Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Posted on by March 25, 2024

3/23/2024 – Made for the Fellowship Sunday School class at Christ United. Inspired by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. This dish was very good and well-liked by many.

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 ounces of breakfast sausage.
  • 1 cup small diced multicolor sweet peppers. Mell called for Bell Peppers.
  • 1 cup small diced yellow onion
  • 8 large eggs – See Next Time below.
  • 1 cup half an half milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ~1 teaspoon salt
  • enough fresh-ground black pepper
  • 24 ounces frozen tater tots but only use enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • Chopped green onion or chives, for garnish
  • Sour cream and salsa, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Remove the sour cream from the refrigerator ahead of time to warm up some so it will blend into the milk. Then add the eggs.
  • Whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  • Brown the sausage, peppers, and onions, crumbling the sausage into small pieces as it cooks, until it is no longer pink and cooked through and the veggies are tender. Drain the grease.
  • Spray PAM in a 9×13-inch Pyrex casserole dish. Place the tater tots in a single layer across the bottom of the pan. (Use only as many tater tots as will fit in a single layer).
  • Sprinkle sausage over the tater tots followed by the veggies. Sprinkle cheese evenly across the top.
  • Pour the egg mixture evenly over and across the top. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and baked about 45 minutes until set. To set took longer than Mel’s recipe even though it was in our convection oven.
  • Sprinkle with green onions.
  • Put into the insulated carrier and took in the SS. Cut into approximately 2.5-inch squares and served about an hour after removal from the oven and it was still hot. It cut better after it had rested and set more firmly.

Next time:

  • Chopped ham or cooked bacon would work great, too, in place of the sausage or in addition to the sausage.
  • Add jalapenos depending on the crowd. Cilantro could also be interesting.
  • Substitute shredded hash brown potatoes as the tater tots were large chunks of potato.
  • The tater tots needed to be seasoned as the chucks were a bit bland. Salt and fine ground pepper would have helped and clung to the rough exterior.
  • Alternatively, to help the tots break down use 2 additional eggs to add to the moisture that soaks in overnight. The sausage and veggies were protruding from the sauce a bit much and could have been more covered.
  • This cook used Rouces store-brand sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack shredded cheese. The cheese flavors were mild and could be improved.
  • Given it was not set after the original recipes time ran out, and once it did the edges seemed not as moist, take it out of the refrigerator ahead of time to warm up some to allow it to cook more evenly.
  • Serve with something other than the small triangular cake/pie spatula as some of the class embers had trouble keeping the large high square on the narrow pointed spatula until over the paper plate.

Pastrami from Store-Bought Corned Beef

Posted on by April 19, 2024

3/17/2024 – St. Patrick’s Day

This smoke is cheating as we did not corn the brisket but bought a 2.66 lb. Murphy and David’s Corned Beef Brisket at Rouces. The piece selected appeared flat in the package and without muscle seams. Once opened it was a very clean, square piece of the brisket flat. This cook turned out great.

  1. Preheated the Recteq to 225° with Master Blend Pellets.
  2. Washed off the red basting liquid from the package and let drain, then used a paper towel to remove most of the water.
  3. Seasoned moderately with 6POGS and heavily with fresh ground coriander seed.

Mediterranean Chicken Recipe

Posted on by April 20, 2024

3/2/2024 – This was the first time we made this recipe inspired by Suzy here. It was very good and has a lot of potential for mods based on what is on hand. The leftovers were even better.

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 minced garlic cloves
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided
  • 2 tablespoons EVO
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped to ¼ inch.
  • 1 large can of Marzano tomatoes. She called for 4 small tomatoes, diced, about 1 ½ cups.
  • ¼ cup capers or she said to use sliced green olives.
  • Crumbled feta cheese to garnish

Instructions 

  • Dry brined the skinless thighs two hours ahead.
  • Rub the garlic on both sides of the chicken, pushing some garlic into slits made with a knife. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with our Mediterranean Grilling Rub, blend no. 4.
  • In the large Calphalon skillet, heat the olive oil and sear the chicken on both sides. Then add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Then simmer to reduce by half.
  • Add the lemon juice and chicken broth. Sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon of oregano on top and turn the heat to medium. Cover with the lid. Cook, turning the chicken over until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Top with chopped onions, tomatoes and olives. Cover again and cook for 3 minutes. Finish with feta cheese (if using).

Suzy suggested adding chopped spinach.

Pork Chops Seared on the Recteq

Posted on by July 15, 2024

2/22/2024 – Seared five ½-inch thick, large bone-in pork chops on the Recteq Searing Grates. They turned out good.

  • Preheated recteq to 400ºF with a Sear Kit on the right side of the grill.
  • The chops had been dry brined several days ago. Seasoned them with 6POGS on one side and Creole Seasoning on the other.
  • Sear pork chop for 10 minutes per side.
  • Allowed to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Next Time – Preheat to 450 for thin chops and let it go for 10 minutes or more once it reaches temp to be sure the grates are also hot so there are darker sear marks as opposed to indentions with little color.

This follows a Recteq recipe for “thick” chops where the smoker was preheated to 500° and grilled on each side for 6 minutes each to an IT of 140°.

Greek Roasted Chicken on the Recteq

Posted on by February 13, 2024

2/13/2024 – This quick smoke turned out very moist and flavorful. Used it first for lunch today in wraps with cilantro, red onion, fresh tomato, and sriracha. It was great as were the warmed-up leftovers.

  1. Thawed a whole chicken and spatchcocked it.
  2. Preheated Recteq to 325?.
  3. Seasoned the outside of the chicken and under the skin with a Greek Seasoning blend from the Spice Sage, Za’atar and Ladolemono (Greek Salad Dressing by TheMediteraneanDish.com)
  4. Placed on the Recteq and cooked for about an hour until 165° in the breast. Covered with foil and allowed the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Try this with our Mediterranean Seasoning Blend.

Rump Roast Recipe

Posted on by February 14, 2025

2/4/2024, 2/27/2024, & 2/13/2025 – The roast was great, simple, and quick to get into the oven. It also cooked quickly. The cook was inspired by the recipe by Juliea Huffaker here. On 2/27/2024, Mary tweaked Juliea’s recipe and those adjustments are included below.

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pound boneless beef rump roast.
  • Rub
    • 2 tablespoons EVOO
    • 1 tablespoon Salt
    • One TBS fresh ground black pepper
    • 3-4 teaspoons granulated garlic
    • 2 teaspoons onion powder
    • 1-2 tsp dried thyme & 2 tbsp fresh rosemary minced
  • One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Enough garlic cut into slices to be inserted deeply into knife slots in the roast
  • 1 onion chopped into long thin slices and caramelized.
  • Red pepper flakes from our garden-grown cayenne peppers

Instructions

  1. Mix Rub ingredients to make a seasoning paste.
  2. The day before, salt the roast to dry brine.
  3. Pierce the roast with a paring-style knife and insert slivers of garlic about 2″ on center, all over. Push the garlic in deep so it does not pop out while roasting.
  4. Remove meat from the fridge and let sit covered on the counter for at least ½-1 hour to get closer to room temperature.
  5. Rub the roast with the seasoning paste so it is well coated with the paste.
  6. Preheat your convection oven to 425°F.
  7. Sear the roast with EVOO in the hot cast iron pan. Set aside.
  8. Caramelize the onion with red pepper flakes in the EVOO in the same skillet, until lightly wilted. Move to a bowl.
  9. Pour into the skillet: 1 cup beef broth and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce that have been mixed together.
  10. Place the seared and seasoned rump roast back into the hot skillet and place into the preheated 425°F convection oven.
  11. Roast for 20 minutes at 425°F.
  12. Add the caramelized onion with red pepper flakes on top and around the roast.
  13. Turn the temperature down to 225°F and slow roast to 135° IT.
  14. Insert oven’s temperature probe into the meat and set to 135° IT.
  15. Remove the roast, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing thin and across the grain.

