Tahoe Brunch

This recipe was submitted by Marny

Serves 8-10 (or more).
Must be put together, but not baked, 24 hours before.

14-15 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
3-4 Tbs. softened butter
6 eggs
½ cup butter
2 ¾ cups milk
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
3 Tbs. yellow mustard plus 1 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup chopped onions
¾ tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
1 ½ lbs. mild Italian sausage
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Butter bread with softened butter and set aside.
In a skillet melt the ½ cup butter and cook the mushrooms and onions over medium heat
until tender (about 5-8 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook the sausage and cut into bite-sized pieces. You can cook the sausage however you
like (either break it up while browning it in a skillet OR put links in skillet with
water and steam it about 15 minutes and then slice).
Assemble as follows in a greased 9 X 13 casserole dish:
½ bread, then ½ mushroom and onion mixture, then ½ cooked sausage and then ½ grated
cheese. Repeat to make a second layer.
In a medium bowl mix eggs, milk, both mustards, nutmeg (optional: I don't usually
put nutmeg in), 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper until blended. Pour it slowly over the
ingredients in the casserole, letting it soak in.
Cover and refrigerate.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 350º, sprinkle the parsley over the top and bake
uncovered for 1 hour or until set and bubbly (could take 5-10 minutes more). Let sit for
a few minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!

Tuscan Inn House Salad

This recipe was submitted by Marny

Tuscan Inn House Salad with Cabernet Vinaigrette

Salad:
Red Leaf lettuce or mixed greens
Red onion, very thinly sliced
Pine nuts
Golden raisins
Slice tomato
Slice cucumber
Crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Cabernet Vinaigrette Dressing:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cabernet sauvignon vinegar
½ tsp oregano
One clove minced garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 to 2 tsp of raw sugar or honey

Make salads. Combine dressing ingredients and shake well to emulsify. Pour over salad
when ready to serve.

Smoothies the easy way

Maybe this isn't even technically a smoothie but we know that it is both healthier and easier. Simply take pure fruit and blend it or if it is fruit with less juice, food process it. If it is too thick, add a liquid- probably juice, even though juice isn't very healthy. Instead, you might try thinking of a different fruit combination that will have more liquid, or think of a combination that would work with plain yogurt. That is it!

Summary: Take fruit and blend it, done!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
½ cup pumpkin
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 pkg active dry yeast (1 tsp)
1 cup flour
1 cup bread flour

Filling:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter (melted)
Chopped pecans

Warm milk, add sugar, add yeast. 10 min.

Melt butter, add everything else.

Let double in size.

Punch dough, turn onto floured surface.

Roll in filling, slice into rolls. Cover and let rise. Bake at 350 F, 20 minutes

Almond Cake

This recipe comes from Chris who lives in San Diego, CA

3 cups flour, all-purpose
2 ¾ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons poppy seeds (or raisins)
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 teaspoons almond extract
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 ½ cups vegetable oil

Blend together in one bowl
Turn into 2 greased loaf pans or one 13 x 9” pan.
Bake approximately 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. A toothpick inserted in center and coming out clean indicates cake is done.

Glaze: Warm in microwave or saucepan. Brush on cake while warm.
½ cup orange juice
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract

Carrot Pumpkin Soup

1. In a larger pot cook 5 carrots, 1 apple and a bunch of pumpkin (or use two 15 oz cans of pumpkin)
2. When it is all cooked, let it cool for 15 minutes, then food process it. Now you have a soup base which you can freeze and save for later.
3. When you are ready to make your soup, mix in a can of cream of chicken soup (we like to use the low sodium kind). If you are using the whole pot of soup base, mix in two of the normal sized cans. Make sure to also add either water or milk until your soup is to a consistency you like.
4. Now add whatever you would like. Noodles, dumplings, vegetables, chicken. Whatever you are in the mood for that day. We have even made chili with this base- yes, I know, unique! but, it wasn't bad. I would probably not do it again though. Stick with the noodles, dumplings, vegetables, and meat.

Quick Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

A while ago I grew to like those 33 cent white pizza dough pouches you can buy at most grocery stores. The crust takes about 15 minutes total to make. The problem was that it wasn't very healthy. So... I decided to create a recipe for a whole wheat version (or as much wheat as I could stand). This is hearty!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (Quick)

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Bread Flour (you could use All Purpose Flour)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking powder

1 Tablespoon Ground flax (optional)

1 Tablespoon Granulated sugar

1 teaspoon Baking soda

1 teaspoon Quick rise yeast

1 teaspoon Canola or Olive oil

2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons hot water

Turn oven to 350 F.

Put hot water, yeast, and oil into a bowl and mix around.

In a separate bowl put all of the dry ingredients and mix them together.

Pour the water mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until it is combined. This dough should be sticky but not wet. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. In the mean time, cover a cookie sheet with a thin layer of corn meal. After the 5 minutes are up, uncover the dough, sprinkle a bit of flour on it, and remove from the bowl and place onto the cookie sheet on top of the corn meal. The dough will be pretty sticky. Use flour as necessary to keep your fingers from sticking to the dough and spread it out into whatever pizza shape you want. When you are finished, let this dough sit for 10 minutes. In the mean time you can get your pizza toppings ready. When it has sat for 10 minutes, put in the oven and cook for about 13 minutes. Take the crust out, put your toppings on, and continue cooking the pizza until the toppings are cooked and melted however you prefer. Enjoy your home made pizza!

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