Asparagus Mini Quiches

Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
6 Tbsp. cold butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 Tbsp. water


With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until crumbly. Add cheese and water. Mix with fork until soft dough forms and is able to be rolled out onto a floured surface. After dough is rolled out to 1/4 inch thick, cut large circles out of the dough that will fit into your greased tins. (I used a 4 inch diameter cutter for my 3 inch diameter tins.) Pat dough into greased tins. (Mine made 12 quiches.) Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes.

Filling:
1/4 pound asparagus, blanched (boiled for a minute or so) and cut into pieces 1/2 inch in size (I used asparagus that had been blanched and then frozen.)
About 2 tsp. chopped dried onions

3 eggs
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place asparagus pieces into the bottom of the cooked crusts. Put a pinch of dried onion into each crust. Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Pour about a tablespoon or more of the egg mixture into each crust. Put a heaping teaspoon of each of the cheeses into each crust. Bake at 375* for 16 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of a quiche. Makes 12 quiches if using 2 inch diameter tins.  May be modified for larger or smaller quiche tins. Enjoy!!

Chicken Strips Milano

12 oz. linguine
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 1/2 tsp + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
3/4 tsp. pepper, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute garlic in 4 1/2 tsp. of oil in a skillet for 1 minute or until tender. Stir in parsley and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.
Combine flour, basil, salt and remaining pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Whisk eggs in another shallow bowl. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and then in the eggs.
Cook chicken in the remaining 4 Tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet for 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink.
Drain the linguine and place on a serving platter. Stir in the garlic mixture over the linguine and toss to coat. Top with chicken. Serves 6.

Enchiladas

1/2 rotisserie chicken
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 a can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces cream cheese cubed
10 flour tortillas warmed
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Shred the chicken and set it aside. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, soups, milk and seasonings. Transfer 1 3/4 cups to another bowl; add the chicken and cream cheese to the mixture you have set apart.Spread 1/4 cup of soup mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13" greased baking dish. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, and roll them up and placed them seem side down in the baking dish. Pour remaining soup mixture over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Creamy Frosting

(This frosting is for cupcakes and cakes, not the cookies I make.)

Cream until light and fluffy:
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar

Add:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup evaporated canned milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat until light and fluffy.
(Note: The original recipe says to add an unbeaten egg in at the end and beat until light and fluffy. I leave out the egg and it seems just fine!)

This recipe is from my Tia Talana

Granola

6 cups oats
2/3 c. wheat germ
2/3 c. shredded coconut (optional--I hate shredded coconut!)
2/3 c. sesame seeds
2/3 c. chopped nuts (also optional--I guess I like boring granola!)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Place the oats in a microwave safe dish and microwave 4 minutes (or 15 min. in a 350* oven)
Add the above ingredients to the oats. Blend together and add to the oat mixture:

2/3 c. oil or melted butter
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. banana flavoring
1/4 tsp. black walnut flavoring
1/2 tsp. coconut flavoring

Cook on high power for at least 4 minures, stirring after two minutes (or bake at 350* for 15-20 min., stirring often to keep it from burning). Mixture should be nicely browned.

Add:
1 c. dried fruit (raisins, etc.)

Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Home-Made Wheat Baking Mix

4 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground is best!)
4 cups white flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking powder
4 tsp. salt

Combine the above ingredients; then add:

1 cup oil such as corn, canola, coconut (melt for a few seconds in microwave if using coconut oil)

Mix again; then mix in --just until mixed in--do not over-mix:

1-1/4 cup dry instant milk

Store in airtight container in the freezer or refrigerator to preserve nutrients in the whole wheat flour.


For Pancakes:
1-1/2 cups mix
1 egg
1 cup water

For Waffles:
2 cups mix
2 Tbsp. oil
1 egg
1 1/3 milk

For Drop Biscuits:
2 cups mix
2/3 cups milk
Combine two ingredients and drop by rounded tablespoonfuls  on to un-greased baking sheet, or parchment paper covered baking sheets. Bake at 450* for 8-10 minutes. Brush with butter when fresh out of the oven.


This mix can be used whenever baking mix is called for. It is used in Breakfast Pie and Impossible Broccoli Pie on this site.

Breakfast Pie

8-10 strips cooked bacon, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped, sauted onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small can diced green chilis, undrained

1-1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
3/4 cups baking mix
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper


Combine bacon, onion, cheese and chilis; put into baked pie crust (see below). Whisk milk, eggs, baking mix, onion powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Pour milk mixture over the pie crust filled with cheese mixture. Bake at 400* for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.


Pie crust:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold water

Mix with a pastry blender the first three ingredients until it looks like crumbs. Gradually add the cold water and mix with a fork until moisture is mixed it. Roll out on a sheet of parchment paper a pie crust circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Use the parchment paper to fold the round crust into even quarters. Pick up dough and place in the pie plate, unfolding it to cover the bottom and sides of the plate. Cook crust for 10 minutes in oven at 350*. Then follow instructions above for filling. Serves 6 or how ever many slices you slice the pie into! :)

Food storage variations:
I used mixed powdered milk for the milk. I use a tablespoon or two of dehydrated onions instead of fresh sauted onions. I make my own baking mix using half whole wheat flour and half white flour, plus the other ingredients, of course. I use eggs that I rubbed earlier with mineral oil to keep them fresh--they stay for up to a year in the fridge.