favorite syrup - well actually just any kind of real maple syrup. 

Pop likes a fried egg on top of his pancake stack.

For those of us who need to eat gluten free - this is the mix I use for pancakes.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I Corinthians 10:31

Mimi Loves to Cook for "Three"

It is simply no secret that I love to cook.

District 4-H Food Show from 1980 - Chicken Cordon Bleu was the featured dish

This blog is primarily for

Son Two - Son One - Nephew Three

"Three" and their families.

Of course there is a story to the Three.  Those are the three boys who called my home  - their home - when they were growing up.  I am now Mimi to those three families.  In the photo Son One is in the middle and he is married and has two reasons for my Mimi name.  Son Two is on his right and Nephew Three is on his left and they are finishing up the "growing up" stage and will head to Austin in August.

But Mimi's Kitchen is always open!  And Mimi loves to share recipes and I often find that I am sharing those recipes with those Three and their families.  Right now that tends to be Son One and my Daughter One but as Sons & Nephews marry the sharing grows.  In fact I also share with Nephew Two and his family, plus friends ..... so this space should keep us organized and keep us cooking!

And I cannot start a recipe sharing blog without a recipe!!!

I love coffee!

The Keurig Machine might just be one of my most favorite inventions!

I can drink it black - I don't prefer to because it is not just about the coffee - it is about the experience!

I love Kona coffee but the drought in our country caused Tully's to stop the production but they have added a Hawaiian blend that is really good too.  Then I love cream - and having Redi Whip just makes it pretty!  I prefer chocolate syrup without HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and I also use a tsp of stevia.  It is just the best cup of make at home coffee!

Cheryl's Perfect Cup of Coffee
Using the Keurig Machine brew a cup of your favorite coffee and add your favorite condiments.  For my favorite cup:

Tully's Hawaiian Blend K Cup
Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Syrup
Redi Whip Extra Creamy
Stevea - 1 1sp.

Put about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of chocolate syrup in the coffee cup.  Brew the coffee, add the stevia and stir.  Top with cool whip and drizzle chocolate syrup on top.

Enjoy!

Best way to work at my computer!

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

I Peter 4:9 (NLT)