Turtle Bread

*My 5 year old brought me her recipe book one Sunday morning and begged me to help her make this--who can resist such a request?  The bread was delicious!  We all loved it.  You could easily just shape this into a simple loaf or make into other animal shapes if desired--say maybe a bear.  This would go great with any meal, the bread's flavor was wonderful.

Ingredients:

2 1/2-3 cups flour

1 package quick-acting active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 t bread machine yeast)

1 T sugar

1 t salt

1/2 c water

1/3 c milk

1 T margarine/butter

1 egg

2 raisins

Directions:

1.  Mix 1 1/2 cu flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

2.  Heat water, milk, and margarine to 125-130 degrees (or just until little bubbles are forming, but yet boiling); stir into yeast mixture.  Stir in egg.  Stir in enough or remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.

3.  Sprinkle a surface lightly with flour.  Turn the dough onto the surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Cover and let rise 20 minutes.

4.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet.  Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for head.  Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls for feet.  Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into tail.  Shape remaining dough into a ball for body; place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly.  Attach head, feet and tail by placing 2 end of each under edge of body to secure.  Press raisins into head for eyes.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

5.  Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Make crisscross cuts in body, 1/4 inch deep, to look like a turtle's shell.  Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Makes 1 turtle bread.

Golden Oven Omelet

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
18 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 t salt
1 t dry mustard

Directions:
Pour butter into a 13 inch x 9 inch baking dish.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sour cream, and salt until smooth.  Pour into pan.  Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand 5 minutes.

*This is a simple eggs dish.  I actually cut the ingredients in half, cooked in a smaller pan, added leftover potatoes, ham, and green pepper.  This served 6.  Use the ingredients as a guideline and make whatever kind of omelet you'd like.

Egg and Potato Casserole

*My husband first had this at a work celebration and brought home the recipe.  It has been a treat for us ever since.

Use a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam on the bottom

Ingredients:
1 ½ pkgs. (24 oz) Shredded has browns (thawed)
1/3 c melted butter
2 c medium cheddar cheese, grated
2 c Swiss cheese, grated (may use mixed cheese or mozzarella)
2 c diced him (if you want to do sausage, you can cook Jimmy Dean sausage and add to recipe)
1 c milk
6 eggs, beaten
½ tsp season salt

Directions:
Press hash browns in bottom of pan forming a crust.  Brush melted butter on top of hash browns. Alternated ham and cheese, sprinkle with season salt.  Mix milk, eggs, and pour over mixture.  Let stand overnight and bake 350 degrees in oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour.  Serves 12-15 people.