Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups

I found these little guys on Iowa Girl Eats and fell in love. They are just so cute...and sounded yummy and good for you at the same time. I left the ham out when I made mine this time, but I'm sure the salty ham is a nice addition to the flavors in the little quiches. These have been great to have on hand for breakfast for me, just heat some up and I'm ready to go! Plus, as she mentions, you could try any variety of ingredient combinations!

Makes 28 mini cups
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced ham (I left out this time)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 green onions, sliced
salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon mixture to the top of each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cups are golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin.

Spinach Bacon Quiche

This yummy quiche recipe is from Dish Delish. Mike was definitely skeptical when I told him we were having quiche for dinner (and that's all!), but this one is super filling and delicious. The recipe also makes 2 quiches, which is perfect if you need to take a meal to a friend in need, for a brunch, or any other large gathering (and if not, just cut it all in half!).

Ingredients:
½ lb. bacon (I used turkey bacon)
10 oz. package spinach
1 c. sour cream (I used light)
salt and pepper to taste
2 unbaked pie crusts (I just went with store refrigerated store bought ones to save time)
1 onion, minced
½ lb. diced mushrooms
2 c. diced ham
16 oz. Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese (I used a 2% cheddar blend)
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
8 eggs
1 c. half and half (I used fat-free)
1 Tbsp. parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown bacon, drain, crumble, and set aside. Saute spinach in bacon drippings. Drain. Saute onions. Add mushrooms. Stir in ham and bacon. Combine spinach, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Add meat mixture. Mix in cheese. Divide into each pie crust.
Mix eggs, half and half, and parsley. Pour over pies. Place pies in oven and bake 45-50 minutes or until tops are puffed and golden brown. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Each pie serves 8.
**If reheating, cover pie with foil and bake at 325 for about 20-30 minutes, checking frequently to make sure it's not getting too brown. **

Baked Ham in Dijon Cream Sauce

So, when it came time to figure out what to do with my ham for my girls' night dinner I went to Hormel's website first and when I saw this I thought it sounded absolutely delish! I think this sauce got more rave reviews that night than anything else and it was seriously so easy!!!

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices Ham (I used 8)
* 2 cups whipping cream
* 3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. In ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add ham; brown lightly on both sides. Remove ham to plate.
3. Add cream to skillet; whisk to release any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Whisk in mustard. Return ham to skillet. Bring to a boil.
4. Bake 20 minutes. If cream does not thicken, return to stove and gently boil 5 minutes or until thickened.
(I browned the ham in a skillet, and then placed them in a big baking dish. I whisked the cream and mustard together and then poured over the ham to bake it.)

Nuevo Cubano

YUM! These were sooo good! I saw these in my Cooking Light magazine this summer and have been really excited to give them a try. What a great twist on a grilled cheese sandwich! The leftover beans have been equally as delicious in quesadillas for lunch too :-)!

Ingredients:
* 4 whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise (I just used our regular whole wheat bread)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham
* 1 peeled mango or 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced (I thought the ones with mango were better!)
* 1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
* 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions:
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.
2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a food processor; process until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango or tomatoes, and provolone cheese; replace top halves of rolls.
3. (I used our George Foreman grill) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.

Ham and Sweet Potato Hash

I haven't tried any recipes from My Kitchen Cafe in awhile but when she posted this one recently it definitely called out to me :-)! It was sooo good! I loved the addition of sweet potatoes and the chipotle flavor definitely gave it that special something. A perfect breakfast for dinner! Next time I'll be sure to have some Monterey Jack cheese on hand to sprinkle on top....YUM!!!

Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons heavy cream
10 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large eggs (I used 5)

Directions:
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting microwave-safe lid and microwave for about 6 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not overcooked – they’ll cook a bit more in the skillet later. Stir the potatoes halfway through cooking. Drain the potatoes of any excess liquid and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chipotle and cook for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the drained potatoes and the cream. Using the back of a spatula, pack the potatoes into the pan, pressing them into a somewhat even layer. Let the potatoes cook without stirring them for about 2 minutes so they can start to get nicely browned. Flip the potato hash mixture, one portion at a time, and lightly repack into the skillet to let the potatoes brown on the other side. Continue this flipping process every few minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the ham and lightly repack the hash into the skillet. Using a large spoon, make 6 shallow divots about 2 inches wide in the surface of the potato mixture. Crack one egg into each indentation. Season with salt and pepper and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Let the mixture cook until the eggs are set to your liking, about 5-7 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I found this recipe on Jamie's Cookbook and thought it looked delicious. It was! I loved it and will definitely make it again. I served it with a mushroom wild rice mix that was absolutely the perfect match!

