Cornbread Quiche

CRUST

2/3 cup yellow corn meal

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco

2 Tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

FILLING

2/3 cup half+half

2 eggs

1 Tbsp basil

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp minced onions

2 Tbsp bacon bits

1¾ cup corn (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine corn meal, flour and sugar together and mix well.  Add shortening and mix until crumbly; add egg and mix well.  Add water if needed. 

Press crust in quiche dish making it thick up the sides of the dish.  Cover with aluminum foil, press against crust; bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile beat eggs and add half & half, pepper, basil, onions and bacon bits.  Mix well.  Fold in corn.  Pour mixture over hot crust and smooth corn evenly over top.  Bake 350º for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

© Crackerberries 2011

Eggplant Tomato Quiche

1 pie crust (recipe follows)
1 large tomato, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 medium egg plant, sliced into thin rounds
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 slices mozzarella cheese
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp fennel seed
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread eggplant slices on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with salt; let stand 15 minutes. Preheat oven 350º. Pat dry any juices from the eggplant with paper towel. Spray both sides of the egg plant with oil and place in oven for then minutes.

Combine basil, oregano, fennel seed, garlic powder and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Spray with oil and sprinkle spices over both sides of tomato. Place in oven with eggplant and cook for 10 minutes or until both eggplant and tomatoes are lightly roasted but not blackened. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.

Layer eggplant in bottom of pie crust, saving 4-5 slices; place mozzarella cheese on top of eggplant, then top with tomato slices.

Beat the eggs and sour cream together until well combined; add parmesan cheese and dash each of salt and pepper; mix well and pour over tomatoes. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.

Bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Single Pie Crust
1¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
4-5 Tbsp ice cold water

Make a glass of ice water. In a medium bowl stir flour and salt together. Using pastry blender, cut in shortening until flour is crumby. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp iced water over flour and gently toss with a fork. Repeat with 1 Tbsp water at a time until all flour is moistened..

On lightly floured surface, use your hands to flatten and roll pastry from center to edges in a circle to fit into your pie plate. *Note: the more rolling and patting done with the pastry, the tougher it becomes.

© Crackerberries 2009

Moo-Chi-Pig Casserole

This is a great brunch or breakfast for a crowd. Made the night before leaves your morning open to relax, enjoy your coffee and company without slaving in the kitchen. Not only that, but it’s a pretty tasty casserole. Serve as is or add salsa or ketchup.

1 lb mild bulk pork sausage
1 16 oz pkg. cooked cubed ham
1 26 oz pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup milk
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp Texas Pete
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp bacon bits
1 dozen eggs

Cook the sausage in large skillet until no longer pink; drain grease and cool completely. Spray large baking dish or lasagna pan with cooking oil. Spread uncooked hash browns in bottom of baking dish, spreading them up the sides to create a crust if you will.

Lay cubed ham over hash brown, then top with cooled sausage. You might also add cooked onion and green pepper (optional). Top with cheeses.

In large bowl, beat eggs and add milk, parmesan cheese, celery salt and Texas Pete; mix well. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Place in refrigerator over night. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake in 350º oven for one hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

© Crackerberries 2009

Breakfast Spaghetti

Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day, yes? Remember the commercials? Well this is a new take on spaghetti. Have you ever wanted to have bacon and eggs for supper, but it just doesn’t seem right? Now you can.

12 oz. thick spaghetti
6 pieces thick sliced bacon, chopped
¼ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ green pepper, julienned
½ red pepper, julienned
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup half & half
1½ cup fresh baby spinach
1 Tbsp pimentos
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup Asiago cheese, shredded
1 hard boiled egg, peeled and sliced

Cook pasta al denté, or according to how you like it; drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Set aside. In a very large skillet, cook bacon until crispy fried, remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 TBSP of bacon grease in skillet. Add wine/chicken broth, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for two minutes. Add peppers and pimentos; cook two minutes, stirring occasionally. In medium bowl, combine eggs and half & half; add to skillet, stirring constantly, but careful not to scramble the eggs (cook and thicken about two minutes). Add spaghetti, spinach, bacon and fresh parsley. Toss to combine and heat through, adding reserved cooking liquid from pasta to make creamier if needed. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese and cover for one minute (long enough for cheese to begin to melt). Top with slices of hard cooked egg and fresh ground pepper.

© Crackerberries 2009

Pickled Eggs - Oh Those Chickens are Much Too Much

Our chickens are good little babies ... they give us more eggs than we know what to do with. We thought of putting a sign out to let people know that we sell them, but our luck, those chickens would have a mind of their own and stop laying just to spite us. We do occasionally sell to a few friends of ours, but most of the time I just try to come up with different things to do with them. Tall Cool One thinks these are A-OK!

Pickled Eggs

1 cup sugar
12 eggs boiled and peeled
1½ cups white vinegar
½ cup water
½ tsp salt
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp pickling spice or whole peppercorns medley
1 onion, sliced


In medium sauce pan combine vinegar, sugar, water, salt and spices; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour hot solution over eggs to cover. Place onion slices on top and cover tightly. Place in refrigerator for several days. Mmmm Mmmm good.


To boil: put eggs in large sauce pan and cover with cold water. If the eggs are new add ½ tsp. baking soda to aid in the peeling process.  Bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, set timer for 11 minutes. Remove from heat at once and cover with cold water. It is best to peel the eggs immediately while they are still hot.
© Crackerberries 2009