Hashbrown Quiche

NEED:
3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
1/3 cup butter, melted
seasoning salt to taste
1 cup diced cooked ham
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Press hash browns onto the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie dish. Drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
In a small bowl, combine ham, onion and shredded cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and a little seasoning salt. When crust is ready, spread ham mixture on the bottom, then cover with egg mixture.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown.

ENJOY!

Apple Skillet Pancakes

NEED:
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon butter
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
powdered sugar for dusting
maple syrup, if desired

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F

In the container of a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar and vanilla. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container to make sure everything is evenly blended. Set aside.
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet that can go into the oven. When the butter is foamy, add the sliced apples and the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the apples are tender and beginning to brown. Remove from heat.
Pour the mixture from the blender over the apples in the pan and place the pan into the preheated oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the batter is browned and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Servings: 4

How kids can help
Combine all the ingredients in the blender and run the blender (with adult supervision).
Help peel and slice the apples; older children can help sauté them.
• Pour the batter over the apples.
• Dust with icing sugar.

ENJOY!

Hungarian Goulash

This is one of my favorite winter dishes.
NEED:
1 strip bacon
2 onions, medium dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 garlic clove
Pinch caraway seeds
2 tablespoons paprika * FYI Hungarian Paprika is hot..choose according to your taste
2 cups warm water
2 cubes beef bouillon
2 whole canned tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper
4 or 5 potatoes
2 tablespoons sour cream

In a cold, heavy 6 to 8-quart stewing pot, fry bacon over low-medium heat until fat is rendered, and then discard bacon slice.

Saute onions in the bacon fat for a few minutes, do not allow the onions to brown. If bacon does not provide enough fat, add a little olive oil to prevent the onions from sticking. When onions become glossy, add the beef, sauteing with the onions for about 10 minutes, covered, until the meat is browned.

Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with the caraway seeds; add to meat and onions. Remove pot from heat. Stir in paprika rapidly with a wooden spoon. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add the warm water. The water should just cover the meat, leaving room for potatoes.

Add beef bouillon cubes. Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 1 hour.

While stew is braising, prepare the tomatoes by cutting into 1-inch pieces. Core green peppers and cut into strips. After 1 hour of braising, add the tomatoes and green pepper. Add a little more water, if necessary and a little more salt if you need it. Simmer slowly for another 30 minutes.

Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside in a bowl of water. Add potatoes, and cook another 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the goulash is done.

Once goulash is finished, dissolve sour cream and a little of the goulash sauce in a cup. Add to goulash, it should give a creamy consistency.

ENJOY!

Clam Chowder

NEED:

1/4 pound salt pork, diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup boiling water
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 eight ounce cans of minced clams
2 cups skim milk
1 cup heavy cream
Thyme (to taste)

Fry salt pork in a skillet until brown and crisp; remove and drain.
Saute onion in remaining fat until golden brown.
Add water, potatoes, salt and pepper.
Cover mixture and simmer until potatoes are tender.
Add clams with liquid and heat all together.
Add milk and cream; season to taste.
Simmer until ready to serve, but do not allow mixture to boil.
Serve in bowls topped with a dash of thyme


ENJOY!

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

NEED:
4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F. Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil, and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover, and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon, and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.

Continue cooking mixture uncovered in skillet, until sauce thickens slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

ENJOY!

Turkey / Chicken / Tater Tot Bake

This was created as a way to rid my fridge of leftovers. I had some leftover roast turkey and some left over convienent store chicken. Also a bit of turkey gravy.
I added a few more things and tossed it all in the oven. Your amounts will vary according to your taste and of course your leftovers.

Dice up the left over Turkey or Chicken or both, into a large bowl.
Dice one small onion
Dice one large carrot
Dice two stalks of celery
Add to the diced turkey / chicken
Pour in the gravy
Salt / pepper / garlic powder to taste
Spray the appropriate sized baking dish with cooking spray.
Add the mixture.
Top with shredded cheese
Top all that with Tater Tots

Place in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the Tater Tots are golden brown.

Not only does this use leftovers, it is a great comfort food.

I served mine with a tossed salad.

ENJOY!

Almond Crescent Cookies

NEED:

1 cup of butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling

Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.

Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly.

Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown.

Dust with powdered sugar.

For added decadence let the cookies cool and dip one end of them into some melted chocolate, then let the chocolate harden.

ENJOY!