Creamy Ricotta Custard

First of all, I apologize for creating this custard in a small casserole dish. I was replacing my custard ramekins but hadn't made it to the store to accomplish the feat before making this dish. I much prefer making them in ramekins, but as you can see. Any logical glass oven proof vessel will do. I promise you won't be disappointed.



Ricotta is a fresh cheese (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 13% fat. Ricotta (literally meaning "recooked") uses the whey, a limpid, low-fat, nutritious liquid that is a by-product of cheese production.


Ancient Roman cooks recognized the binding properties of eggs. They were experts at creating several egg-based dishes, most notably patinae, crustades and omlettes. These foods were either savory (made with cheese, meat, pepper etc.) or sweet (flavored with honey, nuts, cinnamon etc.). Food historians generally agree that custard, the sweet almost pudding-like substance we Americans know today, dates to the Middle ages. At that time custard was eaten alone or used as fillings for pies, tarts, pastry, etc. Flan is probably the the most famous and widely adapted custard dessert in the world. It is important to note that custard was not unique to Europe. Similar recipes flourished in Asia.





CREAMY RICOTTA CUSTARD



3/4 C part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz. tub-style cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 C granular sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
2 large egg
1/4 C heavy cream
1/4 t vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg, for garnish

Heat oven to 250.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat ricotta and cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar substitute and beat until well combined. Add eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla; beat until well-blended.
Transfer mixture to 4 (8 oz) ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish. Add hot water to baking dish to a depth of 1 inch. Bake until custards are set, about 45 min. Remove from water bath and cool on rack. Serve chilled or at room temperature, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg.


This creamy, cheesecake-like custard goes well with fresh berries scattered over top and around the plate. Such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. A dollop of whip cream as a finish. This would be worthy of company. Or....great plain for any time of day!

Crustless Clean Out The Frig Quiche

Quiche....

According to Wikipedia:

Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later
renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is
from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake.

In French cuisine, a quiche is a baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Usually, the pastry shell is blind baked before the other ingredients are added for a secondary baking period. Other ingredients such as cooked chopped meat, vegetables, or cheese are often added to the egg mixture before the quiche is baked. Quiche is generally an open pie (i.e. does not contain a pastry covering), but may include an arrangement of tomato slices or pastry off-cuts for a decorative finish. Quiche is predominantly a breakfast dish, however it is acceptable to eat it for lunch or dinner. There is no one recipe known as a "breakfast quiche" because all quiche are breakfast foods. This is, however, not the case in the United Kingdom, where quiche as a 'breakfast food' is unheard of, as well as in France where it is usually sold in boulangeries for lunch.

Quiche became popular in England sometime after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950s. Many attribute Julia Child introducing Quiche to America. Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack.

I personally love Quiche. The first time I ever made it I was working for a doctor and it was my turn to provide lunch to the staff. I decided on quiche. I was young at the time and thought it would provide accolades that I truly was sophisticated and continental! Yes, youth has its folly. But, accolades were provided...to the quiche. Everyone loved it.

Recently, I have been visiting my low carb past. This falls into a most acceptable low carb dish, as well as delicious. Hence, crustless. If you wish to have a pastry (pie) crust, by all means add it and enjoy.


CRUSTLESS CLEAN OUT THE FRIG QUICHE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup heavy cream
8 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper (your preference)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chopped canadian bacon (or any leftover meats like turkey, ham, beef, pork, seafood)
1 cup finely chopped zucchini (or any leftover vegies, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, etc)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
3 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped for garnish

Mix eggs and heavy cream, salt, pepper and pour into a Pam sprayed glass pie pan. Have all your vegetables chopped and ready. Save 1/4 cup of canadian bacon for top, then mix remaining canadian bacon with the veggies and mushrooms. Add to cream mixtures in pie pan and gently press so veggies sink into egg/cream mixture. Sprinkle all your cheeses over the top, edge to edge. Sprinkle remaining canadian bacon and green onions on top.

Bake 40-45 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Rest 15 minutes before cutting. Garnish with chopped tomato. Enjoy hot, room temperature, cold. Keeps nicely in refrigerator for several days. I like to portion into zip lock bags and freeze for fast microwaving. Serves 6 generously or 8 smaller wedges.

Easy Homemade Doughnuts

Sometimes.....ya just gotta have 'em!

Hot....
Melt in your mouth.....
Doughnuts............

There are hundreds of recipes similar to this one, I'm sure. But when you cut to the chase. It just silly simple.

Oh, and did I say easy. Yes, easy. Uh, did I mention it is yummy. Okay, okay....I'll just shut up and give you this 'its so simple its silly' recipe.



1-2 cans biscuits (not flaky type)
powdered sugar
cinnamon and sugar
can of chocolate frosting
Oil


If you have two brown paper lunch bags you may put powdered sugar in one and cinnamon and sugar in the other. You will be dropping hot doughnuts in the bags and shaking gently to coat. if you do not have bags, bowls will work and a spoon for coating the doughnuts.

Heat oil to 350 degree. Remove biscuits from can. If you have doughnut hole cutters, great. But if you do not, take a cap off a water bottle and cut the center out of each donut. Save these 'holes' for frying too.

Oil should be at least 2-3 inches deep in skillet. I prefer a deep fryer. Do not crowd the fryer. Perhaps 2-3 donuts at a time may be added. Turn the donut when the bottom turns golden brown. Remove doughnut immediately, briefly rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Then select powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar and coat donuts either by gently shaking in a bag or spooning over donut in bowl. Or, using the chocolate frosting, ice the top of the donut. You can also use white icing and sprinkles to decorate.

