How to Make a Quiche and Create Your Own Recipe

In a little college town in norther Idaho sits the best coffee house I have ever been to.  It's more than a coffee shop.  It's a study hall.  It's a pub.  And it has some of the best food I've ever enjoyed.  When I'm there, I get coffee and something for breakfast each day of my stay.  Sometimes I choose a cinnamon roll, which are always fresh, made from scratch and are only available to those who get there early.  More often I'll get a piece of crustless quiche.

Funny thing, I was never one to eat quiche.  I like eggs and will always have cheese when offered, but never cared much for quiche.  That changed when I ate a piece of the crustless veggie quiche that Bucer's offers.  It was so creamy and had the perfect ratio of eggs to cheese to vegetables.  And I'm certain that the absence of a crust was really a plus for selling me on quiche.

Since that first piece, I've ordered quiche over cinnamon rolls many times at Bucer's Coffehouse Pub.  I have also tried to recreate the quiche.  What I've learned along the way is how to build a quiche.  One of the best quiche recipes I made myself during this endeavor is a recipe for a spinach and feta quiche.

Rather than give you another quiche recipe {you could just go to the one I've mentioned above; it's quite good} I plan to help you learn to build your own quiche.  The beauty of not following a specific recipe is you can use what you have on hand.

I've found making quiche an excellent opportunity to use up cheese that I have remaining from entertaining.  And I am able to use up some of the bulk fresh ingredients that I get at Costo.  Have you ever bought a bag of fresh baby spinach or a container of mushrooms just to throw out half of them?  You could easily use them in a quiche of your own design.

Don't limit yourself to leftovers though, design a special quiche for an upcoming occasion.  They are wonderful for breakfast, brunch and even dinner.  You can make the day of your event as they come together quickly.  Just allow time for baking and to cool some.  Or, make the quiche a day ahead.  Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before serving to come to room temperature or reheat in the oven to serve warm.

Basics of Making a Quiche

Milk and Eggs~ 4 Eggs to 1 Cup Milk
The basics of every quiche is eggs and milk.  Keep this in mind while designing your quiche.  I like to do 4 eggs and 1 cup of half n half.  Have fun and try out different types of milk~ whole milk, half n half, cream or buttermilk are options.

When you are mixing the eggs and milk, you can use up to 6 eggs for a standard quiche.  Just increase the milk.  I suggest 4 eggs to 1 cup of milk, 5 eggs to 1.5 cups, and 6 eggs to 2 cups.

Cheese~ 2 Cups of Grated or Crumbled
Not a requirement of a quiche, but cheese is a wonderful addition.  With so many cheeses, quiche possibilities are limitless.  As a cheese lover, I use 2 cups of cheese.  Use any combination to add up to two cups.  In the quiche recipe I give below, I used four different cheeses.  Mostly I had many smaller amounts of cheese to use up.  You can also use a single type of cheese.  It's your quiche!  Any cheese that can be grated or crumbled works.  I would recommend that if you use a cheese with a strong flavor, use about 1/4 cup of it and then complete the 2 cups of cheese with a milder one.  Although, I really like strong flavors so I change that ratio sometimes.

Some tasty cheese combinations I've enjoyed:
Gruyere and Havarti
Cheddar and Blue Cheese
Feta and Gouda

Fillings~ 1~2 Cups or 1~2 Handsful
Meats and/or vegetables can be added to your quiche.  Meats are rather easy.  Make certain they are completely cooked and chopped.  Vegetables will need a bit more work as they are usually full of water.  Sauteing and patting vegetables dry will help remove excess moisture so that they work well in your quiche.  Tomatoes do well if you sprinkle them with a bit of salt, let sit then pat dry.

Classic fillings are ham or bacon, spinach, mushrooms and onions.  Try what you like though.  Have fun with it.  Don't forget to use some complimentary herbs and spices such as thmye, dill, garlic and pepper.  I do not recommend using salt as cheese usually is quite salty on its own.

Putting it all together.
Why no crust?  It adds time.  And calories.  Calories?  What about all that cheese and cream?!  Exactly.  I'd rather splurge on the cheese than the crust, but that is my personal preference.  Really, the crust takes more time when making a quiche.  Without the crust you have: 1. quicker prep time, 2.  less calories to indulge in the cheese, 3.  no gluten and low carb!  I see it as a win~win~win.