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:
Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano). Simmer on low stirring until thickened; Pour over chicken.

Spring Brunch Bake

This was my contribution to our family Easter brunch yesterday (hence the hurried picture before it was devoured :-). I knew it was risky trying a new recipe to share with everyone, but I just thought it looked so good (and I'm on an asparagus kick right now), so I went for it. Luckily, it was delicious. It was also easy to prepare and not too bad for you in comparison to most breakfast bakes. (the recipe was in some junk mail trying to get me to buy a Taste of Home cookbook)

Ingredients:
8 cups cubed French bread
2 cups cut fresh asparagus (1-in pieces)
1 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham (I just realized I put in 2 :-). I used lunch meat)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 egg whites
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups FF milk
2 T lemon juice
1/4 t garlic powder

Directions:
-In a large bowl, combine bread, asparagus, ham and cheese.
-Whisk egg whites, eggs, milk, lemon juice and garlic powder; pour over the bread mixture and stir until blended.
-Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
-Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
-Uncover and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
-Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pork and Beans Stuffed Peppers

Here's a great way to mix up your ham leftovers from Easter. We don't have any since we dined on Mike's Fried Chicken for Easter dinner (I love it and I didn't have to cook it, so when he suggested it I was all for it!) so I just used ham lunch meat tonight, but thought it had a great flavor! (and I don't know where this recipe is from...I ripped it from a magazine, but there isn't any info about which one on the page)

Ingredients:
-4 bell peppers, tops sliced off and reserved, ribs and seeds discarded (the magazine showed yellow ones, which looked pretty with the red tomatoes, but red ones were on sale so that's what I used)
-3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
-salt and pepper
-1/4 lb. Canadian bacon or ham, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 t. dried oregano
-1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used great northern)
-2 tomatoes, chopped
-4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cute into cubes, about 1 c.
-1/2 c. breadcrumbs (I used crushed Ritz crackers because I had some leftover)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub the peppers with 2 T. olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Stand in baking dish, cover with the tops and roast for 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1/2 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon/ham and cook until browned; transfer to medium bowl. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 T. olive oil. Cook the garlic and oregano until fragrant, about 2 minutes; stir into the bacon along with the beans, tomatoes, mozzarella and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper.
-Fill the peppers with the bean mixture; return to the oven (no tops) and heat through, about 15 minutes. Set the tops in place.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Last week I got the cookbook 2009 Taste of Home Annual Recipes in the mail and this was calling my name. I was excited to see the chicken coated in cornflakes as opposed to breadcrumbs...making it gluten-free! I will admit I need some practice rolling my chicken so it looks pretty, but it did taste good :-)!
(I just used 3 chicken breasts and used the corresponding amount of ham and cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 c. milk, but the whole 2 c. cereal and all the spices)

Ingredients:
-8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
-8 thin slices deli ham
-3 slices Swiss cheese (I used 2% milk slices)
-2 eggs
-1 c. milk
-2 c. crushed cornflakes
-1/2 t. garlic powder
-1/2 t. salt
-1/2 t. pepper

Directions:
-Flatten chicken to 1/4 in. thickness. Top each with a slice of ham and cheese. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with toothpicks.
-In a small bowl, whisk eggs and milk. In another bowl, comgine cornflakes and seasonings. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then roll in crumbs.
-Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. or until the chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks beofre serving.

Favorite Potato Soup

When I graduated high school my church Young Women leader gave us each a little cookbook she had compiled. Some of our favorite family recipes are from her (ie.Creamy Lemon Chicken), including the base recipe for this soup. I change this one up depending on my mood and who is going to eat it. When I make it for just us girls, I put in lots of frozen broccoli and no meat, but for Mike we add some meat to make it a little more hearty :-). Tonight I had bacon and half and half in the fridge for other recipes this week so we threw those in. It was delicious as always!