Southern Honey Fried Chicken With Buttermilk Waffles

I have watched Alton Brown on food network's Feasting on Asphalt munching on fried chicken on waffles.

I have observed in several other programming this being featured as well. Researching southern cuisine I have ran across similar recipes.

Well.......I've had enough. I first thought it bizarre. Then I rethought it when my mouth watered. I just had to try it!

And I did. And it was. Yummy, that is. Crunchy fried chicken with a bite of waffle and a drizzle of maple syrup. That could quite possibly be the perfect bite.

Yes, my wheels are turning. Yes I'm thinking kicking it up a notch higher. Next I am going to try boneless fried chicken tenders over waffles and drizzled with sausage gravy. It may be a heart attack on a platter, but what a way to go. Oh heck, might as well serve a side of freshly made home fries too.

But here is the sweeter version and deserves its own kudos.

Note: I would start the waffles first and continue cooking them while you fry chicken. Keep waffles layered between paper towels in a warm oven until dish is ready to be assembled.



Honey Fried Chicken


1 whole chicken cut into parts
4 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup honey
1 cup flour
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
2-3 cups vegetable oil

1. Cut and clean all chicken parts. Set aside in a bowl of ice water.
2. Place flour on a large plate and set aside.
3. Coat frying pan with vegetable oil, and heat over a medium flame.
4. Combine and briskly stir the eggs, buttermilk and honey until ingredients are
   evenly mixed. NOTE: Mixture should have the same consistency as syrup.
5. Generously season both sides of chicken parts with salt, garlic salt, poultry seasoning,black
   pepper and cayenne pepper.
6. Dip chicken into the egg and honey buttermilk batter and let excess batter dip
   off.
7. Evenly coat the chicken in flour.
8. Fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes on each side or until chicken is golden
   brown.
9. When done, place the chicken on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Buttermilk Waffles



* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 teaspoon baking powder
* 3 eggs, separated
* 2 cup buttermilk
* 1/3 cup melted shortening
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* Maple Syrup

1. Combine and mix dry ingredients.
2. Add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted shortening
3. Whip egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff, then fold in.
4. Bake in preheated, lightly greased waffle iron.


Serves 3-4.


Place waffle on plate. Stack fried chicken as you would like to present it. Drizzle the chicken and waffle with maple syrup.

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Granted this may not be the most attractive blueberry coffee cake. But it certainly tastes nice with a cup of coffee in the morning. The crunch of the streusel topping is delightful with its sugary sweetness. The pop of a blueberry in your mouth wrapped around a moist cake.......refreshing.


This is a Saturday morning, curl up in the corner of the couch in your jammies with a hot cup of java and a warm from the oven piece of coffee cake. How about bites between reading the funnies on Sunday morning? If you play your cards right, there could possibly be a piece leftover for Monday morning and the rush out the door to the office.

I've seen this recipe several places, but I believe Land O'Lakes created it.

For the cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup milk or half & half
• 1 egg
• 2 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed blueberries
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

For the streusel topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F for baking

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, butter, milk (or half & half) and egg, blending with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined

Gently fold in blueberries and lemon zest by hand, transferring batter to a well-greased and floured 8 or 9 inch square baking dish, or 9 inch springform pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut in softened butter with fingers and mix until topping resembles coarse meal. Crumble topping over batter and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Canned Peach Pie

There is no argument from me that FRESH peach pie is THE BEST. With that said, however, there are those times when you have to resort to the cupboard and canned peaches.

My inspiration to make this pie came from the fact I observed an over abundance of canned peaches in the cupboard. Time to scale them down!

The darker filling appearance comes from the addition of brown sugar which lends a hint of carmel flavoring as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Don't feel like making your own homemade crust? No problem, pick up a ready made crust at the grocery and this pie is a snap to make. Ahhh.....no peeling peaches. No removing peach stones. Quick and easy.






2 29oz canned peaches, drained very well
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons Flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, cut in small cubes


400 degree oven. Lay bottom crust in 9 inch pie pan. Place drained peaches in a mixing bowl. Add brown and white sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg. Mix gently to blend. Place peach mixture in bottom crust. Dot the top of the peaches with the butter cubes.

Lay top crust layer on pie and flute the edges to seal. Make an egg wash with 1 egg beaten and 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the pie top and edges. Use a knife and cut slits or a design of your choice in the top for venting.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until crust is golden and peaches are bubbly.

Fruit Kabobs

Okay....it's simple.

Yes, Nothing to it....

Everybody has eaten them....


But you know what?! I still like eating them. Humid days bring me back to revisiting this easy fix many times through the dog days of summer.

Just in case it has slipped your mind to throw something so simple as this together, I drop it in just as a reminder.


2 quarts of strawberries
1 pint of blackberries
1 canteloupe
4 kiwi
1 pint of raspberries
1 container of strawberry yogurt
1 cup cool whip
Wooden skewers



Clean and halve strawberries. Rinse blackberries and raspberries carefully. Do not let them sit in water. Peel kiwi and cut in chunks. Peel and remove seeds of canteloupe, cut in chunks.

Thread the fruit on the skewer in the pattern of your choice. Mix yogurt and cool whip together. Place in a decorative platter with dip bowl.

Serve.