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

Ides of March could be tasty!

I have said this before but I need to write more often.  How often is the key...lately I have been uninspired and lacking new recipes to try.  Yes, I could get my own recipes of various websites, but I really love it when my readers give me their recipes.  I like trying your recipes! I've gotten some crazy ones that have been awesome: like Sue's Crazy Cake.  So unconventional but yet so delicious.

I am also going to start going on more food/drink adventures here in North Carolina.  I have a wine trail day planned for the weekend of March 16th and I am looking forward to taking to that armed with a camera and ready to take notes on the different places I am going to visit.  I've also have made a list of restaurants and farmer type markets I want to visit. There is the creamery as well!

Since I have been living here in North Carolina, I have been purchasing my milk in glass bottles.  This is the best milk I have ever consumed in my life and have discovered the company, Maple View Farms, has an ice cream joint.   I look forward to this trip.

I will leave you awesome readers with a recipe I came up with out of boredom.  I know Sue has been looking forward to me posting it and I have been putting it off.   Just for the record I found it works with thick cut, homemade bread.  And the sauce! I make it in the microwave!

J.J.'s Salted Caramel French Toast

French Toast

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 6 slices day-old bread
• Powder sugar for dusting

Directions
In a shallow bowl, (I like to use a pie plate!) beat eggs; add half & half, honey, vanilla, allspice, and salt. Soak bread for 30 seconds on each side. Cook on a greased hot griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Dust with powder sugar.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ stick of butter (NOT margarine)
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla
• heavy cream, milk, half & half, or homemade coffee creamer
• Chopped Pecans for garnishing
• Sea Salt for garnishing

Directions

Place butter, vanilla, and sugar in a TALL microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in one minute intervals till butter is melted and everything is bubbly.  Stir well.  Drizzle in dairy product ( I found the coffee creamer works the best.) while stirring till you have a smooth sauce and have thick or thin you would like it.  Microwave another 30 seconds to a minute.  Drizzle on french toast, sprinkle with small amount of sea salt if desired.  Top with pecans if desired.  This also goes great in coffee, on ice cream, and to dip apple slices in.