overnight french toast casserole

1 loaf french bread 

5 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups milk or eggnog

2 tbls. sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon

dash of salt

Slice the bread. Mix the rest of the ingredients together. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture.  Put into a well buttered 9x13 backing dish overlapping a bit in two rows  Get as many in the dish as possible.  Pour a little of the egg mixture over the bread, cover with foil and put in fridge over night.

In the AM preheat oven to 350.  Spread with topping and bake for 40 min.  Can serve with syrup but usually doesn’t need it.

Topping:

Combine 

1stick softened butter

1 packed cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tbls maple syrup (can substitute with light corn syrup if need to)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

Ikea copy-cat Swedish meatballs

Ingredients
Meatballs
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 egg
1/2 cup cream (half and half) or 1/2 cup milk
1 small sautéed onion, finely chopped and sautéed
1/4 cup breadcrumbs ( or toasted panko, crushed)
2 small cold boiled yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
salt
pepper
1 dash allspice (optional)
Cream Sauce
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon white flour
1 tablespoon butter
salt, to taste
white pepper


Directions
For Meatballs:.
Fry the onion till golden in a couple of tablespoons of lightly browned butter.
Mash the potatoes
Mix all the ingredients until meatball consistency.
Flavour with salt, white pepper and (optional) a little finely crushed allspice.
Shape the mixture into relatively large, round balls and transfer to a floured cutting board.
Fry them slowly in plenty of butter.

Cream Sauce:.
Melt butter in pan and add flour, whisk till golden brown and flour is cooked.
Add Beef Stock and Cream until desired thickness.
Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve the meatballs with the sauce, freshly boiled yukon potatoes, and lingonberry jam.

Bacon-wrapped, brown sugar glazed lil' smokies

Prep Time: 15


Cook Time: 35


Makes: about 22 servings (2 Lit’l Smokies each)


Recipe Details

Ingredients
1 pkg. (16 ounces) Hillshire Farm® Lit'l Smokies®
1 pkg. (12 ounces) Jimmy Dean® Thick Sliced Bacon
1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut each bacon slice into 3-4 pieces. Wrap each sausage with piece of bacon; secure with a toothpick. Place on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is browned and brown sugar melts and forms a sauce. (mine usually take about 20 min if not a bit longer)
Tip: For a lower fat version, try it with Hillshire Farm® Turkey Lit'l Smokies® and turkey bacon
Try adding pineapple chunks