Crispy Brunch Pizza

If you are looking for something a little different for brunch, try this out. It's pretty easy to make, especially if you plan a little ahead and prepare the vegetables the night before.

Crispy Brunch Pizza

Crust
- 1 package shredded hash browns
- 1 egg beaten
- salt and pepper

Combine all above in a bowl and spread into greased 15" round pan, bake 20-30 minutes at 400 until crispy.

Topping
- 7 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup diced green pepper
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper

Scramble eggs with milk, cook in a greased pan until almost set. Stir in all vegetables and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over crust, top with remaining cheese.

Bake 10 minutes until eggs are fully set and cheese is melted.

Thai Noodle Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

Ask and you shall receive. :)

I love it when someone asks me for a recipe to make something that I've never attempted at home. Something that I really love and will order in a restaurant given the chance. This is one of those somethings.

I started the hunt for a recipe a few days back and it took me a while to find one that I deemed worth trying, with the obligatory changes and substitutes, of course. This is what I made for dinner tonight, and everyone ate it....even AJ. And that kid, well, let's just say not much goes in there.

I'm getting pretty good at this stuff.

This recipe is a vegetarian one, but can be modified to add chicken or shrimp if you would like.

I make dinners in larger portions than most families would probably need, mostly because of the fact that I have more kids. If you make this according to the list below and have a family of 4, you will most likely have a decent amount of leftovers. (that is, unless you have teenagers) Feel free to halve it or tweak it as you see fit.

Thai Noodle Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce
- 1 box thai style rice noodles, boil until cooked, drain and set aside.
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- dash red pepper flakes (add more if you want it spicy)
- 4 tbsp sherry cooking wine

Dissolve cornstarch into broth completely, then add all other ingredients except sherry. Whisk together and heat until boiling. Reduce and stir until thickened, adding sherry at the end. Keep warm until vegetables are done.

- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 broccoli crowns, chopped
- 2 cups chopped carrot (about one large)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup sugar snap peas

Heat oil, adding garlic and onion. Stir fry until onion is transparent. Add other vegetables, cover and steam until cooked through. (If you choose to add chicken or shrimp, cook separately then add just at the end)

Toss noodles, vegetables and sauce together.

Biscuits & Gravy

Here is a great, quick recipe for biscuits and gravy. The trick with the gravy is patience. And stirring. A lot of stirring.

Biscuits
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 to 1 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients, then cut in shortening. Add milk a little at a time until dough forms. Toss until it isn't sticky anymore, then roll out until 1/2 inch thick. Cut with round floured cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 450 for 8-12 minutes.

Gravy
- 1 lb ground pork sausage (I used light)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 6 tbsp flour
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper

Brown sausage, then add butter. Sprinkle flour over the top, mixing in evenly, then add milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce and cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. It will thicken on it's own while cooking, and more as it cools.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

I found a recipe for these and tweaked it a little. Mostly because I realized after I mashed the bananas that I didn't have enough sugar to satisfy what the recipe called for. So I changed it up a little, and they came out good. No one even noticed that there wasn't as much sugar in them as there was supposed to be. Bonus!

These were a huge hit for breakfast this morning, and are full of good things. Shhh, just don't tell your kids these are good for them and they will eat them all up. ;)

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

- 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- dash salt
- 3 ripe mashed bananas
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup chocolate chips

Blend butter with sugar in one bowl, add bananas, milk and eggs. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl, then add to banana mixture a little at a time. Fold in chocolate chips at the end.

Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray, spoon batter into cups. Makes about 24 muffins.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Cool completely, store covered at room temperature. Can freeze, just wrap tightly.