Greek Chicken

Posted on by April 27, 2026

1/13/2024 – This dish turned out great and will be one we make again more than once. It was inspired by a recipe by Suzy at MediterraneanDish.com here.

Note: We dry-brined the boneless/skinless thighs 24 hours before this cook.

Ingredients

For Greek Salad Dressing aka The Ladolemono (how to pronounce)

  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice Juice of 2 large lemons
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

For The Chicken And Veggies

  • 1 large red onion, halved and sliced into ½ -inch pieces
  • 1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced into ½-inch pieces (half moons)
  • 1 large orange bell pepper, cored and sliced into ½-inch thick slices
  • 1 large tomato, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 yellow squash
  • fresh green beans
  • Kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 6 large boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled roughly
  • ¼ cup of our homemade Italian Seasonings.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Mix the lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper and whisk vigorously to combine. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until emulsified.
  3. In a bowl drizzle about half of the dressing on the veggies and stir to coat. The coating will be light as there is not that much dressing.
  4. On a large sheet pan, spread the onions, zucchini, squash, and green beans. Season well with salt and pepper, then spread the vegetables out so they are all touching the surface of the pan.
  5. Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and our homemade Italian Seasonings. Nestle the chicken, olives, and chunks of feta in between the vegetables and drizzle with the remaining sauce, making sure the chicken especially is covered with the sauce.
  6. Bake on the center rack of your heated oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes.
  7. Finish and serve. Remove from the oven, plate, and spoon the pan juice over the chicken.

Greek Salad Dressing – Ladolemono

Posted on by June 7, 2024

January 2024 – From TheMediterraneanDish.com

This basic homemade Greek dressing or sauce is made up of a few key ingredients: lemon juice and olive oil, with garlic and dried oregano, whisked together until emulsified. The basic ratio to make ladolemono is 1:3–one part lemon juice to three part excellent extra virgin olive oil. But, you can add a little bit more for flavor–I like to use a pinch of dry oregano and minced garlic. – Suzy

  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice Juice of 2 large lemons
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

How to Pronounce? Click here.

Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef and Veggies

Posted on by January 6, 2024

1/5/2024 – This turned out great and was inspired by a recipe on Facebook.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cups cabbage, chopped
1 cup green beans, cut in half
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 qt. homegrown and canned tomatoes
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
3 cloves minced garlic
1 Box (2 lbs) of Swanson’s Beef Broth
Jasmine rice

Instructions:

  1. Cook ground beef until done and place in the slow cooker.
  2. Place in all the vegetables, and top with the stock, and tomatoes.
  3. Add the spices, cover and simmer.
  4. Serve over rice

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Bacon, & Pecans

Posted on by January 7, 2024

This was a great dish that was very flavorful. It was inspired by the recipe at https://juliasalbum.com/brussels-sprouts-and-bacon/

Ingredients

  • 12 oz Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped
  • 1 cup pecans
  • ½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt, and toss to combine.
  4. Place Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet cut side down.
  5. Roast in the oven at 400 F for about 25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be partially charred but not blackened.
  6. While the sprouts are roasting, fry the bacon to crispy then chop it into ½-inch pieces.

Toast Pecans

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add pecans in one layer.
Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color and begin to smell good.

Prepare Dried Cranberries

Briefly soak the dried cranberries in hot water. 1. Bring a small pot of water to boil. 2. Add dried cranberries to a medium bowl. Pour hot water over the cranberries and soak them for about 10 minutes says the original recipe but that turned ours too soft. Should have been 3 minutes or less. Drain.

Assembly

In a large bowl, toss everything together. The olive oil from Brussels sprouts and fats from bacon should be enough to coat the ingredients. If not then add EVOO.