Bacon Spinach Quiche

Another great quiche recipe from my friend Angie!

1 pie crust, homemade or a frozen pie crust
1/2 c. chopped onion
6 slices bacon
8 beaten eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. half-and-half, cream, or milk
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
dash of nutmeg, optional
3 c. lightly packed, chopped spinach
2/3 c. mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
tomatoes, chopped--optional

Prepare and roll out pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan.  Line pie with aluminum foil.  Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4-5 minutes more or until pie crust is set and dry.  Remove from oven.  Reduce oven to 325. 

In a skillet, cook onion and bacon until onions are soft and bacon is cooked.  Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.

In a bowl, stir together eggs, sour cream half-and-half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Stir in bacon and onion mixture.  Add cheese to egg mixture and mix well.

Pour egg mixture in hot pie shell and bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let stand at least 10 minutes.  It is also great at room temperature and helps the quiche to come out nicely. 

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and Angie Faust

Ham & Swiss Quiche

My friend made this great quiche for book club last month.  She is such a great cook and I love everything she makes.

1 pie crust, homemade or a frozen pie crust

4 beaten eggs

1 1/2 c. half-and-half, cream, or milk (She said she has used any of those 3 and this recipe works well with any.)

1/4 c. sliced green onions

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

dash of nutmeg

3/4 c. chopped cooked ham

1 1/2 c. shredded Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack\

1 T. flour

Prepare and roll out pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan.  Line pie with aluminum foil.  Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4-5 minutes more or until pie crust is set and dry.  Remove from oven.  Reduce oven to 325. 

In a bowl, stir eggs, half-and-half, green onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Stir in ham.  In a small bowl toss together the cheese and flour.  Add to egg mixture and mix well.

Pour egg mixture in hot pie shell and bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let stand at least 10 minutes.  It is also great at room temperature and helps the quiche to come out nicely. 

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and my friend Angie Faust

French Dip Sandwiches

I have been making French dip sandwiches for years, but I recently tried this recipe my friend recommended and I am in love.  It's the best French dip I've ever had.


1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns, such as ciabatta
sliced Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese--optional
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.
When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You’re not cooking the meat, you’re just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.
*Missy's note: I didn't sear my roast because it was frozen, and it was still very juicy.  I placed in the crockpot for an hour on high, then seasoned with s&p, and soup mix.  Then let cook another hour and poured water and broth on top.
Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast.
Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.
Place meat in crusty rolls and serve or if desired, top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty.
Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

FREEZER DIRECTIONS:

Prepare roast through the searing step; after meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container (think Gladware), cover with onion soup mix and boullion, and freeze. When ready to cook, pop it straight into the crockpot (frozen), add 2 cups of water, and set to high until warm or, even better, simmering. Turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

White Chicken Chili

My friend made me this yummy chicken chili and it was really good!

2 cans - rotel tomatoes
2 cans - great northern beans (drained)
2 cans - shoepeg corn
2 cans - chunk chicken breast or 2 c. cooked and shredded chicken
1 package - McCormick slow cookers fiesta chicken
Chicken broth - use to create the consistency you desire
Top with cheese

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on high 2-3 hours.

Baked French Toast

I combined a couple recipes to make this amazing baked French toast.  It's nice to let the oven do the work and not have to stand around a griddle making breakfast.  I loved how crunchy this was and the flavor was awesome!

• 8 pieces Texas Toast bread
• 2 c. milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 T. vanilla
• 2 T. granulated sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 3 T. butter
• maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or aluminum foil and set aside.
Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. Lay the slices of bread on another (rimmed) baking sheet, then pour the mixture over the bread. Allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes or until the bread soaks up the egg/milk mixture (you can carefully flip the bread over if you want to hurry the process along).
When the bread is almost done soaking up the egg mixture, place a 1 1/2 tablespoons butter on the lined baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is melting. Remove the pan from the oven and use a pastry brush to brush the butter over the baking sheet. Carefully transfer the soaked bread from one pan to the other pan. Place in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes.
When the time is almost up, melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the top of the bread with the remaining butter, then use a spatula to flip the bread and return it to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the bread is cooked through and the pieces are fluffy and golden. Take car to not overcook, you don't want the French toast to be too crunchy.  Remove from the oven. Serve with additional butter and plenty of maple syrup.

Recipe Source: adapted from Sweet Rose Studio & Our Best Bites

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

These grilled cheese sandwiches are amazing, but definitely a splurge.  We like to serve them with tomato-basil soup!

• 3ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄2cup mayonnaise
• 2cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄2teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1⁄4teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 12slices Texas toast thick bread
• 1⁄2cup butter, softened, more if needed
• Blend all ingredients except bread and butter in a medium bowl.
• Butter one side of each slice of bread.
• Put sandwiches together using about 1/2 cup of filling each.
• Place buttered side of bread on the outside of sandwich.
• Toast on griddle or in skillet until a deep golden brown. Make sure you cook this slowly over low to med-low heat, so that the inside has a chance to melt before the outside gets too done. Kick up the heat when it gets going.
• *Depending on the size of your bread, this makes 6-10 sandwiches.

Recipe Source: food.com

Tomato-Basil Soup

Our entire extended family just loves this soup.  My friend made it recently for us when we went to her home for lunch.  I shared it with my family and it was a hit!  We like to serve this soup with these grilled cheese sandwiches.

• 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 10-ounce can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

roux

• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup heavy cream OR half & half
• 2 cups milk
• 
  

1. Put first eight ingredients (through broth) into a slow cooker/crockpot. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low. (If you are home, give it a stir every now and then and scrape down the sides)
2. About 30-40 minutes before serving transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, then return to crock pot.
3. Prepare the roux. Begin by melting the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
4. Add flour to melted butter and stir until flour clumps up. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk (or half & half) until mixture is thickened and smooth. Add roux and parmesan cheese to crockpot and stir to combine.
5. Allow to cook another 20-30 minutes until cheese is completely melted. Give it a good stir before serving. Top with additional basil and parmesan cheese if desired.

Note: To make things easier, I blend the ingredients before placing them in the Crockpot.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a recipe by Creme de la Crumb

Broccoli Beef

Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Beef and Broccoli:
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices (I like to use the pre-cut beef labeled "stir fry" 
• 6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 1/4 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional

1. In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.
2. Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don't overcook the meat - cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.
3. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Push the broccoli to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the broccoli. Add the beef back to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve - or be like me and serve it straight out of the skillet!

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sweet Shredded Ham

This is such good ham.  I once made it for Thanksgiving and we all loved it. My friend and I both prefer this over spiral ham now.  We just had it for Easter dinner and it was delicious!

• 5-7 pound precooked bone-in ham (not a spiral ham, but an unsliced cut ham, preferably bone-in)
• White distilled vinegar (around 1-3 cups)
• Water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground dry mustard

1. Place the ham in a large pot and cover with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar until the ham is covered by at least an inch or two of liquid. Bring to a boil and cook, boiling vigorously, for 2-3 hours, until the meat easily falls off the bone. Liquid will most likely splash out during cooking if your pot is as full as mine so take care that the hot liquid doesn't splash on anyone nearby. Once the water/vinegar came to a rolling boil, I lowered the heat to a bit above medium. It maintained the vigorous boil but didn't splash as much. Do not over-boil, you want the ham to be pulling apart from the bone and be tender.  Larger hams will require closer to 3 hours.
2. After the allotted time, carefully remove the ham from the pot, discarding the liquid, and let it cool until it is easier to remove the meat from the bones. Shred the ham, discarding the fat and bones, and place half in a 9X9-inch baking dish (or a similar size). In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and mustard. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the ham. Layer the rest of the ham on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar/mustard mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Buttermilk Biscuits

I love this biscuit recipe.  I like to serve it with sausage gravy.  I have tried several biscuit recipes in the past and have never like them, but this one is yummy!  The key is to use a food processor and to not overwork the dough.  It is also important to fold the dough a few times before cutting them into circles (this makes all the yummy layers).

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 9 tablespoons very cold butter cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, more or less (here is a guide for making your own buttermilk)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is like coarse meal and the butter is in small, pellet-sized pieces (slightly smaller than a pea). 
2. Pour in the buttermilk and mix/pulse only until just combined. The dough should start to come together but you don't want to overmix the dough. If there are lots of dry patches throughout the dough, add a bit more buttermilk, just a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough comes together.
3. Scrape the dough out of the food processor or bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Gently pat (do not roll with a rolling pin!) the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Gently fold the dough in half or in thirds, repeating for a total of 4-5 times and pressing it gently to 1-inch thick after the last fold. These folds, combined with the cold butter, are what help to create flaky layers in the biscuits.
4. Use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut into circles. Do not turn the cutter while pressing into the dough, just press firmly enough to cut all the way through the dough.
5. Line a large, rimmed cookie sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Place the biscuits on the pan with the sides barely touching each other. This helps the biscuits rise up instead of out. If you like crustier sides to your biscuits, space them further apart. They won't rise as high but they'll have golden edges.
6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the biscuits are lightly golden on top and bottom, do not overbake.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe