My son came to visit and we needed different dinners every night. So once he went back up north, I was inundated with an abundance of leftovers. My favorite pass time is to try and figure out different combinations to use up leftovers and this was a winner on two counts, it used up a lot of stuff and it tasted great.
I had a tupperware of steamed broccoli, another of roasted carrots, in another about a cup and a half of chicken gravy, a small baguette of garlic bread,some leftover slices of sharp cheddar cheese, in another a small amount of sour cream.
I cubed the garlic bread and placed it into a large bowl, added the broccoli and carrots and gravy and added about 1 Tbs of rosemary and 1 Tbs of sage mixed this up well and then added about 1 1/2 cups of milk into which I scrambled 4 eggs to form a custard. Combined everything well. Placed everything into a 9 X 9 inch baking pan that was greased with vegetable spray, put the cheddar cheese slices on top, and placed in a 350° oven for about 45 minutes until the custard was set. Once set I took it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes, then served with sour cream.
Not exactly gourmet but it certainly ended up as a easy and tasty way to use up the leftovers. Hopefully this will give someone out there ideas of their own. Substitute creme fraiche for sour cream,add whatever you think will go together well and with a few herbs and spices perk it up for a great dinner.
The Official Taste Tester
I do love carrots, the green stuff not so sure but it was covered with chicken gravy and custard, yummy! I personally would have hidden a nice beef bone inside but then I’m not the chef. 5 paws even with out the meat.
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I had a friend ask if I could make her a dessert for her family for the day before Thanksgiving. She had relatives coming into town on Wednesday and was planning a big dinner. The first couple of ideas that came to mind would have required her to bake or prepare in some way so I crossed them off my list. I thought of Tiramisu, but she was making a coffee gravy brisket so that would have been too much coffee. I finally settled on an Autumn Cheesecake, it’s not a traditional Thanksgiving dessert and so it won’t compete with the next days offerings, yet it still is festive.
It is a fairly easy to make recipe, with great results.
Autumn Cheesecake Ingredients
For the crust
8-9 Graham crackers finely chopped to crumbs = 1+ cups
1/2 cup very finely chopped pecans
3 Tbs Sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 Tbs butter melted
For the Batter
2 -8oz packages cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
For the apple layer
7-8 baking apples (ie: Granny Smith)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
For the topping
4-5 Tbs apricot preserve melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans (lightly toasted optional)
Directions for the Autumn Cheesecake
For the Apple layer:
Peel and core the apples and slice thinly add to the sugar and cinnamon and mix well until all the apples are coated. Set aside.
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°
In a small sauce pan melt the butter
In the food processor add the pecans and chop until very fine, add the Graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped and put mixture into a bowl. Add the butter and with a fork stir to combine, until all the cracker is wet with butter and no dry parts are still visible.
Place the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and press down to form a solid bottom crust. Place into the center of the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, remove to a wire rack to cool..
For the batter:
In the bowl of the mixer place the softened cream cheese and the sugar and on medium speed cream until well combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the blades of the mixer add the vanilla and on medium low add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until each is well incorporated. Pour into the cooled springform pan and smooth the mixture level.
Apples:
Arrange the apples in decorative layer over the batter and then place the pan into the oven and bake for about 70 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.
In the mean time melt the preserve and once the apples a lightly cooled brush the preserve over apples to coat all and give a nice sheen to the top. Sprinkle the pecans over the apples. Now carefully run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen from the sides of the pan and then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, overnight even better.
Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before serving and remove the sides of the springform pan. Sit back and wait for the Ohhs and Ahhs!
The Official Taste Tester
I’m a very spoiled SAP (Scottish American Princess) and I don’t care for cinnamon, but the cheese and cake layers are divine! So a reluctant 5 paws for the effort.
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Peel and core the apples and slice thinly add to the sugar and cinnamon and mix well until all the apples are coated. Set aside.
FOR THE CRUST
Preheat oven to 350°
In a small sauce pan melt the butter
In the food processor add the pecans and chop until very fine, add the Graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped and put mixture into a bowl. Add the butter and with a fork stir to combine, until all the cracker is wet with butter and no dry parts are still visible.
Place the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and press down to form a solid bottom crust. Place into the center of the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, remove to a wire rack to cool..
FOR THE BATTER
In the bowl of the mixer place the softened cream cheese and the sugar and on medium speed cream until well combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the blades of the mixer add the vanilla and on medium low add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until each is well incorporated. Pour into the cooled springform pan and smooth the mixture level.
APPLES
Arrange the apples in decorative layer over the batter* and then place the pan into the oven and bake for about 70 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.
In the mean time melt the preserve and once the apples a lightly cooled brush the preserve over apples to coat all and give a nice sheen to the top. Sprinkle the pecans over the apples. Now carefully run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen from the sides of the pan and then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, overnight even better.
Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before serving and remove the sides of the springform pan. Sit back and wait for the Ohhs and Ahhs!
Notes
8-9 Graham crackers equals approximately 1+ cups
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Like many food items the Marco Polo Sandwich is another of those not quite exact recipes that has been translated into various incarnations. Many years ago we began a brunch menu in a restaurant I was working at and we served one with three slices of bread with mayo, turkey and jack cheese a slice of bread then a thin slice of fresh pineapple, cut on a bias the two halves were dunked into a waffle batter and deep fried and served with red currant jelly. It was a big favorite. I have seen various other versions from very simple to quite involved. My version is a little easier to make and just as tasty.
Ingredients for Marco Polo Sandwich
2 slices of white bread
Raspberry or Currant Jam
2 ounces thinly slice turkey breast
1 thick slice aged cheddar cheese
1 thin slice of pineapple (optional)
mayonnaise
1 – 2 Eggs
1/4 tsp Vanilla
salt & pepper
1 Tbs of butter
Directions for Marco Polo Sandwich
Preheat a frying pan on medium heat and add a Tbs of butter just before cooking.
Use enough eggs to make a soaking batter for as many sandwiches as you are making. For each 2 – 4 eggs add 1/4 tsp vanilla and salt and pepper to season the batter.
Take the bread slices and spread jam on the inside of one slice and mayonnaise on the inside of the other. Place the cheddar slice on top of both pieces of bread then layer the turkey and pineapple. Combine both halves to form a sandwich. Place in the egg batter to allow the bread to soak in the egg batter on each side.
Place into the frying pan, cover the pan and cook until lightly browned on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Try serving with maple syrup or dusting the halves with powdered sugar for an elegant presentation. Spread softened cream cheese on both pieces of bread before the jelly for a truly decadent sandwich.
Preheat a frying pan on medium heat and add a Tbs of butter just before cooking.
Use enough eggs to make a soaking batter for as many sandwiches as you are making. For each 2 - 4 eggs add 1/4 tsp vanilla and salt and pepper to season the batter.
Take the bread slices and spread jam on the inside of one slice and mayonnaise on the inside of the other. Place the cheddar slice on top of both pieces of bread then layer the turkey and pineapple. Combine both halves to form a sandwich. Place in the egg batter to allow the bread to soak in the egg batter on each side.
Place into the frying pan, cover the pan and cook until lightly browned on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Try serving with maple syrup or dusting the halves with powdered sugar for an elegant presentation. Spread softened cream cheese on both pieces of bread before the jelly for a truly decadent sandwich.
If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site. It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .
Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.
