Mini Bacon & Egg Quiches

These mini quiches are a simple, unique breakfast that your kids will love. Just a warning, they will disappear in seconds so my suggestion is to double the recipe if you are using it as a meal. I used a mini muffin pan. If you want larger quiches, use a regular muffin tin, just cut the biscuits larger.

MINI BACON AND EGG QUICHES

1 can crescent rolls
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce (a little more if you want a stronger flavor)
3/4 c. shredded Swiss cheese
6 - 8 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
   
2. Roll out crescent dough and cut enough circles to fill your muffin tin. I used a biscuit cutter. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, use the rim of a glass. One can of rolls will fill one mini muffin pan (24 biscuits.) Press into prepared muffin tin.
   
3. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, Worcestershire, and cheese. Pour into prepared biscuits. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the egg has set. Let cool and serve.
   

Pita Bread

I've always thought pita bread tasted a little bit like cardboard...too bland and dried out for me. Then I discovered this recipe from The Fresh Loaf. Once you try these you'll never want to go back to store bought pitas.

These are supposed to puff up in the oven so that you get a pocket when they are sliced in half. Mine don't always puff but that's okay, if that happens I use them as flat bread or I carefully slice them so that they do have a pocket. High heat, a very hot baking surface, and very thinly rolled dough are apparently the keys to getting the pitas to puff. Mine usually bubble a little bit and that is good enough for me.

This time I stuffed them with chicken salad. Another idea is to use them as individual pizza crusts or as pockets for sloppy joes or tacos. If you try them, and have success getting them to puff, please let me know!


**Since posting this I've done some experimenting. The key to getting puffy pita bread is heat. Make sure your oven is preheated. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees (I originally had 400) and if possible, use a stone to bake them. The result will be beautiful, tasty bread with no leftovers!
PITA BREAD

3 c. flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1 packet (2 t.) yeast
1 1/2 c. water, room temp.
2 T. olive oil

1. Mix the yeast with the flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 c. water.
3. Stir together with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball. It should feel like soft roll dough.
   
4. Knead for about 10 minutes.
5. Place in a sprayed bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 90 minutes until it is doubled in size.
6. Now it's time to preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you have a baking stone place it in the oven now. If not, use a flat cookie sheet or turn a cookie sheet upside down. This will be your baking surface.
   
7. When the dough has doubled, punch it down and separate into 8-10 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. This resting period is necessary so that the gluten in the dough relaxes. This enables you to more easily shape the pitas.
8. Lightly flour your work surface and place one dough ball on the flour. Sprinkle the ball with flour and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. It should be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
9. Open the oven and place the flattened dough on the hot baking surface. Let it cook for 3 minutes. If you want the pitas to be crispy and brown leave them in for and additional 3 - 5 minutes.
10. You can store them in a zip-top bag...if you have any left. We never do!
    

Ham-Chive Brunch Bake

My kids think this is a different version of pizza. I let them think that because then they eat it. I like that fact that it has veggies (tomatoes, mushrooms), dairy (cheese, milk), and protein (eggs and ham.) It's an all in one dish that I can use to sneak a little of everything into their diet. (I told you I was a sneaky mom!) Frequently I make this as a dinner dish but it is also a delicious, flavorful breakfast and is something unique you could take to a potluck. I hope you enjoy it!

HAM-CHIVE BRUNCH BAKE-Taste of Home 2002

3 green onions, sliced (or 1/2 c. chopped onion...I like the flavor of green onions and they look prettier sprinkled on top.)
1 T. butter
3/4 c. chopped ham (You could use 1, 5 oz. can chunk ham, sliced deli meat, or leftover ham. I always make this dish after I've cooked a ham.)
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. water
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 t. dill weed
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3 T. minced, fresh chives (If I don't have fresh I just sprinkle dried chives over the top.)
Sliced mushrooms (if you like them.)

1. Melt butter in a skillet. Saute onions until tender. Stir in ham, tomato, and mushrooms. Set aside.
   
2. In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and water. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
   
3. Spread ham mixture over the crust. Sprinkle with cheese.
   
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, dill, salt, and pepper. pour over the cheese. Sprinkle with chives.
   
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cut into slices and serve.
   