I recommend a pie dish especially since you have no crust.  The pie dish will hold all the ingredients together while it cooks.  When I made my first quiche, which was a crustless recipe, the directions were to use a spring-form pan.  Messy mistake.  There was nothing to hold the eggs and cream in the pan and it oozed out.  Big waste of ingredients.

Grease a pie dish, either standard or deep dish depending on the amount of eggs and milk you use.  Fill the bottom of the pie dish with the meats and/or vegetables.  Next, layer on the cheeses.  You could save some grated cheese for the very top.  Combine your milk and eggs with any seasonings you'll be using.  Use of a hand mixer will help blend the eggs well.  Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and other filling.  If you saved some cheese to top, scatter that on.  Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 45~60 minutes.  Again, it depends on the amount of eggs and milk you used.  If you use fewer ingredients, less cooking time and vice versa.  You want your quiche to be golden but not too solid.  You are aiming for a custard filling.

If you aren't quite ready to build your own quiche recipe, you can start with this one.  I used a combination of four cheeses which were the excess from a cheese plate at a recent brunch.  Some fresh spinach and mushrooms were used for filling and half n half rounded out my choices for this quiche.

Crustless Four Cheese Quiche

1-2 tbsp olive oil
8-10 oz fresh baby spinach
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c crumbled feta
1/2  c shredded gruyere

4 eggs

1 c half n half
1/4 c grated parmesan
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 c shredded fontina

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a standard pie dish.
Place 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet; heat over medium-high heat.  Add spinach and toss occasionally to wilt.  Once wilted, remove to paper towels.  Add remaining oil and mushrooms to skillet; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Saute for 5 minutes.

Squeeze excess moisture from spinach.  Scatter the spinach in bottom of prepared pie dish.  Top with mushrooms then feta and gruyere cheeses.  In large bowl, combine eggs, half n half, parmesan, thyme and pepper; blend well to combine {alternately, use a blender for this step}.  Pour egg mixture over ingredients in pie dish.  Top with grated fontina.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Brunswick Stew ~ A Family Favorite Recipe

Of the dishes you make how many are family recipes?  I often think that favorite recipes are always the handed down ones written on old index cards.  As I looked at my family's favorite dishes that I make over and over, I realized most of them are new to us.  There are really no recipes that I make that are from my mom or grandmother.  Most likely because my mom was not a cook; she was a secretary who made meals for five children and her own mother after she came home from a long day on her feet.  Dinner was usually something inexpensive, simple, and quick, like dried out hamburgers.  No cheese, that would have been too costly.  Don't get me wrong.  I have an immense awe for what my mom did for us and now realize how difficult it is to cook a pleasant meal for a whole family, every night!

I do see the influence of my mother's cooking on the recipes I love.  They are directly inspired by dishes my mom made when I was a child.  Brunswick stew was a staple in her kitchen.  If you aren't familiar with this stew, it is like a thick vegetable soup with meat. She made a typical Virginian Brunswick stew with lots of chicken and lima beans.  Sadly, when I was served this for dinner, I would hide it in my drink cup underneath a crumpled up paper napkin.

My children have clear drink glasses that I can easily see the contents of so no hiding unwanted food for them.  Though there is no need in the case of Brunswick stew; they aren't as hostile to this southern classic as their live in cook.  Sure, the tomato soup appearance and the quantity of vegetables may strike them and make them a bit hesitant at first glance.  But every time {no exaggeration}, every time~ they finish their bowls by the sway of their own taste buds.

The difference? The addition of barbecue sauce and some ground pork.  I learned this from a restaurant.  A tremendous flavor, sweet and smokey, is added with the barbecue sauce. And the ground pork just gives a contrasting texture to the smooth vegetables and stew.  My six~year~old commented how he "really does not like lima beans except in this stew."

