Tag Archives: onion

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Quiche with Mashed Potato Crust

14 May

What do you do when you don’t want to make a regular pie crust for a quiche?  Make one with mashed potatoes!  I had made a similar quiche a while back, but used broccoli as the vegetable.  Since I have a few bags of zucchini and yellow squash in the freezer, I decided to use that.  I also used up the last of my shredded mozzarella cheese from Basicfarm7.  It’s a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and then add in your favorite veggie, meat, and cheese combination.  Think broccoli, spinach, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, etc.  Not all together of course, but ideas for ingredients to use in different combinations!  Or, when you have leftovers at Thanksgiving, use leftover mashed potatoes for the crust, and have chopped turkey and cheese for the filling!

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Quiche with Mashed Potato Crust

 

Zucchini &Yellow Squash Quiche with Mashed Potato Crust

What you need:

For the crust:
2 cups mashed potatoes OR about 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and mixed with 1/4 milk
Olive oil

For the filling:

1/4 olive oil
2 cups zucchini and yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly oil a 9″ deep dish pie plate.  Press mashed potatoes into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.  Brush with more olive oil.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, and onion to the skillet, and cook until soft.  Stir in parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix together the beaten eggs and shredded cheese.  Stir in the zucchini and yellow squash mixture.  Pour into the mashed potato crust.  Return to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

2 May

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

 

This is something I have made for a long time.  But, my challenge tonight was to make it gluten-free for my friend’s kids that I was watching tonight.  Normally, I make the Bisquick biscuit recipe on the box and drop it in, but tonight I used a biscuit recipe using flour so I could substitute in the gluten-free all-purpose flour that I have.  With the Bisquick, the dumplings end up pretty fluffy and it’s almost more like a chicken pot pie.  This time, it turned out more like dumplings, and was pretty good!  So, now this can be made with regular flour or gluten-free flour with good results.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

What you need:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 bag (12 oz) mixed vegetables (I used a mix of carrots, corn, green beans, and peas)
1 cup diced onion
8 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes (make sure to use gluten-free, if needed)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan gum or 2 cups all-purpose wheat flour, depending on your need
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk

How to make it:

Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add chicken, vegetables, onion, water, chicken bouillon, and poultry seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken, shred, and return to crock pot. If cooked on low, turn to high for 15 minutes.

Mix together flour, baking powder, oil, and milk.  Drop dough by spoonfuls into the slow cooker.  Cook on high 30 minutes more or until dumplings have cooked.

Note: For the dumplings, you can also use regular or gluten-free Bisquick to make biscuit dough according to the box, then drop by spoonfuls into the slow cooler. If you don’t need gluten-free, you can use a can of refrigerated biscuit dough. Cut each biscuit into fourths and roll into balls, then drop then into the slow cooler.

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Slow Cooker Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

28 Apr

Slow Cooker Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

 

I know this picture doesn’t make it look very appetizing, but it really turned out very good!  The roast was a chuck roast that I had purchased from Starbar Farm & Ranch.  When I used to make this, I would use a packet of onion soup, but since I didn’t have any on hand, I found a blend of spices online that was similar and without all the extra stuff too.  After the meat was cooked, I shredded it and mixed it in with the potatoes and carrots, making it like a beef stew.

 

Slow Cooker Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

What you need:

4-5 lb beef roast
2.5 lb potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (I left the skins on)
8 oz peeled baby carrots
1 onion, cut into wedges
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups water

How to make it:

Place roast in slow cooker.  Place potatoes, carrots, and onions around the roast.

In a small bowl, combine beef bouillon, minced onion, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Sprinkle over roast and vegetables.

Pour the water over the vegetables that are around the roast.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat can be pulled apart easily with a fork.

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Spanish Rice

5 Apr

This has been on the to-do list for WAY too long.   I used to just buy a packet, add water, cook, and be done.  But, since I have been cutting back on as packaged foods as possible, I wanted to give this a try tonight since I had all the ingredients on hand.  It actually wasn’t too bad time-wise, just a little extra prep work.  And, it turned out really good, my husband was really impressed and he’s been hard to please lately!