Creamy Broccoli Soup

My friend, HP, invited us over for dinner and served this soup. It was delicious so naturally I asked for the recipe. I love it because the ingredients are things that I almost always have on hand. I buy the broccoli from Sam's Club in a huge 3 lb. bag, already cut up, for less than $4.00. That's a steal! I always feel cheated when I purchase broccoli by the pound and end up throwing a large portion of the stems in the garbage. Now that I've discovered this little secret I never buy broccoli at a regular grocery store unless it is on sale. Yes, I'm cheap. I hope you enjoy this soup as a side or a meal. Don't forget the fresh baked rolls to go with it!

BROCCOLI SOUP

1 1/2 lbs. broccoli or cauliflower, chopped (sometimes I do half of each)
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cube butter
1 small onion or 2 T. dried onion
3/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
1 can evaporated milk

1. Combine 2 c. water, broccoli and bouillon in a pot and boil until it reaches your desired tenderness. I don't like it too soggy, it should still have a tiny bit of crunch left in it.
2. Saute butter and onion.
3. Now we will make a roux. Add the flour to the butter mixture. It will be really, really thick, almost like play dough.
4. Whisk in the milk a little at a time. Whisk in the evaporated milk until smooth. Cook on low until thick, about 10 minutes. Pour into broccoli mixture.
5. Do not boil! The milk will curdle if the heat gets too high.
6. Serve topped with shredded cheese. Yum!
   

Creamy Italian Chicken

On Thursday, I got this dish all prepared, put it in the slow cooker, and left it for a couple of hours. Imagine my surprise when at dinnertime, the chicken was raw (thankfully it was frozen.) It turns out the you have to plug in the appliance to make it work. Ha-ha. I quickly whipped up some Creamy Broccoli soup and stuck the slow cooker in the refrigerator.

I first learned about this recipe in college when we were sitting in the lab shooting the breeze and swapping dinner ideas. That was (never mind you don't want to know how many years ago.) Anyway, it's simple, and fast. And, I've been making it for a long time. Just remember to plug in your appliance and it will cook itself. Serve it over pasta or rice and steam a vegetable for a balanced meal.

CREAMY ITALIAN CHICKEN

4 -6 chicken breasts
1 pkg dry Italian dressing mix (or 1 cup of bottled Italian dressing)
1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Combine cream cheese, soup, and dressing. I like to use my Braun hand mixer to make it creamy. You could also use a blender. Lumps of unmelted cream cheese are unappetizing to eat and look at on your plate. Add chicken. I use a slow cooker. On high it will be done within about two hours or set it on low to cook all day. Serve over egg noodles or steamed rice.

Rice Pilaf

I don't like to buy food in pre-mixed packages so I avoid things like Rice-a-roni but I wanted to make a side of rice a little more interesting. After a late night internet search I ran across this recipe on cooks.com. I loved the flavor and simplicity but it made WAY more rice than the five of us could eat and I even halved the recipe. Eventually we got tired of eating rice so I froze the rest. I hope it's okay after defrosting it. I will post the halved recipe but keep in mind that is still 2 1/2 cups of pasta and rice which expands when you add water.

You know what would be a flavorful addition to this dish, toasted almonds. I wonder why I didn't include them...oh yeah, it's because I scorched them...when I walked away to post on this blog. (Good grief!) To begin with, I had to dig the almonds out of a bag of trail mix because I was out of them and then slice them because they were whole almonds. After turning them black, I didn't want to dig again or start the house on fire. Oh well, I will definitely add them next time but remember, do not walk away from toasting almonds!

RICE PILAF

4 T. butter
1 c. orzo or broken vermicelli (pasta)
1 1/2 c. rice
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
5 c. chicken broth (5 c. water and 5 bouillon cubes if you don't have broth.)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the orzo and cook until golden brown. Add the rice, salt, and pepper. Add chicken broth to the rice mixture. Turn to high heat until the rice comes to a boil, cover, and turn heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes until rice is fluffy and all liquid is absorbed. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chili

My favorite chili recipe comes from the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook. It's simple, not too spicy, and makes just enough for our family without leaving a huge pot of leftovers. I'm not a big fan of leftovers. I would much rather cook dinner every night than eat something that has been sitting in the fridge for a few days. Anyway, if you are serving more than four people you might want to double it. I have one child that only eats the beans (go figure) so I like to add an additional can of beans. Serve it with yummy cornbread and you've got a tummy warming meal.

