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In on November 20, 2016 with No Comments

Bacon and Potato Quiche

I needed something quick and easy to fix one weekend morning after Cody’s surgery, but I didn’t have time to run to the grocery store for any special ingredients. I stumbled across this quiche recipe on Simply Stacie’s website, and it’s definitely a keeper. I had all the ingredients on hand, so throwing it all together was a snap. It has everything in it that makes a great weekend breakfast: potatoes, bacon, cheese, and eggs.  The original recipe called for an entire package of bacon, but I only used half, and there was plenty of bacon in my opinion. My sons, of course, said next time to use the entire package. 🙂

 




You could probably make this crustless if you wanted, but since I had a couple store-bought pie crusts in the freezer, this was one way to get rid of them and make some room in the freezer. Feel free to add different ingredients to what is listed in the recipe (mushrooms and/or spinach would be awesome) or change up the spices if you don’t care for thyme. Since it’s almost Thanksgiving and my outdoor chives are dormant, I omitted the chives that the recipes calls for, but once they’re up in the spring, I plan to make this with fresh chives, which should add another layer of onion-y flavor that will be delicious. Enjoy!

 

bacon-and-potato-quiche

 

bacon-and-potato-quiche-slice

 

Bacon and Potato Quiche

 

1 refrigerated pie crust

Half a package of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup potatoes, cut into a small dice

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

1-1/2 cups half and half

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the refrigerated pie crust, pressing to fit. (Or use a premade frozen pastry shell like I did). Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake to 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Turn down the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain bacon pieces on a paper towel and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan.

Add onions, potatoes, and thyme to the skillet, and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat until the potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the half and half, eggs, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Spread the shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom of the prebaked pie shell. Top with bacon pieces and the potato mixture. Pour the egg mixture over top, and sprinkle with chopped chives if using.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes or until the filling is set when you test it with a knife. Let the quiche stand for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

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In , on April 9, 2016 with No Comments

Chicken Stuffed With Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I’ve been on the hunt for good-tasting stuffed chicken breast recipes. I tried one a few weeks back that was good, but it needed a little “something” to take the taste over the top. It also had spinach and cheese in the stuffing, and that recipe also had white wine. It was good, but the boys were only okay with it.



Tonight I decided to jazz up the spices just a bit. I went back to the spinach and cheese theme from before, but this time I added in some feta along with the mozzarella, and I added some sun-dried tomatoes for extra earthy flavor. I replaced the wine with a red pepper Italian dressing, and I used this as a marinade/sauce over the top of the chicken. All in all, I like this flavor profile much better than the other one, even though I’ll probably make that one again someday.

 

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This really is quick and easy to throw together, and you can halve or double the recipe as needed. Just use one boneless, skinless chicken breast per serving. My chicken took about 45 minutes to bake, but your time may vary according to your oven. Just make sure the chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. ETA: Next time I’m going to stuff in as much cheese as I possibly can. I was being overly cautious because I wanted to make sure I could “close” the pocket. Next time, I won’t care if everything runs over and out – this was really good 🙂

 

chicken stuffed with spinach, feta and tomatoes

 

chicken stuffed with spinach, feta and tomatoes 2-cut

 

Chicken Stuffed With Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup washed fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bottle red pepper-flavored Italian salad dressing

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with baking spray.

Slit each chicken breast to make a pocket in the middle, making sure not to cut completely through the chicken breast. Add spinach, feta cheese, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese to each chicken pocket. Use toothpicks to hold the chicken breasts together, and place chicken in the prepared baking dish. Pour the Italian dressing over top of the chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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In , on March 17, 2016 with No Comments

Baked Potato Soup

I love soup and loaded baked potatoes, and I’ve made different versions of a loaded baked potato soup for years. The basic ingredients are usually the same: potatoes, bacon, cheese and sour cream. How you prepare your potatoes varies from recipe to recipe. Some recipes have you peel and dice them, then cook the potatoes in butter until soft. In other recipes, like the one I made tonight, you use already baked potatoes, with the skin on, which not only helps speed up how long it takes to make the soup, but you also get the added fiber, vitamins and minerals found in the potato skins. I’m the first to admit I hate to peel potatoes (can’t hang on to the slippery little devils thanks to the dropsies from carpal tunnel), so anytime I can use a potato in a recipe without peeling it – I’m in.




