Quick and Easy Quiche

Need an impressive breakfast, but don't have a lot of time?  Make this super easy quiche.  Mix and match your meats and cheeses and feel free to add extra onions or veggies.  Your friends and family will be impressed!

Quick and Easy Quiche

• 3eggs, beaten
• ³⁄₄cup milk
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1cup chopped cooked ham
• 1cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 19" unbaked pie shell (or 1/2 package of Pillsbury pie crust)

• DIRECTIONS

  1. Beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper in bowl.
  2. Add ham and cheese.
  3. Pour into pie shell.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  5. Let stand for several minutes before serving.

Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Made this when my sister was in town this weekend.  Perfect butternut squash soup.  Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash(about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple(about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable orchicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. 2Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
3. 3Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. 4When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
5. 5Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
6. 6Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

Mom's Pumpkin Bars - Best Ever!

This is what pumpkin bars should taste like.  There is no substitute.  Make these and enjoy!  Yum!

Pumpkin Bars (Mom’s recipe) 

* 4 eggs
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup salad oil
* 15 oz. can Festal pumpkin
Mix above ingredients in large bowl.

Sift the following and add to above:
* 2 cups flour
* ½ tsp. salt
* ½ tsp. cloves
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 2 tsp. cinnamon
* ½ tsp. nutmeg
* 1 tsp. soda
* ½ tsp. ginger
Mix well and pour into greased and floured 8x12 jelly roll pan. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before frosting.


Frosting:
* 6 oz. cream cheese
* ¾ stick butter
* 1 Tbsp. cream or milk
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 4 cups powdered sugar
Cream together cheese, butter, and vanilla until soft. Gradually add powdered sugar until correct consistency to spread.

Strawberry Filled Cheesecake....perfect for Keith! Yummy!

Cheesecake with Strawberry Filling - Shortbread Crust Drizzled with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Shortbread Crust
1 1/2sticks  unsalted buttercut into ½ inch pieces
2 cups flour
1/2cup light brown sugar
1/2tsp salt

Strawberry Filling & Sauce
3 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
3 cups sugar
juice from 1 1/2 lemons,

Cheesecake
2 - 8ounce blocks cream cheese
3 eggs
1cup sugar
1pint sour cream
Servings: people

Instructions:
Shortbread Crust
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture begins to come together into small balls of dough. Press mixture into a 13 by 9 baking pan. Cook about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Strawberry Filling & Sauce
Warm sugar and lemon juice over low heat until sugar just about dissolves, stirring. Add the strawberries and cook on low 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be at a low boil with some of the juices released. Turn heat off.

Cheesecake
Cut cream cheese into approximately one-inch squares and blend on medium speed in an electric mixer until smooth. At slow speed add eggs, one at a time. Increase speed until well combined after each one, scraping the bowl between additions. Slowly add sugar while mixing on low, then beat about two minutes until a creamy consistency. Stop mixer, add sour cream and beat on medium until just combined.
Pour two-thirds of the strawberry filling over the crust, then top with the cheesecake filling.
To bake cheesecake, place pan into a larger pan. Fill half way up the side of the cheesecake pan with water so the cheesecake is in a bath of water, but be careful not to get water into the cheesecake. (Heat a pot of water to boiling on the stovetop and pour the boiling water into the pan once it is in the oven so you don’t have to transport the cheesecake in the water bath.)
Cook about 35 minutes. It will still have a bit of movement to it, although not liquid. It will firm after chilling. Serve drizzled with the reserved strawberry sauce. Serves 12 to 15.

Skinny Taste Slow Cooker Picadillo

LOVE picadillo over rice!  Here's a recipe from Skinny Taste.  Sounds perfect for a chilly fall day!

Slow Cooker Picadillo
Skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 11 • Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Weight Watchers Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 170 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 22.5 g • Carb: 4.5 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 1.5 g
Sodium: 237 mg (without the salt)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup alcaparrado (manzanilla olives, pimientos, capers) or green olives
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Brown meat in a large deep skillet on medium-high heat; season with generously with salt and a little pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces. When meat is no longer pink, drain all the liquid from pan. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers to the meat and cook an addition 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, then add tomato, cilantro, tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups water, alcaparrado (or olives) [I usually add some of the brine from the jar for added flavor] then add the spices.

Set slow cooker to HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8. After it's ready, taste for salt and add more as needed [I added a little more cumin and garlic powder at the end as well since the crock pot tends to mute the flavors of herbs and spices]. Discard the bay leaves and serve over brown rice.