Family Reunion: Take 2

You would not believe the incredible week that we have had in SUNNY San Diego. And, to top it all off we had incredible food.

First of all, my sweet Aunt KaraLyn fed us OFTEN in her beautiful back yard. She made us breakfast the first morning we were there. We had Baked Praline French Toast with Praline Syrup, a Hashbrown and Sausage Tart, and watermelon. After our Cook Reunion, she fed us again twice. The first night we had a Mexican BBQ. We had a Shrimp Dip appetizer and Grilled Fajitas with all the fixings (grilled steak and chicken, frefried beans, fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, chopped cilantro) and homemade lemonade. Our final meal with her was panini sandwiches. And my cousins made a Wild Rice Salad and Rhubbarb Upside-Down Cake.

The food from our family reunion was wonderful, too! I am working on pulling those recipes along with other family favorites together on another cooking blog!

Baked Praline French Toast
3 eggs
2/3 C milk
3 T sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
8 slices French or Italian bread (1" slices)
4 T butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the first 4 ingredients. Soak bread in mixture for 2 minutes. Melt butter in 9x13" dish. Put in bread, 1 layer thick. Bake 15 minutes turn and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Praline Syrup
¾ C brown sugar
¼ C light corn syrup
3 T water
Pinch salt
1 T butter
¼ tsp vanilla
¼ C pecans

Combine first four ingredients, bring to a boil, simmer 2-3 minutes, and remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and pecans.

Hashbrown and Sausage Tarts
hasbrown patties (prepared)
sauteed peppers & onions
brown & serve sausage (diced)
grated mexican cheese mix

Brown hashbrown patties to crisp the outside. Top with peppers and onions, sausage, and cheese. Broil to melt the cheese.

Yucatan Barbeque Shrimp Dip
The amounts of the ingredients are very flexible.
2 lbs Monterey Jack Cheese
1 lb. frozen or fresh small shrimp (tails off)
1 cup fresh salsa
1 tsp cinnamon
Tortilla chips

Slice the cheese in 1/4 inch thick slices. Overlap on the bottom of a heavy frying pan. Layer with shrimp, salsa, and sprinkle the cinnamon on the top. Heat on the barbeque until the cheese is totally melted. Serve with chips.