Journey Into Deliciousness

Hash Brown Quiche

Grade: A

Time it takes: 1 hour and 5 minutes (10 minutes prep, 55 minutes baking) - but don't forget to take your hash browns out of the freezer to thaw before you get started

Yield: 9" quiche

Source: recipe courtesy of Paule Deen via foodnetwork.com (Hash Brown Quiche)

This was one of the other bits I had wanted to make for Christmas breakfast but couldn't muster the energy to accomplish. But, since I had the ingredients on hand anyway, I made it a couple days after Christmas - when I was feeling much more alive.

I've made this quiche before so I already knew it was tasty. I like the salty flavour of the ham and the egg and cheese combo, plus the hash brown crust is the best. I've had quiches before where there is so much packed into it that it loses the egg taste, I prefer a few add-ins so that you can still tell there is egg going on. But, you can always play around with the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Keeping the structure of the recipe but changing up the embellishments. Different cheese, different meat, throw in a veggie for good measure. Plus a quiche is something you can serve to guests because it always looks so nice, and it doesn't have you slaving in the kitchen the whole time.

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Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Grade: A

Time it takes: about an hour - there was a good bit going on in the kitchen that night, so I'm sure you could finish up this meal in less time; also note that the chicken calls for being soaked in buttermilk overnight, but it isn't absolutely vital just start with the chicken and let it rest in the buttermilk while you prep everything else

Yield: Serves 4

Source: adapted from Kevin & Amanda - a food blog (perfect, creamy, fettuccine alfredo)

I got sick over Christmas this year - two days beforehand to be exact and still can't shake the cough or the runny nose. Grumble. I also was sick over Thanksgiving this year, so my immune system really just wanted to knock both those holidays down for me. I spent Christmas day as an exhausted lump on the couch, waking up for nose blowing and bouts of coughing. I am glad that Christmas Eve is my traditional make a special dinner day instead of Christmas day. I had much more energy on Christmas Eve!

I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to make anything at all for Christmas. Being sick I was of the let's just be lazy this year opinion, but I was swayed at the last minute that Christmas dinner must go on! We somewhat regularly make a honey glazed ham for Christmas, but we had made that just for shits and giggles only a short time ago. So, I read recipes until I finally thought "Eureka! I shall make alfredo!". Chris, not being a big pasta fan, was less than thrilled until I said "I'm making steak skewers too." Bam, he was sold. (recipe to follow)

This was my third attempt at making alfredo sauce. The first turned out well if I remember correctly, but I have no idea what recipe I had used - the days before I documented such things. The second was super thin. This one was thick and creamy and very good. It has a nice garlic flavour to it, and reheated most excellently. I made a double batch of it and covered my plate...the chicken, the fettuccine, the potatoes! The recipe below will be in original non-doubled amounts. Another example of why I love food blogs so much, the instructions tend to be much more thorough and this is how it worked for me in my kitchen-esque. I think that is the reason this recipe turned out better than my last.

Christmas Eve dinner with the family watching The Santa Clause followed by passing out around 9pm...good times =)

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Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Grade: A

Time it takes: 1 hour and 15 minutes (30 minutes prep, 45 minutes bake)

Yield: 13x9 casserole dish

Source: My grandma

My family always has this dish for Thanksgiving. If we weren't hosting then we would be asked to bring it as our contribution to the feast. My grandmother would be the one to make it until I moved out to Colorado where I realized I had to actually cook things. The first time I made this for Thanksgiving I read 2 tablespoons of grated onion as 2 cups of grated onion - it was a bit on the onion-y side that year. I've since gotten the recipe down pat.

It is a great side dish for your Thanksgiving spread. It has vegetables in there, but covered in cheese to fool the children - like me when I was a little one, I always hated vegetables but I loved this casserole. The prep isn't too involved, but if you don't feel like tackling it on Thanksgiving day you can make it the day before and stick it in the refrigerator. I pop mine in the oven right when the turkey gets out, and then I have 45 minutes to finish up everything else and get the table ready.

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Mini Twice Baked Potatoes

Grade: A

Time it takes: 1 hour and 25 minutes (45 minutes prep, 40 minutes cooking)

Yield: About 35

Source: Pennies on a Platter - a food blog (Mini Twice Baked Potatoes)

I actually made these to go along with my BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches. They were seriously good! Whenever I ask what kind of potato side Chris wants for dinner, he usually says twice baked potatoes. And, I am pretty sure I've only made them a few times because I am a bad wife. Before I started this blog I didn't really research recipes, if I didn't know how to make it then it was a pretty good assumption that I wasn't going to make it. Twice baked potatoes were something I only sort of knew the idea behind, but I didn't really know how to make them super yummy. When I saw this recipe while I was reading through Pennies on a Platter's archives, I was like I better save this one for Chris! It didn't stay too long in the favourites folder either when I realized I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

When I read through the directions, I had absolutely no idea what a steam insert was. Actually I think the image in my head was a pasta strainer when I first read it. And, no it  is nothing like that. It is this little flowered metal thing on legs with holes in it! Put a little water in the bottom of a pot, plop the flowered metal thing in the bottom, get some boiling action, and then plop potatoes on top! Easy, no problems. I am so pro at this cooking thing now...

These were not at all hard to make. And, they have such a cute presentation you could bring them with you to a party for an appetizer or a fun side at a cook out. Also, delicious. They were a big hit around these parts. Hot, pototoe-y, cheesy, and bite-sized ... how could you go wrong?

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Breakfast Braid

Grade: A

Time it takes: 50 minutes (30 minutes prep, 15 minutes baking, 5 minutes to stand)

Yield: Serves 4-6

Source: Elizabeth's Edible Experience - a food blog (Braidy Brunch)

This was such a big hit in this house. A perfect breakfast for the weekend - unless you are a morning person, and I am not. It is not overly complicated, it doesn't take all morning, and it looks fun.There isn't anything much to the braiding process, just taking your ends and laying them over the filling - no pinching or complicated twisting or precise folding techniques required. I used a third of my regular pizza dough recipe, and it was a little thin (making the braid a little flimsy - it may not have looked spectacular but it tasted just the same) so next time I will use a half. If you don't want to make dough, or you don't have the time, just use some refrigerated premade dough from the store.

And, you can really tailor it to your own tastes or preferences on a given day. Start with some scrambled eggs and add whatever meats, veggies, or cheeses you want. The chicken sausage I used was absolutely perfect in this. The combination of jack cheese and mozzarella gave it a nice spice; I omitted the jalapenos, but if you like it hot you could certainly chop some up and toss them on top with the cheese. Chris suggested I make one of these every other day, so he was a fan.

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White Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

Grade: B

Time it takes: 40 minutes (20 minutes prep, 15-20 minutes baking)

Yield: About 15 biscuits

Source: The Curvy Carrot - a food blog (White Cheddar Garlic Biscuits)

I have seen these biscuits all over the food blog world. Who doesn't love those biscuits from that national seafood chain? You know that is the only reason you go! However, I didn't think these were as good. And, I thought they were very salty. Chris thought they rocked and ate just about all of them. I think that the melted butter and garlic salt mixture that I painted on top of the biscuits right out of the oven is the culprit behind the saltiness. Next time I will just use garlic powder.

Also I thought the bake time was a bit insane. I put them in at the recommended temperature and time and when I checked them about four minutes prior to the timer going off they were overly brown. The next batch I lowered the temperature and put them in for less time, and they turned out much better.

I'm not a big salt fan; my husband is. I think that without painting salt on the top they would taste much closer to the seafood chain's biscuits. But, they are not as soft, which really is a key factor for me in the deliciousness of the biscuits. All that being said, they are rather yummy when they didn't get too brown and probably even better with less salt. I would still recommend these when you are in the mood for biscuits.

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Queso Blanco Dip

Grade: B

Time it takes: 25 minutes (10 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking)

Yield: about 2 cups

Source: Annie's Eats - a food blog (Queso Blanco Dip)

Queso dip is pretty much the best thing ever. I love cheese. I love melted cheese. And, dipping things in melted cheese...seriously delicious.

I think that this dip is really very good. As a matter of fact it was gone in under 24 hours. But, I think it needs a bit more oomph in the spice department. It had just a hint of warmth to it. Perhaps if the jalapeno wasn't completely seeded. I'm no expert at jalapeno peppers, but I know the seeds add heat! I just couldn't say how much heat 1 whole jalapeno pepper with seeds would bring to the table. The next time I make this I will play around with how many seeds to add - half? I'll get back to you!

***edited*** I made this dip again and I used the whole jalapeno seeds and all, and it was really good. Had a much better bite to it that way, but it wasn't too hot for my tastes. I'm not sure why you would seed the jalapeno at all because keeping the seeds in really didn't make it all that hot. It was definitely a mild gooey cheesy dip!

I also decided to make this without getting out all my ingredients and completely prepping ahead of time like I normally do. I was stirring the cheese and chopping up things and shredding more cheese. It got a little chaotic. So, save yourself the trouble and just chop up everything before hand - a little advice from me to you.

The next time you are feeling like Mexican for dinner, whip this up for an appetizer and make sure to take plenty of trips to the table for seconds.

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