Spanish RiceSpanish Rice

What you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup long grain rice*
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth*
1 pound tomatoes, diced in food processor
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
*Note: Check the liquid to rice ratio recommended on the package of rice you are using and adjust rice and chicken broth quantity as needed

How to make it:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Pour rice into skillet to brown.  Stir in the onion and garlic, stirring continuously, until onions become translucent.

Meanwhile, add chicken broth, tomatoes, and all seasonings  to a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer.

Stir rice mixture into the liquid.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.

Simmer while covered for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked.

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Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

31 Mar

This has been on my list of things to try making for a while.  Our main Olive Garden favorite is Zuppa Toscana, which I still make regularly, but I still wanted to give this one a try.  It is actually really easy to make and doesn’t take too long to make.  For the gnocchi, you have the option of buying at the store (usually in the pasta, refrigerated, or frozen section) or making your own.  I had a leftover baked potato in the fridge, so I decided I would try making my own.  It’s not too hard either, just a little time-consuming.  I’ll give the recipes for both.

Potato GnocchiPotato Gnocchi

What you need:

1 large russet potato, weighing about 1 pound
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup flour, plus more for work area
Pinch of salt

How to make it:

First, bake potatoes. I used a potato that I had baked in the slow cooker earlier in the week.  If you don’t have an already baked potato, preheat oven to 350 F.  Pierce potato with a fork all around potato.  Bake for about 1 hour, or until potato is very soft.  Remove potato to a rack and cut open to allow to cool.

Scoop out the insides of the potato and discard skins (or save skins for some other use).  Pass the potato through a potato ricer or run along a small grater.  Add the egg yolk, flour, and salt, and mix by hand until you get a ball of dough.

Flour your work area.  Take a small ball of the dough and gently roll on your work surface until you have a long roll about 3/4″ in diameter.  Cut off 1″ sections.  Roll each along the back of a fork to get small indentations in each piece.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Potato Gnocchi waiting to be cookedAt this point, if you will not be using right away, place the cookie sheet in the freezer.  Once frozen, place gnocchi in a freezer safe bag or container until you will use.

To cook, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Gently add gnocchi, a few at a time, to the boiling water.  When they rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to remove gnocchi.  Repeat for remaining gnocchi.  Serve with sauce or pesto, or set aside to add to soup below.

 

Chicken and Gnocchi SoupChicken & Gnocchi Soup

What you need:

1 lb chicken, cut into 1″ cubes (or 2 cups cooked chicken)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half (I just use 1% milk in all my soups, and it comes out fine)
1 pound potato gnocchi, made as above or cooked according to the package directions
3 cups coarsely chopped spinach leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste

How to make it:

Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, and cook until no longer pink inside and slightly browned outside.  Remove from pot and set aside.

Heat the 3 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.  Cook until vegetables become tender, about 10 minutes.  Mix in the flour, basil, salt and pepper.  Stir continuously for about 5 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half and half to prevent any lumps from forming.  Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to low to simmer for 20 minutes, until soup thickens.

Add the cooked gnocchi and spinach to the soup.  Gently stir and cook until spinach wilts.  Serve immediately.

 

 

 

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Refried Beans

19 Feb

Last summer, I posted about getting pinto beans at a local bean company, Bonita Bean.  I had used some previously to make refried beans for a potluck, but never got around to sharing how I made them.  These beans are pretty good that they mostly just need to be cooked and mashed, with a little bit of seasoning, if you like.  We thought that was a little bland, so I made them this time with some additions, and it came out better for us.

Refried Beans

 

Refried Beans

What you need:

1 cup dry pinto beans
1/4 cup lard or olive oil (I used olive oil)
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano

How to make it:

First, cook the beans one of 1 ways:

Stove top:
Rinse beans and put in a heavy pot.  Add enough water to cover beans with 1-2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Beans are done when they are soft and skins have begun to break.

Slow cooker:
Rinse beans and add to slow cooker.  Add 3 cups water.  Cook on high for 8 hours until beans are soft and skins have begun to break.

Strain beans from the cooking water.

In a large skillet, heat lard or olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until soft and translucent.  Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Continue cooking and stirring about a minute, until fragrant.  Add in the cooked beans and 1/4 cup fresh water.  Mash with a potato masher or back of a heavy spoon until a rough paste is formed.  Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to keep beans from drying out.

