Hawaiian Haystacks

This is a repost on this blog - a family favorite that desperately needed a photo upgrade.
This is the perfect dish for feeding a LOT of people, but still letting everyone pick and choose what they like.  I love the different colors, textures and flavors.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Rice, cooked

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 soup can milk

2 small chicken breasts, cubed

1/4 tsp. ground fennel seed

1/2 tsp. cumin OR curry

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

Cheese
Red/Green Onions

Bell Peppers

Tomatoes

Celery 

Olives

Coconut

Pineapple Tidbits

Slivered Almonds

Chow Mein Noodles

In saucepan, combine soup, milk, chicken and spices - heat through.

Serve sauce over rice.

Top with desired toppings.

Cranberry Bars

This tasty torte comes from Lottie + Doof, and is a perfect solution for breakfast or an afternoon snack.  I ended up cutting out half of the sugar called for in the original recipe, and even still, find this pleasantly sweet.
 

Cranberry Bars

Recipe modified from Lottie+Doof

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

generous pinch of salt

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1/2 c. sugar, plus 1 Tbsp. for topping

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 drops almond extract

1 heaping c. fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, and then add the almond extract.

Add the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

Spread batter into greased 9x9" dish, or a 9" springform pan.

Arrange the cranberries on top of the batter in a single layer, and sprinkle with remaining Tbsp. of sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean and top is golden brown.

Stores up to 4 days at room temperature.

Crusty Bread {No Knead}

Every person in the world should have this recipe!  Not only is it just 4 ingredients, but it doesn't require any special equipment; no wheat grinder, bread maker, mixer, or even a bread pan.  Easily the best starting point for anyone who is intimidated or scared of making their own bread.  This recipe is basically fool proof, yet so so delicious.  The perfect artisan bread; we love serving ours with soup.

Crusty Bread

Recipe from Simply So Good
6 c. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. dry yeast (or 1/3 c. natural yeast)
3 c. water, room temperature

In a large bowl mix flour, salt and yeast together (if using natural yeast, wait to add that with the water).
Pour water into bowl and mix with a spatula until well incorporated.

Lightly cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for 12-18 hours.
After dough has risen for 12-18 hours, it should be doubled in size, wet looking, and have lots of bubbles.
After dough has risen, put a cast iron pot or a regular pan, including the lid, in the oven while you preheat it to 450 degrees.
You will need to bake each loaf of bread in a separate pan, so you can either preheat two pans, or you can cook one loaf at a time in the same pan.
While preheating pan(s), heavily flour a work surface and your hands.
Gently dump your dough onto the floured surface.
Use your hands to roughly shape the dough into a ball.
Use a serrated knife to cut the ball in half.
Use your hands again to shape each half into a round, flat ball.
Remove hot pans from the oven and remove the lids.
Gently lift each ball of dough and lay it in the center of your pans - you do not need cooking spray. Place lids on the pans and return to the 450 degree oven.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
After that, remove the lids and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Omelet Rollups

This is a great alternative to individual omelets when you have a group or family to feed.  Just throw it all into a casserole dish and bake it in the oven.  This makes a limited number of eggs go a long way when it comes to feeding multiple people, and is a fun mix up from the regular breakfast.  Toppings can be swapped out for whatever you like or have on hand, so feel free to go crazy here.  If you're like us, this works great for dinner just as much as breakfast.  It goes perfectly served with a side of fresh fruit and muffins.
Most often I just leave this as an omelet casserole, but by all means, if your going for impressions, roll it up!

Omelet Rollups

Recipe from Favorite Family Recipes

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. flour

6 eggs

salt and pepper, to taste

1 c. shredded cheese of choice

Toppings of choice:

bacon, ham, sausage

tomatoes

green onions

bell peppers

spinach

avocado

sour cream, salsa

Whisk together milk and flour.

Add eggs, salt and pepper and beat until well combined.

Pour into greased 9x13" casserole dish.

Bake at 450 degrees for 6-7 minutes, or until there are no more runny spots.

Top with cheese and toppings.

Return to oven for 1 minute to allow cheese to melt.

Serve if using as a casserole omelet.

For Rollups:

Use a rubber spatula to loosen up the sides.

Roll from the long end for short rolls, or the short end for long rolls.

Once rolled slice into individual servings.

Top with salsa and sour cream if desired.

Sausage and Egg Stuffing Breakfast Cups

Use those extra stuffing boxes from Thanksgiving to make these quick and tasty hot breakfast cups!  If you're looking for meatless, go ahead and omit the sausage (or carnivores can easily switch it out for bacon or ham).
These work great baked in muffin cups and are perfect to grab and go, but if you'd like a little bigger portion size try a large ramekin, as pictured.  You may need to increase the cooking time based on the depth of your ramekins, so keep that in mind.

Sausage and Egg Stuffing Breakfast Cups

Recipe from The Baker Upstairs

6 eggs

2 c. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. grated cheese of choice

8 oz. sausage, cooked and crumbled (or meat of choice, or omit completely)

1/2 bell pepper, diced

1 6oz. box dry stuffing mix (Stove Top)

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and salt until well blended.

Stir in the cheese, sausage, pepper and stuffing mix until incorporated.

Scoop into greased muffin tins (18) or ramekins, filling nearly full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the middle is set and doesn't jiggle when you shake it.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is nothing worse than a hard cookie.  Soft is a must at our house, and these ones fit the bill.
Just remember the other key element; do not over bake!
Also, these can be made by hand, without a mixer or beaters, another added bonus.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter, melted

3/4 c. brown sugar, loosely packed

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (or 1 1/2 powdered eggs)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. chocolate chips or chunks

Combine flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugars, until no lumps remain.

Whisk the egg and egg yolk into butter mixture, and then add the vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula.

The dough should be very soft, but thick.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Cover dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days (this is mandatory).

Once chilled, remove from fridge and allow to soften for 10 minutes.

Using 3 Tbsp. of dough per cookie, roll into balls, making them as tall as possible, rather than wide or round.

Place on greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 11-12 minutes.

They should look soft and under-baked, but will continue to cook while on the sheet.

Leave cookies on sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glace Icing

This glace icing is a fun alternative to your everyday sugar cookie topping, or if you're just looking for something different.  A little more work in my opinion, but I love the smooth finish it gives, and it is the best way to stack and store these for taking them to a party or gift giving.

Glace Icing
Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 lb. powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 c.)
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. almond extract (or flavor of choice)

Whisk sugar and milk until completely smooth and lump free.
Stir in honey and extract.
Separate into bowls to add coloring, optional.

Cookies can be "flooded" by dumping icing in the middle and spreading it around to the edges.
OR
Thicken the icing by adding additional powdered sugar, and pipe with a frosting bag.
Let icing harden completely (preferably overnight), before stacking.