Archive for February 9, 2008
Quick Quiche Leah

My take on an old favorite includes the use of at least three different cheeses (Brie, Goat, and Parmesan) which really makes a huge difference, along with the crispy bacon and ham along with caramelized onions. It’s also light and fluffy! Oh My! I cheat on occasion with a pre-made pastry dough when I am in a hurry. When I have left over ham, along with making the inevitable split pea soup, I usually make one of these quiches…And from the picture, you now know what size of piece of quiche I took…yum, it’s still warm and delicious as I take another bite!! And no, you can’t have a piece of mine – go on and make your own!
- I love bacon and ham, and who doesn’t love this combined with cheeses…I do not use half-n-half but whole milk…(as if that was going to help with lessoning the calorie count!) lol
- 5 thick slices on bacon diced
- 1 cup of diced (Bodacious) Baked Ham that maybe left over in fridge.
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 jumbo eggs or 5 large eggs
- 1-1/2 cups of three cheeses – I use up whatever is left over before it goes into a downward spiral of unidentifiable cheese – This time I chose brie, parmesan freshly grated, fresh mozzarella cut up and crumbled goat cheeses.
- 2-1/2 tablespoons of flour
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced green scallions or chives
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg in addition to
- 3 or 4 shakes of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Salt is really not needed due to the bacon and ham
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pastry shell uncooked and chilled.
- ***Equipment Needed:
- Large skillet, one working oven at 350 degrees, several bowls, cookie sheet
- Take eggs out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
- In cold skillet, add olive oil and diced bacon and turn heat onto medium.
- With spoon, stir on occasion to let bacon crisp all over, tis better to allow bacon to cook slowly versus too quick and smoke up the house. Less bacon shrinkage too. (who knew?!?)
- Remove cooked bacon and put in cut up ham and onions into remaining bacon fat. Cook till onions are translucent and starts to become caramelized.
- While ham and onions are cooking, crack eggs and place into one bowl. Whisk eggs till smooth, add milk, salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. Stir till well combined and set aside.
- Grate and cut up your cheeses and place into a second bowl. Stir cheese till combined then add flour, stirring till flour coats the cheese.
- Return to skillet, and with slotted spoon, drain out caramelized onions and cooked ham. Drain on paper towels and add bacon. Let cool for five minutes.
- Mix bacon mixture into cheese mixture and stir till well combined.
- Pour this mixture into unbaked pie shell.
- Place pie shell onto cookie sheet.
- Pour egg mixture into pie shell over the bacon mixture.
- Add a couple of shakes of ground nutmeg to top along with freshly minced scallions on top of unbaked quiche.
- Carefully, place cookie sheet with quiche sitting on top, into the oven and let bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Check if done when taking knife and inserting it, the knife comes out clean.
- Let quiche sit for 20 minutes before serving allowing it to finish “setting up”, serve with fresh mixed salad greens and or warm and toasty soup for a perfect luncheon.
- PS, I said to heck with the 20 minutes, and sliced me up a piece immediately – thinking about going for naughty seconds.
Bodacious Baked Ham

What’s an eternity? Two people and a ham. Just Kidding!
This delicious take on baked ham makes for a tasty and moist ham which will please many a party giver and taker. Spicy and sweet its an easy alternative for a Sunday meal, serve with your favorite side dishes and corn bread. We had ours with Cilantro & Carrot Basmati Rice and fresh mixed salad. Yummylicious!
And who doesn’t love a really good moist and tender baked ham?
- 1/2 butt ham (6-7 pounds) – which has sat out of refrigerator for 30 minutes at least. You will want the chill off of the ham.
- ***For Glaze:
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2-3/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons “jerk seasonings”
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic syrup (yes condensed balsamic vinegar – available at fine food stores or places like Turcos and Trader Joe’s)
- (Don’t have any balsamic vinegar? – Use 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar then)
- 5 tablespoons duck sauce (or 5 packets of duck sauce from your last time you went for Chinese take out)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ***Equipment Needed
- roasting pan, tin foil (optional for easier cleaning), bowl, spoon, knife, one working oven at 325, one lazy Sunday afternoon with a crowd to feed.
- Take cured (pre-cooked) ham out of refrigerator and let chill come off of ham. Remove packaging and rinse under water. Remove any plastic.
- You will be cooking your ham 20 minutes per pound, so take notes on the amount of time you will need to bake your ham and when the ham should go into oven.
- Place ham onto cutting board.
- With knife, make 1/2″ or less cuts on the diagonal all over ham. Then going in other opposite direction, make additional cuts so that a “diamond” pattern is now on your ham.
- See photo for reference.
- Put ham flat side down onto tinfoil that you have lined your roasting pan with.
- Place in oven at 325 degrees.
- In bowl, add all ingredients for glaze, stir till well combined.
- Go about your business for one hour. Yes, go on now…
- Return to kitchen and open up oven door.
- Carefully, pull out rack that has the ham roasting and spoon glaze all over ham.
- At this point, every twenty minutes, you will want to put more glaze on ham until ham has completed its roasting time.
- You can up and increase the heat in the oven, to crisp up glaze should you think the ham needs it for the last twenty minutes.
- Take ham out of oven and let rest 20 minutes.
- Call peeps to table and place ham up on its side onto a serving platter. Call up your favorite carver and slice up that ham!
- The crispy “diamonds” are now absolutely decadently Divaliscious!