 

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Sloppy Joe Turnovers

9 Jan

Sloppy Joe Turnovers

 

Yum, yum, yum!  My husband had been talking about having sloppy joes for dinner, so I started looking up recipes for them.  I remembered that Lori at My Kinda Rain had a recipe for Sloppy Joe Turnovers, and since I had a can of Grands biscuits in the refrigerator, I decided to give them a try!  I did use a different filling than she did, but then made them turnovers.  Eventually, I would like to come up with  my own biscuit recipe to use instead of biscuits from a can, but I have some work on my bread and biscuit skills to do first.   I like the turnovers because they aren’t as messy….which I know pretty much defeats the purpose of them being “sloppy” joes, but it’s nice when you have small kids.  I paired this with Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup, and it was a great, filling meal!

 

Sloppy Joe Turnovers

What you need:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can biscuits (I used Grand biscuits, but regular biscuits can be used as well)

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.  Drain any fat.  Add chopped onion and cook until onions are soft.  Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper.  Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes to let it thicken.

Roll out each biscuit to about 1/4″ thickness.  Scoop about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto each biscuit.  Fold in half and press edges together well.  Place all on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.

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Roasted Vegetable Medley

16 Dec

Roasted Vegetable Medley

 

I have made a vegetable medley in the past, but it was a different mix, sweet potatoes, carrots, red peppers, parsnips, Mexican grey squash, and asparagus.  This time, I used what I had just gotten from Bountiful Baskets and some things I had in my fridge, red potatoes, rainbow carrots, radishes, red onion, Mexican grey squash and yellow squash.  It ended up really good this time too, the veggies got a very sweet taste to them.

 

Roasted Vegetable Medley

What you need:

2-3 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I left on the peels)
2-3 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
1 bunch radishes, cut in halves or fourths, depending on size
1/2 of a red onion, cut in larger wedges
1 zucchini, or Mexican grey squash, sliced into thin rounds
1 yellow squash, sliced into thin rounds
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Olive oil

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray or brush with olive oil.  Place potatoes, carrots, and radishes on the baking sheet.  Drizzle or spray with olive oil and season with half of basil, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Then, add the zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion to the baking sheet.  Drizzle or spray with olive oil, and season with the remaining spices. Bake again for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables have all softened.  If desired, splash vegetables with balsamic vinegar before serving.

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Spinach, Feta, and Bacon Mini Quiche

20 Nov

 

I got a chance to try out a recipe from the 2012 Taste of Home Cooking School show that I recently attended.  These are delicious!  The original recipe calls for brie, but since I had feta cheese on hand, I used it instead, knowing it is a good combination with spinach and bacon.  It also says to use 2 pie crusts, but I found that 1 pie crust and the filling filled the 12 muffin cups in my pan.  So, since I had both pie crusts ready to go, I doubled the amount of filling and got 24 mini quiches.  Yum!

 

Spinach, Feta, and Bacon Mini Quiche
Original recipe here

What you need:

4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, washed & diced
2 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 refrigerated pie crust

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk eggs together with milk, salt & pepper.  Add spinach, bacon, onion, and feta to egg mixture and blend well.

Roll out pie crust and cut in 3 inch circles (I used a juice glass to cut the circles); line muffin tins with circles.

Spoon egg mixture into each muffin cup, filling 3/4 full; place in oven and cook for 25 minutes or until eggs are set.

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

12 Nov

 

So, I usually make potato soup in the slow cooker, but I didn’t really think far enough ahead of time to get it going.  So, I decided to try a stove top version instead.  I looked up a few recipes, and came up with a mix between my normal recipe and some others I found.

 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

What you need:

1/2 pound bacon
1/2 onion, finely diced (I used a red onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
1 quart chicken broth
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, diced, peeled or unpeeled (I used a mix of red and white potatoes, and left the peels on)
1 8oz package cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

How to make it:

In a large stockpot, cook bacon until crispy.  Remove from pot and crumble; set aside.

Keeping the bacon grease in the stockpot, add onions and minced garlic.  If there is not enough bacon grease, melt 4 tablespoons  of butter in the stockpot.  Cook onions and garlic until caramelized.  Stir in flour.  Pour in chicken broth while stirring constantly to avoid any lumps.     Add the potatoes, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mas potatoes to desired consistency (I prefer my soup to be a little lumpy).  Stir in bacon, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to cook until cheese is melted.

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