Read an Excerpt

American Profile Hometown Cookbook

Thomas Nelson

Breakfast

Breakfast Pizza Yield: 3 to 6 servings

"This is an especially great recipe for teenagers. They tend to avoid breakfast, but when breakfast is pizza ..."

1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan. Unroll the crescent roll dough, and press it into an even layer to completely cover the bottom of the prepared pan. Combine the eggs, bacon, cheese, and mushrooms, and pour the mixture evenly over the dough. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the eggs are firm and the crust is golden.

Donna Jo Hinson | Kissimmee, Florida

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Sliced tomatoes, olives, pepperoni, sliced peppers, and green onions are all great toppings.

Eggs Newport Yield: 8 to 12 servings

"This recipe came to me more than twenty-five years ago. It's been cooked for Easter brunch and many other breakfast functions where I serve it with baked ham and a fruit compote."

18 hard-cooked eggs
3 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or pepper Jack cheese
8 ounces sour cream or mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if using pepper Jack cheese)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 English muffins, split

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Slice the eggs and layer them in the prepared pan. Combine the soup, milk, cheese, sour cream, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and spoon evenly over the sliced eggs. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly golden. Serve over hot, toasted and buttered English muffins.

Marna Dunn | Bullhead City, Arizona

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Garnish this dish with chopped green onion, black olives, grated Cheddar cheese, chiles, mushrooms, or crumbled bacon.

Southwest Oven Omelet Yield: 6 to 8 servings

"I've prepared this tried-and-true recipe for over twenty years. This hearty dish, with its Southwestern flair, is a real crowd-pleaser."

16 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans green chiles
2 (4-ounce) jars mushrooms
1 pound diced ham
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 eggs

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Generously butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the cheese, chiles, mushrooms, and ham. Spoon the mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. In the same bowl whisk together the evaporated milk, flour, and eggs. Pour over the cheese mixture and bake for 1 hour.

Joanne Sandlin | Prescott Valley, Ariz.

Stuffed Eggs with Cheese Sauce Yield: 2 servings

2 slices bread, toasted and cut in half diagonally
4 stuffed egg halves, any recipe
4 green pepper slices, in rings
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the toast points on a baking sheet. Place an egg half and a green pepper ring on each slice of toast. Bake just until warm while making the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir over medium heat until well mixed. Add the milk and stir until the mixture is thick and free of lumps. Add the cheese and stir over low heat until melted. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Place the warmed toast points with the egg halves and pepper rings on two plates. Quickly pour one-fourth of the sauce mixture over each egg. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Audrey Misner | Price, Utah

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Season the sauce with 1 teaspoon curry powder, or try a bagel or English muffin instead of the toast.

Breakfast Casserole Yield: 6 servings

6 slices white bread
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 teaspoon dry mustard
5 eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups grated Swiss cheese

Grease a lasagna pan large enough to hold the slices of bread laid out flat. Brown the sausage, drain the grease, and stir in the dry mustard. Beat the eggs and milk together with the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Place the bread slices in the lasagna pan, spoon the sausage over the bread and then sprinkle the cheese over the sausage. Pour the egg mixture over all. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Pamela Miller | Goshen, Virginia

Breakfast Soufflé Yield: 12 servings

"This recipe is great to serve weekend guests. It's a very convenient, make-ahead meal. Serve it with toast and juice."

1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
9 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
3 slices white bread, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Brown the sausage. Drain and cool. Stir together the beaten eggs, milk, bread pieces, mustard, salt, cheese, and sausage. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Bette K. Tumiati | Taylorville, Illinois

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Grated Swiss or mozzarella cheese can be substituted for Cheddar. Green onion, sliced olives, and chopped fresh parsley are colorful and flavorful additions to this recipe.

Green Chile Bake Yield: 8 to 10 servings

"I make this recipe for breakfast or brunch. My sons-in-law like it with hot salsa. Our five granddaughters like it with mild."

10 eggs
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the Monterey Jack, cottage cheese, butter, flour, baking powder, salt, and green chiles. Pour into the baking dish, and bake for 35 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with salsa.

Sally Vander Linden | Pleasantville, Iowa

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

This dish also works well as a hearty dip when served with sturdy corn chips or toasted pita bread triangles. It's good with 1/2 cup chopped olives on top.

My Corny Quiche Yield: 6 servings

"I'm eighty-two years old and have done a lot of cooking. I like to make this recipe. The corn muffin mix seems to give a really different taste."

1 cup corn muffin mix
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup salad dressing (regular or low-fat) Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch pie pan or quiche pan. Mix the muffin mix, zucchini, onion, cheese, oil, eggs, dressing, and salt and pepper to taste together in a large mixing bowl. When well blended, pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bonita Gamble | Columbia City, Indiana

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Chopped fresh basil, oregano, or chives go well with this dish. Serve with sliced fresh tomatoes and hearty bread.

Crustless Crab Quiche Yield: 4 to 6 servings

"A friend shared this light and tasty recipe with me when I was searching for a festive brunch dish. We enjoy this quiche with fruit and muffins."

