Breakfast Casserole

Here at Casa Diva it's the holiday season started off with a delicious smoked turkey, a house full of friends and family and lots fun! I love to cook up a yummy breakfast for house guests and while waffles & bacon are always a classic, I like to try out new recipes. As always, Southern Living delivered a great dish. It looks like a quiche, but with more bready than eggy and was even good the next day. I loved the combo of ham, swiss and croissants, which was like a mixed up breakfasty sammy! Oh so tasty! Good ahead and put this on your list for a delicious Christmas morning breakfast!

Diva Delight

Who isn't getting excited about all the holiday fun that is about to be upon us! I love all the family, food and fun that encompasses the holiday season. In the December Glamour issue, I came across a great article about the 31 days of giving. It's a great way to start off the season of giving and thankfulness! Some suggestions won't even cost you a thing except your time.

Bread Baker's Challenge: Recipe 4

Note: Just noticed this post never went up! In the words of Homer Simpson, D'oh! Read on for more bread goodness!

With week 4 of The Bread Baker's Challenge safely tucked under my divalcious kitchen apron,I'm starting to feel like a bonafide baker. This challenge has really helped me with the fundamentals/techniques of bread baking. I've learned the importance of letting your starter/sponge sit over night to intensify the bread's flavors and creating a steam filled environment for the early stages of baking. While I might not lust after every recipe in this book, I definitely have found a few new favorites. I never would've guessed that I would make yummy bagels of my own. (Diva Note: I promise to update you once I make Cheddar Jalapeno bagels...mmm).

This week I tested brioche, which was as buttery and flaky as promised. The recipe made enough for 3 loaves, so I made 2 traditional white loaves and 1 cinnamon sugar swirl loaf. All breads were very tasty, but I'm more into texture (like the anadama) and less into the buttery/flakiness of the traditional loaf. The real winner was the cinnamon sugar loaf, which is an absolutely salacious start to cinnamon rolls. (Diva Note: I'll be tackling cinnamon rolls in a few weeks. MMM I can't wait).

Next Up: I've decided to venture off course and hit my second favorite bread, the English Muffin! I can just taste the breakfast sammies that I'll make with these.

Smoking Hot

We had a delicious BBQ at Casa Diva over the weekend and oh man did Mr. Diva deliver! He smoked up a fabulous pork shoulder while the rest of us provided some killer sides: Gouda Grits (below), Spinach Balls, Artichoke Dip and Pumpkin Dessert Squares to name a few. Next up for the smoker: Thanksgiving Turkey!

Grits

1 c quick grits

2 c Gouda cheese (or sub your fav cheese)

1 c sour cream

3 eggs

1 stick butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cook grits on stove top. Once cooked, add all the other ingredients and stir until melted. Pour into baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes.

The Burrito has landed...almost!

Chipotle West End is set for an official opening on Friday and of course, everyone, all two of us, here at Casa Diva is thrilled. Even more exciting is the fact that this Chipotle is offering free burritos from 11:00 AM-7:00 PM. It really doesn't get much better than that!

Diva Updates

A few updates from the Diva:

1. I'm really wanting to give Thomas a run for their money, but I'm just not there yet! I'm 2 batches in on the BBA's English Muffins, but still feel like they need a little work. I'm hoping to try a 3rd batch, which will include delectable honey, a little later this week. I'm so ready to scream VICTORY! If you're close to Casa Diva, feel free to stop by and weigh in on the current batch.

2. Mr. Diva hit the smoker this past weekend to raving reviews. If you're lucky, I might just post a few pics from the experience as well as some tasty side dishes that were served up!

3. Finally, a little plug. I'm working on a fabulous new Nashville-based website, Glossed and Found. Please check us out if you haven't and feel free to follow us on twitter, @gfnashville.