Spinach and Mushroom Quiche - Crystelle Grant

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche 6 slices bacon 6 eggs 1 cup half and half cream ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp pepper 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms ½ cup chopped onions 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (divided) 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (divided) 1 (9 inch) pie crust 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. 3. In a large bowl, whip together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in bacon, spinach, mushrooms, onions, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Transfer to the pie crust. Top with remaining cheese. 4. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 35-45 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Courtesy of Crystelle Grant

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

2 T oil

2 T brown sugar

1 t chili powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t cyan pepper

2-3 large sweet potatoes

Chop potatoes.  Coat with seasoning and oil.  Bake uncovered for 40-45 min. at 400 degrees.

Courtesy of Kelli Gonzalez

Pecan Pie - Kelli Gonzalez

Pecan Pie

Crust:

1 C flour

1/3 C shortening

1/2 t salt

1/8 C cold water

Mix flour, shortening, salt.  Slowly add water.  Roll out and place in pie tin. 

Filling:

3 eggs

2/3 C sugar

1/2 t salt

1/3 C butter or margarine, melted

1 C dark or light corn syrup

1 C pecan halves or broken pecans

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat eggs, sugar, salt, butter, and syrup with rotary beater.  Stir in nuts.  Pour into pie shell.  Bake 40-50 min. or until filling is set.  

Courtesy of Kelli Gonzalez

Peaches and Cream Overnight French Toast - Jolene Monteath

Peaches and Cream Overnight French Toast

1 8oz. loaf French Bread
8 large Eggs
2 C. Milk
1/4 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2  15oz. cans Sliced Peaches, drained
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 C. Heavy Cream

1. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange bread in a tight, flat layer in dish.

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk, sugar and vanilla until blended; pour over bread. Arrange peaches on top and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

3. Remove baking dish from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour cream into a small pan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Drizzle over peaches and bake, uncovered, until casserole is lightly browned on top and just cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Courtesy of Jolene Monteath

Christmas Jello Salad - Katie Tolbert

Christmas Jello Salad

2 (6oz) packs Strawberry Jello, dissolved in 3 C. boiling water
1 can Cranberry Jelly
1 large can pineapple (crushed, rings or chunks)
3 Bananas
1 small package Frozen Strawberries (or fresh)
1 8oz package Cool Whip

In blender, puree cranberry sauce, pineapple bananas and strawberries.  Stir into Jello.  Chill until thickened in a 9x13.  Add cool whip to jello by gently stirring for a marbled effect.  Chill until firm.

Note from Katie: I just add the cool whip on top at the end instead of marbling because it's easier.

Courtesy of Katie Tolbert

Pumpkin Roll - Jolene Monteath

Pumpkin Roll

CAKE:

3/4 C. Flour                                          3 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder                       2/3 C. Pumpkin Puree
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda                            (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon                               1 C. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp. Salt

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease jelly roll pan (or very large cookie sheet) and line with parchment paper.  Grease parchment paper.  Sprinkle a thin, cotton towel with powdered sugar, set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt.  Mix well, set aside.  Beat eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until thick.  Beat in pumpkin.  Stir in flour mix, stirring until all white is gone.  Spread evenly onto prepared pan. (Will be thick)

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.  Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel.  Carefully peel off parchment paper immediately.  Roll cake and towel together, starting on narrow end.  Cool on a wire rack.

FILLING:

1 8oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 C. sifted Powdered Sugar
6 TBSP. Butter, softened
1 tsp. Vanilla

Powdered sugar -garnish

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla in small bowl until smooth.

Carefully unroll cake, remove towel.  Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.  Re-roll the cake without the towel.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  Garnish with powdered sugar sprinkled on top if desired.

Courtesy of Jolene Monteath

Nacho Mama's Chili - Jannie Kim

NACHO MAMA's CHILI

2 lbs chicken breasts

2-3 cans White Northern beans 
2-3 cans chili beans
2-3 cans black beans
2 cups water and 2 chicken bullion cubes
3 cups salsa
4 cups grated cheese

Place all ingredients into crock-pot and cook on low 8 hours

Courtesy of Jannie Kim

Butternut Squash Soup - Lacy Colman-Nitzel

Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup                            

1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds, halved, seeds removed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage removed from casings

1 large onion chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped, plus 12 whole leaves

1 teaspoon marjoram chopped

6 cups light chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly coat the squash halves with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Season the inside with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until very tender. About 45 minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and reserve, discard the peel.

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, add the vegetable oil and when hot but not smoking add the sausage. Cook until golden brown, about 4 min. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions wilted and starting to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, sage and marjoram and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the cooked squash and chicken stock, stir well to combine, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender, puree the soup. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan. Add the cream, adjust the seasoning to taste.

In a small sauté pan, cook the butter over medium-high heat until it begins to turn brown around the edges. Add the whole sage leaves and cook until crisp. 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to paper towels to drain. Garnish with the leaves. 

Courtesy of Lacy Colman-Nitzel

Italian Meatball Soup - Jolene Monteath

Italian Meatball Soup   serves 8-10

Meatballs:
1/2 lb Ground Beef                               1 tsp. Basil
1/2 lb Italian Sausage                           1/2 tsp. Parsley
2 Eggs, beaten                                      1/4 C. Dehydrated onion
1/4 C. Plain Bread Crumbs                  1 clove Garlic, minced
2 TBSP. Parmasean Cheese                  1 tsp. Kosher Salt
                                                              1/2 tsp. Pepper

Turn on the oven broiler.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.  Gently combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Shape the meat mixture into same size meatballs.  Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.  Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs are becoming brown and fragrant.  You will finish cooking them in the sauce/soup.  You can freeze the meatballs at this point if making extra or not using right away.

**I usually double the recipe and freeze half of them for another time!


Soup:

1 recipe of Italian Meatballs                            1 (28oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
1-2 TBSP Olive Oil                                         1 TBSP. Italian Seasoning
1 Onion, chopped                                             2 Carrots, peeled and diced
4-5 Cloves Garlic, minced                               1 C. small pasta, uncooked
5 (14 oz) cans Chicken Broth                          2 C. Spinach, thinly sliced
1 C. Water


Heat 1-2 TBSP olive oil in a large stockpot.  Sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.  Add broth, water, tomatoes and Italian seasoning.  Heat to boiling.  Gently add the meatballs, carrots, pasta and spinach.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, the carrots are tender and the pasta is al dente.


**I usually halve the recipe for my family of 4.
**I often add more pasta to make it a bit more hearty instead of brothy.

Courtesy of Jolene Monteath via Our Best Bites

Sweet White Cornbread - Jolene Monteath

Sweet White Cornbread

1 1/2 C. All purpose flour
2/3 C. Sugar
1/2 C. White corn meal
1 TBSP.  Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/4 C. Milk
2 large Eggs, beaten
1/3 C. Vegetable oil
3 TBSP. Melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8" square pan.  Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Combine milk, eggs, oil and butter in a small bowl; mix well.  Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until blended.  Pour into prepared baking pan.  Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Courtesy of Jolene Monteath

Honey Cornbread Muffins - Katie Tolbert

Honey Cornbread Muffins

1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup honey

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. (corn meal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt)

Mix honey and melted together in another bowl, and then add the remaining ingredients (milk and eggs). 

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined. 

Bake in greased muffin pans at 400 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Makes about 18 muffins.

Courtesy of Katie Tolbert

Apple Squares - Kelli Gonzalez

Apple Squares

Mix: 

2 C warm water

2 T yeast

2/3 C dry milk powder (can leave out)

Add and mix:

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C butter or shortening

2 1/2 t salt

1 egg

Add and mix:

5-6 C flour (half at a time)

Knead and let rise. 

Punch down and knead again. Take half at a time and roll out into a circle. Butter it. Slice into 12 piece (like a pizza) and roll each into crescent. 

Bake at 375 for 15 min. 

Courtesy of Kelli Gonzalez

Crescent Rolls - Kelli Gonzalez

Crescent Dinner Rolls

Mix: 

2 C warm water

2 T yeast

2/3 C dry milk powder (can leave out)

Add and mix:

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C butter or shortening

2 1/2 t salt

1 egg

Add and mix:

5-6 C flour (half at a time)

Knead and let rise. 

Punch down and knead again. Take half at a time and roll out into a circle. Butter it. Slice into 12 piece (like a pizza) and roll each into crescent. 

Bake at 375 for 15 min. 

Courtesy of Kelli Gonzalez

Butternut Squash Soup - Kelli Gonzalez

Butternut Squash Soup

1 (2-3 lb) butternut squash- peeled, seeded, cut into chunks

2 T butter

1 onion, chopped

6  C chicken broth

Nutmeg

Salt and  Pepper

Cream

Melt butter in large pot.  Add onion and cook until done.  Add squash and broth.  Cook until squash is tender.  Puree vegetables with broth in blender.  Return to pot.  Season to taste.  Add touch of cream if desired.  

 Courtesy of Kelli Gonzalez