Let's do brunch!

I've got to spend a glorious weekend at home this past weekend...mostly because the significant other and I have been very ill with some creepy crud the takes over your sense of smell/taste to play a horrible game of keep away.  Very awful! Saturday we were feeling well enough to have some real food so I started concocting us a very delicious brunch of bacon, eggs, mashed potato pancakes (A great recipe to use leftover mashed potatoes!), and English muffins.  Nothing special, but very good because we could smell and taste it. Brunch is so under rated!

Sunday morning, I woke up at a very ungodly hour and couldn't go back to sleep, so I started

planning our brunch in my head...because this is how my mind works at 4:00am on a Sunday morning.   We both like quiche, but a big one kind of goes to waste before we can finish it because it's just the two of us.  I devised the recipe that follows for a quiche for two.  I must say with delicious results. I served it with a mashed potato pancake, a chocolate chip pecan scones, and orange wedges for color.

 Also...I am sure you can fill this with any quiche filling you find yummy.  This is just what we had on hand. 

J.J.'s Quiche for Two

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• ¼ Swiss cheese, shredded
• 10 baby spinach leaves
• 2 slices Canadian bacon, chopped
• ½ pie crust
• Tablespoon milk
• 2 pats of butter
• Salt/pepper/seasoning of your choice

Directions

1. Cut pie crust in rounds to fit your cooking vessel. We have these cool mini pie pans I like to use.
2. Butter your cooking vessel.
3. Place pie crust in vessel...making sure it is in full contact with the pan.
4. Divide the Swiss equally between both pie shells...reserving a couple pinches to place on top.
5. In a bowl, scramble eggs with milk and seasoning.
6. Divide egg mixture between both pie shells.
7. Add 3 of the spinach leaves to EACH pan.
8. Add Canadian bacon to both pans.
9. Top with remaining spinach and cheese.
10. Bake in 350 oven for about 20 minutes...different ovens may vary. 

Grandma's Mashed Potato Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons finely diced onion
• Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• splash of milk – this varies depending on how stiff the mixture is
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients till makes a batter the consistency of pudding...you may have to add more flour or milk depending on your mashed potatoes.
2. Cook on medium heat in a non stick pan, coated in cooking spray a heaping tablespoon at a time.
3. Once flipped, flatten into a cake.
4. Cook time varies depending on how crisp you want them.
5. Serve warm as a delicious side to a breakfast, brunch, or even dinner.

Rosy's Chocolate Chip Pecan Scones

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 -1/4 cup sugar depending on how sweet you want them
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 4-ounces sour cream
• 2 ½ tablespoons stick margarine or butter
• Baking Sugar to garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the flour, sugar and baking powder. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Create a hole in the middle of the bowl, pushing the dry ingredients to the sides. Pour the sour cream into the hole and crumble the margarine in with your fingers as well. Mix everything together with a big spoon until the dry ingredients absorb all of the sour cream and margarine. Continue to knead the dough with your fingers until the consistency is uniform.
4. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on top of a baking sheet. 
5. Take the dough mixture out of the bowl and place it in a circular mound on top of the baking sheet. 
6. Cut the dough with a knife into 8 pieces by making a plus sign, and then a multiply sign. Make sure to separate all 8 wedges of dough to allow room for each piece to expand in the oven without touching. 
7. Sprinkle with Baking Sugar. Bake until very lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes

April Showers May Contain Cookies

So, I hit the Haw River wine trail last month and it was a great time.  I look forward to writing about it.  I am out of town and forgot to bring my notes with me. :-(  I will say, Starrlight Meadery is freaking awesome and a great find thanks to a nice gentleman at another winery.

As it is well known, this fat kid has a sweet tooth.  In my quest for cookies and being out of eggs I discovered a gem of a recipe.  I have doctored it three different ways and everyone has been great.  You could use soy milk and vegan butter and just as easily make these vegan friendly.

Eggless Sugar Cookies

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup sugar (want chocolate chip cookies? ¼ cup sugar and ¼ brown sugar and add chocolate chips...I used mini ones) 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 2 tablespoons milk 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 pinch salt 
• 1/8 cup sugar 
• Optional: ½ cup coco powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl, and mix until it gets lighter and fluffier. (Either microwave the butter for about 45 seconds or make sure it's soft enough to whisk).
3. Add vanilla and milk to butter/sugar mixture. (You can be flexible with the amount of vanilla you use.  I also subbed almond extract and amaretto liquor out for this in a different taste).
4. Combine salt, flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.

5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, using either a spatula or your hands. (Dough should be a little bit sticky at this point).
6. Add extra flour as needed until dough becomes less sticky (I used about a half  cup more than the recipe calls for) You don't want dough to be too tough or sticky.

7. Form equal-sized balls (I used a 1 tablespoon scoop chilled the dough for about 20 minutes in the fridge too), flatten to about 1/2 - 2/3 inch in thickness. Coat one side with sugar. (I dunked the balls in the 1/8 Cup sugar before putting on the pan).
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until bottom is lightly golden.

The chocolate version and chocolate chip version were big hits here.  The plain ones I didn't sugar coat and iced them.  Don't sugar coat if you try chocolate chip either...I also made the chocolate chip as a bar cookie. I am also sure you could make this with Splenda products as well.

Until next time!