 

You can make this soup on the stove, or you can add your ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low all day – just add the sour cream right before serving if you decide to use your Crock-Pot. You can reserve the bacon pieces to garnish each bowl, or you can add it all back into the soup, which I like to do so the bacon flavors the entire soup. You can garnish with green onions and extra shredded cheese if you like. However you make it, your kitchen will smell great, and your family will really enjoy this recipe.

baked potato soup

 

Baked Potato Soup

4 slices bacon, diced

5 tablespoons butter

6 potatoes, already baked with skins on, roughly diced (microwave them when you’re in a hurry to get dinner on the table)

1 box (32 ounces) Kitchen Stock’s unsalted chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence (optional – I add this to most of my soups)

2 cups milk (approximate)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Green onions, chopped, for garnish (optional)

 

In a large stockpot, cook diced bacon pieces over medium heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

To the same stockpot with the bacon drippings, melt 5 tablespoons butter. Add the roughly diced baked potatoes to the pot, stirring to coat with the butter and bacon drippings. Add the box of chicken stock to the stockpot, and turn the heat down to low. Stir to combine ingredients. Cook over low for about 10 minutes or so, until the soup begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. (Because the potatoes are baked, you shouldn’t need to add any flour or other thickener, as the potatoes will thicken the soup themselves). Add the milk to the soup – this amount may be more or less than stated in the recipe based on how thick or how thin you like your potato soup. Add the shredded cheddar cheese to the soup, and cook over low heat until heated thoroughly and the cheese has melted completely.

Just before serving, stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish soup with chopped green onions and additional cheddar cheese or cooked bacon pieces if desired.

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In , , , on February 20, 2016 with No Comments

Sesame Chicken Thighs and Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

Sometimes a home cook needs a little help getting dinner on the table. Since I work from home, I’m always looking for quick recipes and dishes that allow me to make something homemade for my family that don’t take too much time to prepare. And sometimes work gets in the way, and I need a little help speeding up the process.

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While I definitely prefer to make everything from scratch, sometimes time doesn’t always allow me to do so, and I turn to ready-made sauces from the store. Shortcuts I’ve found that my family likes are the cooking sauces from Campbell’s. Yes, I know I could make these sauces from scratch, but when you’re pressed for time but you still want a home-cooked meals, these sauces have been a real time-saver for me. We’ve tried the slow cooker Tavern Style Pot Roast and the slow cooker Apple Bourbon Pulled Pork, and we really like both of these. Last night I tried the skillet Sesame Chicken sauce, and instead of cooking the chicken on the stove, I used the sauce as a baking sauce. It was pretty good. The family said they liked it and would eat it again. I think I’ll kick it up a notch in the spice category next time, but overall, it was a win for dinner.

sesame chicken thighs 2

 

Baked Sesame Chicken Thighs

1 package Campbell’s Skillet Sauces Sesame Chicken

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken thighs in the dish, and cover the thighs completely with the sesame chicken sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 50 minutes until the juices run clear, or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to let the juices return to the meat.

 




I did, however, make a homemade veggie casserole to go with the sesame chicken. I decided it was time to start working on the frozen veggies that I put up last summer to make some room for what I hope will be a successful gardening season this year. We try to grow broccoli and cauliflower each year, and I had a few packages left in the freezer that needed using. Cheese goes great with just about any vegetable, and this is a casserole I often make when I’m craving broccoli or cauliflower. Of course, you can use just one or the other, but I like to combine them. You can omit or adjust the mustard powder if you wish (or substitute a little prepared horseradish) if you don’t like the spice, but I like a cheese sauce with a little bit of kick, and the mustard powder provides this.

cheesy broccoli and cauliflower casserole

 

 

Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

2 packages of frozen mixed broccoli and cauliflower

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Salt and black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add the frozen vegetables to the baking dish.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the flour to the saucepan, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes to make a light colored (tan) roux. This will help thicken your sauce. Once you’ve reached a tan-colored roux, add the milk, cheese and mustard powder to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and cauliflower.

Bake casserole at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 50 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is nice and bubbly.

