Quick Quiche Leah

My take on an old favorite includes the use of at least three different cheeses (Brie, Goat, and Parmesan) which really makes a huge difference, along with the crispy bacon and ham along with caramelized onions. It's also light and fluffy! Oh My! I cheat on occasion with a pre-made pastry dough when I am in a hurry. When I have left over ham, along with making the inevitable split pea soup, I usually make one of these quiches...And from the picture, you now know what size of piece of quiche I took...yum, it's still warm and delicious as I take another bite!! And no, you can't have a piece of mine - go on and make your own!

• I love bacon and ham, and who doesn't love this combined with cheeses...I do not use half-n-half but whole milk...(as if that was going to help with lessoning the calorie count!) lol


• 5 thick slices on bacon diced


• 1 cup of diced (Bodacious) Baked Ham that maybe left over in fridge.


• 1 large onion diced


• 4 jumbo eggs or 5 large eggs


• 1-1/2 cups of three cheeses - I use up whatever is left over before it goes into a downward spiral of unidentifiable cheese - This time I chose brie, parmesan freshly grated, fresh mozzarella cut up and crumbled goat cheeses.


• 2-1/2 tablespoons of flour


• 2 tablespoons freshly minced green scallions or chives


• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg in addition to


• 3 or 4 shakes of nutmeg


• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


• Salt is really not needed due to the bacon and ham


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 pastry shell uncooked and chilled.


• ***Equipment Needed:


• Large skillet, one working oven at 350 degrees, several bowls, cookie sheet

1. Take eggs out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature.


2. In cold skillet, add olive oil and diced bacon and turn heat onto medium.


3. With spoon, stir on occasion to let bacon crisp all over, tis better to allow bacon to cook slowly versus too quick and smoke up the house. Less bacon shrinkage too. (who knew?!?)


4. Remove cooked bacon and put in cut up ham and onions into remaining bacon fat. Cook till onions are translucent and starts to become caramelized.


5. While ham and onions are cooking, crack eggs and place into one bowl. Whisk eggs till smooth, add milk, salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. Stir till well combined and set aside.


6. Grate and cut up your cheeses and place into a second bowl. Stir cheese till combined then add flour, stirring till flour coats the cheese.


7. Return to skillet, and with slotted spoon, drain out caramelized onions and cooked ham. Drain on paper towels and add bacon. Let cool for five minutes.


8. Mix bacon mixture into cheese mixture and stir till well combined.


9. Pour this mixture into unbaked pie shell.


10. Place pie shell onto cookie sheet.


11. Pour egg mixture into pie shell over the bacon mixture.


12. Add a couple of shakes of ground nutmeg to top along with freshly minced scallions on top of unbaked quiche.


13. Carefully, place cookie sheet with quiche sitting on top, into the oven and let bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.


14. Check if done when taking knife and inserting it, the knife comes out clean.


15. Let quiche sit for 20 minutes before serving allowing it to finish "setting up", serve with fresh mixed salad greens and or warm and toasty soup for a perfect luncheon.


16. PS, I said to heck with the 20 minutes, and sliced me up a piece immediately - thinking about going for naughty seconds.

Leahs Quick Quiche Lorraine @ Group Recipes

Superb Touch Down and Score Chicken Wings - A How To by Divaliscious

Here's my take on delicious and crispy chicken wings which are not hot but have a savory and complex taste that will keep people guessing what your secret ingredient is...mind you there are many!
If you are up to the chore -and who isn't well here it is...and have your self one heck of a super bowl party!

Ingredients:

• ***The list of the ingredients is as long as I could make it (just kidding) though it is longer than anticipated – but it is surely worth all the ingredients as the chicken wings marinade over this great marinade
• ***I also created the recipes for the required spice mixes for those that are handy in your cupboard and for those who might not make it to the store in time...
• ***btw - I was going to call this recipe "Everything in your Fridge and Cupboards Chicken Wings" - rofl
• Here goes anything and everything:
• 1 large package of chicken wings (24 wings in total) cut up removing tips (reserve to make broth see separate recipe for wing tip gingered chicken broth) OR your choice chicken parts and do this on the grill
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
• 4 tablespoons soy – reduced sodium
• 3 tablespoons fresh scallions minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh garlic minced (3-4 cloves)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons balsamic syrup or vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced/grated (dry would be fine I am sure)
• 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning (if you don’t have it, measure out roughly and use equal parts of the following: allspice, paprika, cumin, red chili flakes, pepper, turmeric, celery salt, thyme and celery salt)
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons of Zahatar - see recipe for this at: my grouprecipes.com page
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon freshly dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (freshly grounded would be prefect)
• Zest and juice of one lemon (try and not let seeds get into bowl)

