Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This morning, we woke up with brunch on the brain. But, seeing as how the Mississippi River has already flooded and dear ole’ Mother Nature decided to grace us with another torrential downpour and what The Weather Channel calls “deadly cloud to ground lightning strikes,” we didn’t quite think going out for brunch was in our cards today.

The solution? An impromptu quiche-ish dish  that turned into something it wasn’t supposed to be. A nice surprise, in fact, because oh, gracious was it good.

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

Servings: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Level: Easy

1 1/2 c. hash browns, frozen (or shoestring potatoes)
4 eggs
1/3 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. ham, cubed (or bacon or sausage or even make it vegetarian and add juiced and seeded tomatoes)
1/3 c. bell peppers and onions, frozen
fresh spinach leaves
1/3 c. cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400°. On a cookie sheet, bake hash browns for 5 minutes.

Transfer potatoes to a greased pie plate or cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together.

Top potatoes with ham, bell peppers and onions, and spinach.

Pour egg mixture over top, sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning, and bake for 20 minutes.

Once removed from oven, invert onto a plate, allow to cool, and slice. Yum!

Tips
– Instead of using Italian Seasoning, try cumin and chili powder.
– Top with salsa if desired.
– Use leftovers to wrap in a tortilla with tomatoes and extra spinach leaves for a quick lunch.
– You don’t have to invert the dish. You can leave it in the pie plate if you want.

Hoppin’ John

This is a perfect recipe for one of those days when you seriously have no time or energy  to spend on dinner. We just got back  from an amazing weekend in good ‘ole bulldog country and I was looking for something quick and easy to make so I could spend my time on more important things… like unpacking and convincing myself that waking up for work tomorrow isn’t going to be totally miserable.

Hoppin’ John

Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: SUPER easy

1/2 c. bell peppers and onion mix, frozen
1/2 c. ham or smoked sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 can crowder peas, drained but reserve 1/2 of the liquid
1 tbsp. hot sauce
2 c. rice, cooked
sour cream, optional topping
salsa, optional topping

In a pan, over medium high heat, sauté peppers and onion and ham or sausage, about 4 minutes.

Add crowder peas, reserved liquid, and hot sauce. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice and top with sour cream and salsa, if desired. Yum!

Tips
– Try using black eyed peas instead of crowders.
– Serve over cornbread instead of rice.

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes and Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches

Woah. I never thought I’d be this obsessed. Not just with dinner. Oh, no. With the LEFTOVERS!

These pancakes are so hearty and filling, you seriously won’t believe it. They also keep amazingly well in the fridge. I have eaten these bad boys for dinner (Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches), breakfast, and as a snack. I can’t seem to get enough of their light and fluffy, yet dense and filling texture. The pancake batter mixed with the quinoa is such a dubious pair… Oh, you’re gonna love ’em!

These pancakes make the perfect pre/post workout snack. Just slather on a little all natural peanut butter, roll it up, and eat it on the road! For breakfast, add a sliced banana… the possibilities are endless and awesome.

This recipe came straight from penandfork.com.  Gwen Ashley Walters wrote it and said her first batch was just a fun experiment that turned out to be great. How very Pantry Chef of her… no wonder I love them!

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes 12 (4 in.) pancakes
Level: Medium

1 cup flour*
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups buttermilk (or sour milk**)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 tablespoons melted butter, divided

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until well blended. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the quinoa and then fold in 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush skillet with reserved melted butter. Ladle  1/4 cupfuls of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to dry about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another couple of minutes, until pancakes are cooked through.

Keep warm in a low oven. Yum!

Tips
– *If you want to go all crazy-healthy, replace up to half the flour with a whole wheat flour.
– **To make sour milk, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into milk and let sit a few minutes until thickened.
– Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Typically, I make breakfast first and then incorporate the leftovers into another dish. I did it backwards this time. We ate these sandwiches first and then I reheated pancakes for breakfast the next day. Delish!

Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes, cooked and warmed
Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices
Thick slices of Ham
Jam

Pan sear the ham until warmed throughout. Top one pancake with  a slice of cheese and a few pieces of ham. Spread jam on another pancake and place on top of the other to make a sandwich. Yum!

Tips
– Try adding a fried egg to the top.

BBQ Pineapple Luau Pizza

Tonight’s dinner was AMAZING! I will definitely be making this pizza again and again. I had a little fresh pineapple (fresh pineapple… oh, how sweet!) left in the fridge and a hankering for Hawaiian Pizza. The only problem  was that I needed to make more pizza sauce and I wanted dinner to be quick tonight. No pizza sauce? No problem! I decided to use BBQ sauce instead.

I came across a recipe earlier this week that had me thinking. The recipe was for chicken and pineapple quesadillas and it looked divine. I will HAVE to try it soon.

But tonight, I wanted pizza. Fast. So I used this recipe as my inspiration and what I came up with was truly delicious. This is seriously a must try recipe!