 

All in all, dinner was pretty good last night 🙂

sesame chicken and broccoli casserole plated

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In on February 10, 2016 with No Comments

Ham, Cheese and Spinach Quiche

I absolutely love breakfast and the variety of things you can make to eat. When we go out for breakfast, I typically order the same thing – an omelette loaded with as many goodies as they can stuff in there – but at home, I like to vary things up by making biscuits and gravy, quick muffins and even make-ahead French toast casseroles. One thing I’ve never tried, though, is a quiche, which is really odd when you think that everything I usually put in a breakfast casserole can be found in a typical quiche recipe. The only difference is the pie crust replaces the bread in the casserole.




I looked online at various ham and cheese quiche recipes, and since I already had some fresh spinach that needed to be used, I decided to make my own recipe by adding in additional veggies I had on hand. The inspiration for this quiche comes from What The Fork Food Blog, and then I just added the spinach and onions. You could change up the recipe to whatever leftovers you may have in your refrigerator – replace the ham with some cooked sausage. Change up the cheddar cheese to Swiss, which would pair nicely with ham and bacon. If it’s spring, throw in some fresh asparagus instead of spinach (I plan to try this when our asparagus patch is ready). Whatever combinations you try, you’ll end up with a tasty dish for breakfast or brunch. Or have this for an easy dinner. We paired it with French Onion Soup and some garlic bread – tasty way to eat quiche 🙂

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche whole 2

 

Ham, Cheese and Spinach Quiche

1 9-inch pie crust (already blind baked for about 10 minutes)

1 cup diced ham

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup diced onion

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the diced ham and bacon to the partially cooked pie crust, spreading evenly across the bottom. Add the diced onion and chopped fresh spinach on top of the meats.

In a small bowl, toss the cheese and flour together so the cheese is coated, and sprinkle this over everything in the pie crust.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, the milk and the pepper. Pour mixture over the meat, cheese and veggies. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes. When done, the middle will still be slightly jiggly, which will set up as it sits. Let the quiche sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche half

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche slice 2

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In on February 6, 2016 with No Comments

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bites

In our house, bacon is its own food group. The boys will eat bacon on anything and everything, whether it’s fried in strips, crumbled on a wilted lettuce salad or used to top homemade baked beans. It’s often found on our breakfast table, but I wanted to take a short cut this morning and combine everything together.




These breakfast bites are really crustless quiches. All you need is a muffin cup and a large measuring cup to mix up the eggs, and 30 minutes later, breakfast is served. You can add ingredients of your choice. Use up any leftover ham or sausage links. Chop up some fresh broccoli and change up the type of shredded cheese if you like. This morning I added some hen of the woods mushrooms that we’d canned in late fall, but fresh mushrooms work equally as well. These make a quick breakfast that you can eat on the go, and they’re great for using up those small-quantity leftover veggies and meats that aren’t quite enough to stand on their own.

bacon egg cups in pan

 

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bites

12 slices of bacon

8 eggs

1 half-pint canned mushrooms

Shredded cheddar cheese

Milk

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin liberally with cooking spray. Line each muffin cup with 1 slice of bacon. Evenly distribute the canned mushrooms in each muffin cup (I used an entire half-pint). Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the mushrooms.

In a large measuring cup, combine the eggs, a splash of milk, salt and pepper, and whisk until scrambled. Pour egg mixture into the muffin cups.

Bake muffin cups at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cups comes out clean.

bacon egg cups in pan 2

bacon egg cups on plate

 

Makes 12


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In on January 21, 2016 with No Comments

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Muffin Cups

My family doesn’t do well with leftovers. We have good intentions, although the refrigerator often has lots of foil-covered containers that sit in there for way too long.

Last night I made Italian Sausage Roll-ups, and we only had two leftover rolls, which were quickly eaten sometime in the night (we have mystery nighttime eaters!). However, I had leftover sausage filling after I’d made the roll-ups. This morning I decided to wing it and make some baked egg and cheese cups to use up that leftover sausage filling. For the sausage filing recipe, click on the link above, and adjust amounts according to how many muffin cups you want to make.

sausage egg cheese muffin cups baked

 

Sausage Egg and Cheese Muffin Cups

Sausage filling (from Italian Sausage Roll-up recipe)

Shredded mozzarella cheese

7 eggs

1/4 cup milk (approximate)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with cooking spray, or use muffin cup liners.