CHILI

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 T. chili powder
3/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1. Cook beef, onion, and garlic together. It's best to let the beef cook for a minute until some of the grease turns to liquid. This way you don't scorch the garlic and onion. Drain and set aside.
2. Stir all remaining ingredients except beans in a large pot. Add beef. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes stirring occasionally. The cookbook says one hour but I think too much liquid cooks out of it.
   
3. Stir in beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until it reaches your desired thickness.
4. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar and top with sour cream if desired.
   

Brownies Fantastico

In my book, death by chocolate would not be a bad way to go. I first tasted these brownies at a New Year' s party a couple of years ago. The lady who brought them referred me to the Good Things Utah website. I've made these several times since then and every time my kids see the ingredients lined up on the counter they get excited. It's the perfect combination of everything we shouldn't eat...chocolate, butter, commercial cake mix, and marshmallows. But the combination tastes fabulous. They are gooey and rich but as much as I like sweets I will admit that one is probably enough. The recipe is fairly simple. Just make sure they completely cool before you try to cut them.

BROWNIES FANTASTICO

1 chocolate cake mix
1/2 c. melted butter (1 cube)
1 egg
2 1/4 c. miniature marshmallows
5 whole graham crackers, broken
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. white chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. I like glass Pyrex dishes.
2. Mix the cake mix, butter, and egg together. Press into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
   
3. Remove from oven and poke 10 small holes in the cake. I use the handle of a wooden spoon.
4. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers, chocolate and white chips, and marshmallows on top.
   
5. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over all ingredients.
6. Bake an additional 12 - 15 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown.
7. Cool completely before cutting.

VARIATION: Add several caramels on top before adding the sweetened condensed milk. It's one more yummy flavor to add to this sinfully delicious dessert.

Chili Verde

Okay, what started out as chili verde turned out a little more like chili roja. You know how you start out with a recipe that calls for one thing that you don't have, so you substitute, then you throw in a little of this and that until what you end up with is something quite different than what you intended...that's what this is. I saw a chili verde recipe in the newspaper and thought it sounded good. However, I didn't have tomatillas so I used bottled tomatoes. That's where we ended up with red pork instead of green. It's nothing like the newspaper recipe, but that's fine. It has become one of our "go to" meals. I turned it into something that uses ingredients that I always have on hand. Aah, the beauty of food storage. I can get stuff off the basement shelves, grab a pork roast out of the freezer, throw it in the slow cooker, and end up with a very satisfying meal.

CHILI VERDE (ROJA)

1 pork roast (Pork shoulder, pork butt, bone-in or boneless...whatever is on sale!)
1 quart of stewed tomatoes
2 T. dried onions
1/3 chopped jalapeno (Add more if you can take the heat, we're wimps at this house!)
1 heaping t. taco/Mexican seasoning
1 can (4oz.) green chilies
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
3 T. flour

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker or crock pot. Sprinkle with flour and cover. Let cook on high for at least 3 hours. After 3 hours it will be done but here's a tip...the longer it cooks, the easier it will shred from the bone. You could cook it on lower heat for a longer period of time.

When meat is done, remove from pot. Cut into pieces or shred. Add back into the tomato mixture. Add a little more flour if it is not thick enough. Serve over homemade flour tortillas.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

6-8 c. flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 T. salt
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 c. warm water

1. Add 6 cups of flour to mixer with the rest of the dry ingredients and the water. Mix until smooth.
   
2. Slowly add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time. I usually use about 8 cups. The dough will still be slightly sticky. It should be dry enough to handle but you don't want it thick and smooth like bread dough or you won't be able to roll it.
   
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour. This step is important, the gluten needs to relax so you can roll it into circles.
4. Sprinkle work surface with flour. After one hour, separate a small ball of dough (golf ball size) and roll out into a thin circle with a rolling pin or shape with your hands. I think it's easier to shape it with your hands but whatever works for you is fine.
   
5. Cook on an ungreased griddle until lightly browned on both sides. 1-2 minutes per side.
6. Serve with favorite toppings. Store in refrigerator in a large Ziploc.

Secretly I would love a huge tortilla maker like a factory would have. We saw one at California Adventures and it was awesome! All those conveyor belts and perfectly round tortillas were amazing. However, that's not practical so we'll stick to the Kitchenaid mixer and Toastmaster griddle!

