Recipes for Coffee Cake and Egg Casserole

Here are the recipes Mel promised. Even with all the mistakes we made, the coffee cake and egg casserole make an excellent breakfast. The egg casserole is simpler so I'll start with it.

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Next, get out a medium sized bowl, put in 4 cups of Monterey Jack cheese (we've always done cheddar), 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, and 4 (8-ounce) cartons cottage cheese and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Next, sift together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 10 eggs, beaten to cheese mixture, mixing well.

Pour into well-greased 13- x 9- x 2-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. (It always takes at least 15 extra minutes in our oven. Just be sure to not over cook it like we did :P).

Now for the coffee cake.

First, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Next, cream 1/4 cup of butter, softened. Beat in 1 cup sugar and 1 egg, well beaten.

In a separate bowl mix sift together, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with 1/2 cup of milk. Pour into a 9- x 9-buttered pan

Next, in a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup butter (make sure you don't double this :P), and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. (I often double the brown sugar mixture. )

"Sprinkle" (more like spread) over batter. Bake for 20 minutes (It always takes at least 35 in our oven)

When I bake these two recipes for breakfast I cook them both at the lower temperature and just cook the egg casserole longer so I can cook them at the same time.

Enjoy!