Apple Pie Bake

Easy and delicious. Again, my principle criteria for cooking since I've grown thin and lazy.

Ingredients

• CINNAMON ROLL WITH ICING, 2 packs
• EGGS, 4
• MILK, 1/2 cup
• CINNAMON, 1/2 tablespoon
• VANILLA EXTRACT, 1 teaspoon
• BUTTER, 2 tablespoons
• GRANNY SMITH APPLES, 2 diced
• BROWN SUGAR, 1 cup, packed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut cinnamon rolls into 3 even strips, then cut each strip into 3 pieces (9 per roll, 18 total). Reserve the icing.
3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine butter, apples and brown sugar in a pan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar starts to caramelize. Remove from heat.
5. Lay the cinnamon roll dough pieces evenly in a baking pan, cover with the egg mixture, then the apples.
6. Drizzle the reserved icing on top.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool.

Serve with ice cream on top or on the side.

Hamburger Goulash

This is so easy (my signature criterion these days)! Just chop a couple of ingredients, brown the ground beef, open cans (I even use canned potatoes), do a little measuring, then let the slow cooker do all the work.

My mom used to make this in the '50s-'60s. I never got her recipe and had to figure it out myself.

Ingredients

• BACON, 3-4 rashers, cut into lardons
• GROUND ROUND (80/20), 1 pound
• SWEET ONION, 1 large, diced
• GREEN BELL PEPPER, 1, diced
• OLIVES, sliced, 1 small can
• MIXED VEGETABLES, frozen, 1 to 1-1/2 cups
• POTATOES, diced, 1 cup
• DICED TOMATOES, 14.5-ounce can, with juices
• TOMATO SAUCE, CANNED, 16 ounces
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, 2 tablespoons
• SOY SAUCE, 1 tablespoon
• ITALIAN SEASONING, dried, 1 tablespoon
• SUGAR, 2 teaspoons
• GARLIC SALT, 2 tablespoons (or to taste)
• BLACK PEPPER, freshly ground, 1 teaspoon
• (Optional) KETCHUP, to taste
• (Optional) HOT SAUCE, to taste

Directions

1. Saute bacon until slightly crisp, add in the ground beef and brown; add in the onions and green pepper.
2. Transfer to a slow cooker
3. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine
4. Cook 3-4 hours on high.
5. Serve over steamed white rice.

Breakfast Burrito

This is a quick breakfast, especially if you buy many of the ingredients pre-made (e.g., salsa, guacamole, canned olives, shredded cheese mix). You can make one or as many as required.

I’ve found that the egg and egg substitute combo makes for more a smoother and more evenly cooked scramble.

You can add or eliminate ingredients as you see fit. For the breakfast meat, I usually use leftover cooked Portuguese sausage, or pork sausage (link or patty), chicken sausage, bacon, or anything else that’s handy. I’ve even used Chinese char sui or lup cheong on occasion. 

It wouldn’t hurt to be inventive.

Ingredients

• FLOUR TORTILLAS, 12-inch, 1 per burrito
• EGGS, 1 per burrito
• EGG SUBSTITUTE, 1/4 cup per burrito
• BREAKFAST MEAT(S), your choice, chopped and heated
• SOUR CREAM
• AVOCADO, 1 sliced or chopped
• JALAPEÑO PEPPER, 1, deseeded, deveined, chopped
• OLIVES, sliced
• GREEN ONIONS, chopped
• SALSA (commercial) or SALSA FRESCA (homemade)
• CHEESE, Mexican mix, shredded

Directions

1. Scramble the eggs and egg substitute, and sauté them in a buttered non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Set aside.
2. Sauté the breakfast meat pieces over medium heat. Drain and set aside.
3. Lay a tortilla flat, spread on some sour cream, then spoon on some eggs and meat in a horizontal row.
4. Continue adding onto the row with avocado, jalapeño, olives and green onions.
5. Top with salsa and cheese.
6. Fold the sides in; then from the bottom, roll the tortilla, creating a delicious tube of tasty goodness.

Basic Roasted Cauliflower

Here’s another recipe I’m almost embarrassed to share because it’s so elementary and easy.

You can add any other flavorings you like before roasting, and serve with your choice of sauces if you so fancy—marinara dip, salad dressings (thousand island, French, ranch, Italian all work) or gravies. I like mine as is, so as not to disguise the cauliflower flavor.

Ingredients

• CAULIFLOWER, 1 head, cut into florets
• OLIVE OIL, extra virgin, 1/4 cup
• GARLIC SALT, 2 teaspoons
• THYME, fresh, 1 teaspoon roughly chopped, or dry, 1/2 teaspoon
• CRUSHED RED PEPPER (Optional), 1/4 teaspoon
• If you’d rather, substitute 1 teaspoon crushed and minced garlic clove and 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt for the garlic sauce.

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets, sprinkle on the olive oil, garlic salt and thyme.
3. Toss and spread out on baking sheet.
4. Roast the cauliflower about 20 minutes until it’s toasty and tender.