Directions

The real trick to having juicy delicious chicken wings with any recipe is to not overcook them, I prefer not to par-boil them nor fry them prior to baking, but simply roasting them in the oven on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan than had been lined with tinfoil and placed on top of a cookie cooling rack that's placed inside the roasting pan to allow them to crisp and let fat drip away.
Also, do you want a dipping sauce for later when serving up your chicken wings? Then make extra marinade (without putting raw chicken in it of course) and set aside to heat up later for 10-15 minutes in a sauce pan. Add a little more ketchup if you would like.
Cut up all the chicken wings – reserve tips if you would like to make my “winging it gingered chicken broth”
Rinse all cut up chicken wings and set aside momentarily.
In extra large bowl, place all ingredients listed above.
Mix marinade till all in combined.
Place all the chicken wings into the bowl with the marinade and using hands which is best or spoon, move chicken all around coating all chicken pieces with the marinade.
Let marinade for at least four hours or even over night for best flavor. Stir a couple times during the marinating time to ensure all chicken parts have been well coated.
Preheat oven at 375 degrees, using either a deep roasting pan lined with tinfoil for easier cleaning or “coated” cookie sheets and spread out chicken wing parts.
Place in oven and let bake in oven for 20-30 minutes.
Open up oven door, with potholders of course, take out pan or cookie sheets and using tongs or fork, turn over each chicken wing, and return to oven.
Let bake for 30-40 minutes more and then set them up on a plate to be devoured by your friends and family.
Serve with blue cheese dressing, carrots and/or celery - and enjoy!

Last Month's Dinner and Jam Menu & Recipes (December 2007)

So as promised to you peeps out there in cyber land, here is the menu along with related recipes from my successful December Dinner and Jam Party.

Now, I had created this menu based upon its proximity to Christmas, and since the party was obviously just recently after Thanksgiving, serving Turkey was out. I had also several parties planned, literally one for each weekend three weekends in a row. So I make sure the recipes didn't clash or duplicate themselves.

Come back often as I will add a few more recipes form this menu every day.

This is important for all you party people, in fact I had several non-drinking and vegetarian guests at this last party and they mentioned and applauded me more than once while patting me on the back for NOT doing onions & peppers or lasagna (as they were used to seeing only these dishes lately at parties) and having available several non-alcoholic drink specials.

A word to the party-giving wise, always have a couple of vegetarian dishes - even if their are appetizers and one side available, along with one non-alcoholic specialty drink. Your designated drivers, and vegetarians will love you for it! You want your guests and yourself for that matter to enjoy themselves.

I had one guest who mentioned (after he said he was a chef for a local Private Country Club) that I was brazenly brave to attempt to do soufflés for the main entrees. I say hogwash, in fact soufflés which are truly easy to make, leave you as the Host to mingle and talk with your guests. It's also a huge wow factor when you bring it out. Your guests will think you took hours to make it and that you took several professional cooking classes, when you simply did not spend almost anytime in the kitchen making them up. By the way ,this chef was amazed at the taste of my soufflés along with the other dishes.

So enjoy reading recipes

December's Party Menu:

The Appeteasers:

• Mixed spiced nuts
• Cheese Plate
• Leah's oh-so-Famous Salsa & Chips
• Hungry-Musicians' Hummus
• Crudite with Dill Sour Cream Dip
• Warm Artichoke and Spinach Dip
• Mushroom and Ricotta Puffs
• Sausage and Goat Cheese Tartlettes

The Main Meal Dishes

• Corn Souflee
• Crabmeat and Parmesean Souflee
• Baked Smoked Ham
• Salad with Mixed Greens and Balsamic Dressing

The to-die-for Desserts

• Holiday Toffee
• Grandma Nelle's Fudge
• Holiday Butter Thin Cookies

The Holiday Beverages

• Mulled Cider
• Mulled Wine
• Sparkling OJ