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 ounces flaked crabmeat (real or imitation)
1 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt Black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Arrange the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pie pan. Top with the crabmeat. Mix together the milk, eggs, flour, salt, pepper to taste, and green onions, if desired. Pour this mixture evenly over the cheese and crabmeat. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Kathy Graham | Sterling, Colorado

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

This quick and tasty dish is also good with a dash of cayenne pepper.

Ham and Cheese Quiche Yield: 6 servings

"This recipe is so easy and delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I love it, and so do my guests."

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped ham
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 (9-inch) deep-dish piecrust, thawed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss together the cheese, ham, and onion. Spoon the mixture into the piecrust. Whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, and milk until well blended. Pour this over the ham and cheese mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Dee Dee Clark | Metter, Georgia

Spinach-Cheese Breakfast Squares Yield: 8 to 10 servings

"I like to bring these breakfast squares to the school where I work. Everyone loves them. They never last more than ten minutes."

4 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
16 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish in the oven. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs with the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the milk. Add the cheese and spinach. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and set in the center. Cool and cut into squares. This dish can be served warm or reheated.

Jane Zadnick | Manchester, Connecticut

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

For additional zip, chop and sauté an onion and add it to the spinach mixture.

Sylvester Graham, born in West Suffield, Connecticut (pop. 1,350), invented the graham cracker in 1829. A Presbyterian minister, Graham touted the benefits of unsifted, coarsely ground wheat (graham) flour. He advocated a health regimen of hard mattresses, cold showers, and a diet of homemade bread, rough cereals, fruits, and vegetables.

Cheddar-Apple Breakfast Lasagna Yield: 6 servings

"Everyone who has tried this recipe really likes it. It is easy to assemble and ready in no time. It's especially quick if the French toast is prepared ahead or if you use the frozen variety."

Topping:

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Lasagna:

12 slices French toast
1 (8-ounce) package sliced ham
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (20-ounce) can apple pie filling
1 cup granola

For the topping, blend the sour cream and brown sugar in a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Layer six pieces of the French toast in a buttered, 13 x 9inch baking dish. Layer the ham and half the cheese over the toast. Place the remaining slices of French toast on top. Spread the apple pie filling over the toast, and sprinkle the remaining cheese and granola on top. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until warm through. Serve with a generous dollop of the sour cream topping.

Debbie Mullis | Concord, North Carolina

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

This is a great way to use leftover French toast. This dish is also good with warm maple syrup.

The Big Coffee Pot in a village in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was built in 1860. The twelve-foot hunk of metal advertised not coffee, but a silversmith.

Baked Cinnamon-Bread Custard Yield: 8 to 10 servings

"This is a favorite recipe for breakfast or dessert. It's easy to prepare and is delicious with fresh fruit."

14 slices cinnamon bread, 1/2-inch thick
6 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the bread in a double layer in a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. (Cut the bread as needed to cover the bottom of the pan.) Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Gradually add the milk and half-and-half, and stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the bread. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Dust with confectioners' sugar while still warm.

Joann Parker | Cozad, Nebraska

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

For a nice flavor twist, add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the egg mixture.

Baked Custard Yield: 6 servings

"We serve this custard at our bed and breakfast, Bonnie's Parsonage, in Holland, Michigan. It is delicious with fresh berries on top."

3 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix the eggs, milk, and sugar until smooth. Pour into six 3-inch ramekins or custard cups. Dust with a pinch of nutmeg. Place the cups in a glass baking dish filled halfway with water. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bonnie Verwys | Holland, Michigan

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

If you like vanilla, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the uncooked egg mixture. This custard also is good served cold as a light dessert.

Baked Rice Yield: 6 servings

"This recipe was handed down through four generations of my family. It's good, quick, and easy to make. And it makes the house smell really great."

2 cups uncooked instant rice
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Cook the rice until tender, according to the package instructions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In large ovenproof dish, beat the eggs and whisk in the sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla.Add the cooked rice. To prevent the rice from sticking to the sides, place the dish in a larger ovenproof pan filled with 2 inches of water. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the rice. Bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Richard Rossio | The Villages, Florida

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

Top with whipped cream for a wonderful winter dessert.

Caramel Pecan French Toast Yield: 6 servings

"This simple recipe is easy to assemble the night before and bake in the morning. I was served a similar dish at a bed and breakfast. I've made some changes to suit my family."

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine the butter, syrup, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place the bread in a single layer over the syrup mixture. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, and pour the mixture over the bread. Sprinkle the pecans on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dish and bake for 1 hour.

Mary Bishop | North Platte, Nebraska

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:

This is the breakfast answer for overnight company. Serve it hot with sausage or bacon and fruit. Don't allow it to rest too long before serving or the syrup mixture will caramelize and harden.

---

Excerpted from American Profile Hometown Cookbook by Mary Carter, Susan Fisher, Candace Floyd. Copyright © 2006 Publishing Group of America, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---