Baked Potato Quiche: Mama's got it Loaded!

Eggs being as cheap as they were last week for Easter, I decided to buy a little extra.  I am Always up for a 'good' deal.  I was getting so tired of boiled eggs, having been hunted, added to Potato salad and also made into egg salad.  So, I needed a change up and I thought, why not make a quiche.  The first quiche I ever had was cooked by Mama, back in the 70's, they were all the rage.  I have been making them since.

A quiche is basically a custard with vegetables and/or meats added.  After you get the basics down, only your imagination can stop, just how many different kind of quiches you will be able to make.

Ingredients

5 Eggs
1 egg yolk

1/2 cup milk

1/2 sour cream

1 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese ( I use hoop cheese)

1/2 cup sharp cheddar
2 potatoes

1/2 pound bacon

5 green onions
2 tablespoons chives
1 refrigerated pie crust

salt & cracked black pepper
Canola oil

If you are not a fan of pork, you can substitute turkey ham.  Just dice up your turkey ham and fry it off in a little canola oil.  I do not recommend turkey bacon.

                                Slice & Dice

Do your slicing and dicing first.  Peel your potatoes and dice them, medium dice.  Place your diced potato in a bowl of 'cold' water, set aside.

Slice your green onions and set aside.

Place your bacon in the freezer for around 45 minutes before slicing.  This will make it so much easier for you to slice your bacon.

Slice across the bacon strips to make an 1/2 inch dice.

Fry it!

Place your bacon in your frying pan, turn the burner on a med/low heat.  Crisp your bacon and set aside.

The reason why you want to put your bacon in a cold pan and then turn on your burner is, this coupled with the lower heat, will help you render out most of the fat.

Drain your bacon grease, place the frying pan back on the stove, med/low heat, add 2 tablespoons (More if needed, you do not want dry potatoes) of canola oil and fry your potatoes until they are brown and cooked through.

The last minute, turn your heat up to medium/high, add your green onions and saute.  Drain off the oil.

On a plate, place your potatoes, green onions and bacon.  Allow them to completely cool.

As they are cooling, top those ingredients with your chives.

                              Whisk Away!

In a bowl add all your eggs and beat, as if you were making scrambled eggs.  Set aside.

In another bowl add your sour cream, milk, cracked black pepper, a touch of salt and stir.

Remember :  You are adding bacon and it contains a lot of salt.

Add your sour cream and milk mixture to your eggs and mix, just until incorporated.  Set aside.

The Dreaded Pie Crust!

Mama used frozen pastry pie crust, ever since I can remember.  The women could put up some dumplings that made you want to put your head in the bowl and just inhale the goodness, screw the stink'in napkins, you know what I mean.  But apparently we do not possess the pie crust gene.

You can also use a frozen pie shell, not a thing wrong with that but, I find the refrigerator versions that are out there, are far superior.  Those are the ones I recommend.  I know Mama later on also used the refrigerator pie crust.  If you do use a frozen pie shell, use the deep dish variety.

I used an 8 inch disposable cake pan, instead of a pie plate.  When plating I find it so much easier and I like the presentation.  I want you to butter and lightly flour the cake pans.  This will help with the un-molding of the quiche.

Place your crust in your cake pan and gently (using your knuckle) push the pie crust out to the edges and up the sides.  Do not push hard on the sides, as you do not want to thin it out too much.  Roll the excess crust to make a small edge around the cake pan.  Make sure you keep your crust cold until you are ready to use it and also, if the crust gets a bit warm after molding it into your cake pan.  Place your crust in the refrigerator for 5 minutes and then continue with the next step.

The Cheese!

I have used two cheeses, I like the hoop cheese as it has a great melting quality and I use the sharp for that little bit of a kick we all like.  As with all quiches you make, this is yours, add what kind of cheese you like.

This is one part of this recipe you really can just use what you like but, try to mix the cheeses so you have a good melting one and then a smaller portion for the vibrant flavored cheese.

Place & Pour

In your pastry shell, add your potato mixture, making sure it is well distributed. You do not want one person to get all the bacon (and it not be you now), so move things around.

Place your cheeses on top of your potatoes and make sure to evenly distribute the cheese.

Then top it all off with your egg custard.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees.  All ovens vary so, you are looking for a pie that does not jiggle and feels firm to the touch in the middle.

Make sure to allow your quiche to set for 10 minutes until you try take the shell out of the pan to plate it.