Throughout the fall and winter this stew reappears at the dinner table {and sometimes if lunch when there is rarely enough left}.  Sometimes I start from scratch with my own roasted chicken. Or I plan to use leftovers like Christmas turkey.  And southern style green beans, the ones I simmer with bacon for hours are great in this stew.  Just gather between 6~8 cups of vegetable {green beans, corn, potatoes, and tomatoes are all good choices} and about 4 cups of shredded or chopped poultry {turkey, chicken or even pork work} and you have the foundation of a great dinner.  Your family won't even know that you are using up leftovers!  Don't forget corn muffins or bread.  Can you say mmmmmm?

Family Favorite Brunswick Stew
1 lb ground meat {recommend ground pork}
1 lb poultry {about 3 chicken breasts or 4 c meat}, cooked and chopped or shredded
1 lb frozen lima beans
1 lb frozen corn kernals
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1.5 cup bbq sauce {recommend Sweet Baby Rays}
salt, pepper, thyme to season
chicken broth, as needed
shredded cheddar to garnish as desired

Directions
Brown ground pork in skillet; drain fat and set aside.  Heat olive oil in stew pot or dutch oven.  Saute onion and bell pepper.  Add browned meat, shredded poultry, and crushed tomatoes.  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.  Heat to simmer.  Add frozen {or leftover} vegetables; as they heat, the frozen veggies will thaw and thin the stew a bit.  After it has all simmered, add chicken broth if you want a thinner stew.   Continue to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour to allow flavors to blend and stew to thoroughly heat.  Alternately, after meat is browned and the veggies sauted, add all ingredients to a crock pot and heat on low setting for 5~8 hours.

Tomato and Avocado Dip with Pepper Chips

I have a new obsession with bell peppers.  Sweet peppers are full of fiber and vitamin C; green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C than oranges, and orange and red varieties have even more.



I've been using them as chips for dip.  They satisfy my need for something crunchy without the carbs and calories from corn or potato chips.  They are also the perfect chips for my new favorite dip made from tomatoes and avocados with feta cheese.  This dip was introduced to me by a friend last summer.  I've been eating it non-stop since then, even through the winter months.

The key to making this dip outstanding is using ripe vegetables {or fruits for the scientists out there}.  I like to go to our local Asian market to get produce.  It's always fresh and flavorful.  But knowing what to look for is helpful.



Tomatoes~ Choose ones that are big and firm but not hard.  Avoid squishy ones.  Just hold a tomato in your hand and gently squeeze with your palm, not finger tips.  You should notice just a slight give.  I don't buy the ones that are still on the vine, even though they are a beautiful red.  They just don't have the flavor that the beefsteak tomatoes do.  Also, the plum tomatoes don't provide enough meat. 

Avocados~ My preference is Haas or California avocados.  They actually have fewer calories than Florida avocados.  You want ones that are not bright green, and if you are planning to use them the same day, you should choose ones that look almost black.  Again, pick it up in your hand and gently squeeze with the palm.  You want avocados that are not firm but do not get indentations.  If indentations are made, the fruit is over ripe.

Bell Peppers~ I've seen a tip on Pinterest regarding choosing bell peppers based on the bumps on the bottom of the pepper.  There is actually no difference between 3 and 4 lobed {bumps on bottom} green peppers.  They are from the same plant and are the same ripeness.  There are differences in variety of bell peppers that effect sweetness.  If you want a sweeter pepper, choose a different variety or color.  Orange are the sweetest in my taste buds' opinion.

How to Cut Bell Peppers~ Place top down on cutting surface. Using a sharp knife, slice down, along the valleys between the lobes of the pepper.



  By doing this, you will save time and have pepper pieces that are completely pith and seed free!

Avocado Dip with Green Pepper Chips

1 ripe avocado
1 lg beef steak tomato
1/2 c crumbled feta
1/4 c chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp white vinegar
juice of one lime
1 green onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
4 bell peppers, cut into chips

Cut avocado into small chunks and dice tomato.  Combine avocado, tomato, feta, red onion, garlic, vinegar and lime juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and place in refrigerator until serving.  Just before serving, top with green onion slices.  Serve with bell pepper slices.

Tips and Tricks ~

*  To remove the flesh of a ripe avocado from its skin, use a spoon to scoop it out.  It should slide right out.
*After working with garlic and onions, rub your hands against a stainless steel sink or bowl.  I don't know why, but it removes the smell from your skin.
* Keep pits of avocados to place in dip to keep from browning {this works great for guacamole}.
* Use scissors to cut the green stems on f the green onion directly over the surface of the food you are garnishing.  I find it saves time, especially when I go to pick up the sliced onions from the cutting board.
*  Avocados ripen after they are picked from the tree.  This makes them a great choice of fruit to buy and ripen at home.  Here is a terrific link to choosing and using avocados.
*  Keep sliced bell peppers fresh in a mason jar in the fridge; they will keep just as fresh and crispy as when cut for up to a week.

I like to make the dip and keep it in the fridge {in a jar} as a snack or lunch that I can grab and go.  The entire recipe as given above has about 780 calories; divide it by 4 or 6 servings {either lunch or snack} and each serving has 200 calories {or less} along with a bell pepper cut into chips.

Peppadew Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Something sweet and spicy~ peppadew.  I was introduced to these tiny packages of spice recently while out with a friend.  There is a great coffee shop I frequent.  Not only do they have the best coffee in the area, they serve wine and beer and some delectable nibbles.  They have expanded their menu to include some fresh appetizers.  My favorite is the goat cheese stuffed peppadew.

I was hooked instantly. When I got home, I did some searching to find out what these tiny red peppers were.  They are a recent discovery, it seems, found in South Africa in the mid 90s.  They are sold pickled, already processed with seeds removed to reduce the level of heat. When I looked for them in the local grocery, I found that they are available in mild to hot.  Also, when I opened my jar, I found some of the mild peppers still contained the seeds.  I just rinsed them out a bit to remove the seeds.  Some peppadew retained a few seeds and they do add some spice.

They have a sweet and spicy combination that pairs well with a creamy cheese.  I enjoy them slightly warmed so the cheese is rather soft and the warmth lets the flavors swim around your taste buds.  Enjoy them with small pieces of bread.

To prepare your peppadew appetizer, remove them from the jar, rinse and drain them.  Place soft cheese in a piping bag {I recommend a goat cheese that is soft and spreadable rather than crumbly}.  To heat, place a small skillet over a medium flame.  Add stuffed peppadew and heat for about 2~3 minutes, turning once or twice. You could stuff these ahead of time and serve at room temperature but the taste is so much better if slightly heated. {These stuffed peppadew are a bit messy because I was really craving them and used a small spoon to stuff them rather than piping.}

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Cheesy Garlic Rolls and BMT Salad~ Friday Night Dinner

Friday night, there's one every week.  In our house, we like to take it easy but also have some fun.  Most often we watch a movie and eat dinner while we watch.  Dinner is often something that isn't difficult to make or is made ahead of time.  One more thing, dinner has to be yummy.

I know many families opt for pizza on Friday nights.  Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.  Pizza happens to be one of our favorite Friday night dinners, but something different can be good and just as delicious.  Cheesy garlic rolls are similar to pizza~ based on pizza or bread stick dough and loaded with cheese, my children L~O~V~E these.  They don't miss the tomato sauce.  In fact, these have their favorite parts of pizza, lots of gooey cheese with a buttery crust.

But we can't have just cheesy garlic rolls for dinner, now can we?  Well, my kids think they can.  Here's a salad that is so flavorful and a nice twist~ BMT Salad.  I had this at a covered dish once, got the recipe, and now make it a few times a year ever since.  The salad makes enough for quite a large group so you may want to half it.  It is a hearty salad with bread and fresh mozzarella and bacon.  The balsamic vinegar and the basil add a distinctly sweet flavor to the whole salad.

Basil Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/3 c olive oil
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1 small baguette, cubed
4 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
4-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, rinsed and chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 lb bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400F.
Combine mozzarella, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl; cover and let marinate in refrigerator at least an hour.  Place bread cubes on cookie sheet; toast in preheated oven for about 5-8 minutes, tossing once or twice.

Place toasted bread in large bowl; add tomatoes, basil and marinated mozzarella.  Toss and let sit at least 15 minutes. Place lettuce in serving bowl.  Top with bread mixture, green onions and crumbled bacon.  Toss lightly. Serves 10~12.

Cheesy Garlic Rolls
1 1/2 c warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp
4-5 c flour
drizzle of olive oil
1/3 c butter, very soft
6 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
3 c shredded mozzarella

Mix sugar with the warm water; add yeast and stir.  Let sit in warm spot for 5 minutes until foamy.  Stir in salt.  Add 2 cups of flour and stir to combine.  Using dough hook {or hands}, add 1 cup flour at a time and stir/knead dough until it is not too sticky and forms a ball.  Flour your work surface and knead dough on surface for a couple of minutes, until smooth.  Place dough in a large glass or porceline bowl; drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss to coat.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in warm spot for 1 hour to rise, about doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Grease a 9"x13" pan.
Punch risen dough down.  On floured surface, roll dough out to a bit larger than 9"x13".  Spread soft butter over entire surface of dough.  Combine Parmesan, garlic and basil.  Sprinkle over buttered dough.  Top with mozzarella.  Roll dough, like for cinnamon rolls, from the long side to the long side.  Cut into 12 equal pieces.  Place in greased 9"x13" pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 20~25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.  Serve warm.

Tips and Tricks~
*You can make these ahead of time, up to the point of baking.  Just keep covered and refrigerated, even overnight.  Let them stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking and you'll be good to go.
*The salad is easy to make ahead as long as you don't combine all the ingredients.  Keep the ingredients in separate baggies in one container to throw together just before serving.  That also means you don't want to have leftovers of this salad; it doesn't keep after combing everything.  Though, you probably won't have any leftovers.
*When chopping the fresh basil, layer the leaves and roll.  Then slice thinly, and chop the thin slices.

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Neptune's Chest~ Shrimp Salad with Melon

When my husband and I were dating each other, we would frequently go to a great seafood restaurant on the water in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  It was great, not only because of the food, but for the atmosphere.  It is close to the water and filled with historic buildings making it a beautiful place to walk around before and after dinner.  We often sat upstairs in the piano room.  There was a fabulous piano player who really entertained everyone.  And they had fabulous drinks to go along with their food, the specialty was a draft beer in a huge glass called A Fish Market.  But the food was always good.

Once, shortly after we were engaged, I came back from the ladies room to find my fiance gabbing with an older man. The man asked if I would dance with him.  He was very sweet, so I did.  The whole time he teased me about where I was going to for my honey moon, some small town in Ohio, or so that's what he claimed my soon~to~be husband told him.  I knew it was all a joke, but my husband and I remember it to this day.

We went there often even after we were married.  But things change.  First, the piano man no longer worked there and they never hired a replacement.  Then they quit entertainment altogether because of city regulations.  Our next visit to the Fish Market was quite a while later.  By that time, the ownership had changed and so had the food.  I ordered my regular~ Neptune's Chest.  It was a traditional cold shrimp salad served in a cantaloupe half, not difficult.  But it was different.  We haven't been since and I think our dinners at the Fish Market have come and gone for good.

But I like to think about those days and hopefully many more ahead with my husband.  Almost out of nostalgia I decided to make this shrimp salad to enjoy.  I had never made a shrimp salad of my own before, but didn't think it would be too difficult.  I went from my taste buds' memories and knowledge of basic creamy, cold salads to make this.  I especially would love to make this for an early summer evening picnic, just for two.

Neptune's Chest Shrimp Salad
1 lb cooked, deveined and peeled medium shrimp {tail off}
4 stalks celery, tops and bottoms removed, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 c mayo
2 tsp dijon mustard
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 cantaloupe, halved, seeded and flesh removed {see tips below}
1 small heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped, rinsed and dried

Mix all.  Chill for an hour.  Fill each melon half with shredded lettuce.  Spoon chilled shrimp salad onto lettuce, dividing between the halves. Makes two generous salads.

How to Prepare the Melon Bowl~
To make the melon bowls, cut a melon in half {suggest cantaloupe}.  Spoon our the seeds.  Cut around the inside edge, between melon and skin.

Cut into flesh only, 4 wedges, avoiding the skin.  The two slices on the outer edges should come off easily.  The two in the middle will still be intact.  Using a spoon, slowly and carefully lift the two remaining wedges.

Save the wedges {or cut into chunks} to serve with salad.

These are excellent for lunches, too.  Once assembled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep chilled.  If taking for a picnic, place on ice in a small cooler.


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Easy Fried Rice

Everyone in my family enjoys Chinese food but we don't like the headache and puffy hands and face that often come later from the high MSG content in most restaurant Chinese food. I've learned to make dumplings or wontons, spring rolls and now the best fried rice. I especially like to have our Chinese 'make~in' around Chinese New Year {which is January 23 this year}, complete with chopsticks and tea and a bright red table covering.

Why red?  The holiday has its roots in a myth that a monster, Nian, would come on the eve of the new year and eat animals and even children.  To keep him appeased, villagers would set out food on their doorposts.  Once someone noticed a child wearing red running toward the monster, and it was terrified and ran off.  It was decided that red would scare Nian away.  Today children receive red envelopes filled with money as gifts on the Chinese New Year.

So what about the food?  Often the feasts in China include chicken and fish, dumplings and mandarin oranges as well as some sweets like Chinese rice pudding.  We just enjoy a festive occasion therefore we eat  some of our favorite, very Americanized Chinese dishes, like fried rice.

Tips and Tricks for No Fail Fried Rice~
*The key to fried rice is using cold, day old rice.  Make your rice at least one day ahead and use it to make this no fail recipe.
*Use sesame oil, not vegetable or canola or another.  The only seasoning you need for this recipe comes from the sesame oil and the soy sauce.  And they are the only seasoning you need.
*I prefer white rice in this dish.  Before I actually made fried, I thought the brown color came from brown rice.  After making it I learned the color is from the soy sauce.
*This is wonderful even after it has been made and sits in the fridge for a day or two.  My children love it when I make extra so they can pack it for their lunches.
*Easily add pork, beef or chicken to the dish by sauteing the meat in sesame oil first, then add veggies with a bit more sesame oil.  Follow remainder of recipe as written.


Easy Fried Rice
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 c frozen mixed veggies
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 c cold, cooked rice {recommend white}
1/3-1/2  c soy sauce {recommend low-sodium}
1/4 c sliced green onions

Heat sesame oil in large skillet or wok over medium~high heat.  Add veggies and onions and cook until onions are slightly tender.  Move veggies to sides of pan, making a circle in which to place eggs.  Lower heat to medium and add eggs; scramble in middle to slightly cook then mix with veggies.  Add cold rice and soy sauce {just 1/3 cup, use 1/2 cup if you like the salty taste to come through more}; increase heat to high and stir fry to heat through.  Garnish with green onion slices before serving.

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Roast Chicken Chopped Salad~ Make Ahead

Roast chicken chopped salad, it is so delicious, but I do not make it often enough.  Even though it is a relatively simple meal, it is somewhat time and attention consuming with all the preparation.  Since it is a salad that is rather enjoyable chilled, it makes an excellent make ahead meal.

The combination of vegetables and roast chicken make this salad really scrumptious.  The simple technique of roasting chicken that still has the bone and skin intact gives a delicious and juicy piece of meat without a fuss, just a bit of salt and pepper are the only seasoning necessary.  The trick is to leave the skin on after it has roasted and rested for a bit.

Once you have cooked and prepped all the ingredients, assemble them in a container that can be sealed~ a glass bowl that can be covered tightly with plastic wrap or an air tight storage bowl.

Why make a salad ahead of time?  Most of the work of making a fine salad is the preparation of the ingredients, which can drain your zeal for sitting and being sociable while enjoying your work.  Preparing the ingredients ahead of time allows you to make it for~
* a dinner party
* lunches {store in individual size containers with dressing separate}
* dinner for the next day
Serve with a crusty loaf of bread and butter to complete the meal.

Roast Chicken Chopped Salad
2 chicken breasts with ribs and skin intact
salt and pepper
2 hearts of romaine
3 ears of corn
6 oz goat cheese
1 lg English cucumber
2 roma tomatoes
3 green onions
1 c croutons
1/2 c dried cranberries
champagne vinaigrette {recipe follows}

Preheat oven to 375F.  Place chicken in shallow dish or roasting pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 1 hour {continue preparing remainder of salad while chicken roasts}.  Remove from oven and let rest, with skin still intact, for 15 minutes.  Remove skin and allow meat to cool enough to handle.  Cut off bone and slice into strips.  Wrap in butcher or wax paper.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add corn cobs and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from boiling water and submerge in ice bath for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from ice bath and slice corn off cob.  Place in baggie.