Luau Pizza

Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Level: Easy

Pizza dough/crust
BBQ sauce
Ham, chopped
Pineapple, thinly sliced
Green bell pepper, diced
Onion, cut into thin rings
Jalapeños, diced
Cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven and make/roll out dough according to pizza dough directions.

Pre-bake dough for 5 minutes. Top with BBQ sauce and remaining ingredients, ending with cheese.

Bake pizza for an additional 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown. Yum!

Tips
– Use a pre-made crust for a faster dinner.
– Top with a little crushed red pepper for more of a kick.
– I used a packaged dough mix that mixes with water. For 57¢ you can’t beat it if you like thin crust!
– Use as many or as little of the above ingredients. Tonight, I only put onions on 1/2 of the pizza. Jason LOVES them… Me? Not so much…
– Jason dipped his in a little ranch dressing. He’s obsessed with ranch.
– You can substitute the ham for Canadian bacon, bacon, turkey bacon, or even chicken.

Potato Soup

It’s another blustery day here in Memphis. Where, oh, where did Spring go? I thought, for a split second, it was here to stay…

The most amazing woman on the planet, my mother, of course, taught me how to make this soup when I was in college. She might not remember but I was home one Christmas break and she made it, just throwing things in the pot as she went along. Ever since watching her, I’ve been making and loving this soup.  Every time I make it, I am reminded of her and making/eating it makes me feel like I’m getting a big ole’ hug from momma!

And no matter who you are, there is NOTHING like a big hug from momma.

Potato Soup

Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

1 c. diced potatoes
1/4 c. carrots, chopped
2 tbsp. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. pepper
2-3 c. whole milk
Dash of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Yum!

Tips
– Try topping the soup with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and/or green onions right before serving.
– Add ham, smoked sausage, or bacon for all you meat eaters out there. I added ham to mine tonight.
– You can use 2% milk and add 1/2 c. sour cream if you don’t have whole milk.
– Don’t forget about stirring! If you walk away, cover the pot with a lid, or turn the heat up too high, you’re going to end up with a mixture that grossly resembles scrambled eggs.
– My dad, husband, and I add a TON of hot sauce, like Louisiana Hot Sauce, to our soup. The pinker the better! My mom doesn’t like it though…

Loaded Hash Browns

We woke up this morning… well, nearly afternoon, and were STARVING! We wanted to go to brunch but had too much to do so I decided to make brunch at home.

Hash Browns are one of my favorites because they are crispy, salty, and compliment just about everything you could ever think of to have for breakfast or brunch. I FINALLY went to the grocery store so I had an abundance of deliciousness to work with.

This recipe is made with homemade hash browns. If you wanted to take some help from the store and buy your own in a bag, go for it! You will seriously cut down on your time in the kitchen and the outcome will be basically the same.

Also, I am not putting measurements next to some ingredients because you can just use what you have. Add more mushrooms if you love them and take off the onions if you don’t. I would also recommend adding diced tomatoes to this dish, but due to the crazy weather we’ve been having, tomatoes aren’t in abundance right now.

Loaded Hash Browns

Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Level: Medium

3 small potatoes, washed and peeled
jalapeños, diced
fresh mushrooms, sliced
onions, diced
green bell pepper, diced
ham, cubed or chopped
shredded cheese
2 eggs, fried sunny side up

Preheat oven to400°. Cube, slice, or dice potatoes into small pieces.

I used a mandolin slicer to shred the potatoes. Put potatoes on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, cook jalapeños, mushrooms, onions,  bell peppers, and ham until cooked throughout, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside. When potatoes are done, form loosely into patties and fry in a well oiled skillet over medium-high heat, turning once. Fry until browned on both sides. Top potato patties with veggie and ham mix, cheese, and sunny side up egg. Yum!

Tips
– You can substitute the ham for bacon, turkey, etc.
– This is a great way to use up any leftover veggies or meat you may have in the fridge.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas – Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and DELICIOUS!

My husband, as I’ve told you before, is a die-hard carnivore. DIE-HARD. Whenever I try to make a meatless or vegetarian meal, no matter how large and filling, he always starts the meal out with an attitude of  “This is rabbit food, not human food and I will starve to death if I eat like this…” He doesn’t actual say that but he does claim to be hungry after every vegetarian meal, even though he rarely ever is…it’s all mental. But, nonetheless, I’ll cook meat. Meat, meat, meat.

Until tonight. I have decided to reclaim my love of meatless meals.  I say meatless, not vegetarian, because I never really buy vegetable stock and crowders and black eyes are best boiled with a little ham or bacon. I can’t help it… But, regardless, I stuck to my guns and started cooking.

No meat? No problem! I am so out of everything in my pantry and fridge anyway that braving the “I’m gonna be hungry later” comments made me get creative. I needed a meatless meal with tons of fiber and protien to satisfy us. I mean, what was he gonna snack on after? There is nothing there. Gah, I gotta go to the store. Maybe tomorrow.

Tonight’s meal was not only vegetarian and gluten-free but it actually TRICKED my husband into thinking it was chock full of beef. Go figure! While I was cooking, I decided not to tell him it was vegetarian to see what he would say. At the end of the meal, I asked him to guess the ingredients. He guessed refried beans and ground beef. Ehhhnnnk, both wrong.