                                             Show it Off!

You have worked so hard for this rich and delicious dish, why just serve it out of the tin.  get your best cake plate and place your crowning glory on it and display this lovely quiche.

This is the reason why I use a disposable cake tin, so I am able to cut it and slide the quiche out and place it on its mantle.

                                       Yep, Mama Loaded it!

I will be making a simple salad with a ground mustard vinaigrette, this helps cut the richness of my quiche and makes for a perfect combination. It is like having a sweet piece of cake but, you cut the sweetness with a scoop of ice cream.

For a few recipes I use for special occasions, like holidays and when guest are coming, please visit some of my other recipes...

Potato Salad:  Done Mama's Way!

Orange Compound Butter

I would like to thank my friend Jamie for helping me make this article.  No one can hold a whisk like she can.:).

All photographs are the property of Denise O.  Do not use unless you get 'my' written permission. All written material is owned by Denise O, it will not be 'used' (sharing my article is different, it is acceptable and appreciated) without 'my' written permission.  Just keeping it real folks.:)

Vegetarian Southern Style: Sweet Potato Casserole.

I like my ice tea sweet, I do not apologize for doing so, it is the southern way.  Until my doctor tells me I can no longer indulge in this glass of sweet goodness, I will keep enjoying at least one glass each day.

Now do not get me wrong, I try to eat healthy and if I can improve on a dish and make it lower calorie then I will.  Most Sweet Potato casseroles in the south are just too sweet for my liking.  I like to taste the sweet potato that is in this dish and not have it overloaded with sugars and fat.  


                          Ingredients


6 cups baked sweet potatoes
1 cup applesauce  (Homemade if you can)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
4 cups of mini marshmallows

Adding a 'good' applesauce is key, if you use just store brand of applesauce, your casserole will be just as bland, so keep this in mind while making this easy, yet delicious southern staple.  If you do have to rely on a store bought applesauce, then add to your applesauce, a few good heaping tablespoon's of orange marmalade and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

                      Cook those Taters

Wash your sweet potatoes dry them and then set them on a cookie sheet, lined with tin foil, take a fork and poke your sweet potatoes a few times, this will allow for the steam to escape while baking.  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or, until a steak knife is able to slide into the center of your sweet potatoes, with no resistance.  After you take your sweet potatoes out, lower your oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Take the peeling off your sweet potatoes. In a mixing bowl place your sweet potatoes and 1 cup of applesauce.  Using a potato masher, mash your sweet potatoes and applesauce, until it is well incorporated.

Place your sweet potatoes in a buttered (or spray with cooking spray) oven proof dish.  Spread your sweet potato mixture as even as you are able to get it.


Get those Nuts A Rolling

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and butter.

Add walnuts, almonds and stir.

Top your sweet potatoes with your brown sugar mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes, in a 350 degree oven.

If you are not a fan of the next step than I would double my nuts, brown sugar and butter.

Place your nut mixture over your sweet potato casserole and cook until the top is golden brown and bubbling and then serve, or you can...  

Make them Over the Top 


                   

After 30 minutes is up, add 4 cups of marshmallow (small ones are better) over your sweet potato casserole.  Place back into your oven for about 15 minutes, check your casserole after 10 minutes.  

Within minutes this dish can go from outstanding to a burnt marshmallow fiasco.

One year during Thanksgiving, I thought I had everything under control, I was at the very last stages, I mean I even had the rolls actually cooked and ready to serve, one thing I am very bad at, getting my rolls to hit the dinner plate warm and ready to sop up all the goodies.

All of a sudden the hubby come running into the kitchen yelling, somethings burning, I looked over at the oven and sure enough smoke was coming out of the oven.  When the oven was opened, my marshmallows on top of my casserole was on fire. 

I scraped the burnt marshmallows out of the pan, added more, repeated the step and all was good.  Yes they had cold rolls but hey, the family is use to this.

                       Just Over the Top!

                               One of my all time favorite southern style sweet potato casserole.

So please keep a eye on those marshmallows and then when you bring this lovely casserole to your dinner table, you will have people licking their lips in hopes to soon lay their fork on your lovely creation.

Homemade Applesauce

Vegetarian:  Southern Style Collard Greens  

All photographs are the property of Denise O.  Do not use unless you get 'my' written permission. All written material is owned by Denise O, it will not be 'used' (sharing my article is different, it is acceptable and appreciated) without 'my' written permission.  Just keeping it real folks.:)