Spicy Sausage Triangles

This may seem like a daughting task after reading the directions but it is actually very easy. Ingredients
1 package phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 pound of breakfast sausage
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/3 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 packet HOT taco seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt

Cook sausage. While cooking add a third of the packet of taco seasoning. Add to a large bowl. Whisk eggs and milk together. Add anothe third of the packet of taco seasoing to the egg mixture. Lightly season with salt. Cook eggs through. Add to bowl along with jalapeno, cheese and cilantro and mix.

**** Make sure to keep phyllo dough covered with saran wrap and a damp towel. This will prevent it from drying out when not being used.

To make triangles:
1. Layer for sheets of phyllo dough on top of each other. Brush each sheet with melted butter.
2. Cup layers into 5 sections length wise.
3. Spoon a slight tablespoon of mixture ontothe top of the dough.
4. Begin folding by taking one corner and folding it down to the opposite side forming a triangle.
5. Keep folding until end of strip.
6. Repeat 1-5 until all of triangles are made.
7. Brush each triangle with melted butter before baking.
8. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Mini Pancake Bites

This is a super easy recipe that lends itself to creativity. I made these for my co-workers and they were a big hit. I use the boxed pancake mix because it's a lot easier and CHEAPER!!!
Ingredients
Prepared pancake batter (6-12 servings)
2 oz sofented cream cheese
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Lemon extract

***I also make a blueberry version where I add about 11/2 cups of blueberries to the batter.

Cream Cheese Filling
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbls juice of an orange

Peach Preserve Filling
1 cup your favorite Peach preserves. I use my mother's home made preserves.

Glaze
Powdered sugar
Orange juice
*** Lemon juice- I use the lemon juice for the blueberry version

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick spray. Prepare pancake batter as directed. Beat in cream cheese. Add both extracts. Pour batter into each muffin tin 3/4 full. Bake for 8- 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and remove from tin.

While bites are cooling, prepare cream cheese filling by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl. I used a cooking syringe to fill muffins but you can also use a pastry bag and tip. From the bottom of the muffin, insert syringe into muffin and insert as much filling as you like. Do not over fill or your little muffins will EXPLODE! I fill half of the batch with the cream cheese filling and the other with the preserves.

Now making the glaze is where YOU come into play. This can be sort of a give and take. I start with about 3 tablespoons of powder sugar and 1 tablespoon of orange juice or lemon juice. Whisk together with a fork. You can adjust this to make the glaze thicker or thiner. Dip the top of each muffin top into the glaze let dry.

Makes 24-32.

Hashbrown Cups

I took the traditional hash brown casserole and turned it into individual sized servings.


Ingredients
1 1b hash browns
1/4 c. margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 egg slightly scrambled


Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Grease muffin tin. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 way full. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Makes about 24.

Tex-Mex sausage balls

I took the traditional sausage balls that people usually make around the holidays and gve them a spicy twist.


Ingredients
1 lb hot pork sausage
2 c. Biscuit Mix or pancake mix
1/2 a small onion grated
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. water


Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into quarter sized balls. I cover my baking sheet in foil and then spray with non-stick spray. This makes for faster clean up. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes about 30.