Chop hearts of romaine, rinse and dry.  Place in large bowl.  Crumble goat cheese; place in baggie.   Peel and dice cucumber; place in sandwich bag.  Dice tomatoes; place in sandwich bag.  Slice greens of onions; place in baggie.  Place croutons and cranberries in separate baggies.

Layer all ingredients in their separate bags on top of lettuce in bowl.  Cover bowl and store in refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.  Assemble salad by layering all ingredients and drizzling with vinaigrette.  Toss lightly and serve.

Champagne Vinaigrette
1/2 c champagne wine vinegar
1/3 c grape seed oil
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Put all ingredients in a jar; shake vigorously.  Serve over chopped salad.

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Layered Taco Dip

Seven layer dip, or taco dip, is an old favorite that has been made for years now and probably has even been forgotten by some. I actually forgot about it even though it was a staple appetizer from my kitchen for years. My sister recently asked if I would make 'Your Taco Dip' for a family get together. So I did.

One of the few things I do differently is omit the taco seasoning and use my own mix of herbs. It is healthier {less sodium} and you can adjust the heat and flavoring to your liking. In place of a taco seasoning packet I use ground cumin, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Garlic would be a great addition but my husband has issues with garlic so I don't use it. I also like to serve the dip in a glass bowl rather than a rectangular dish. I really like to heap on chopped lettuce and you cannot add much if this is served in a casserole dish.

Layered Taco Dip
1.5 lb ground beef
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
1 4 oz can green chilies
1 16 oz can refried beans
2 c chunky salsa
1 pt sour cream
1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 c shredded cheddar~jack cheese
chopped black olives and green onions for garnish

Season ground beef and brown it in a large frying pan. Do not drain; add water, green chilies and can of refried bean. Stir and heat over medium~low heat till well combined. Remove from heat. Place bean mixture in bottom of a large, clear, glass bowl. Let cool.

Top cooled bean mixture in this order: salsa, sour cream, lettuce, cheese and garnish. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with chips.

Tips and Tricks~
Divide the bean mixture and other layers into clear cups or jars making it easy for guests to grab along with a bag of chips.
If you omit the lettuce and serve this in a casserole dish, it changes it completely by heating in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes before serving.
Change the layers~ use corn or jalapeno peppers or your favorite taco topping.

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Southwest Veggie Won Tons

When preparing appetizers and finger foods for a party, I have learned from Robin Sue at Big Red Kitchen that it good to offer a group of three things or to offer something savory and something sweet. So now when I plan party food, I work with groups of three, with at least one sweet choice and one savory.

Something I have made frequently and is always enjoyed is fruit salsa. I wanted to include this since it has been a while since its last appearance. Second in this trio will be a layered dip {look for a post after Christmas}. With these two I have a sweet and a savory. The fruit salsa is fairly sweet since it is served with cinnamon~sugar chips. So for the third choice in this trio, I planned for another savory option.

I considered making southwest egg rolls. But for a party snack, something that was a bit smaller, almost poppable, would be more suitable. A compromise of sorts came to mind~ southwest won tons.



When working with won ton wrappers it is important to keep the wrappers moist. They dry out rather quickly. To do this keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel and work in small batches. I will lay out about 8~10 wrappers at a time, fill and fold them, then place them on the baking sheet. If you are baking them, brush them with melted butter before working on another batch. Place the folded dumplings fold side down to keep intact. If you plan to fry them, keep the filled and folded dumplings covered with a moist towel until frying.



Southwest Veggie Won Tons
5 handfuls, about 10 cups, fresh spinach leaves {could sub 1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained}
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
2/3 c cooked or canned black beans
2/3 c frozen corn kernels
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 c shredded cheddar~jack cheese
50 won ton wrappers
1/4 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top {see note in tips and tricks}.

Place fresh spinach in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, til wilted. Add green chiles, black beans, corn, green onion, cumin, onion powder, salt and chili powder. Stir to combine and heat through. Add cheese and stir; remove from heat.

