Your Top 10 of 2011

I thought it would be fun to end off 2011 by sharing with you the top 10 recipes you guys viewed the most!
I have to say that you guys have good taste! These are pretty awesome!


10. Baked Zucchini Fries

9. Bachelor Button Cookies

8. America's Test Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies

7. Creamy Pesto Chicken

6. Carrot Cake Cupcakes

5. Old School Chocolate Chip Cookies

4. Quinoa Salad

3. Mushroom Roll Ups

2. Better Than Crack Brownies

1. Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

So there you have it, the favourites as chosen by you!
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my little blog! You guys are the best!

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 brings you much happiness and many new great recipes!

Jen

Wife Saver Breakfast Bake

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone already! WOW time is just going so fast.

I wanted to share this recipe with you before the Christmas but I ran out of time.

We used to eat this make ahead breakfast dish for Christmas Day breakfast when I was growing up.

It is great because you can make it the day before, stash it in the fridge then just put it

in the oven when you get up Christmas morning and you end up with a hot, filling breakfast that should tide you over until that turkey is ready!

Here is what you need,

16 slices of white bread, crusts removed

10-12 slices of ham or Canadian bacon

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

6 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

1/4 cup minced white onion

1/4 cup diced green pepper

2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

3 cups whole mile, I had 2% it worked just fine

1/4 cup butter, melted for topping

2 cups cornflakes for topping

(I only made 1/2 the recipe because it was just my in house taste tester and I, it worked out just great!)

Grease a 9X13 glass baking dish.

Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of bread. Top with a layer of ham.

Sprinkle on the onions and green pepper and top with the cheese.

Then arrange a second layer of bread on top.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder and worcestershire sauce.

Pour the milk mixture over the top of the bread evenly and let it soak in.

At this point you can cover in saran wrap and stash it in the fridge; it is best left for at least4 hours or overnight, to give the bread a chance to soak up all that milk mixture.

When you are ready to bake, heat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the melted butter over the top of the bread and then top with corn flakes.

Bake for 1 hour or until puffed up and browned on top.

Cut into slices and serve immediately.

A little fruit salad on the side would go nicely.

There you have it, a simple, make ahead meal for Christmas Day or any day really.

It is very tasty, I love the crunch cornflake topping!

I hadn't had it in a long time and I had forgotten how good it is!!

Jen

The best thing about Boxing Day...

For me, the best thing about Boxing Day is this,

A turkey bun with a little smear of mayo, salt and pepper. A couple of dill pickle slices and a big scoop of left over Hawaiian salad! 
HEAVEN!
This right here is the best thing about making a big turkey dinner.

Happy Boxing Day!
I hope you are all relaxing playing with all the new toys Santa brought you!

Jen

Merry Christmas

From My Tiny Oven to yours, I want to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!
May it be filled with lots of love, laughter and great food!!

Jen!

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

I can't believe that it is only 2 days until Christmas! CRAZY! 

I find I start snacking now, and pretty much don't stop eating until December 27th. I think I will start with this tray of all the baking I have done so far!

What are you up to today? Last minute shopping? or Baking? Getting stuff prepped for the big day? I am doing a little of everything. Oh and eating all of these goodies!!

Have a great day everyone!

Jen

Peanut Butter Balls

My Auntie Dorothy used to make these amazing little treats at Christmas time!

 

They are her specialty and my all-time fav. Even after I moved away she even made them for me and shipped them out here to me! She is the best!

What you need,

2 1/2 cups peanut butter

½ cup butter

4 ½ cups icing sugar

3 cups rice krispie cereal

2 12 oz. packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the peanut butter and butter in a pot over medium heat. Stir until smooth.

In a very large bowl combine the icing sugar and rice krispies. Pour the melted peanut butter over the icing sugar and mix until fully combined. It will be very stiff.

If you need to add a little extra peanut butter do it.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Cool the balls in the fridge or freezer until firm.

Meanwhile melt the chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. You can add a splash of milk to thin it out if it seems too thick.

Dip the chilled balls into the chocolate and fully coat. Place the dipped balls back on the parchment lined sheets and chill until the chocolate is set.

Store in an airtight container.

They are GREAT right out of freezer or at room temperature!

It is a good thing this recipe makes like a billion treats cause you are going to want to eat that many!

They make a GREAT little give away, just pack them up in cute mini paper wrappers and put them in a cute box or tin and give them to you friends. You will be everyone’s favorite person!

Jen

Hello Dollies

You can always find these tasty little squares on my best friend Brenda’s Christmas baking trays!

 

I love them! They are full of everything good in the world, pecans, chocolate, coconut and sweetened condensed milk! HEAVEN! I usually let her make them and I just eat a pile of them, but this year she is very busy getting ready to move to the UK with her hubby! I am very excited for her, but very sad she is going to be so far away! 

The one good thing about them moving is now I will have a built in tour guide when I go to visit, oh and a couch to sleep on! 

Here is what you need,

¼ cup butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cup flaked coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper; this will help you get them out of the pan later. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Put the butter in the lined baking pan and put it in the oven until the butter melts, about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and tilt the pan so the butter is even across the bottom, then sprinkle on the graham crumbs in an even layer. On top of that sprinkle the chopped nuts, then the chocolate chips then the coconut. Finally pour over the top the entire can of condensed milk, making sure to get into all the corners.

Put the pan back in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The edges will brown easily so keep an eye on it!

Cool in the fridge thoroughly and then cut into squares.

These freeze well, but really they are so darned good they probably won’t make it to the freezer!

Thanks B. I am going to miss you!! HUGS!

Jen

OACB’s (Only at Christmas Brownies)

I have to tell you,  I have no idea why we only make these at Christmas and I also don’t know why they are called brownies, because they really aren’t!! My dad ALWAYS makes these at Christmas.

 

They are his specialty. We have a specific pot and a specific spoon we use to make them. One of us girls always preps the graham crackers, cherries and marshmallows, while Dad cooks the chocolate mixture.

It is just what we do!

They are super good! 

Here is what you need,

½ cup butter

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ tsp. almond extract

Pinch of salt

4 cup mini white marshmallows

¾ cup cherries cut in half

15 full squares of graham cracker, broken into small chunks

In a large bowl combine the marshmallows, cherries and graham crackers, mix to combine.

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter, sugar, salt cocoa and eggs. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for exactly 1 minute. It will get quite thick and grainy looking, this is what you want!

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Pour chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and stir to coat.

Press the mixture into a 9x13 inch lightly greased glass baking dish.

Stash it in the fridge or freezer until it is fully cooled. You can put chocolate icing on them if you like; I think they are sweet enough without it! But whatever floats your boat!

Cut into small squares and scarf!

One time my dad used mint extract by accident, which I thought was grody cause mint and chocolate makes me gag, but he really liked it! We just made a separate batch for me! So use whatever you like!

So there you go my Dad’s Only at Christmas Brownies, that aren’t brownies at all!

Enjoy!

Jen