Better Than Anything Dressing...

For all of you who love Cafe Rio....here is a little something that you just might enjoy! This dressing tastes just as good as the real thing!

Here is the recipe:

1 cup mayo
1 cup milk
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
2 tomatillos
2 seranno peppers (for less heat use just 1 pepper)
1/2 bunch of cilantro

Directions:

First, slice the peppers, and cut the tomatillos in quaters and place all the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Serve on enchilladas, burritos or salads!

Baked French Toast Casserole

This recipe is DEADLY but DELICIOUS! If you're going for a more french toast, less bread pudding taste, you can use half the eggs, milk, and half-n-half. ENJOY!

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40-60 minutes (it turns out differently for me every time -- just watch it!), until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cube butter-dont substitute margarine
2 Tbls cream cheese
3/4 C Parmesan cheese {The finely grated kind that comes in a canister thingy}
1 teas garlic powder {We added a little bit more}
pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt the cream cheese and butter. Add Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Stir with wisk. Slowly pour in the heavy cream. Add pepper to taste, stirring constantly over medium heat for a few minutes. Dont wait for it to thicken. Serve with noodles. Make sure you dont rinse the noodles after straining them. They loose the capacity to absorb the sauce, because the sauce thickens from the starch from the noodles.

Lowe Family Buttermilk Brownies

BROWNIES:
1 cup margarine
1 cup water
1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp vanilla

Set oven to 350 degrees. Bring water, butter, and cocoa to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.’

Mix flour, sugar soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add cocoa mixture and mix until well blended. Pour into greased
15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

*** Frost when brownies are still warm!

FROSTING:
Heat until warm, then remove from heat --
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/3 cup buttermilk

Add:
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)