August is my month. It’s hot and it’s my birthday. I love the long days, sitting by the pool and eating outside. I also love to enjoy every last minute of every day with friends and family! Below are recipes for a day, my birthday! Best to make the Casserole and Yogurt Sauce the day before.
BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH CASSEROLE
Recipe from Jan Benedict, former charter yacht chef
Prep time: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: overnight. Sitting time: 5-10 minutes. Serves: 6
2 lbs. sausage meat
6 eggs
2 cups milk
5 slices of white bread, torn into small pieces
1-1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
2 tsp. dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Place sausage meat in a pan over medium to high heat. Cook a few minutes until browned. In a bowl mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard. Layer bread pieces and sausage in a 3-quart casserole dish, then pour over egg mixture. Refrigerate overnight. 1 hour before you would like to serve the casserole, heat oven to 35oºF. Place dish in oven and cook for about 45 minutes, until casserole cooked and slightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Note: Sometimes I like it a little more spice, so I used spiced sausage meat or add a few red flakes to the egg mixture.
FRENCH TOAST WITH A ZEST
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Serves: 6
4 eggs
2 cups light coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
12 – ¾ inch thick slices of brioche bread or 6 sprouted whole grain bread (slices cut in half)
TOPPING:
Pure maple syrup and/or Confectioner’s sugar, optional
Fresh berries: strawberry slices, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
In a shallow bowl, add the eggs and lightly whisk them. Add the coconut milk, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts, cinnamon and orange zest. In a large heavy bottom warmed skillet over medium heat add butter and coconut oil. While butter warms and melts, dunk a slice of bread gently in the egg mixture and turn to make sure both sides are coated; about 15 seconds. Place the egg covered slices in the hot skillet and cook until golden brown on each side. Repeat with more slices until all are cooked. Place on warmed plates and top with berries and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, along with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar!
CAJUN BURGERS WITH YOGURT SAUCE
Prep time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 6 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours or overnight. Makes: 6 burgers
YOGURT SAUCE:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. ketchup
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, juiced
½ tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
In a glass bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Cover and put in fridge to allow flavors to blend. A couple of hours or overnight.
CAJUN BURGERS:
2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1-1/4 cups Panko
1-1/2 Tbsp. old bay seasoning
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tsp. paprika
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon juiced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 shallot, minced
Pulse half the shrimp in a food processor. Cut the other half of shrimp in half or thirds. Add all the other ingredients to a bowl (except olive oil) and mix well. Form patties. Heat skillet, add olive oil and cook burgers over medium heat; about 3 minutes each side, just until the shrimp turn pink. Serve with buns and dollop of Yogurt Cajun sauce.
Note: I also like to serve them without the buns on a dish with salad and maybe some boiled little red potatoes.
DESSERT:
Ice Cream, fresh sliced peaches, and a little salt caramel chocolate!!
Capt. Jan Robinson is the author of the Ship to Shore Cookbook Collection; www.shiptoshoreinc.com. She holds certificates from the Cordon Bleu Cooking School, Paris, The Ecole Ritz Escoffier, Paris, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) New York, and graduated from the International Integrative Nutrition as a Health Coach. The Charter Yacht Brokers Association Inc. inducted Jan into their Hall of Fame in December 2019 at the Antigua Yacht Show.
