“To Go” Breakfast Quesadillas

 

'to-go'-breakfast-quesadilla

 

For those of you who subscribe, I know you have already received a notification for one post today.  I am not a computer whiz. Far from it, so sometimes running this blog has me quite confused. I’ve been trying to make a few changes on here today. Probably nothing that you will even notice. However, to make sure that I have done everything correctly I am going to post a second recipe today.

School starts in our county on Monday. The reason I know this is because Wes has a job there this year! Those of you that have put a child through college will understand the pure joy of him having a job, making money, earning a living.  I wish I could stay young forever, with little kids forever, but that’s just not happening. College may possibly be the catalyst that parents need to push them to the point of “letting go”.  I mean, the thought of no more tuition makes me want to do a dance!! (Well, no more tuition for one child anyway.) Just knowing that he can pay for his own insurance and his own gasoline thrills me!  I could go on, but I think I’m getting a little too excited!

Here is an easy and very versatile recipe for the kiddo’s as they head back to school. Use this folding method with the ingredients you like and you’ll have a delicious and easy portable breakfast.  For convenience have a few packs of diced ham in the freezer for those rushed mornings.  You could also cook the bacon or sausage the night before and have the veggies chopped for easy a.m. preparation.  Cook the quesadillas while the kids are getting ready and keep in a warm oven.  Wrap in foil for easy traveling.

 

"To Go" Breakfast Quesadillas
 
Author:
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
  • 8 lg. eggs
  • Butter
  • 1 med. onion, finely diced
  • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled, drained OR
  • 1 lb. breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled, drained
  • 1 lb. cooked ham, cubed
  • 8-oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Salsa, if desired
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño until softened. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  2. Scramble eggs in the same skillet, set aside.
  3. Place a tortilla flat on counter. Add a little shredded cheese in the center of the tortilla. Keeping all ingredients in the center of the tortilla top with ¼ of the scrambled eggs and top with some of the onion and pepper mixture. Add crumbled meat of your choice. Top with some additional shredded cheese.
  4. Melt a pat of butter in your skillet while you assemble the quesadillas.
  5. With the tortilla in front of you, fold the bottom up over the filling to the center. Hold the folded piece in place and start working your way around the tortilla making folds around the quesadilla until you have completely covered the fillings. You will end up with a quesadilla that resembles a Taco Bell Crunch Wrap.
  6. Carefully place the quesadilla in the skillet, folded side down. Cook until lightly browned, then flip over and cook the other side until lightly browned. Serve with salsa, if desired.
Notes
Add chopped tomatoes, avocados, even cooked cubed hash browns to the filling, if desired.

 

Asparagus Roll Ups

 

asparagus-roll-ups

It’s July, and my mind has been on Christmas. So much so, that I started my Christmas shopping list last week. In recent years, it has become very short which makes it even more important that the gifts I buy are perfect. Because it’s “Christmas in July” at my house, I am sharing an excellent recipe that I tried for the first time at my families First Annual Bolton Ladies Ugly Christmas Sweater party back in December. My cousin, Nancy, brought these fabulous asparagus roll-ups to our afternoon tea menu and they were the hit of the party.

Nancy’s recipe was like so many that has been handed down through the years, no measurements. This recipe has the measurements that I used but feel free to adjust, as you like. I prefer using freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Also, roasting the asparagus was not part of the original recipe so you would be okay skipping this step if you like. I ran out of wheat bread and used a few pieces of white bread pieces, which also tasted good.

 

Asparagus Roll Ups
 
Author:
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch fresh small asparagus spears
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 4-oz. crumbled blue cheese
  • 2 - 3 tbsp. Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon (original)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
  • 16 slices whole wheat bread or honey wheat bread
  • ¼ c. unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Trim tough ends of asparagus and discard. Place asparagus on baking sheet and drizzle with a small olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in oven and roast until bring green and crisp-tender. (about 7 minutes) Remove from oven and cool completely. When cool, blot with a paper towel to remove most of olive oil. Lower oven temperature to 400°F.
  2. With an electric mixer blend cream cheese and blue cheese together. Stir in dill and bacon, set aside.
  3. Stack about 4 pieces of bread and remove crust with a serrated knife. Repeat with remaining slices of bread. With a rolling pin, flatten each slice of bread.
  4. Spread bread with a small amount of the cream cheese mixture, to cover one side. Place 3 to 4 asparagus spears, tips pointed out on the same end, on the cream cheese mixture, close to one edge. Roll up, starting with the asparagus side of the bread. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
  5. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
Freeze unbaked roll-ups in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator, and bake as directed.

 

Bacon Wrapped Brats

bacon wrapped brats

Super Bowl Sunday is February 1st and most likely you have started to make your plans.  I know that my list has been started.  You know by now that I am a planner so I make list for everything.  Occasionally, if I have an extremely busy day, I will even have a chore list for my housework.  When I run errands I have a list of each stop I need to make, in the order I need to make them, and what I need to do at each place.  I simply work better with a list. 
 
Our friends, Michelle and Jimmy are hosting the Super Bowl party this year.  The Super Bowl is always a fun time surrounded by friends, family, and food.  These brats are delicious, wrapped in bacon and grilled to perfection.  This recipe comes from the maker or our grill, Traeger.  Wesley claims that this is the best thing I’ve ever cooked.  I’m not sure what that says for my cooking, since these are so very simple, but I’ll take it as a compliment anyway.  Serve these with the traditional hot dog condiments or make this delicious mango salsa for a delicious topping.

Bacon Wrapped Brats
 
Author:
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. brats
  • 1 pkg. bacon
  • toothpicks
Instructions
  1. Heat grill to a medium-high temperature.
  2. Wrap 1 to 2 pieces of bacon around each brat, securing with toothpicks. Place on grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until brats are cooked through and bacon is cooked to your liking.
  3. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Mango Salsa
 
Author:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tbsp. chopped purple onion
  • ¼ c. chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped fine
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 pinches granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for a hours before serving.