Place about a tablespoon of the sausage filling in the bottom of each muffin cup. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top of the sausage.

 

sausage filling in muffin cups 2

 

In a measuring cup, scramble the eggs and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and cheese, filling each muffin cup.

sausage and eggs in muffin cups unbaked 2

 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the centers of each muffin test clean with a toothpick.

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In , on January 21, 2016 with No Comments

Italian Sausage Roll-ups

My family loves Italian-style meals, and lasagna is probably one of their favorite choices when I ask them what they’d like for dinner. I don’t mind making a huge lasagna, but I wanted to do something a little different for dinner tonight, so I decided to make Italian Sausage Roll-ups. I’ve made these in a variety of ways in the past, using ground beef, adding spinach and mixing up the different cheeses, but tonight I decided to make them with Italian sausage.

These are really easy to make, although they can be a little bit messy, but in the end, this is a fun dish you can make for your family and when friends come over for dinner. This is also a good recipe to get little hands in the kitchen to teach them how to cook.

 

Italian Sausage Roll-ups

1 pound Italian pork sausage

1 package lasagna noodles

1 carton ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Fresh Parmesan cheese for grating

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook lasagna noodles according to package direction. Set aside.

In a skillet, brown the Italian sausage until no longer pink and nicely browned. Drain.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add the browned and drained Italian sausage. Mix well.

sausage filling

 

To assemble, take 1 cooked lasagna noodle, and place 1 tablespoon of the meat and cheese filling on one end. Roll up the lasagna noodle like you would a jelly roll.

lasagna noodle and filling

 

Place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan, seam side down. Continue with the remaining noodles until you’ve filled the pan.

lasagna rolls in pan

Pour the jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce evenly over the tops of the lasagna rolls.

 

lasagna rolls with sauce

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the tops of the rolls, and grate fresh Parmesan cheese over everything.

lasagna rolls with sauce and cheese 2

 

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned and the dish is bubbly.

 

lasagna rolls baked

 

Yield: 18 lasagna rolls

 

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In , on January 19, 2016 with No Comments

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Stuffed Shells

I’m always looking for new ways to use leftover ham. My go-to recipes are ham and beans, which my husband and sons love, and the usual scalloped potato and ham casserole. Tonight I decided to try something a little different. My family loves Italian-style stuffed pasta shells, so I decided to mix it up a little bit and use my leftover ham and broccoli. I think it was a success judging from the few shells left at the end of the meal. This is easy to make, and you can vary the types of cheese and even the veggies you want to use.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells plated

1 package jumbo pasta shells

2 cups leftover cooked ham, finely diced

1 package frozen broccoli, finely chopped

1 package ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cups shredded Italian cheeses (I buy the prepackaged mix of Italian cheeses)

1 jar Alfredo sauce (or use homemade)

Fresh Parmesan cheese for grating

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a large stockpot, cook the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, combine all the other ingredients (except for the Parmesan) in a large bowl, and mix until completely combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 2 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the ham and broccoli mixture, and place the shells in the baking dishes.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells - no sauce

 

Pour the Alfredo sauce over each shell. You don’t have to completely cover them, but make sure each shell has some sauce. Grate the Parmesan cheese evenly over all the shells.

 

ham, cheese, broccoli shells with sauce 2

Bake the shells for approximately 40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells baked 2

 

Yield:  About 6 servings (makes about 36 stuffed shells)

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In , , on January 3, 2016 with No Comments

Cody’s Skillet Pasta

While I was busy working today, my oldest son decided he’d make dinner for everyone. He’s a good cook who has learned to look through the cupboards and freezer, see what’s available, and come up with something tasty to eat. Tonight he made a skillet pasta, and it was really good. Thanks Cody!

codys skillet pasta

codys skillet pasta on plate

Cody’s Skillet Pasta

1 pound ground venison or ground beef (he used venison)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package egg noodles
8 ounces canned mushrooms (he used canned Hen of the Woods mushrooms)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash liquid hickory smoke
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Parsley flakes for sprinkling on top

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground meat until no longer pink; drain. To the ground meat, add the spaghetti sauce, cooked noodles, mushrooms, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and stir to completely combine. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and let cook until the cheese melts. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top just before serving.

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