GOLDEN NUGGET BREAD PUDDING

The famous bread pudding served at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas!!!!!

16 oz. half & half.
8 oz. whipping crem.
8 eggs.
1 1/4 cups sugar.
1/4 tsp. vanilla.
4 1/2 slices white bread.
1/2 tsp. cinnamon.
1 tsp. sugar.
2 tblsp. raisins.

Mix well the half & half, whipping cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.
Arrange bread on bottom of pan.
Pour liquid over bread.
Mix cinnamon with 1 tsp. sugar and sprinkle over bread.
Spread raisins over top.
Cover with foil, bake in water bath at 400 for 75 to 90 minutes.







PASTA SALAD

1 box Rotini 3 color pasta.
brocoli florets, steamed.
green onion, chopped.
carrot slices, steamed.
black olives, chopped.
sliced ham or chicken breast, crumpled.
shrimp, small.
sliced swiss cheese, crumpled.
vinaigrette dressing.
parmesan cheese.

Cook pasta, place in caulendar, and rinse with cold water.
Steam vegetables, place in caulendar, rinse with cold water.
Mix all ingrediants, add vinaigrette dressig and toss until mixed well.
Sprinkle each serveing with parmesan cheese.
Serve wit a side dish of pickled beets, and french bread.







BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

2 cups flour.
2/3 cup sugar.
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder.
1/4 tsp. baking soda.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 cup milk.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted.
2 eggs.
1 cup fresh blueberries.

Preheat oven to 400.
Butter muffin tins or use foil muffin cups.
In a bowl stir together the dry ingrediants.
In another bowl wisk milk, eggs, and butter until smooth.
Add dry ingrediants and stir until blended.
Add blueberries and stir gently until evenly incorporated.
Spoon into muffin tins filling each cup 3/4 full.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
Cool in tins 5 minutes and serve.







ITALIAN NUT COOKIES

1/2 cup butter,softened.
1/3 cup sugar.
1/4 tsp, vanilla.
1/4 tsp. salt.
1 cup flour.
1 egg, seperated.
finely chopped pecans.
raspberry preserves, or flavor of your choice.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Stir flour and salt together.
Add to creamed mixture and stir until blended.
Take 1 tsp. dough in the palm of your hand and roil into a ball.
Dip in egg white and roll in pecans.
Place on greased cookie sheet and make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie.
Bake 25 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes.
Put a dollup of preserves in the center of each cookie.
Makes 3 dozen melt in your mouth cookies.







JELL-O CAKE

1 pkg. yellow cake mix.
1 (3 oz.) small box Jell-o, flavor of your choice.
1/2 cup vegetable oil.
4 large eggs.
1 cup cold water.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a tube cake pan or bundt cake pan.
Put all ingrediants in a mixing bowl.
Mix at low speed with electric mixer for 30 seconds.
Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour into cake pan.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes until cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean.







BISCUITS & GRAVY

1 lb sage-flavored pork sausage
¼ cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
8 tbsp all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1-2 dashes of Tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, or other hot sauce
1-2 tbsp butter or bacon grease (if needed)
6 baked biscuits.

Preheat a 4-quart saucepan over medium high heat (put a few drops of water in the pan – when they evaporate, you know the pan is ready). Crumble the sausage into the pan and let it brown for a minute or two, then turn down to medium heat. Continue cooking, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces, until no pink remains. Stir in the onions and cook until they are transparent.

Remove sausage with a slotted spatula or spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan. If less than 3 tbsp of drippings remain, add enough butter (or bacon grease) to equal about 3 tbsp of drippings. Add the cooked sausage back to the pan on medium heat, and sprinkle the flour over the sausage. Stir in the flour and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until the mixture starts bubbling and turns slightly golden brown.

Stir in nutmeg, worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce and salt – cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavors. Slowly add the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 15 minutes). Be patient, it will thicken







VEGETABLE LASAGNA

4 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 medium carrots, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
1 small sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 jars Ragu alfredo or roasted garlic parmesan sauce

The choice of vegetables is optional.
the carrots, zucchini, red pepper, mushrooms and garlic in oil until tender; set aside.
In a bowl mix the ricotta cheese, egg, sugar, and salt.
Spread 1/2 cup alfredo sauce in an ungreased 7-in. x 5-in. x 1-1/2-in. (3 cup) baking dish.
Cover bottom of dish with 2 large noodle pieces.
Layer with 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup alfredo sauce, half of the vegetables and half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat layers once, starting with the noodles.
Top with remaining noodles and sauce.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through.
Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting Serve with Alfredo sauce (optional), green salad, and garlic bread.







CREAMED SPINACH

1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 (10 ounce) boxes boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; reserve 1/2 cup liquid
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper

Combine milk, spinach liquid and garlic in a 1 quart microwave-safe measuring cup or small bowl covered with a saucer, and microwave (or heat slowly in a medium saucepan) until very hot and steamy.
Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to soften garlic.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Whisk in flour.
Add hot milk mixture all at once, then whisk until smooth.
Stir in spinach; cook until sauce is thick and bubbly and spinach is tender but still green, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cheese, nutmeg, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Serve hot.







CHICKEN MARSALA

3 or 4 chicken breasts butterflied and pounded to 1/4 inch thick.
3/4 cup flour.
1 tsp dried oregano.
1 tsp salt.
1 tsp pepper.
1/4 cup olive oil.
1/2 stick unsalted butter.
1/3 cup marsala wine.
1/4 cup sherry.
12 sliced mushrooms.

Mix flour, oregano, salt, pepper, and coat chicken breasts with flour mixture.
Heat olive oil and butter fry on high for 2 minutes each side.
Add mushrooms and wine.
Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.







SHRIMP SCAMPI

10 jumbo shrimp.
5 cloves garlic, minced.
1/2 stick unsalted butter.
2 tblsp olive oil.
1 lemon, juiced.
1 tblsp parsley, chopped.
1 tblsp green onion tops, minced (optional).
3/4 cup white wine.

Heat skillet add olive oil and heat.
Add garlic.
Add white wine and over high heat reduce by 1/2 about 4 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook about 4 to 5 minutes until shrimp are pink.
Lower heat and butter, lemon juice, and parsley.