Tempt My Tummy Tuesday…Easter Weekend

I am glad you are
joining us for Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, this week. I co- host with my sister, Lana. Please be polite and follow the rules of a blog carnival, mentioning TMTT and linking back to this post from your blog post. Thanks.

Thank you all for continuing to come back, each week, even while I have been in limbo with the move. It means so much to log online and see all my blog friends linking up and leaving comment love on each other’s blogs. You ladies ROCK!!

We have been in Missouri for one week and the house is starting to look like a home. AND, what goes with a home? FAMILY! I am so excited that my brother in law, his wife, and children will be making the drive from Milwaukee to Missouri, on Thursday, for the Easter weekend. It will be wonderful to see them and get renewed by the love and support only family can provide! Also, this kind of family doesn’t care there will still be unopened boxes located throughout the house. They may even unload a few boxes for us. Bonus!

I have been menu planning for the weekend, knowing there will be a total of 4 adults, a 16 yr old teenage boy, a 14 year old young lady, a 6 year old boy, and an almost 3 Grace. Oh how fun! Since we just arrived to MO and haven’t found a church yet, I decided we will have our own Easter fellowship and celebration of the resurrection at home with the family. Knowing that, I thought a big brunch would be perfect. Today, I thought I would share my plans for our brunch as well as my other menu ideas for the weekend.

I pray you and your family have a blessed Easter as you remember Jesus, who was crucified and then resurrected , on the third day, so that we may be saved, having eternal life as our free gift.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Friday:
Breakfast: Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls, and scrambled eggs (I had coupons! Otherwise I would be making Amy’s cinnamon rolls at The Finer Things!)
Lunch: Will be sightseeing and may end up at the St. Louis zoo. Will eat at our destination.
Dinner: Hamburgers off the grill, cooked by my husband. Fresh veggies, Rotel queso, and tortilla chips.

Dessert to have around for the weekend: Gooey Butter Cookies ( I experienced these at a local grocer’s bakery, today!! Oh my gosh! It’s like the Gooey Buttery Bars, but in cookie form!)

GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES
1 egg 1 box yellow cake mix 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 1 stick softened butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients. Knead with hands. Very sticky and messy. Refrigerate overnight or a minimum 4 hours. Make into balls, roll in powdered sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes.

The Gooey Butter Cookies are from www.Cooks.com.

Saturday: Breakfast: Sausage Balls, fresh fruit

Lunch: Sandwiches, veggies, fresh fruit, chips

Dinner: will probably take the family to a local restaurant or see what they want to do. Possibly pick up steaks to grill and bake potatoes.

Sunday Brunch: Many of my ideas for the brunch come from one of my favorite cookbooks, Necessities and Temptations. This cookbook has everything you need regarding entertaining and great recipes.

Texas Brunch Casserole, page 166, is prepared the night before, OR made a couple of days early,and frozen until time to cook and serve.

Strawberry Butter, page 162, can be spread on warm toast.

Multi-grain toast

Fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, clementines

Coffee, juice, water

I am sure I will be making changes and additions to the menus as the days approach. But, for now, these are my thoughts on our menu. Texas Brunch Casserole

6 slices of white bread, crust removed
1 pound ground sausage
4 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 rounded tsp ground cumin
2 cups half and half
4-oz can drained and chopped green chilies
1 fresh chopped jalepeno
1 finely chopped onion

Lightly butter each slice of bread.
Place bread in a 9×13 buttered glass baking dish
Brown sausage with finely chopped onion.Drain and pat with paper towels. Sprinkle sausage/onion mix over bread.
Sprinkle drained, chopped green chilies and chopped jalapeno over sausage.
Sprinkle with 4 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
Add 1 tsp salt and 1 rounded tsp of cumin to 6 beaten eggs. Add 1 tsp dry mustard and half and half. Mix well.
Pour over all.
Cover with foil and refrigerate over night. At this point, it may be frozen until ready to use. Remove from freezer and thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Remove foil. Bake 45 minutes at 350 or until casserole is bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Strawberry Butter