Ham and cheese quiche

Ingredients

• 1 package (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie crust


• 2 cups diced fully cooked ham


• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese


• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion


• 4 large eggs


• 2 cups half-and-half cream


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°. Unroll pie crusts into two 9-in. pie plates; flute edges. Line unpricked pie crusts with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake until light golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-5 minutes longer or Cool on wire racks.


• Divide ham, cheese and onion between shells. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended. Pour into crusts. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.
  Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked quiche. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 350°. Place quiche on a baking sheet; cover edge loosely with foil. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary for a knife inserted in the center to come out clean.

Brownie recipe from scratch

How do you make chocolate brownies from scratch?

These fudgy brownies are easy to make.

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Heat just until the mixture is hot, but don’t let it bubble. Watch for it to start looking shiny as you stir it.


2. Using a hand mixer, mix the eggs until they are frothy and well blended. This is what helps get that tissue paper top that everyone loves on brownies.


3. Mix in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla and mix until smooth.


4. Add the sugar/butter mixture into the egg mixture and mix it well.


5. Now it’s time to add in the flour and chocolate chips! We like to use mini chocolate chips and add them while the batter is warm. The chocolate will melt in a little which is what makes the brownies so fudgy.


6. Mix again, just until well blended and the flour is mixed in.


7. Put the batter in a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. If you test it with a toothpick, remember that there are chocolate chips in there. If it looks done around the edges and slightly puffed up in the middle, take it out.

Canning recipes

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomato sauce


• 2 cups tomato paste


• 2 cups chopped onions


• 1 cup chopped green pepper


• 3 to 5 chopped jalapeno peppers, seeded


• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


• 6 garlic cloves, minced


• 2/3 cup white vinegar


• 1/3 cup sugar


• 2 tablespoons canning salt


• 2 teaspoons ground cumin


• 2 teaspoons pepper


• 8 cups chopped peeled tomatoes, drained (about 5 pounds medium tomatoes)

Directions

• In a stockpot, combine the first 12 ingredients. Stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, vegetables are tender, about 20 min.


• Ladle hot mixture into hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.


• Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Enchilada recipes

Verde Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients:

The joy of enchilada casseroles is that they are super customizable when it comes to ingredients. So feel free to sub/add in any of your favorite fillings here. I like to use:

• Cooked chicken: Either from baked chicken breasts recipe, or I often just shred a rotisserie chicken.


• Veggies: The recipe below uses a quick blend of onion, poblano (or green bell) pepper, corn and fresh spinach. But feel free to add any other favorite veggies to the sauté.


• Beans: Two cans of your faves. I used pinto beans for this version.


• Enchilada sauce:Homemade or store-bought.


• Corn tortillas: We’ll cut them in half, in order to help them layer a bit more evenly.


• Shredded cheese: Any kind of Mexican blend, Monterrey Jack or Pepperjack will do.


• Toppings: Chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, thinly-sliced green onion, diced avocado, sour cream, extra cheese…whatever sounds good to you.

How To Make A Chicken Enchilada Casserole:

To make this chicken enchilada casserole, simply:

1. Cook your filling: Sauté the onion and pepper until soft. Then stir in the beans, corn, chicken and part of the green enchilada sauce until combined. This will be your main filling.


2. Stack your layers: In this order: enchilada sauce, tortillas, chicken filling, cheese, tortillas, chicken filling, cheese, tortillas, chicken, enchilada sauce and cheese.


3. Bake: Covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 10 until the cheese is melted.


4. Garnish: Sprinkle on any of your desired toppings. (I vote the more, the merrier for sure.)


5. Serve warm: Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (The leftovers are fantastic!)

Chicken fried steak recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions

1. For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.


2. Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.


3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.


4. After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.


5. For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.


6. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.


7. Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!

Cold cucumber soup

Ingredients

• 2 large European cucumbers (2 1/4 pounds), halved and seeded—1/2 cup finely diced, the rest coarsely chopped


• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt


• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


• 1 small shallot, chopped


• 1 garlic clove


• 1/3 cup loosely packed dill


• 1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves


• 2 tablespoons loosely packed tarragon leaves


• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling


• Salt


• Fresh ground white pepper


• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

Banana pudding from scratch

How to Make the Custard for the Pudding:

• Combine your flour, sugar, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.


• Lightly beat your egg yolks and whisk to combine with milk in a large bowl or even use a large liquid measuring cup, such as a 4-cup.


• Whisk your egg yolk mixture into your dry ingredients in the saucepan set over medium to low heat. Stir constantly until the custard is thickened, remove from the heat and stir in your vanilla extract.

How to Assemble Banana Pudding:

• Arrange vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 2-quart dish, such as an oven-safe glass bowl or dish.


• Slice bananas and place on top of the vanilla wafer layer.


• Pour 1/3 of the pudding over the wafers and bananas.


• Repeat layering process, ending with a layer of wafers.