Shoyu Chicken

I've tried several versions of teriyaki/shoyu chicken. All of them have the same basic ingredients, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. What I like about this one is the touch of honey. It adds a different sweetness that is really appealing. I used a slow cooker and let it simmer for a couple of hours. Serve it over rice with steamed veggies and you have a fast, delicious meal. Oh, and your house will smell delicious too.

SHOYU CHICKEN-cooks.com

1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce (It called for 3/4 cup, I reduced it to 1/2 c.)
2 T. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 t. ginger
4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Crush garlic and then add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Let simmer for about 2 hours. Serve over steamed rice with vegetables.

Grape Smoothie

Why am I making smoothies when it's icy cold outside? Because I'm a sneaky mom with a child on an eating strike. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in yogurt, milk, and fruit. I used an orange julius recipe but substituted grape juice, reduced the water, and added yogurt and a banana. My kids and husband thought it was great.

GRAPE JUICE SMOOTHIE

1/2 can grape juice (6 oz.)
1 c. milk (whatever kind you like, skim, whole, raw...it doesn't matter)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. yogurt
1 banana, sliced
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla

Fill a blender 2/3 full with ice. Add remaining ingredients. Place lid securely and blend. Serve immediately. Serves 4

TAFFY APPLE SALAD

My SIL got this recipe from her husband's aunt. She made it for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and I couldn't stop eating it. Forget leftover turkey, I think I had at least three additional servings of this salad. It's one that you have to think about a day ahead because of some refrigeration that's involved but it's worth it.

TAFFY APPLE SALAD

2 c. apples, chopped, unpeeled (I usually use 2 granny smith and one red gala. I like the sweet and sour and the color combination.)
1 container whipped topping
1 can pineapple chunks
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1 1/2 T. white vinegar
1/2 c. Spanish peanuts

1. Drain the pineapple and save the juice in a small saucepan.
2. Combine the pineapple chunks with the marshmallows in a covered bowl and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the sauce pan, mix the pineapple juice with the sugar, flour, egg, and vinegar. Heat to boil over medium heat. Whisk continually. It should thicken after a few minutes. Cool and refrigerate overnight.
4. The next day fold the juice mixture with the thawed whipped topping. Then mix in the apples, pineapple, and marshmallows.
5. Sprinkle individual servings with peanuts just before serving.
   

ORANGE CHICKEN

Sometimes it's hard to duplicate the exact texture and flavor of your favorite restaurant dish. I think the key to getting the correct texture in this dish is deep frying the breaded chicken. I've tried other recipes and this is the one that works for me. My kids loved it but prefer to dip the chicken in the sauce rather than have it poured over the whole thing. Maybe this would be a good dish to try for Chinese New Year!

ORANGE CHICKEN

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
oil for frying (canola, vegetable, or peanut)

SAUCE

1 1/2 c. water
2 T. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 1/2 T. soy sauce
zest of one orange (use cheese grater)
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
3 T. cornstarch
2 T. water

1. Get two bowls. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one. In the other, the beaten egg.
   
2. Dip chicken in egg, then in flour.
3. Deep fry chicken at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked. This takes 4 - 5 minutes. It should look golden brown when done. Drain on a paper towel.
   
4. In a large saucepan, combine 1 1/2 c. water, lemon juice, orange juice, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil.
   
5. Combine cornstarch with 1/4 c. water and mix thoroughly. Slowly whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens.
   
6. Pour sauce over breaded chicken.
7. Garnish with red pepper flakes and green onions.
   

OATMEAL MUFFINS

What do you do with a couple of 50 pound bags of oatmeal? You sneak it into everything! I bought oatmeal for food storage that no one in this household likes. It's a little different than Quaker so the family wasn't thrilled with the texture of it. However, it works just fine in recipes that call for oatmeal. It came from a ward cookbook and it is yummy! The recipe yields about one dozen muffins. They are perfect for breakfast or use a mini muffin tin for a healthy bite-sized snack.

OATMEAL MUFFINS

1 egg
1 c. buttermilk (I've used regular milk with no problem.)
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. shortening
1 c. quick oats
1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. soda

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. Grease muffin tin or line with papers.
3. Beat egg, stir in milk, brown sugar, and shortening.
4. Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy.
5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full
6. Bake 20 - 25 minutes for full sized muffins or 15 - 20 for mini muffins. They should look light brown when done.
7. Serve with butter and jam or honey.