Easy French Toast Casserole

Original recipe found here

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 1/2-2 loaves of bread, cut into bite-size pieces (I used whole wheat bread, but I'm confident any type of bread will work!)

4 cups milk

12 eggs

4 tsp Vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

-Preheat oven to 450*, and spray large 10x15 pan

-Heat brown sugar and butter in a pan for about 5-7 minutes, until fully combined and bubbly

-Pour sugar and butter mixture into the 10x15 pan, then layer the chopped bread on top.

-Beat, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a bowl, then pour mixture over the bread. Move bread around to ensure all the bread is absorbing the liquid. 

-Refrigerate for 1 hour, or longer (even overnight)

-Bake for 30-35 minutes

-Cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with real maple syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Tiffany's Apple Bread

2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups + 1 tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cup grated apple

-Cream together sugar, oil eggs, vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients. 

-Grease loaf pans.

-Bake in 3 large loaf pans at 325-350 for 50-60 minutes; or in 5 mini loaf pans at 350 for 40 minutes.  

-Let cool in pans 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool on rack completely. 

Stuffed Meatloaf

Meatloaf:
1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb of ground mild Italian sausage
1 egg
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Filling:
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed to release excess water
2 cups sautéed baby spinach
1 tsp minced garlic (opt)

-Spray 9x13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 375*
-Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients together well. Form into a loaf on the sprayed 9x13 inch pan.
-Make a hollow center down the entire length of the meatloaf, shaping the sides to stretch tall, like a canyon.
-Sautee mushrooms, garlic, and spinach using 1-2 TBSP of olive oil until mushrooms are soft and spinach is wilted.
-Sprinkle half of cheese on the bottom of the meatloaf "canyon", put the sautéed mushrooms and spinach on top, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
-Pull the long sides up over the meatloaf, sealing the ends together over top of the filling. Make sure all the filling is completely covered!
-Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the meat reaches 160* internally.
-Allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to solidify a little bit before serving.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Recipe from Betty Crocker

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or any kind of pasta)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded/cubed cheddar cheese

-Cook macaroni according to box instructions
-Melt butter in frying pan, then add flour and whisk until combined.
-Add the salt, pepper, ground mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
-Add milk, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil. Let boil for one minute.
-Stir in cheese, stirring occasionally until the cheese is melted.
-Stir in cooked and drained pasta. Stir to coat pasta, then serve!