He wasn’t “hungry” afterwards either. Success!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 (but can easily be doubled)
Level: Easy-Medium

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/4 c. onions, chopped (optional)
2 small sweet potatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
4 small corn tortillas
1/3 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. salsa
sour cream to top, if desired

Preheat oven to 350°. Peel and cube sweet potatoes.

In a pot of water, boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook garlic and onions until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and spices. Cook until heated throughout, mashing the potatoes and beans a little as they cook along. Pour 1/2 of the salsa into a small casserole dish. Divide the potato and bean mixture into fourths. Fill each tortilla with a portion of the mixture, top with a little cheese, and roll. Place on top of salsa in casserole dish,  seam side down. Top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired. Yum!

Tips
– This was my first attempt using sweet potatoes and black beans together. I think you could use salsa verde for a different flavor and it would work nicely.
– As my friend Katie pointed out, I LOVE cumin. If you don’t… then leave it out.  No biggie!

Ham and Cheese Tart with Homemade Honey Mustard

Woah gracious, I’m grabbing at straws and pulling from the bottom of the barrel on these next few. I am in DESPERATE need of my monthly trip to the grocery store. I haven’t been since February 2nd. Can you believe it? Granted, we were gone for Spring Break and February is a short month but STILL! It has almost been TWO months… I love it.

I’m sort of delaying the trip a little to see how long I can last and how cleaned out my fridge and pantry can get. My husband opened the fridge tonight to fix a drink and was shocked by how empty it was!

This recipe is truly a scroungers recipe. I am down to next to nothing so I grabbed what I could and went for it. Jason said it was delicious so I reckon it wasn’t too random!

Ham and Cheese Tart

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2-4
Level: Easy

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
3 tbsp. honey mustard (see recipe below)
a few slices of ham
1/3 c. Italian Blend or Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°. On an ungreased cookie sheet, roll out crescent rolls. Smoosh creases together to make one big rectangle. Spread honey mustard all over dough.

Top with ham and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until dough is done in the middle. Slice and serve. Yum!

I didn’t have any honey mustard in the fridge or pantry so I whipped up my own. I’m not typically a fan, but had a random craving,  so I tweaked it for my taste. Any measurement will probably work. If you like it sweeter, add more honey. Spicier? Add more cayenne. Just taste it as you make it and add ingredients accordingly.

Honey Mustard

Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

3 tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. honey
dash or two of cayenne

Mix all ingredients together. Yum!

Tips
– Use this dressing on sandwiches or wraps. It’s really good!
– I served this tart along side tomato soup. It made for a pretty decent meal.

Breakfast Sandwich

DELISH! This is a staple at my house for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I make it at least once a week, no joke. The variety is endless and it is relatively good for you, especially if you are on a protein kick.

You don’t have to make your eggs runny, but I would absolutely recommend it, and I don’t even like my eggs over easy! There is just something about that runny yoke that makes the sandwich creamier and meltier (yes, I realize that meltier isn’t a real word, but come on, shouldn’t it be? I mean, I don’t know how else to describe ooey and gooey and straight up awesome)  and it just melds everything together nicely.

Breakfast Sandwich

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Level: Easy-medium
Serving Size: as many as you wanna make but below is how you make 1.

2 slices of whole grain bread
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked
jam, peanut butter, mayo… just your favorite condiment

Top one slice of bread with cheese and toast both slices.  In a small, non-stick skillet, cook the egg in a touch of olive oil over medium heat, being careful not to break the yolk.

Don’t panic if you do… it’s no big deal. Top the cheesed slice of toasted bread with cooked egg and cooked bacon. Spread your favorite condiment on the other slice. Doing it this way makes everything stick together better. Put together like a sandwich. Yum!

Tips
– I used Ezekiel bread but anything will do. No, I’m not on a health kick. It was just on sale at Kroger for $1.50 so I decided to try it. It is actually really good. It’s a little spongier than the bread I’m used to. You can try this sandwich using a bagel, English muffin, or wrap it all up in a tortilla.

– Use any meat you want. Deli style lunch meat works great, especially ham and turkey.
– Change up your cheese choice. I love making this sandwich with ham and swiss or turkey and provolone. Just choose whatever you have in the fridge.
– Seriously, don’t let me lose you here. Just TRY putting peanut butter on you sandwich if you use bacon as your meat. It is AMAZING and melts beautifully. Ugh… my mouth is watering as I type! Try it and let me know how much you like it. This won’t be a regret.
– My husband likes to use mayo when I make it for lunch or dinner. You can also add a slice of tomato.
– Check out this yummy looking sandwich. She used pesto as her condiment: Breakfast Sandwich with Pesto
– If you wanted to put it all together and grill it like a grilled cheese, that works, too. And it is AMAZING done that way… the only kicker is that buttering the toast on both sides makes it a real artery clogger. And if it’s decent without it…then why even go there?