Cheesy Chorizo & Egg Casserole
1 French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups
1 lb. Mexican Chorizo, cooked, drained
3/4 lb. Queso Blanco Velveeta® cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 package (8 ounces) Cream Cheese
2 cups milks
10 eggs
Layer half each of the bread cubes, chorizo, Velveeta and tomatoes in 9 x 13 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; repeat layers.
Microwave cream cheese in large bowl on HIGH 30 to 40 seconds or until softened; whisk until creamy. Gradually add milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking after each addition until blended. Whisk in eggs. Pour over ingredients in baking dish; cover with foil. Refrigerate over night. Heat oven to 350º. Bake casserole (covered) 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean, uncovering for the last 20 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
Traditional Greek Baklava
500 grams phyllo pastry (12 – 15 sheets)
300 grams coarsely chopped walnuts (1 1/2 cups)
200 grams fine dry bread crumbs (1/4 cup)
250 grams fresh melted butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 whole cloves for decoration
Syrup:
2 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 small lemon, juice
Mix the walnuts, bread crumbs and cinnamon. Butter the baking pan including the sides. Place 5 sheets of the phyllo on the bottom 1 by 1, buttering each individually. Cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a slightly damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
Spread 1/2 the nut filling over all the pastry. Cover the filling with another 3 sheets of phyllo pastry again buttering each as you place it. Spoon on the remaining 1/2 of the nut mixture and place another 5 sheets of phyllo pastry on again buttering each as you place them. Pat the top pastry on top and cut away any excess around the edges with a very sharp knife.
Cut the Baklava into triangle servings. Place a clove on every third piece. Bake the Baklava at 350º for 1 hour or until the pastry is golden.
Prepare the syrup by boiling the water, sugar and juice in a saucepan stirring with a whisk for about 10 minutes, then let the syrup cool. Pour the syrup onto the Baklava. When the Baklava absorbs the syrup the top layer will remain crispy.
Mini-Bacon Meatballs
2 strips bacon, diced
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a broiler pan with nonstick spray. Cook bacon in a skillet until starting to crisp, remove and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet.
Saute onion in same skillet with the drippings until softened. Add garlic to skillet; cook 1 minutes.
Combine ground meat, cooked bacon, onion mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg. Form mixtures into l-inch meatballs and place on prepared broiler pan. Bake meatballs until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Makes 28 meatballs.
Freeze: Freeze meatballs on a baking sheet then transfer to an airtight container and keep frozen until ready to use.
Use as appetizers, in soup or stroganoff.
HAPPY HOLIDAY COOKING!