Lay out 8~10 won ton wrappers; fill each with 1-2 teaspoons filling. Fold and seal {to seal, add a dab of water to edges}. Place on prepared cooling rack. Brush with melted butter. Bake in 450 oven for 10~15 minutes; check closely last few minutes of baking.



Tips and Tricks~
*Do not over fill wrappers; just one teaspoon of filling is all that is needed.
*Baking won tons on a cooling rack placed on cookie sheet allows for cooking on both sides without flipping.
*Serve with this easy sauce~ 1 cup salsa mixed with 1 cup mayonnaise {this is a favorite dressing for McPeak Taco Salad}.
*Fresh chopped cilantro is a nice addition but if making for others, you may want to beware. Some people have a repulsion to cilantro.
*Want a traditional won ton? Here are my favorite won tons which can be enjoyed steamed, fried or in soup.



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Savory and Sweet Corn Bread Stuffing

Stuffing or dressing? Inside or out? As a child, I had never had stuffing. My mother always made dressing. Even when she made Stove Top Stuffing she called it dressing. Do you know the difference? As the name implies, stuffing is used to stuff meat, usually a whole bird for roasting. Dressing is synonymous with stuffing but is more often to refer to the method of cooking outside of the bird. Also, depending on the geographic location; stuffing is more often used in the the South and East. I prefer dressing to stuffing mostly because it is what I am used to eating and saying, though my favorite recipe is for a stuffing.

Here is my favorite stuffing recipe. It is sweet due to using sweet corn muffins and it is savory with bits of sausage and mushrooms. My children even like this {as long as I remember to chop up the mushrooms and resist the temptation to leave them in slices}. It could even be a meal on its own. The recipe is based on one from a cookbook my mother gave me many years ago. Using fresh corn muffins makes it especially moist. I have never used it to stuff a turkey, but I am certain it would be just as delicious if it was cooked inside your turkey as it is in a pretty casserole dish.

Savory and Sweet Corn Bread Stuffing

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 c chopped celery

3/4 c chopped onion

1/2 c butter

1 1/2 c hot broth {chicken is best}

1 lb pork sausage, browned and drained

1 8x8 pan sweet corn bread, crumbled

Melt butter in large skillet; add mushrooms, celery and onion and cook until onions are tender. Place sausage in large bowl; add cooked mushroom mixture and crumbled corn muffins. Add hot broth {if using bouillon cubes, boil water and add the cubes and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before adding to sausage and corn muffins}. Stir to combine all ingredients. Place stuffing in 2 qt. baking dish. Bake uncovered in 350F oven for 30 minutes or until hot.

A Note~

I often use sweet corn muffins from Costco {which are much larger than regular muffins}; I'll use 4 of those which may be equal to about 6-8 regular.

Cauliflower Gratin

I've been craving cauliflower and know that I might be the only person in history who has this craving. More precisely, I've been craving Bobby Flay's Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Gratin. I made this one year for Thanksgiving, and now it has become a favorite addition to our Thanksgiving menu (mostly by me). I bought a head of cauliflower but did not buy the goat cheese because I was feeling guilty about not using the remainder of the extra large container of feta. Deciding that feta is not much different than goat cheese (they are both creamy, white and a tad sour), I came up with my own recipe (because goat cheese wasn't the only key ingredient I was missing from Bobby's recipe).

This is truly comfort food, but probably not going to be the favorite at the children's table. It is a treat for the adults though. It has a wonderful smooth texture and beautiful color. Add a dash of nutmeg for a nice flavor. I enjoyed it with a sliced tomato for my lunch.


Cauliflower Gratin
1/4 c butter
1/3 c flour
1 c whole milk
1 c chicken broth
1/3 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cut into small cubes
2 c feta cheese crumbles, divided
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 c grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

1. Bring a pot water to a boil and add cauliflower florets. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a deep sauce pan. Add flour and whisk to combine well. Slowly add milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly to break up lumps. Continue to whisk slowly and heat to a simmer. Remove from heat. Sauce should have thickened.

3. Add Monterey Jack cheese and 1 cup feta crumbles to hot sauce and stir. Continue to stir until the cheese is mostly melted.

4. Place cauliflower florets into a shallow casserole dish, one sightly smaller than a 9x13 works best. Top with white sauce, 1 cup of crumbled feta and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.