Wake up call -- Cream Cheese Biscuits and Breakfast Casserole

I admit it, I have the summer blahs...wait. It isn't even Summer yet.

I have been a lazy blogger since I got back from Portugal, and for that I apologize. Thing is, I'm have a lazy time down here in Tampa, and I'm not really doing that much worth blogging about! Right now, I'm watching our pet gecko, Gordon, do push-ups on our patio...Randy is great about letting me rest when I don't have anything to do. We're going to be busy Friday and Saturday, and I have to head home briefly on Wednesday. But we're enjoying living under the same roof, even if all I have been doing is watching reruns of The Family Guy and Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Seriously, I had a horrible case of bronchitis last week (which I'm finally over) and Monday I got horribly glutened at Longhorn (AFTER ordering off the GF Menu!) I need to dash off another nasty note to Longhorn, but they really don't seem to care. I won't be dining there again, that's for sure. I still don't know what did it. Between the two issues, I've mostly been sleeping a lot since I got here.

I did come up with two new recipes over the weekend, while we were in St. Augustine at World Golf Village, so that is worth sharing. One is for a breakfast casserole (I figured something out about those with GF bread) and I came up with a new Cream Cheese Drop Biscuit.

Recipe One: The theory behind an Overnight GF Breakfast Casserole:

I love breakfast casseroles, but I have always followed a recipe for it. But this weekend, I finally figured out the size equation for a good breakfast casserole. So Stevie, you might like this for your upcoming brunch!

Per person you need:
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk (any fat percent, and can use rice or almond if necessary)
The equivalent of one generous slice of GF bread. (if you're not GF, use a big slice of stale regular bread, or half a bagel or croissant).
1/4 cup meat and cheese (or mushrooms, or your choice fillings)
1/16th t. salt and pepper (for one, it's a dash -- for four, it's 1/2 t.)
1/8 t. ground mustard powder (totally optional)

I made a GREAT casserole from 1 1/2 Glutino poppy seed bagels (Each half is like two slices of bread -- they're HUGE bagels and have 210 calories per half slice), six eggs, a cup and a half of two percent milk, and a cup and a half of mixed cheddar, parmesan, and diced ham. Everyone had two servings. So thus my math.

Directions:

In the blender, mix the milk, eggs, salt, pepper and mustard until they're thick and lemon colored and creamy).

In a greased casserole dish (I used one that was about 8 by 10 or so) mix thoroughly the TORN UP INTO CUBES bread, cheese, and meat (if I'd had mushrooms, I'd have added them). Pour liquid on top and press down on bread so it soaks up the liquid. If you can, cover with plastic wrap and weight the top so the mixture will absorb. Refrigerate over night.

The next morning, preheat to 350 degrees and place casserole on counter. When oven is hot, place casserole in oven and bake from 30-40 minutes (for four portions), or until a knife inserted in the center comes out fairly clean (suggest you start watching it at about 35 minutes, but it will have puffed and will be golden. But it could take up to 50 minutes as the casserole gets larger.)

Cream Cheese Drop Biscuits

I usually make drop biscuits with cottage cheese, but these were better. I think these could be good Scones, too, because they have a different consistency. I split the remaining biscuits and filled them with half a grilled chicken breast for breakfast.

2 cups of GF baking and pancake mix (I used the Whole Foods 365 brand, but Pamela's would work well here too.) Non-GF folks? Bisquick...Jiffy mix?
1 small tub light cream cheese, softened on the counter or in the microwave. (If Randy weren't eating them, I'd make them with chives.)
1/2 cup softened margarine of your choice or butter
About a half cup of milk (can use any kind, but I used 2 percent)

Put baking mix in bowl and add stir in cream cheese or margarine. You can do this with a spoon, or with a mixer. There is no difference. It will be thick.

Add milk until you have the batter the consistency of thick oatmeal.

Drop by rounded tablespoons full (heaping) on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 14 minutes or until a knife inserted in a biscuit comes out clean and the tops are lightly browned. Makes 8 large biscuits (or 10 medium, or 12 small).

Cheddar bay (Red Lobster) Adaptation:
Add one cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb in the finished biscuits. When they come out of the over, brush them with melter butter before serving.

These biscuits have a very delicate crumb and are very moist. They reheated well as Chicken Biscuits Sunday morning. And I was feeding two non-GF people with them!

I'm going to try to get back on here in a couple of days with some new product alerts/reviews. Unless I sleep til Friday...

Much love, and pass the biscuits!
Ging