Mama's Quiche

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope you did as well. Our son, Troy, his wife, Kim, and their baby, Peyton, came to visit for the week. It was so wonderful to have this time to get to know the newest member of our family better. Peyton is our fourth granddaughter, and what a blessing she is.

On Friday morning I needed something for breakfast and remembered this quiche recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients so I needed to improvise with what I did have. The quiche turned out very good and was very easy to put together. It helped that I had left-over pie crust in the freezer to use. This recipe is an adaptation of "Mama's Quiche" from my San Francisco a' la Carte cookbook. A terrific cookbook. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 egg

4 teaspoons all-purpose white flour

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup fat-free 1/2 and 1/2

10 ounces medium cheddar cheese, shredded

1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers ( I used mild)

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1 prebaked 9" pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg with a wire whisk, blend in the flour, and then blend in mayonnaise. Add the 1/2 and 1/2 and blend well. Fold in the cheese, chilies, and onion. Spread the mixture evenly into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Note: I have not tried this recipe with "lite" mayonnaise, so I do not know if it would work.

Low-Fat Chicken or Turkey Divan

This past Saturday night we had a Newcomer's Dinner in our home. This is a ministry that my husband and I really enjoy doing for the new people that are attending our church. The recipe I'm sharing here is one that I pasted on to a friend so that she could make it and bring it to our dinner. I "trimmed down" the original version of this dish when I was helping my husband lose weight last year. Everyone enjoyed my variation, I hope you do as well. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/4 lbs. chopped fresh broccoli, cooked or 2 - 10 oz. pkgs. frozen broccoli, cooked. (broccoli must be well-drained)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup low-fat (lite) mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt or equivalent in mayonnaise, if the calories don't matter to you
1/8 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup low-fat shredded medium cheddar cheese

1. Arrange broccoli in a 9" x 13" baking pan; sprinkle chicken or turkey evenly over broccoli.
2. Put all remaining ingredients, except cheese, in a medium size bowl. Using a wire whisk, gently whisk until mixture is smooth and well combined.
3. Pour mixture evenly over broccoli and poultry; sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Cover casserole with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until sauce is hot and bubbly.

Tip: When using frozen cooked broccoli, squeeze out extra moisture by wrapping in paper toweling and press gently. Extra moisture always cooks out of broccoli.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

This recipe is a very good and easy meal to prepare when you are short on time. Why not bring the children in to help as you visit about the days events? Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" cubes
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
a little vegetable oil for frying
1 jar (11 oz.) chunky salsa
1/2 cup peach or apricot jam
hot cooked rice

1. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag; add taco seasoning and toss to coat.
2. In a skillet, brown chicken in oil.
3. Combine the salsa and jam; stir into skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
4. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Hot Christmas Punch

This past weekend seven friends and I got together for lunch and a game of scrabble in my home. I called this time together a "Scrabble Luncheon". I asked each friend to contribute a small part of the lunch menu and I provided the condiments and a hot beverage. This Christmas punch is delicious and makes the kitchen smell so welcoming.

We had deli meat and cheese on croissants, fruit, and cookies. So easy to do and so appreciated by each one of the ladies. This was a great time of fellowship, laughter, and just plain being lazy on a Saturday afternoon! I get great pleasure from opening my home to others in order to give them a break from the everyday work and stress of life. I think this is so important in this crazy world of ours. Blessings...

Hot Christmas Punch:

2-1/2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, broken
2 quartered orange slices
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons instant tea

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine the first 7 ingredients. Heat just to boiling; cover and reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in instant tea. Serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings

Tip: recipe can easily be doubled to serve 9-12 people.

The Gift of Welcome

"You can share your heart and life with others, even if the meal is simple and the setting is humble. The most important gift of welcome simply says I care, I love you, and I have prepared a place for you."

The Woman's Study Bible, Second Edition

Copyright 1995, 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

New King James Version, Page 1636

Easy Chocolates

Oh, the joy of chocolate! These chocolates would be a great hostess gift to take if you were invited to someone's home for a meal or time of fellowship. Hostess gifts are a wonderful way of saying, "thank you for inviting us into your home". When we offer a little gift to the hostess for her thoughtfulness we are acknowledging all of her hard work and time in preparing for us. It is a very thoughtful thing to do. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon almond extract, or other flavor of your choice

dash of salt

1/3 cup finely diced maraschino cherries

finely ground pecans to roll chocolates in, about 1 cup.

1. Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl; microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir to combine and microwave for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to burn chocolate.

2. Add extract, salt and cherries and stir well. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.

3. Form mixture in 1" balls and roll in pecans. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: You don't have to use cherries. If you choose to add extract only, you may want to roll the chocolate in coconut, or chocolate sprinkles, or something else.

Tip: Please don't refrigerate chocolate unless it is made with a dairy product such as cream cheese or whipping cream. The flavor of chocolate is greatly diminished by being chilled.

Incredibly Tender Beef Stew

This stew recipe is so good, and a little unusual in that it has brewed coffee in it. The coffee acts as a meat tenderizer, with excellent results. We love it, especially on these very cold days of winter. I cut the recipe in half for my husband and I and we can get two meals out of it. This is another wonderful dish from Marcia Adams book, "New Recipes from Quilt Country". Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

3 pounds lean chuck roast, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 cups canned beef broth

1 cup strong brewed coffee

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons ketchup

6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 medium onions, quartered (I use only one)

6 medium carrots, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen

Minced fresh thyme, if desired

1. Place the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the thyme in a paper bag and shake to blend. Add the beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the stockpot and brown each piece on all sides; don't overcrowd the pan or the meat won't brown properly. Work in batches if necessary.

2. When the meat is browned, add the stock, coffee, Worcestershire, paprika, sugar, ketchup, and remaining salt and pepper; stir to combine. Add the potatoes, onions, and carrots. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Add the peas and continue cooking for 15 to 30 minutes or longer until the meat is very tender. (If a thicker stew is desired, thicken the mixture with 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons of water.) Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings