A Busy Day Cooking

Starting around 6am this morning, I've spent most of day in the kitchen. Our Sunday School class has set up a rotation schedule for regular attenders to provide breakfast. Some mornings, it's all I can do to get myself out the door, much less worry about eating, so I really appreciate the breakfast waiting for me at Sunday School. It varies each week from donuts to a wide variety of casseroles.

This morning was our scheduled Sunday for breakfast (actually just mine...let's face it my husband can't boil water) and I've brought donuts the last few times, so I thought I'd better cook today. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't think anyone has taken offense to my store bought, rather than home-cooked, breakfast. I'm the one with the hang-up. It would really bother me to buy something month after month instead of cooking it myself....I am a stay-at-home mom, after all. People might start to wonder what I do all day!

In addition to our morning fare, I also agreed to bring dinner to a couple in our class who was recently blessed with a new baby girl. This arrangement was made complete with ulterior motives, however. I get to hold a baby! I can't wait for them to meet me at the door, take the food out of my hands, and hand over the baby. That is, of course, unless she's one of those new moms who doesn't let anyone hold the baby for the first month or something crazy like that. I have 4 kids for Pete's sake...that should grant me holding rights on newborns. Right??

Anyway...here are the recipes of what I've been cooking up today. Hope you like them!

(Both of the following recipes are variations of recipes found on allrecipes.com.)
Breakfast:

Cream Cheese Danish Squares

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8oz) pkgs. cream cheese - softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent rolls in pan. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down. Pour the melted butter over the entire pan. (It looks like too much, just trust me!) Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and all butter is absorbed. Top will be crispy.

Variation - Before adding the final layer of crescent rolls, spoon on a layer of your favorite fruit preserves. Also, you could skip the butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture all together. Instead bake without, and make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle on glaze after they have slightly cooled.

(These things are sooo delicious, you need to go to church because the guilt will be more than you can handle.)

I also served the following:

Grits and Sausage Casserole

1 lb bulk sausage (I used turkey)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 cup quick cooking grits
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I used a blend of cheddar and M. Jack)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter

Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust salt. Remove from heat when grits are tender. Stir a small amount of hot grits into the eggs to temper them; return to saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the sausage, cheese, milk and butter, stirring until all is well blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top begins to turn brown.


Dinner for the new parents:
Mixed Green Salad
Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan
Garlic Bread
Banana Pudding

The Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan is a new recipe from a cookbook I got for Christmas. If it's a hit, I'll post that tomorrow. I've already prepared the salad, and banana pudding; now I need to make the bread and pasta. Oh yeah, and clean the royal mess I've made in the kitchen.

Wish me luck!