Overnight French Toast (or is this Bread Pudding?)

Oh, yum. Slow Cooker Heaven

Overnight French Toast (or is this Bread Pudding?)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3-4 hours on high/6-8 hours on low
Serves: 8

Ingredients: 1 loaf (16 ounces/454 gr) of cinnamon swirl bread, cubed
6 large eggs
2 cups (475 mL) of half and half milk
1 cup (240 mL) of heavy cream
1/4 cup (50 gr) brown sugar (I used half of this the bread already has sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons of rum (optional)
3/4 cups (110 gr) of coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cups (110 gr) raisins
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Procedure:
Cube the bread and leave it out overnight so it goes stale.

Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray and place the bread in it, covering its base. 

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, the half and half, the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and rum (if you choose to use it). Whisk together and pour mixture over the bread cubes, making sure they're completely covered.

Sprinkle the walnuts and raisins over the mixture and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

TIP: Substitute the raisins and chopped walnuts for chocolate chips or serve with maple syrup, a little bit of cream cheese and a side of fresh fruit. 

This is also insanely good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of dulce de leche as a dessert.

Tina Shonk's Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

I can't wait to try this!  Perfect fall weather dinner for when I'm out doing yard work.

Tina Shonk's Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients :
1 24 ounce package – frozen egg noodles
2 – 14.7 oz cans – cream of chicken soup – sometimes I use 1 can chicken and 1 can cream of celery
1 stick (1/2) cup butter – cut into pieces
1 – 32 oz chicken broth – may want extra to thin out, if too thick. The frozen noodles thicken the broth
mixed vegetables – optional
Chicken bouillon to taste – optional – I add about a teaspoon of better than bouillion chicken flavored paste – for a richer chicken flavor
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4 large
salt & pepper to taste – can add some parsley too if desire


Procedure:
Salt & pepper chicken breasts and place in the bottom of crock pot. 

Spoon soup over the chicken. (I whisk the bouillon with the broth and pour over soup.)

Cut butter into several pats and place pieces evenly over soup.

Place lid on pot and turn to low. Cook for 6 hours.

Remove chicken and tear into pieces. Add back to pot.

Now add noodles and if adding veggies add now. Cook for another 2 hours or until noodles are desired tenderness. I stir a few times during last 2 hours. ( You may want to add more broth to thin out at the end of cooking, as the home made noodles thicken the broth, which we like. )

Sprinkle with parsley and mix in, if using at the end of cooking.

Salt & pepper if needed and Serve. Yum!

Thanks, Tina!!!!!

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Nights are getting colder, leaves are falling - it's time for soup!!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound store-bought gnocchi
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, finely chopped or julienned
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 sprigs rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 3/4 cups heavy cream (you can also use light - just as good!)
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated, divided
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


Procedure:

Cook gnocchi according to packaging directions. 

Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and saute onion and carrots until softened, but not browned. 5-7 minutes.

 
Add minced garlic during the last 2 minutes and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant. 

Season with salt and pepper and rosemary, and add chicken. 

Cook until chicken is lightly browned and coated in cooking juices. 

Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, and stir together, then pour in cream. 

Reduce stovetop heat to medium-low and stir in parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in nutmeg and let simmer for several minutes, or until thickened. 

Add gnocchi and spinach to the mixture and cook until warmed through and coated in sauce. 

Remove rosemary sprigs and serve immediately, garnished with more cheese.

This one screams for warm cheesy garlic bread and a nice bottle of wine!

Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Carbonara

This one will never fly - Carlene doesn't do asparagus.  But it's one of my favorite veggies.  And, since I've never met a pasta I didn't like, I know this one is a winner.  

Carbonara is always yummy!  (In fact, it was a regular veggie-less carbonara that inspired the cartoons on the title page of the Three Giraffes sniffing the air at the farm!!!)

Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Carbonara

Ingredients:
1-½ pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound dry spaghetti
4 large eggs
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Parmesan, grated
Freshly cracked black pepper
Sea salt, to taste

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).

Place the asparagus and mushrooms on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss gently to evenly coat.

Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables start to caramelize, stirring halfway.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, add the bacon to a large sauté pan and cook over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crispy, and most of the fat has rendered off. Turn off the heat and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan and a generous amount of the fresh cracked pepper until well-combined.

Return the sauté pan to medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid to the sauté pan. Toss in the spaghetti and heat for a few minutes until the bubbling has subsided and much of the water has evaporated.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture to the pasta while quickly stirring. Continue stirring until the egg mixture has thickened, adding additional cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick.

Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste. Gently toss the spaghetti with the roasted asparagus and mushrooms, and serve immediately. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe from "TipHero"

PUMPKIN CHIA OVERNIGHT OATS

PUMPKIN CHIA OVERNIGHT OATS

Pumpkin Chia Overnight Oats are creamy overnight oats with chia seeds to make them even more nutritious! They're the perfect healthy, grab 'n go breakfast!
Author: Flavor the Moments

INGREDIENTS
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2½ cups milk of your choice (I used almond milk)
½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup*
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the oats and chia seeds in a large bowl and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the wet ingredients to the oat mixture and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Serve with add-ins such chocolate chips, toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds, or coconut flakes and enjoy!

NOTES
*Maple syrup may be substituted with the sweetener of your choice.
For a perfect grab 'n go breakfast, divide into glass jars or tupperware and store in the refrigerator.
Recipe by Flavor the Moments.

10-Minute Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

10-Minute Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

Makes 12 energy bites

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
¼ cup coconut butter
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 small pinch of sea salt

Preparation

1. Start by adding the peanut butter and coconut butter to a saucepan on low heat, and stir until melted. Set aside.

2. Next, add the rolled oats and chopped walnuts to the base of a food processor, and process until finely ground. Add in the peanut butter mixture and the remaining ingredients, and pulse until super smooth.

3. Roll the dough into balls and place in a glass freezer-safe container.

4. Freeze for 15 minutes before serving, and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

Slow Cooker Garlic Ale Beef Sliders

This looks really good. I may have to watch a game this weekend if I want to be able to talk to my friends again, so THIS is going to have to be game-day food!!

Slow Cooker Garlic Ale Beef Sliders

Ingredients:
1 three-pound beef chuck roast
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 garlic cloves
1 red onion, sliced
1 cup Italian dressing
1 cup beer (use your favorite!)
2 bay leaves
Hawaiian slider buns
Sliced Colby-Jack Cheese

Procedure:
Place the chuck roast into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle the roast with the salt and pepper. Place the garlic cloves on top of the roast. Add the red onion, then pour over the Italian dressing and beer. Place the bay leaves on top.

Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8-10. Don’t open the lid during the cooking time.

Discard bay leaves and shred the meat with 2 forks, smash the garlic with the back of a fork and stir the garlic into the shredded meat. Discard any fat, and drain off the grease. Serve the shredded meat on Hawaiian slider buns with the Colby-Jack Cheese. Melt the cheese under the broiler in the oven if desired. Enjoy!