Monte Cristo Benedict

This was one of the most amazing flavor combinations of all time.  I made this for the morning of Father's Day for Liam and I to share, since I am a single mother.  I even had leftovers for breakfast this morning and it was STILL amazing. I highly recommend this recipe, and it's not nearly as hard as it may appear to be.

Ingredients: (I only made 3 servings, since it was just Liam and I but I will show the servings for 4)
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tbsp White Sugar
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Orange Juice
4 slices of bread (thick bread works the best)
1 Tbsp Butter
8 thin slices cooked ham
4 slices Cheddar Cheese
4 slices of a smoked cheese (cheddar, butterkase, etc)
8 poached eggs
A dash of Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk the eggs, cream, sugar, pepper, cinnamon and orange juice together in a bowl until the batter is thorough combined. 
Lay bread slices into batter one at a time and let the bread absorb the mixture.  Turn bread over and repeat for the other side.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.  Cook the bread in the hot butter until browned (about 2-3 minutes per side).  Transfer the French Toast slices to a baking sheet.  *Feel free to use parchment paper to make for an easy cleanup.
Lay ham slices in the skillet and cook until they begin to brown on the edges (only about 1 minute per side).
Place a cheddar cheese slice on top of each French Toast slice.  Add 2 ham slices to each one as well and top with the smoked cheese.
Bake until the French toast batter has set and the cheese has melted (about 12-15 minutes).
Place sandwiches on a serving plate and top each with 2 poached eggs.  Season with the Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt. 
Serve & Enjoy!

Whisk the batter ingredients together

Place the bread into the batter to soak

Turn to soak the other side

Cook in a large skillet until browned

Place on a baking sheet

Lightly brown the ham

Add a slice of cheddar cheese to the French toast

Top with the ham

Add the smoked cheese on top and stick in the oven

Poach the eggs

Remove from the oven with melted cheese

Top each slice with 2 poached eggs

Serve with a dash of seasoning and enjoy

Ham & Purple Potato Soup

I have been sick all week and I was really wanting something warm on my sore throat.  This was so delicious and tasty and allowed me to use up my beautiful purple potatoes!  Everyone raves about this recipe!  I highly recommend it, and it is fairly easy to make. 

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves (Diced)
3 Carrots (Peeled & Sliced)
3 Celery Stalks (Sliced)
2.5 lbs Smoked Ham (Cubed)
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken Stock (32 oz Container)
2 Cups Water
2 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
5 Potatoes (Peeled & Cubed)
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
Green Onions to Garnish (optional)
Shredded Cheese to Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in carrot, celery, ham, and garlic.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables soften. 
Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Add water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Stir in potatoes; cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Skim fat if desired. 
Season with alpine touch to taste and add cream. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with fresh chives and/or shredded cheese.  Serve & Enjoy!

Melt butter in a large pot

Add the ham, carrots, celery and garlic

Add the flour

Add in the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil

Add in the purple potatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes

Add the cream and mix thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy!

Easter Ham Recipe

This Easter I wanted to make a delicious ham, since I didn't get to for Christmas due to one of my guests being a non-pork eater.  Easter provided me with the perfect opportunity to cook one up.  I always love sweet or smokey ham, and went with sweet this year.

Ingredients:
Ham (bone in, the size is up to you, mine was almost 8 lbs)
Brown Sugar
Honey
Pineapple (pare off the outside)
Toothpicks
Cherry Coca-Cola

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Get a deep oven safe pan and line with tinfoil.  Place the ham fat side up.  Cut the pineapple and set aside.  Take the brown sugar and rub generously all over the exposed part of the ham.  Drizzle with honey.  Take the pineapple slices and stick all over the ham to cover.  Attach with toothpicks.  Drizzle over the pineapple with honey.  Pour the Cherry Coke all over the ham until almost filling the pan.  Cover with foil and place in the oven.  Cook for 15 minutes per pound.  Remove the foil when 30 minutes of cooking time remain and continue to cook.  Take out of the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before carving.  Enjoy!

Place the ham in the pan and cut the pineapple

Generously rub the ham with brown sugar

Drizzle with honey

Place the pineapple around the ham and attach with toothpicks

Drizzle with honey

Pour the cherry coke on top of the ham almost to the top of the pan

Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven

Peeling the dyed eggs

Peeling eggs is fun

Deviled eggs ready to eat

Boiling up some corn on the cob

The remains of an Easter feast

Ham & Potato Soup

I had the pleasure of cooking for a multitude of family members this evening.  Seven people in all which is a lot more than I usually get to try my food.  I am so luck to have my grandparents, aunt, cousin, sister and son all together this week.  The stars aligned and had us all in one place!  So we opted for a great comfort food recipe that could feed a lot of people, and what better option than ham & potato soup!  This recipe was fairly painless and easy and turned out very delicious!  I also still have leftovers!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves (Diced)
3 Carrots (Peeled & Sliced)
3 Celery Stalks (Sliced)
2.5 lbs Smoked Ham (Cubed)
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken Stock (32 oz Container)
2 Cups Water
2 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
Green Onions to Garnish (optional)
Shredded Cheese to Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in carrot, celery, ham, and garlic.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables soften. 
Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Add water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Stir in potatoes; cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Skim fat if desired. 
Season with alpine touch to taste and add cream. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with fresh chives and/or shredded cheese.  Serve & Enjoy!

My sous chef excited to get started

Add the butter, veggies & ham to the pot

Add the flour

Add the chicken stock

Add the potatoes

Stir in the cream

Serve & Enjoy!

Pizza Casserole Recipe

This was my first attempt at a this recipe, when I came across it looked delicious and I knew that I had to try it.  While making it I of course improvised some things, it wouldn't be my cooking if I didn't do it.  I want to point out that my step by step photos are not as prevalent as they usually are.  This is because the recipe that I used did not match up with the cooking methods, the size of pan and definitely not the way that it was portrayed in the picture.  So although I tried to make it work using what I was given and that is what the pictures reflect I want to give the ingredients and recipe for what it SHOULD be and will be the next time that I cook it.  There was absolutely NO problem with taste, it was very delicious and I highly recommend this recipe, especially my version of it. 

Ingredients:

12 oz Rotini Pasta (I used Penne for lack of Rotini but Rotini would have been better)

1 lb ground Sausage (Seasoned with basil, & oregano)

36 oz pasta Sauce (or more depending on taste)

1 16 oz container of Cottage cheese (also could substitute Ricotta Cheese)

1 can of black olives (sliced)

12 oz shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 6 oz pack of sliced ham (or canadian bacon, the store I went to only had large slices)

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 9x13 casserole dish.  Bring lightly salted water to boil and cook pasta over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.  In skillet cook sausage on medium heat until browned.  Drain grease.  Mix in the pasta and the sauce and pour into the casserole dish.  (I would suggest adding half of the olives into this mixture).  In a bowl mix the cheese (ricotta or cottage or even softened cream cheese), olives (mushrooms if you would like) and mozzarella together.  Spoon over the pasta and top with the ham.  Add a thin layer of cheese over the ham.  Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly.  Remove from oven allow about 5 minutes to cool before serving.  Enjoy!

 

Boil the noodles and brown the sausage

Mix the sauce, pasta & sausage together

Pour the pasta into the casserole dish and top with the cheese mixture, placing the ham on top and adding a thin layer of cheese, Cook for 25 minutes.