Another GT Win in store! ; )

Big game ahead! Georgia Tech (still undefeated at 2-0 for the season) is playing Kansas in Atlanta on Saturday, September 17th! It’ll be a tough game, but we plan to have a blast regardless!

We’ll have our RV there, and we’re expecting a big crowd. We will enjoy tailgating not only with GT friends (and family), but we also know quite a few Kansas fans who will be in town to join us for the fun!

It’s a 12:30PM game, so that means a VERY early start for us, and it also means one of my favorite things – – – BRUNCH!

Here’s what I’m planning:

Grandma’s Banana Bread

Cheese Grits Souffle
Breakfast Casserole
fruit skewers
Mini Cinnamon rollsor French Toast Muffins
Spinach Swiss Quiche
And drinks — Bloody Marys, Mimosa and Bellinis (peach nectar and prosecco)!

Because I haven’t made my Grandmother’s Banana Bread in a while, I’m craving it. It’s THE best banana bread on the planet.

GRANDMA WIM’S BANANA BREAD

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 cup buttermilk (or mix 1/3 c milk with 1 TBSP vinegar)
brown sugar, chopped pecans and a pinch of cinnamon (cinnamon optional)

Mix flour, b soda and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Mix sugar, egg and oil well and add to flour mixture. Stir in buttermilk and then add mashed bananas. Mix until just blended and pour into a well greased loaf pan. Top with brown sugar mixture and pat down gently onto loaf. Bake at 325 degrees for an hour (or until set – may take another 5-10 minutes depending on your oven).

Spinach and Swiss Quiche

1 refrigerated pie crust
5 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 of a 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (1/2 cup)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper.
Spread the spinach into the bottom of the prepared pie crust.
Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach, then sprinkle with the cheese.
Transfer quiche to preheated oven and bake 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and continue to bake 20 minutes, until crust is browned (cover with foil if browning too quickly).
Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cinnamon Roll Minis

1 can refrigerated biscuits, 8 count
5 tablespoons softened butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons milk

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Glaze Preparation:

Place powdered sugar and milk into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Set aside until cinnamon rolls are cooked

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Unroll biscuits and press thinly out with fingers or rolling pin. Spread each biscuit with 1 teaspoon of butter then top evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll up biscuit with seam side down on cutting board.
Use a sharp knife and cut 1/2 inch slices and place onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, until light brown and cooked through.
Remove from oven and drizzle lightly with prepared icing.

French Toast Muffins

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

(Adapted from Velvet Lava blog)
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg (preferably room temperature)
1 1/2 c. AP flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk

Topping
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Don’t overmix. Scoop batter into muffin tins that have sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they just start to turn golden at the edges.

For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar.
Makes 8-12 muffins.

MY CHEESE GRITS

The secret is chicken broth here. EVERYONE loves these grits.
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups regular grits
16 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter
8 oz. grated white cheddar cheese

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Bring broth, S & P and garlic powder to a boil. Stir in grits and whisk. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick (8-10 minutes). Add shredded cheddar and milk and stir. Slowly stir in eggs and butter. Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with white cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes until set.

Breakfast Casserole by Jimmy Dean

This dish got rave reviews. The sun-dried tomatoes make the difference. And the pre-cooked sausage made it a breeze to prepare.

1 pkg. (26 ounces) frozen shredding hash brown potatoes
1 pkg. Jimmy Dean® Hearty Original Sausage Crumbles
1 cup (4 ounces) shredding mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredding parmesan cheese
1/2 cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
6 green onions, sliced
12 eggs
1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground black pepper

Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the potatoe on the bottom of slow cooker.

Top with half of the sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes and green onion. Repeat layering.

Beat eggs, milk and pepper in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended.

Pour evenly over potato-sausage mixture.

Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours or until eggs are set.

Yield:
12 servings (about 1 cup each)

Fruit mini Skewers

The picture says it all. Choose whatever fruit you like!

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Now, if we decide to do an after game tailgate – we’ll keep it simple with:

Blue cheese bacon dip with crackers
BBQ Beef sandwiches
pasta salad
cole slaw
and this new dessert that is TO DIE FOR!

Blue cheese bacon dip

This dip was so delish! It was gobbled down almost as soon as I put it on the table. Ended up serving it with Cape Cod potato chips. So good!

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Photo Credit: Cate Bogeu

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Adapted from Baked Bree
7 bacon slices (I use thick-cut applewood smoked bacon. Any bacon would work, but the bacon is the star of the show so I think that it should be really good bacon.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup half and half
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet until brown and crispy over medium high heat, about 10 minutes.
Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Add the minced garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute.
Beat the cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add the half and half and mix until well combined.
Stir in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, chives, and walnuts (reserve a few nuts and chives for the top). Taste for seasoning. I added a pinch of salt and a lot of pepper. Spoon the mixture into a small casserole dish or 4 (1-cup) ramekins.
Bake at 350 degrees until golden and bubbly. Garnish with remaining walnuts and chives. Serve with grapes, apple slices and crackers or toasted baguette.

BEST PASTA SALAD

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups coarsely chopped pitted green olives (from about 6 ounces unpitted whole olives), divided
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound gemelli, fusilli, or rotelle pasta
2 pints cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
1 8-ounce package small (cherry-size) fresh mozzarella balls in water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

White Chocolate Brownies

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

1 C butter
1/2 C white chocolate,chopped (or good quality white chocolate morsels)
4 eggs, beaten
2 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting
1/2 C butter
1/3 C white chocolate, chopped
3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbsp whipping cream (or more to right consistency)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the 1/2 cup white chocolate and 1 c butter either in the microwave or a double boiler. Melt it in small increments of time, stirring to blend and melt the chocolate. Pour into larger bowl, and whisk in eggs, and then sugar. Add flour and vanilla. Put into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and then frost.

Frosting:

Melt butter and white chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, whipping cream and vanilla. Frost brownies.