Ingredients:
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1/2 c. onion, diced
- 2-4 T. butter
- 1 t. garlic, minced
- 3-4 potatoes, diced
- 2 c. water (or enough to cover potatoes)
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. pepper
- 1/2 t. seasoned salt
- 4 T. flour/cornstarch
- 2 c. milk
Optional: diced ham/bacon, corn, broccoli, shredded cheese

Directions:
- Melt butter in large pot; Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic, saute until tender.
- Add potatoes, water and spices (and any frozen veggies). Cook until potatoes are tender.
- Combine flour/cornstarch and a small amount of water to make a paste; add to pot.
- Add milk; cook on low heat until thickened.
- Add ham and/or cheese; stir through till heated.

Why I LOVE Rice Cakes

Some of you may know that I have Celiac Disease and although I sometimes sneak an occasional flour-filled treat when I can't resist, at home I try to be as gluten-free as possible. I use rice cakes, the plain old salt-free or lightly salted variety, pretty much everyday.
Here are some of their many uses:
*Rice Cakes with peanut butter (optional jelly or honey on top)
*Rice Cake Sandwiches...ham, turkey, tuna (the trick is to melt cheese on the rice cake to hold it all together, otherwise they tend to crumble apart. My favorite is to layer miracle whip, mustard, cheese, meat and tomato and place under the broiler in the oven)
*Rice Cake Pizzas...top as you desire (I personally prefer Ragu traditional spaghetti sauce, no chunks, and cheese, mozzarella or cheddar. You can melt the cheese under the oven broiler or heat them in the microwave. If you use less sauce you can actually pick them up to eat them like little pizzas and if you use more you'll need a fork - I like them both depending on my mood)

Some people think I'm crazy, but ricecakes are WAY cheaper than GF bread and I've grown up using them. Ella and Addie love the ricecake pizzas and when I would come home from college I remember my little brother and sister begging me to make them each one when I was preparing them for myself!

Eggs Florentine

I found this breakfast idea on Kill The Gluten and loved it. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day and it's always nice to have something new to throw in the mix...

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375. Fill greased muffin tins with deli sliced ham (to form little cups) and place fillings in bottom of cup. We tried the spinach and tomato they suggested on their site and also threw in some hashbrowns and broccoli. I think next time I'll add some diced onion or onion salt to give them a little more flavor.Step 2: Break 1 egg into each up and sprinkle with salt and pepper.Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, then top with cheese and bake 5 more minutes.
Step 4: Let them cool down and enjoy. We all really like them...the tomato and hashbrowns were the favorites!

Ham and Potato Bake

This is SO easy and SO delicious...I can't stop eating it when I make it!

Ingredients:
1 (26-30 oz) package frozen shredded potatoes
1 lb. ham, cut into bite size pieces (2 1/2 c.)
**I just use ham lunch meat and cut up enough for 2 c.**
1 can cream of potato soup, undiluted
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. (4 oz) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Paprika

Directions:
- Combine first 4 ingredients; spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. (it seems dry, but will be fine when you bake it)
- Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 25 minutes; sprinkle with cheeses and paprika.
- Bake 5 more minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Southwestern Quiche

Well, this isn't exactly a quiche, but I don't know what it's real name is so I just made that up :-). My friend McKell's baby shower was this past weekend and I brought this dish to it. My mom makes it often whenever our family has a brunch and I LOVE it! This was my first time making it and I thought I'd pass along the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 bag OreIda frozen hashbrowns (the bag is 30 oz. I think)
1/2 c. butter, melted (I cut in half and it's still good, although it is better with all the butter :-)
2 c. diced ham (I used a little less and I just use ham lunchmeat)
4 oz. Jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 c. milk
2 cans green chiles (4 oz. each)
Goya or Lawry seasoning salt

- Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and spread hashbrowns (I thawed mine first).
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Layer ham, cheeses and chiles on crust.
- Combine eggs, milk, and seasoned salt. Whip really well and pour over top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Top with sour cream and salsa. Enjoy! It's delicious!