Quiche Lorraine

Since I can't eat healthy all the time, I handed my son a cookbook and asked him to pick a dessert recipe. My son picked the only savory dish in the whole cookbook filled with desserts. I will admit this dish is my favorite dish I've made this year so far. My son even helped make it. He has been helping in the kitchen more which I love. I know this isn't a healthy meal. I know it is full of cheese and bacon but it is great. Since making this dish, my son has asked for me to make it again. Yes, it is that good.

Quiche Lorraine
1 unbaked pie crust
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) Swiss Cheese, shredded
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3 large eggs, well beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
toppings: crumbled bacon and chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of a deep dish pie pan with the pie crust. Set aside. 
3. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat. 
4. Sprinkle half of the cheese onto the bottom of the pie crust. 
5. In a small bowl, mix the evaporated milk, eggs, salt, pepper, green onions, bacon, and the remaining cheese. 
6. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. 
7. Bake the pie for 35 minutes or until the quiche is cooked through and the crust is cooked.
8. Allow the quiche to cool for 5 minutes. 
9. Garnish with additional bacon and green onions. 

Recipe adapted from Very Best Baking cookbook.

One year ago....................................I made Cookies and Cream Cookies.
Two years ago..................................I made Italian Ranch Dip.
Three years ago................................I made Creme Brulee.

Did you already know..............
-Quiche Lorraine is quiche with cheese.
-In Lorraine, France, the typical quiche doesn't contain cheese.
-Quiche Alsacienne is quiche with onions.

Tomato Basil Soup

My husband hasn't been feeling good. So when he is sick, my husband requests soup for supper. He wanted some tomato soup. The best thing about soup is normally there are some servings of vegetables in it. Plus it tends to be a lower calorie meal. This soup is really good. I actually think the leftovers tasted better the next day. Since this recipe made a lot of soup, I even placed some in the freezer. My husband said they heated up really well. I did forget to add the cream and I liked it just the way it was made.

Tomato Basil Soup
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp dried basil
3 (28 oz.) cans of Roma tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
light cream, if desired

Directions: 

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the carrots and onion. Stir occasionally and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the basil and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth. 
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Mash or puree the tomatoes. 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add cream if desired.

Recipe adapted from The Sister's Cafe.

Two years ago...................Banana Bread Cookies.

Did you already know...............
-China is the largest producer of tomatoes. 
-In Spain, the La Tomatina Festival is held the last Wednesday of August.
-At the La Tomatina Festival, participates throw over 150,000 tomatoes at each other.

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? Are you still keeping them? I'm am trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. Yes, we seem to eat a lot of vegetables but we should be eating more fruit. So, I made these muffins and served them with oranges. Well, my children told me they do not eat raisins. They did eat the oranges. I liked these muffins. I thought they would be more dense but were actually light. I liked the subtle honey flavor and they weren't too sweet. If you are still keeping your New Year's Resolutions, keep going! If you have already stopped, well start again. It is still January so you have a whole year to keep going.

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 cups Raisin Bran cereal
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners. Set aside. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cereal and milk. Set aside for 3 minutes.
5. In a small cup, combine the egg, oil, and honey.
6. Add the egg mixture to the cereal. Mix well.
7. Add the flour mixture and combine until just incorporated.
8. Evenly distribute the batter into the twelve muffin cups.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Kelloggs.

One year ago...............................I made Bourbon Bacon Burger.
Three years ago..........................I made Empanadas.

Did you already know........................
-In 1906, W.K. Kellogg formed the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company.
-On Independence Day in 1907, a stray firework destroys the Kellogg's plant. 
-In 1907, Kellogg paid their workers $2 a day since workers were scarce.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Sometimes my husband does something that will surprise me. We have been married forever-alright 12 years. I think I know him pretty well but when he asked me to make him stuffed pepper soup, I was surprised. I didn't know this man in front of me. Make what? Something with green peppers? I thought he didn't like green peppers. He must not been feeling good. Maybe he was cloned by aliens and the imposter thought he could pull one over on me? I love green peppers so I had to make this soup. I loved it. My husband had tried it when he was at the poker room. Since the poker room has such a limited selection, he tried it. He was even surprised he liked it. Being such a good husband, he even told me that my soup was even better than the soup he had tried.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
2 cups rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 jar (14 oz.) tomato and basil pasta sauce
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian diced tomatoes sauce
4 cups chicken broth

Directions: 

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Brown the hamburger with the chopped onions and green peppers. 
4. Cook until the hamburger is cooked through. 
5. Add the pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and the chicken broth. Heat through.
6. Before serving, Scoop half a cup of rice into a bowl.
7. Ladle the soup over the rice and stir. 
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home. 

One year ago.............................Sausage Wonton Appetizers.
Three years ago........................Burgundy Mushrooms.

Did you already know..............
-In 1840, Queen Victoria created the tradition of wearing a white bridal gown according to Women's Day. (I wore baby blue since blue is my husband's favorite color.)
-To give a betrothed a ring has been around since Roman times.
-Since 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria was the first recorded history to give a fiancee a diamond ring.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Since I've been baking more, I've been making easier dinners. So, I made this chicken dish. While we were eating, my son told me that it wasn't done since the middle was pink. I told him the pink was the ham. Then my daughter asked why I put ham in the middle of chicken. I said it was suppose to be like that. I make new dishes all the time but boy my children didn't like the idea of ham inside their chicken. My husband said it had a nice taste and he liked it. The kids said they liked it besides the ham. I guess I will have to make more dishes stuffed so it isn't such a foreign idea to them.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup milk
1 egg,whisked
2 lbs. chicken breasts
8 slices of swiss cheese
4 slices of ham
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup broccoli, chopped

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper onto a plate. Set aside.
3. Slice the chicken horizontally. Flatten the chicken out.
4. Place one slice of cheese and ham on top of the chicken. Fold the chicken over in half.
5. Dip the chicken into the egg and then coat with the bread crumbs. 
6. Repeat steps 2 through 4 with the other pieces of chicken.
7. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
8. Brown the chicken on each side for 3 minutes. 
9. Remove from the pan and place into a baking dish. 
10. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of cheese. 
11. In a small bowl, combine the milk with the cream of chicken soup. 
12. Mix the broccoli with the soup mixture. 
13. Evenly distribute the soup mixture over the chicken. 
14. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Two years ago.........................I made Bran Banana Muffins.
Three years ago.......................I made Lemon Frosted Cupcakes.

Did you already know.............
-Cordon Bleu means the highest class.
-In the 16th century, the highest order chivalry knights were awarded a medal on a blue ribbon.
-Cordon blue means blue ribbon.