Monday, November 22, 2010

Christmas Quiche

Our family just got back from a trip to Disneyland!
We were there for 5 days and we had a BLAST!
We are looking forward to our next trip ... which will be in 10 weeks!
Annual Passport Holders BABY!

Anyway...the recipe this week is a favorite in my house!
We call it Christmas Quiche because we have it EVERY YEAR
for Christmas breakfast. That, and homemade hot chocolate.
Well, when I was younger, it was homemade hot chocolate,
now it's just store bought. Maybe this year!

It is a great recipe. It gives you all the essential breakfast items in one easy dish!
It is a little lengthy in the cooking process, but it is easy to put together!

Christmas Quiche

32 oz bag frozen hash browns
1/3 cup butter, melted
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 green pepper, chopped*
1 onion, chopped*
1 cup diced ham*
6 strips bacon, cooked until crumbly*
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

*Let me start off by saying...the above ingredients can be optional.
The original recipe that we started with only called for ham.
I got a little creative one day and threw some bacon in it too.
Then, some time later, I decided that pepper and onion might be fun.
If you want to buy the hash browns with the pepper and onion already in it, that is another option.

So, let's start.
Preheat oven to 375*
In a greased 9 x 13 pan, spread evenly the hash browns.
(They can either be frozen or thawed...no difference.)
Drizzle butter over the top.
Salt and pepper hash browns.
Cook for 25 minutes.

While that is cooking, you need to start preparing the toppings.

I like to saute my peppers and onions.
Then I like to brown my ham. I know it's already cooked...I know!

When the hash browns are cooked, lower temperature on the oven to 350*.

Sprinkle all the meat/vegetable toppings on top of hash browns.
Stir it a little bit to incorporate throughout the hash browns.

Mix the 6 eggs and milk. Whisk and salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the two cheeses on top of the hash browns, meat/vegetables
and then pour egg mixture evenly over cheese.
Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes.

Delicious melted cheese goodness!

Top with your favorite hot sauce, katsup, or service with some orange juice!
This is a great breakfast, or dinner.
It's very easy to prepare all the items the night before and just
throw them together in the morning.
Let me know what you think if you try it!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Taco Soup

Here it goes...my first 'non-dessert' post.
I hope you like it.
It's a family favorite around our house.
It's one of the things I use my bottled crushed tomatoes on...
which, by the way, I didn't get as many as I would have liked,
because my garden SUCKED this year!
I got a total of about 15 tomatoes!
Not nearly enough for me!
This recipe is really easy and it is really GOOD!
And...does it count if it is a recipe from my Grandma?
Taco Soup
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1 quart crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 cups water
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can kidney beans (rinsed)
***for this time around,
I omitted the kidney beans
and I added:
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 can corn (drained)
(really you can do whatever! the possibilities are ENDLESS!)
Combine all ingredients in a large pot
Simmer for 20 minutes
Garnish with:
Frito chips
Cheddar cheese
Olives
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Tomatoes
Green Onion
It really is a good standby to have on hand...
especially now that the weather is getting colder!
BOOOO!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Sticky Buns

I was craving something sweet....
I WANTED to make my
Orange Bubble Loaf bread....
but then I remembered my sister's recipe of these
and thought i'd check it out to see if it was easier than the orange stuff.
It was.
SO EASY.
(I'm all about simplifying lately!)
AND
they were delicious!
They are easy for making the night before for a great breakfast treat.
OR
making in the morning for a mid morning snack
Whatever suits your fancy!
They really are tremendously easy!
Give them a try!
(I do need to warn you, these pictures were not under the best of circumstances)
STICKY BUNS

18-24 Rhode's rolls
1 3oz pkg cook & serve butterscotch pudding
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup nuts, if desired
(I decided to add pecans AFTER I had started!)
I let my dough thaw just enough to cut them in half.
I wanted to cut them in half so that there were actually more BUNS!
In a greased bundt pan,
(i'm sure a bread loaf pan would work as well)
(you just might need 2!)
arrange half of the rolls in one layer.
Sprinkle some of the dry pudding.
If you are going to add nuts, sprinkle half on at this point as well.
(Like I said, I decided to add some AFTER!)

Add a 2nd layer of rolls, sprinkle the remaining dry pudding mixture.
And nuts!

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar.
Mix together until butter and sugar are combined.
Pour over prepared rolls.

Now, depending on the time of day...you need to follow the appropriate directions!
If you are making these at night for the morning, you would cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge.
If you are making them in the morning, you would leave them out and let them raise
until double in size, then cook.
It's really up to you!
Heat oven to 350*
Cook for 30 minutes.

Once out of the oven, turn the pan over onto a plate or pan
and allow the gooey goodness to run out and soak the buns!
Make sure you let them cool or else you WILL burn your mouth!
Delicious!
Let me know if you try them!
Or if you have any other takes on the recipe.
I'd love to hear them!
p.s. I just realized with all the references to "buns" in this post, i'm probably going to get a lot of spam comments about viagra! What was I thinking?!?!
haha!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

New recipe on Monday!

Just wanted to get the word out there...
I will have a new post on monday...and possibly another one later that week!
I have 3 sitting on the burner right now...
it's just I now have to find the time to get them posted!
I'm kinda nervous about starting again....
EEEKKKKKKKK!
See you all Monday!