Posted in Food, Main Dish

Curley’s Corned Beef Hash

corned beef hash

A tradition in our household when my husband and I were first married, was to head over to my mother-in-law’s house for Sunday breakfast. When we arrived, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Gramma Curley would have on her apron as she filled plates with piles of pancakes, pastries, scrambled eggs and various meats. On one occasion, she poured a reddish meat and potatoes mixture from a small pot onto a plate and my husband’s eyes lit up. I asked what it was and he replied, “It’s corned beef hash”. Well, I had never seen anything like it before. Coming from an Irish family, you would think that I would have known what corned beef hash was. After tasting it, I knew that I had to come up with a recipe of my own. This stuff just wasn’t happening for me. Here is a little something I put together one night with left over corned beef, some shredded cabbage, onions and a few baked potatoes. Give this recipe a try…you won’t be disappointed.

Curley Corned Beef Hash

1 pound fully cooked corned beef, diced
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 left-over baked potatoes, sliced or diced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3 tbls. canola oil

Pre-heat a medium skillet on the stove top , add canola oil and saute potatoes until golden brown. Add shedded cabbage and onions. Season with garlic and onion powder; saute until slightly soft. Add cooked corned beef and continue to saute until heated through; about 15 more minutes. Serve it up hot with some Irish Soda Bread. This is a great one pot meal.

Posted in breakfast, Brunch, Food, slow cooking

Hearty Crock Pot Oatmeal

photo (61)

I have three swimmers in the household so I am constantly replenishing the food supply. Swimmers are a dedicated breed. They are out of the house every weekday morning at 5:00 am and they stroll in the door around 6:00 pm every evening. This means I need to provide them with plenty of food during the school day so that they have enough energy to make it through until dinner. I send breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack with my children every day. Packing three meals for three kids everyday can be a trying task.
This recipe is nutritious, hearty, and packed with lots of whole grains and plenty of protein. Throw all of the ingredients in the crock pot before heading to bed. Wake up to the irresistible smell of cinnamon, apples, vanilla, and raisins. Pack warm oatmeal in individual plastic freezer jars and pop them into the fridge or freezer. During the week, pull a jar out of the fridge and pop it into the microwave for a delicious, hearty, breakfast that packs a powerful punch and is sure to get you through the morning.

Hearty Crock Pot Oatmeal

1 cup STEEL CUT oats
2 cups milk
1½ cups water
1 apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup raisins
2 Tbls. butter
1 Tbls. gound cinnamon
3 Tbls. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pour into crock pot sprayed well with cooking spray. Cover pot, set to LOW and let cook for 6 hours or until smooth and creamy. YUM!

Posted in breakfast, Brunch, Food

Savory Sausage Crescent Braid

savory sausage crescent braid

Several years ago, I invited both sides of the family out for a New Year’s Day brunch. Preparing for the celebration, I scoured my cookbooks for some new and interesting recipes. This recipe caught my eye because the savory pastry looked so delicious. I quickly added it to the menu and was thrilled to find the recipe quite easy to prepare. To make the recipe my own, I made a few changes to spice things up a bit.
During the brunch, I noticed that the crowd was drawn to this luscious looking pastry braid…it didn’t take long before it was gone! It’s been a favorite recipe in my family ever since.

Savory Sausage Crescent Braid

Savory Sausage Braid

1 lb. Jimmy Dean’s original ground pork sausage
1 lb. Jimmy Dean’s hot ground pork sausage
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
2 8 oz tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a skillet, brown sausage and drain
Add cream cheese and mix until cream cheese is melted; divide mixture in half
Cool completely
Open crescent rolls and arrange into two rectangles
Form a narrow log with sausage mixture; place down the center of each rectangle.
Cut several strips along the long sides of the rectangle
Alternate strips to make a braid design across the sausage log covering completely
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet
Brush with egg white and sprinkle with poppy seeds
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly
Cool before slicing