Grandma Haines’ Brunch Egg Casserole Supreme

Grandma made this egg casserole for Easter Brunch at Hephatha Lutheran Church. It was so popular, she shared it with Grammy White and it was featured as “the egg dish” at the infamous White Family Christmas Brunch. Put together the night before, this is a great “family over for breakfast” dish.  Well, this and one of Uncle Neil’s pancakes.

Ingredients

10 eggs
3 cups light cream or whole milk
10 slices quality white bread (remove crust and cube)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons chopped onion (fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 lb. mild sausage

The day before:

Brown meat and crumble and drain. Beat eggs and add mustard, milk, salt and onion. Mix well and add sausage and cheese.

Place bread in a well buttered 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour mixture over bread and let stand overnight.

The next day:

Take the casserole out of the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350º. 30 minutes later, bake the casserole for 45 minutes or until just set in the middle.

 

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Rehearsal Dinner Spaghetti Sauce

Grandma Haines cooked, froze and carted up several gallons of her famous spaghetti sauce for Uncle John and Aunt Maureen’s wedding rehearsal dinner in Portland, Oregon.  The dinner was fantastic, and the sauce was definitely an act of love.

Serves 4 – 5 2 tablespoon olive oil Optional – 6 Italian sausages 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine ½ cup celery 1 green pepper, chopped 2 teaspoon salt (or to taste) ½ teaspoon pepper 2 small cans tomato paste 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 large can tomato sauce ½ cup water 3 bay leafs ½ tablespoon oregano 1 tablespoon sugar

Serves 8 – 10 3 tablespoons olive oil Optional – 12 Italian sausages 3 pound ground beef, 85% lean 2 large onions, chopped 6 cloves garlic, chopped fine 1 cup celery 2 green pepper, chopped 1 Tablespoon salt (or to taste) 1 teaspoon pepper 2 large cans tomato paste 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional) 2 large can tomato sauce 1 cup water 6 bay leafs 1 tablespoon oregano (or more to taste) 2 tablespoon sugar

Add half the olive oil to a hot dutch oven. Brown Italian sausages (if using) remove from pan and cut sausages in half. Sweat onions, celery, green pepper until soft and starting to brown. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned.  Make a well in the middle of the meat. Add the remaining olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and tomato paste.  Sauté until tomato paste is browned and fragrant.

Add tomato sauce, water, bay leaf, oregano, and sugar.  Add back in the halved sausages. Simmer for 2 hours.

Serve over spaghetti. Top with grated parmesan.

Beef Brisket with Grandma’s BBQ Sauce

This is a perfect “company is coming” dish that takes very little last minute preparation. If making Grandma’s cheesy potatoes, the potatoes can cook while the brisket is cooling.

Serves 5 – 6

5 pound beef brisket (Grandma trims fat to ¼ inch for a leaner dish)

Liquid Smoke

Garlic salt

Onion salt

Ground pepper

Celery salt

Brush brisket liberally with liquid smoke. Season with the garlic, onion, pepper, and celery salt. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Bake 5 hours at 275º .  Let cool and slice thin.

Grandma’s BBQ Sauce

2 cups catsup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon prepared mustard (not dry)

4 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat and bring to a boil. Turn off when sauce looks smooth.

7 Layer Salad

This is a perfect summer make ahead dish that Grandma Haines puts together before heading off to run errands (yard work with Grandpa, Alter Guild at Hephatha, LWML meetings, Thursday morning Bible study, Republican Women – Grandma has a servant’s heart).

Serves 4 – 6

1 head lettuce, shredded (iceberg or romaine works well)

5 stalks celery, diced

1 medium red onion, diced

½ large green pepper, diced,

1 package frozen green peas, thawed and separated

 

2 cups mayonnaise

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup Romano Cheese, shredded

 

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

8 slices bacon, crumbled

 

Place lettuce, celery, red onion, green peppers, then peas in layers in a deep bowl.

Spread mayonnaise completely over the top to seal in the greens. Sprinkle sugar and Romano cheese over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Before serving add hard-boiled eggs,  tomatoes, and crumbled bacon

Toss and serve

Teriyaki Chicken

Serves 4

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sugar

¼ cup sake (Grammy White variation – Sherry)

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 chicken in pieces, thighs and wings work best (or 3 pounds chicken wings).

Place all ingredients (except chicken) in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens.  Add chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat of medium and continue to cook 20 – 30 minutes.

Remove pieces and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil long enough to set glaze. CAUTION – THIS BURNS EASILY AND BECOMES “HAINES TOAST” quickly.

Remember the rules of Haines Toast – the chef eats the burned pieces unless Grandma or Uncle Neil is present.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Grandma and Grandpa Haines lived in Japan when their kids (John, Diane, Neil, and Cheryl) were little. Grandma Haines brought back this recipe and has been a favorite for a long time.

Serves 4

Mix together and pour over pork cubes:

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 lb pork cut into 1-inch cubes

Peanut oil for stir frying

1 container fresh mushrooms sliced

2 large onions cut bite size

4 green peppers cut bite size

1 small can of bamboo shoots

2 carrots parboiled

2 slices of pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks, drained

For sauce, mixed together

6 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sake

2 tablespoons vinegar

4 tablespoons catsup

Thickening:

1 Tablespoon cornstarch stirred into ½ cup water

Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil to a hot skillet. Stir-fry pork just until barely no longer pink in the middle. Add vegetables and stir fry until slightly soft.  Add sauce and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened and translucent.

Serve with rice.

Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 6

Preheat oven to  325º

This is a great way to use up Turkey leftovers.

2 – 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or 1 rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey, shredded into 1 inch pieces)

1 small sour cream

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 large can dices chilies

1 block cheddar cheese (8 ounces), shredded

1 package flour tortillas (medium size)

Combine sour, sour cream, and chilies.  In each tortilla place some chicken, a little sauce, and some cheese.  Roll up and lay in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.  Cover with foil.

Bake for 45. Broil for 3 – 4 minutes to crisp the top.