Crustless Mini quiches and Pioneer Pancakes.

We are getting ready for our traditional Christmas Brunch. Since Christmas is Sunday, we will have church at 10 AM and a late brunch at 2 PM.  Usual fare is Pioneer pancakes, sausage, Hash browns and whatever else people bring. In true Sharp family form, it's Bring your own drinks.  We have some friends that can't have the gluten of the pancakes so I am going a gluten free mini quiches and Some are picky about the meat they will eat so I have turkey sausage links that I am going to make some quiches with too.

Mini Quiches

8 oz package of diced ham
1 red pepper finely diced,
1 small onion finely diced

Saute in about 1T of butter.  (Hey, I said it was crust less, not fat free)  cook until pepper and onion are soft.  about 5 minutes on Medium high heat.  Set aside.

Then take

8 oz package of cream cheese room temperature.
1t each of dried sage, thyme and rosemary and combine in small bowl.

For the custard it's

4 large eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup of heavy cream
pinch of salt.
1T of Rice flour.  Whisk until smooth.  I mix it in a glass measuring cup as it's easier to pour.

Spray a mini cupcake pan with no stick cooking spray. and Preheat the oven to 375*.  Place a teaspoon of the ham mixture in each cup, Top that with a teaspoon of herbed cheese, and then pour the custard over that until the cup is full.  Bake until it starts to puff and turns light brown on top, About 18-20 minutes. Let the pan cool for about 5 minutes, Run a knife along the quiche and the side of the cup to loosen and set on a serving platter with Baby spinach.

It does freeze well and makes excellent snacks, or a lunch to take to the office.



Pioneer Pancakes

we have been fixing this recipe forever.

6 eggs
1 cup of milk,
1 cup of flour
1 stick of butter

Melt the butter in a 13x9 inch glass baking dish at 350*.  Since this will take a few minutes,  that is when I mix  the eggs, milk and flour and a pinch of salt together until smooth.  I take it a few steps further and a a splash or two of vanilla and a dash or two of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the batter into the hot baking dish and bake for about 10 minutes or until set in the middle and a toothpick inserted, come out clean.

I like serving this with Cherry Pie filling and assorted fruit syrups.

Mini Cheesecakes

I know I am sporadic at best when doing this. It's just been insane.

I use the foil cupcake liners, put a vanilla wafer on the bottom of the liner, IN the bottom, not outside on the bottom. Put a teaspoon of cream cheese filling or if you want to be artsy-fartsy, I use a 1T disher,  It's a tiny ice cream scoop that I use for most cookies.  and top that with cherry, strawberry, Raspberry or blueberry pie filling.  you can get the tubs of cheesecake filling or make your own as long as it's no- bake.

For mine I put 8 oz of cream cheese at room temp in a medium mixing bowl,  add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar,  Beat with electric mixer until the consistency of thick cake battle, and fold in 12 oz container of non dairy whipped topping.  I can make it for half the cost of what it is to buy it.

Now on to find what I am going to wear tonight.

Creamy Clam Chowder

There are as many recipes for this as there are Chins in the China town phone directory.  It's cold here for the first of December and soup is on the menu for dinner tonight.

2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
Put in 3qt Sauce pan, add the juice of two cans of minced clams and just enough water to cover. and simmer on med heat for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in a 6qt stock pot melt 1 stick of butter. when melted, whisk in 1/2 cup flour for a roux. cook that on medium heat for a minute or two, and add 1 qt of half and half. let that thicken up and by that time the vegetables are ready. pour the whole thing into the stock pot. stir to combine and let it simmer to thicken up again. Until it coats a spoon. add the drained minced clams and serve with thick slices of crusty Italian or french bread,

For a lower fat and calorie version,  use fat free half and half, (I don't get it either)  But it winter and some fat is good.  I love clams so I use chopped clams or whole baby clams.