Potato Crust Cast Iron Quiche

 

 

There was a time I thought a quiche was not appealing. As told in the tale of pesto on a previous post, my taste buds were not very adventurous. However, to my good fortune the day came to break out of the shell! What was discovered was that a quiche is in fact delicious.

Then things changed.

I found potato crust quiches. My world was rocked, what a delicious and healthy alternative to a traditional pie crust!

Add the all time favorite chicken apple sausage and apple wood smoked gouda cheese; you find yourself with a winning combo. My fiancé loves it, we almost ate the whole thing in one night...

The first time the recipe was made I used a traditional pie pan, the second a cast iron skillet. With the cast iron skillet the potatoes were crisper, however, the pie pan works great too.

Part 1-the Crust:

• 3-4 red potatoes skinned and sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease cast iron skillet or pie pan, set aside. Place sliced potatoes in mixing bowl, add olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper and mix. Layer on pan like a crust, it's ok to overlap layers, cover large gaps.

Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Part 2-the Filling

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup of half and half
• 1 cup shredded apple wood smoked gouda cheese
• 2 cups of diced sausage
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• Salt and pepper

Combine ingredients in mixing bowl. I don't use too much salt in the filling since there is plenty on the crust. When potatoes are finished, pull out of oven. Pour egg mixture over potatoes, some of it might seep onto the pan. This is fine, it will still bake nicely.

Lower oven temperature to 350° F, bake around 20 minutes or until set. Then serve warm!

After you enjoy the quiche and have leftover to store for later, the quiche easily scoops out of the skillet.

Hope you love this dish as much as we did!

Nancy Jane

K.E.G.'s Love for Scones

There are only three things K.E.G. loves more than scones; Jesus, family, and pugs (specifically Poe).

With a nice cup of coffee, or tea, she exudes joy when the tasty pastry has found its way to a plate next to her.

But really, who can resist the temptation of the scone? It’s a sweet siren that beckons back to proper days of old. One can feel simply elegant in pajamas while eating the sophisticated pastry.

K.E.G. and I decided that today would be a lovely scone day, and per usual of this time of the year, we are still dealing with the ongoing quest of using up all the apples from the little orchard. So we started to bake!

 

Scooping out the ingredients.

Mixin'...

 

...and cuttin'.

 

The end result. She sure does know how to make a pretty (and delicious) scone!

Nancy Jane

Two Faced Cookie!

Oh you two faced cookie, why are you so sweet?!

So buttery, sugary, and chocolaty, double chocolaty. And chock full of nuts!

A cookie with two delicious personalities! One chocolate chip, the other double chocolate chip! You will not be able to pick a side because you will love each one equally.

If there is a need to feed a bunch of men, I highly recommend these cookies. 9 out of 10 men loved them. My dad was the only one who didn't, but that was because Snickerdoodles were available and those are his favorite. So out of default we did not get that 10th approval. However, he did enjoy them.

Recipe:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 bag of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract. Add eggs and beat again. Add flour mixture, chocolate chips, and nuts to this bowl and mix until well combined.

Now separate the cookie dough into two different bowls. Add cocoa powder to only one bowl. Mix until fully combined. The mixture might be thicker than other dough, this is fine.

 

Prepare a cookie sheet, scoop 1/2 teaspoon sized ball onto sheet of tan mixture, then black mixture next to it.

 

Lightly squeeze together.

 

Then repeat!

 

 

Place in oven and let cook for ten to twelve minutes.

When finished, let cool. Then enjoy!

Nancy Jane

Candied Ginger Apple Cake

It's about this time of the year I get the hankering to bake this cake. Our apples are being plucked from the branches, and the recipe is the perfect use for them.

Candied Ginger Apple Cake is such a treat I typically make it once or twice a year. Gotta keep it special! My taste buds can't get enough of it, and it's a great transitional recipe from Summer to Autumn.

This year K.E.G. helped me bake, it's always a lot more fun to bake with a buddy!!

The apples you use is up to the baker. I used Pear Apple and other varieties from the fruit orchard because of the overflowing abundance we have been blessed with this Summer.

The recipe only needs one bowl, so clean up is a breeze! Which is good news to this particular baker.

Recipe:

• 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

• 2 cups brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon cloves

• 8 tablespoons soft butter

• 4 tablespoons candied ginger

• 4 cups diced peeled apples

• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts

• 2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter, then ginger, apples, nuts, and eggs. Mix until blended. It will be a very thick batter.

Pour into well greased pan or into cupcake papers. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until finished. If the top bakes faster than the rest, simply add a piece of foil on top of pan.

Finished Product

A simple frosting pairs well with the cake since it is so sweet alone. Or a delicate caramel sauce would be delectable.

 

 

Here is the cake I made two years ago with caramel frosting. So delicious, with hints of Autumn and Summer. Oh man, I wish I had a slice in front of me now! Hope you enjoy the cake!

 



 

Nancy Jane

Multigrain Pumpkin Seed Bread

 

Homemade Bread with fresh produce is great remedy after a long travel.  

As I frequently say, use your bread machine—especially with travel lag.

The nutty flavor of the pumpkin seeds, combined with multi-grain says "Welcome home-so glad you are back for real food".

 

Makes 1 ½ pound loaf

• 1 ¼ cups water
• 2 Tablespoons butter-softened
• 1 1/3 cups white bread flour
• 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flower
• 1 cup multi-grain cereal (uncooked) I use Trader Joes brand
• 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons regular active dry yeast.
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (we use sprouted)

Place ingredients in order except for pumpkin seeds in bread maker bread pan.

Process in bread machine according to machine’s  directions.

You can bake completely in your machine---but I always have the machine mix and raise the dough, before baking I take out the dough divide it in two and place in standard size bread pans. 

Let it rise until doubled, bake a 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Option: brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with pumpkin seed before baking.

Mother Judith

100% Easy 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

You cannot go wrong with this healthy pizza. A favorite of white bread eaters and whole wheat eaters alike.

The pizza dough flavor enhancer really aids to the taste, but is optional.

What you need:

•  Bread machine
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons King Arthur pizza dough flavor (optional)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey

Place all ingredients in bread machine. Let mix for 45 minutes. Place in bowl and let rise for at least one hour. I tend to let it set for around 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°F (Optional, place pizza stone in oven while preheating, if you don't have one you should seriously consider it). Roll out dough on parchment paper and add toppings. Place pizza in oven, bake for 15-20 minutes.

When time is up, let cool a bit then enjoy!

Nancy Jane

Pick the Fruitilicious Bread

 

I feel as if the aroma of this bread is jumping out of the photo! It tastes delicious, looks scrumptious, and is easy on the eyes. Do not be fooled though, if you have any basic baking skills the recipe is easy as...pie!

 

The original recipe comes from Joy the Baker with a few editions from my own kitchen. You will sure impress friends with the lovely bread, but don't tell anyone our little secret how simple it is!

 

This is what we at the Grays call a gardener's recipe: use what fruit you have in the garden. I used blackberries and walnuts because that's what we had, but you can adjust the recipe to what's in season, or at hand. Strawberries, peaches, nectarines; all would create a special fruity touch. Of course I had to add walnuts being that we are walnut farmers!

 

Step 1: The Dough

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to a warm lukewarm
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a bit of olive oil for greasing the bowl

In a medium sized bowl mix yeast and sugar together. 



 

Add lukewarm milk, egg yolk, and finally melted butter. Whisk together until the ingredients are mixed together. Let mixture rise rest for five minutes, it will get bubbly and foamy.

 

Before

 

After

 

Pour the flour and salt into a large bowl, whisk together. Pour frothy milk mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and start kneading. 

 

 

Once the dough clumps together, place dough on a lightly floured counter. 

 

Knead by hand for 10 minutes-the dough will be damp but not too sticky. Shape the dough into a ball.

 

Grease a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough into the bowl and let rise for an hour, or until dough doubles in size.

 

After rising

 

Step 2: The Filling and Rolling out the Dough

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (Edit 12/28/14: You can exchange granulated sugar with brown sugar for a richer taste.)
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups prepared fresh fruit (I used Blackberries)
• 1 to 2 cups halved and whole walnuts (optional)
• 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash

Once dough is about finished rising, combine in a medium bowl the butter, sugar, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon for the filling.

 

 

Preheat oven to 375° F, grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet and set aside.

 

Place dough on lightly floured counter and knead it two times. Now with the rolling pin, roll out dough flat into a rectangle. It will be about 18x12 inches.

Place the filling on flat dough, spread evenly. Leave a bare border on the edges.

 

 

Place prepared fruit and nuts on top of filling.

 

 

 

Gently roll the dough from the longest side of dough. 

 

 

Cut dough in half, slice the top of the dough down the middle, careful not to go all the way to the end. Place the two pieces side by side.

 

 

Twist the bread one half over the other.

 

 

Carefully lift dough into greased skillet, you'll have to adjust dough to fit in skillet.

 

Step 3: Baking

You can bake it now, or save it for baking later!

 

Before baking, take a beaten egg and brush the top of dough with egg.

 

Place cast iron skillet in hot oven. Here are the stages I baked it: bake 10 minutes uncovered, then cover skillet with foil and bake and addition 10 minutes. Then uncover skillet and bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until crust is nicely browned. 

 

Take out of oven, let cool for 30 minutes.

 

Add powder sugar to top and serve!

 

 

The beauty of this is that you don't have to be perfect. Just twist and bake! It will surely turn out to be a twirly handsome bread. I baked the recipe twice, and each came out strikingly unique. Plus the powder sugar hides a multitude of sins.

 

It's also great wooing bread. Each man I have had try this loved the recipe. Win the man of your dreams stomach, and bake this bread!

 

 

  Nancy Jane