Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion minced

2 tablespoon flour

1 cup light cream

2 cups milk

5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chopped cooked ham

1 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 -3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 2 quart baking dish.

Add butter to medium heat pan, then add minced onion and saute until translucent. Add 1 tablespoon flour to onions and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. In medium sized pot add cream, milk, salt and pepper cook till milk comes to a simmer. Add potatoes and more milk if necessary to cover potatoes completely. Bring milk back up to simmer. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until fork tender. Remove from heat. Pour most of milk from boiled potatoes into pan with sauted onion. Add ham, extra sharp cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan to milk and onion mixture. Cook over medium/low heat until cheese mixture thickens. Add layer of potatoes to cover bottom of baking dish with some of the leftover cream from pot. Top potatoes with cheese mixture, and continue to layer ending with cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and parmesan before baking in oven for about 30 minutes or until top is browned and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

Pecan Pie

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup (I use KARO brand)

3 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell (Pecan pie crust recipe found on this page)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over low/medium heat melt butter (make sure not to let butter brown), mix in sugar, vanilla and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Wisk a little of the syrup mixture into the beaten eggs to temper the eggs.(Tempering the eggs is a way to combine hot liquid with eggs without cooking the eggs.) Gradually add eggs to syrup mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour pie filling into prepared pie shell and bake for one hour or until slightly firm when shaken. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

Pecan Pie Crust Recipe:

2 tablespoons finely ground pecans

1 cup flour (plus more for dusting)

pinch salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)

2 tablespoons ice water

Blend all ingredients except water until it has the consistency of course crumbs. Add enough water to help combine crumbs into dough ball. Flatten dough ball , wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before lining pie tin. Enjoy!!!

Serving suggestion: I like to serve this with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Chicken Wellington

4 skinless chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 large onion finely chopped

4 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/2 package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (1 sheet) thawed

water

1 egg beaten

Heat oven to 400 degrees. season chicken with thyme and black pepper. Heat butter and olive oil in large frypan over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan until lightly browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onion to skillet chicken was browned in. Saute onion until translucent. Add mushrooms stir and cook until tender and liquid has evaporated. In small bowl combine cream cheese and dijon mustard. Roll pastry sheet into approximately a 14 inch square. Cut pastry sheet into 4 squares. Divide mushroom mixture evenly on center of each square. Top with chicken breast brush edges with flour. Fold and press pastry sheets over chicken making sure to seal securely. Place pastry bundles seam side down on baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until pastries are golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.( These bundles are very hot out of oven.) Enjoy!!!

Serving suggestion: I like to serve this with my Risi Bisi rice recipe you can find on my blog or wild rice. Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin French Toast

Pepperidge Farm cinnamon bread

2 heaping tablespoons 100% pureed pumpkin (I also use pureed sweet potato)

2 large eggs

butter

Add butter to heated fry pan. Blend eggs with pureed pumpkin, then dip cinnamon bread in egg mixture. Add bread to heated pan. Brown on both sides then serve. (I like to add more egg mixture on each side of bread after browned to make extra thick French Toast.) Enjoy!!!!

Serving suggestion: Top with butter, syrup, powdered sugar and strawberries.

P.S. By adding pureed pumpkin to this dish it allows you to sneak a ton of vitamins into your children without them suspecting a thing.