Sausage-Leek-Artichoke Quiche

What a great recipe!!! In my cooking class last week, one of the main things we learned, was how to make pie crust. After I made the crust, My friend, Lisa Wachob, who had us to her house for the class, made this filling, and we all enjoyed it so much. A Cuisinart or food processor is a real help with this recipe, as there is lots of chopping involved. Thaks, Lisa, It turned out beautifully and now you can make your own crust!! You can find the pie crust recipe here on my website also.

Quiche Shell- Find recipe for single pie crust on this site or you can buy Pillsbury pie crusts in the grocery. Rollout to fit in a quiche or tart pan or 10 inch pie pan. this really makes about enough to fill 2- 8 or 9 inch pie pans. Bake the crusts in a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or very slightly brown on bottom.

Meat Filling:

1 lb. ground sausage(Use Jimmy Dean sage, regular or you could mix in some mild Italian sausage)

3 Leeks(clean carefully) and slice thin

1 TBLS butter

2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded(use Cuisinart!)

4 canned artichoke hearts, chopped(Cuisinart) this is one can

Cook sausage in a skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Put cooked sausage in a bowl. Add the butter to the skillet used to cook the sausage and saute the leeks until soft. Place the leeks in the bowl with the sausage. chop the artichokes and add to the sausage mixture- Stir to combine.

Batter:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups cream

6 Eggs

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon nutmeg

You may also add a little paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, or oregano.

Choose the ones that appeal to you. I usually add a little garlic and oregano.

Combine the eggs, cream, milk, and seasonings in a food processor or blender. Process on low about 5 seconds and then blend until batter is light and foamy, about 30 seconds. Don't over process, don't want all foam.

Place the tart pan on top of a RIMMED cookie sheet covered with foil. Spoon half of the meat mixture into the bottom of the tart pan. Top with half of the cheese. Pour half of the batter over the top of it all. Spoon in the remaining sausage mixture, sprinkle with the cheese and pour the rest of the batter over all. It will be VERY full. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.If top is getting to dark when you check, place a piece of tented foil on top to stop browning. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR WHOLE MILK AND CREAM!! ALSO use GRUYERE not SWISS cheese.

You can make it ahead, bake it, refrigerate over night, cut in slices and freeze and then reheat frozen slices in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, covered lightly with foil.

Soft Lemon-Ginger cookies

A very lovely cookie recipe from my friend, Ada Clark. When I was going thru breast cancer treatment, she made me a big plate of cookies and brought them to me. What a treat!!! She makes the best cookies. Can use these in the summer with a bowl of ice cream or as a holiday treat!! Different and soooo good!

1/2 cup butter, softened(Can use butter flavor Crisco at high altitudes so they don't spread)
1 cup brown sugar
1 Egg
3 TBLS. sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups + 2 TBLS. flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
grated rind of one lemon

Cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg, sour cream, and flavorings. Combine 5 dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix in lemon rind. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Yield- about 2 dozen cookies

Tiramisu Bowl from Ada Clark

This luscious Tiramisu won GRAND PRIZE here in our valley for recipes in our local paper. It was then served at our restaurant here for an evening. My friend, Ada Clark who is a wonderful cook, entered it in the competition. Looks spectacular and does not have the heavy liquor taste of many Tiramisu's. Use a pretty, kind of deep glass bowl for a pretty presentation. Everyone will love it!!!

1 pkg.(8 oz.) Cream cheese, softened
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg.(small) instant vanilla pudding
1 8 oz. container whipped topping, thawed
48 vanilla wafers or 1 loaf pound cake, cut in cubes
1/2 cup cooled, divided coffee
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely grated
1 cup fresh raspberries or fruit of your choice

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add milk, beating during each addition. Add dry pudding mixes; mix well for 2 minutes. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Place 1/2 vanilla wafers or cake cubes on bottom and up sides of bowl; drizzle with 1/2 of the coffee(1/4 cup). Top with 1/2 of the pudding mixture and grated chocolate. Repeat the layers.Top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with raspberries. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or longer before serving.
NOTE: Unwrap chocolate squares, leave on plain wrapper. Microwave on high for 10 seconds, then grate on coarsest holes og grater...

Green Chili a la Lee Cumba

Wondeful, wonderful is how I would describe Lee's green chili. It is NOT TOO HOT, which I really like, but you can make it hotter if you like and it has fabulous flavor. I never knew green chili , only Texas red chili until I moved to Colorado 25 years ago. I absolutely love Mexican food but sometimes it is just too hot. When Lee made this for bridge group, I told her I needed to put it up on my website. Try it!! You will love it!! with four tortillas or over enchiladas, burritos or as a bowl of chili by itself!!
Lee says,"This is the basic recipe I use, but I add many variations, like adding cubed steak with the pork and other ingredients. Also I like to add some Cumin(powder) or any other spices you prefer".

1 lb. diced pork (Use a good quality roast and trim all fat or add additional steak as above)
1/2 cup flour
3 TBLS. olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 onion, chopped
1 quart jar tomatoes or 2- 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 Large can(24-28 oz) Hatch green chiles(Albertson's has them here in Colorado)
Lee also recommends roasting fresh ones on the grill and peeling them. Use 6 or 7 whole chiles
For mild flavor use Anaheims and use the jalapenos, mia sols,or other hot ones if you like it
hotter. Either way, chop the chilis to add to mixture.
1 quart water

Instructions: Dust the pork pieces with the 1/2 cup flour and saute in the olive oil. When browned, add the rest of your ingredients and simmer till the pork is completely cooked and the chili has thickened. Probably about an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half. You want flavors to meld.

Vanilla Ring Cake

Another good recipe from "Taste of Home" magazine! I used this at a Valentine's luncheon I did with Mexican food and it was a wonderful ending. Ice cream would be good with it too. I "sparkled" it with pink but you could use any color the occasion called for and in fact, I just found Watermelon sprinkles the other day that are darling and are watermelon pink with green and even have a faint watermelon taste! Bon Appetit!!

1 cup shortening ( I use butter flavor Crisco)

2 cups sugar

4 Eggs

2 TBLS. vanilla(Mexican is the best!!!)

3 cups unbleached flour ( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Drizzle Icing"

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbls. milk(I use half and half or cream)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla( Use Mexican it is best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted(Bundt) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over cake. Put colored sprinkles on if desired. Serves 12

Lee's English muffins

My friend, Lee Cumba, says these are the best breakfast treat ever, and you will never want to eat store bought English muffins again. Well worth the little extra effort!!!! Thanks, Lee, will enjoy these, I'm sure.

Combine in a small bowl and let sit for 3-5 minutes:

2 TBLS. Hot water (105-115) degrees) and 1 pkg. active dry yeast

Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the 2 above mixtures and add 2 cups of unbleached flour (sift before measuring). Gradually beat in the 2 cups flour to the milk/yeast mixture. Cover bowl and let the sponge(milk/yeast/flour mixture) rise in a warm place(85 degrees) for about 1 1/2 hours - or until it collapses back into the bowl. Add 2 TBLS. of softened butter to sponge.
Sift and measure an additional 2 cups flour, and beat into the sponge mixture. Roll out dough on a pastry cloth or board sprinkled with a combination of flour and cornmeal. Roll about 1/2 to 1 inch thick and cut into 3 inch rounds or so. Carefully pick up rounds and place them on a cookie sheet to rise again. When double in bulk, VERY CAREFULLY, so they don't deflate, and using a spatula, transfer onto a hot buttered griddle and cook on both sides like a pancake until golden brown. They taste fabulous right off of the griddle with butter and your favorite jam!!!

Crabmeat Carolyn

I jus posted a recipe for a crab and cream cheese appetizer from one of my friends. I found a very similar recipe in an old cookbook that I thought I would post too. It comes from the cookbook "Past and Repast, which was published by the Missouri Mansion Preservation Board back in the 1980's when Carolyn Bond was the first lady of Missouri and head of the Preservation Board. She was very instrumental in the renovation of the governor's mansion Located in Jefferson City, Missouri.

1 8 oz. Pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbls. Worchestershire sauce

1 small onion, grated(I prefer red onions)

1 Tbls. Lime juice

3 Tbls. fresh lemon juice, divided

Garlic salt to taste

2 6 oz. pkgs. frozen Alaskan King crabmeat, thawed

3/4 cup prepared chili sauce

Parsley for garnish

Thoroughly combine cream cheese, Worchestershire sauce, onion, lime juice and 2 Tbls. of lemon juice. Add garlic salt, mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Mound on a 12 inch platter.

Drain, rinse refresh frozen crabmeat by tossing with the remaining Tbls. of lemon juice.

Pour chili sauce on cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with crabmeat. Garnish with parsley and serve with crackers. 12 - 15 Servings

NOTE: canned crabmeat may be substituted for the frozen.