Tasty Tuesday

Here are some recipes I'd like to share with you this week.

This French toast is great on a chilly fall morning.

Apple French Toast Casserole

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 large apples, peeled and sliced thinly
  
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 slices Italian bread, 1 inch thick
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet and add apples.
2. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Add brown sugar, water, and cinnamon and continue to cook and stir for 10 minutes until apples are tender.
4. Spoon mixture into 13x9 baking dish.
5. Cover apples with bread slices, making sure to cover the entire surface.
6. Trim the bread to fit if you must.
7. Beat eggs until foamy, then beat in milk and vanilla.
8. Pour egg mixture over the bread slices.
9. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
10. In the morning, remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it stand while oven is preheated to 375 F.
11. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until bread is golden and firm.
12. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
13. To serve on a platter, run a knife around the edges of the casserole, place platter on top of casserole, and carefully flip.
14. To serve individually, use a spatula to remove serving, place serving plate on top of serving and carefully flip so apple side is up.

I doubled this recipe and used half-and-half in place of the whipping cream. I also added in some fresh spinach that needed to be used.

Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage link, casings removed,crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, drained,coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces pasta
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced parsley
• grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
2. Add sausage and crushed red pepper.
3. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes.
4. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook until onion is tender and sausage is light brown, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, cream, and salt.
6. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
7. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and chill.).
8. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water.
9. Drain.
10. Bring sauce to a simmer.
11. Add pasta to sauce and cook until pasta is heated through and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
12. Divide pasta between plates.
13. Sprinkle with parsley.
14. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

I upped the blue cheese to 3 tablespoons and you could use even more if you really like blue cheese. The boys even liked eating this on their salad!

Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Mix all ingredients together by hand in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving.