But if your significant other is anything like my husband – who swears he won’t eat quiche – you can do like I do, and call them ... Read More »]]> During the holiday season, I always find myself with extra company, more chores, and less time. For a fast, nutritious, simple and (best of all!) easy breakfast – that requires minimal ingredients, preparation, cooking time, and cleanup – I prefer a quiche. I’ve been known to serve them with a side of warmed salsa or picante sauce, and that small addition really adds a depth of flavor you’ll enjoy as well.

But if your significant other is anything like my husband – who swears he won’t eat quiche – you can do like I do, and call them “Egg Pies” so he’ll eat them.

Bon Appetit!

Egg Pies (disguised Quiche)

By Kimberly Thompson

INGREDIENTS

2 regular Pie crusts, thawed and unbaked

½ pound roll-sausage, uncooked

½ onion, diced

4 or 5 slices of eggplant, diced (optional)

2 or 3 mushrooms, diced (optional)

6 large eggs, beaten

1 Cup shredded smoked cheddar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Cook together in skillet over medium high heat the sausage, onion, eggplant and mushrooms until the sausage is well cooked. Strain grease off and place half of mixture into each pie shell. Top with half of the cheese, then pour half the eggs into each pie shell. Bake (at 400° F) until top begins to brown and eggs are no longer “jiggly” – anywhere from 15 – 20 minutes.

Kimberly Thompson spends her days climbing underneath bridges as a certified bridge inspector and her evenings as a wife, mother, homemaker and gardener. Her passions for gardening and cooking have led to many experimental dishes in the Thompson household with considerably more smiling faces than failures. Kimberly has been cooking full time since the age of ten, for a family of five, and is also a published author (Tate Publishing).

Bon Appetit!

Cornbread Chicken Dressing and Gravy

A Southern Favorite

By Kimberly Thompson

Preheat oven to 450° F.

INGREDIENTS

For Cornbread:

Note – if the cornmeal you use is not self-rising, add baking powder and salt as needed.

1 – 1 ½ Cups cornmeal or self-rising cornmeal mix

½ – 1 Cup self-rising flour

1 Cup ... Read More »]]> This recipe is a Southern Favorite and a staple on our Thanksgiving table. It is a flavor-filled, moisture-retaining recipe that will have your family drooling, and it can be used as a stuffing for chicken, duck, or turkey. I’ve also replaced the chicken in the recipe with pork chops and had great results!

Bon Appetit!

Cornbread Chicken Dressing and Gravy

A Southern Favorite

By Kimberly Thompson

Preheat oven to 450° F.

INGREDIENTS

For Cornbread:

Note – if the cornmeal you use is not self-rising, add baking powder and salt as needed.

1 – 1 ½ Cups cornmeal or self-rising cornmeal mix

½ – 1 Cup self-rising flour

1 Cup milk plus water as needed

1 large egg, beaten

Mix all ingredients then add:

1 onion, diced

Dried celery powder OR fresh celery (diced) OR dehydrated celery

2 or 3 mushrooms, diced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat pan you will bake cornbread in with a little oil or lard; pour at least one tablespoon of heated oil/lard into cornbread mix then stir in quickly. Pour cornbread mixture into pan and bake in a hot oven (450° F) for 20 – 25 minutes, until top begins to brown.

For Dressing:

INGREDIENTS

I large pone of cornbread, cooled to the touch

6 large eggs, boiled and diced

½ large broiler/fryer chicken, boiled until tender, and bones removed

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 small bunch green onions, diced

Chicken broth

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, basil, marjoram (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Crumble cornbread in pan with a fork and your fingers to make sure there are no big “lumps”. Add dressing ingredients and mix well with hands, using enough chicken broth to moisten and assist in mixing. Add seasonings and herbs and mix again. Smooth out top of dressing and return to oven. Bake until top is browned – this time will vary from oven to oven and the size of your pan – but at least 30 minutes.

For Gravy:

INGREDIENTS

Note: You may add onions to this, but you must add them while the roux is cooking. You may also add chopped boiled eggs to this before serving.

4 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons melted lard or oil

4 Tablespoons flour

Chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Place butter and oil/lard in a skillet, then stir in flour. Stir together well and heat until little bubbles form. (Add onions here.) Keep stirring for at least a full minute and let it brown slightly. Quickly add chicken broth while stirring. Continue stirring until mixture boils, then turn heat down to a simmer until ready to serve. Add eggs, salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. Ladle over dressing.

Kimberly Thompson spends her days climbing underneath bridges as a certified bridge inspector and her evenings as a wife, mother, homemaker and gardener. Her passions for gardening and cooking have led to many experimental dishes in the Thompson household with considerably more smiling faces than failures. Kimberly has been cooking full time since the age of ten, for a family of five, and is also a published author (Tate Publishing).

Many years ago, I did not brine my meats or fowl – but after experiencing the benefits of it, I will never not brine them again. My first experiment brining was with a pair of Cornish hens that I deep-fried on the stove-top. It worked so well that I began adding seasonings, herbs, and spices, bringing a variety of flavors and nuances to the dish that I was unable to incorporate without the brine.

The Cornish hens turned out so well, that my next “experiment” was a turkey – at Thanksgiving! I brined it overnight and the next ... Read More »]]>

Many years ago, I did not brine my meats or fowl – but after experiencing the benefits of it, I will never not brine them again. My first experiment brining was with a pair of Cornish hens that I deep-fried on the stove-top. It worked so well that I began adding seasonings, herbs, and spices, bringing a variety of flavors and nuances to the dish that I was unable to incorporate without the brine.

The Cornish hens turned out so well, that my next “experiment” was a turkey – at Thanksgiving! I brined it overnight and the next day I deep-fried it. It was the moistest, juiciest, and most flavor-filled turkey I had ever eaten – and that was also the consensus among my guests.

After that, I brined a pork loin from early morning until evening, when I placed it in my rotisserie. From that moment on, I knew brining was the way to bring moisture to my cooked meats – without a lot of fuss!

Bon Appetit!

A Briny Addition for Turkey, Chicken, Cornish Hen, Duck, Goose, or Pork

by Kimberly Thompson

DIRECTIONS

In a pot large enough to hold a turkey, fill almost halfway with cold water. Add fresh or dried herbs – parsley, lemongrass, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram (whatever you have and prefer) – to the water. Add red or white pepper, granulated garlic (or fresh or powdered) and onion powder or fresh (quartered) onions. Add *about* a cup of salt (depending on the size of your brine) and stir well. There are so many possibilities and combinations because this recipe is so versatile! It all depends on your taste buds.

Add a turkey to the liquid… or chicken… or Cornish hens… or duck… or goose… or pork. Add more water until all the meat is completely covered at least by half an inch of water. Cover with a lid of some kind, and let it sit overnight.

When you take your meat out of the brine, cook it any way you please. Deep-fried, broiled, rotisserie or grilled – all the methods of cooking work well with this brine.

Kimberly Thompson spends her days climbing underneath bridges as a certified bridge inspector and her evenings as a wife, mother, homemaker and gardener. Her passions for gardening and cooking have led to many experimental dishes in the Thompson household with considerably more smiling faces than failures. Kimberly has been cooking full time since the age of ten, for a family of five, and is also a published author (Tate Publishing).

Photo credit © Rosemary Buffoni | Dreamstime.com

Beef Stew

By Kimberly Thompson

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds beef (diced chuck roast)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped

5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped in large chunks

½ – 1 whole onion, diced

1 pint sweet corn (12 oz. can will substitute)

1 pint sweet peas (12 oz can will sub)

1 pint green beans (12 oz can will sub)

Fresh herbs: lemongrass, rosemary, sweet basil (parsley, cilantro, marjoram, etc) chopped fine

Fresh garlic OR garlic powder

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Prepared roux OR three small packets of brown gravy mix

1 ½ Cups cold water

Instructions:

Mix all prepared ingredients, except gravy mix. Place in large pressure cooker. Add cold ... Read More »]]>

Beef Stew

By Kimberly Thompson

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds beef (diced chuck roast)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped

5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped in large chunks

½ – 1 whole onion, diced

1 pint sweet corn (12 oz. can will substitute)

1 pint sweet peas (12 oz can will sub)

1 pint green beans (12 oz can will sub)

Fresh herbs: lemongrass, rosemary, sweet basil (parsley, cilantro, marjoram, etc) chopped fine

Fresh garlic OR garlic powder

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Prepared roux OR three small packets of brown gravy mix

1 ½ Cups cold water

Instructions:

Mix all prepared ingredients, except gravy mix. Place in large pressure cooker. Add cold water to gravy mix or roux and stir well, then add it to the pot. Lock lid in place, put weight on top and turn on high heat. When steam begins to emit from pot, set timer to 15 minutes. After timer goes off, turn off heat and let stew “set” on the stove – set timer to an additional 5 minutes. After last 5 minutes have passed, remove from stove and place pot (with lid on) under cool running water. After it stops steaming, remove lid. Eat while hot!

Note:

You can use any cut of beef you like. Since we have our own beef butchered, I use the heart as well as roasts and “odd” cuts (but the chuck roast is my husband’s favorite for stew!).

Kimberly Thompson spends her days climbing underneath bridges as a certified bridge inspector and her evenings as a wife, mother, homemaker and gardener. Her passions for gardening and cooking have led to many experimental dishes in the Thompson household with considerably more smiling faces than failures. Kimberly has been cooking full time since the age of ten, for a family of five, and is also a published author (Tate Publishing).