4 Quiches - I can explain

We had an abundance of eggs and milk because I bought some and then we got more from Clint and Amanda's farm.  So with 7 dozen eggs plus a gallon of fresh farm milk with the cream on top and a gallon of store bought skim milk,  I need to start using these eggs and milk so they don't go to waste.

Quiche is one of favorite things to eat at a restaurant.  I looked at AllRecipes.com and read many reviews how other cooks bake quiches, then freeze them to thaw and reheat when needed. 
So,  I am giving it a try. 
Today, I used 13 eggs, 2 cups of cream and 2 cups in milk making 4 quiches. (3 eggs went into each quiche and 1 egg went into the crust)

4 freshly baked quiches


I tried one of them after they cooled a little,  a slice of quiche makes a very nice lunch.  Nina had some too when she picked up Elizabeth mid-afternoon.  I covered the first quiche and will try keeping it in the fridge to reheat for more breakfasts or lunches this week.

I cut the other 3 into slices, then wrapped them well and put them in the freezer.  I am hoping that since they are cut, if I just want to take out a slice or 2, that it will be easy and the rest of the quiche can go back in the freezer. 

My recipe is pretty basic - each crust was sprinkled with just a little chopped onion and about 1/4 cup chopped ham, and 1 cup of cheese (mine was cheddar and mozzarella)
the filling for each was 3 beaten eggs, 1/2 C cream and 1/2 C milk, a little salt and pepper. 
2 of them also got a squirt of Dijon mustard. 
They baked at 375 for about 45 minutes and I rotated them halfway so they would bake a little more evenly. 


I have put part of the milk in the freezer for later.  I plan on making some pudding this week, some deviled eggs and maybe egg salad too.  any other suggestions? 

Making old stuff new and buying old stuff, just because I like it



This is my husband, hard at work sharpening our knife assortment. 



He borrowed this electric sharpener from our son and reworked every kitchen knife in the drawer.  When I cut up the carrots and potatoes for our lunch and the onions, bell peppers and jalapenos for our supper,  I could really tell a difference.  Sharp knives make kitchen work much easier. 

a close up of the handy little machine

We went to some thrift stores and the antique mall this afternoon and found a few treasures.
the orange thing is a very nice car shaped toddler swing - we have one hanging on the pergola but with 2 grandbabies,  2 swings will be nice - I think it was $3 or $3.50, a real deal with the ropes and hooks attached and in good condition.
a front end loader for Gavin
and a Fisher Price Happy Apple for $1 - my children had one when they were babies and they liked it so much,  I have been looking for one  and was very happy to find such a nice one.  I just looked on Ebay and they sell for a lot more than $1 there. 
I also got a black purse and a denim skirt for me. 

another piece of Pyrex - this casserole has a wheat design
some sort of vintage icicles for a Christmas tree
a juice jug
and a Texas plate. 

My town has some very nice thrift stores and they are great to shop at, especially when it is way too cold for yard sales.

There's been a lot of living in our living room lately

or why I have not blogged in the last week or so....... 

My mom with her 2 great grands



Jeff and I with Gavin and Elizabeth


My parents came to visit for a week.  Gavin's parents took a little vacation and he stayed with us for 4 days. 
And while they were here,  our other children and my brother came to visit everyone and join the fun.





That is John in the center, he was playing with my mom's IPad,  he thinks they are pretty nice. 



Daughter in law Bridgette and dog in law Fletch.

Bobby and my dad, his Pa. 

No, Bobby is not pinching Elizabeth's foot, she just has her eyes closed.  She is mostly wary of people she does not see daily but she went right to her Uncle Bobby even though she had not seen him since Christmas. 
Gavin usually likes everybody, even strangers,  but he would not have a thing to do with Bobby.  It was kind of funny.

Son Jimmy would of liked to be here, he graduated from law school in December and is now in prep class for the bar test.  We missed him but we all know he should be studying. 

knockoff recipe for Star$$$s Cinnamon Scones

This recipe has been posted on 2 coupon boards I read.  So Monday morning,  when I wanted something "good" for breakfast,  I decided to try it out.  Jeff and Nina were both here for breakfast, these scones are so good, there were no leftovers!

knockoff recipe for Star$$$s Cinnamon Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg, separated
3 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup buttermilk - my dough was really dry, I will try 1/2 cup next time, and I did not have buttermilk, I just added a little vinegar to the milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, beat egg yolk (reserving the white) with honey and buttermilk until blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring lightly only until dough clings together.
Using floured hands, lightly shape dough into a flattened ball. Roll or pat out on a floured board or pastry cloth to a circle about 1/2-inch thick and 8 1/2 inches in diameter.
Using a floured knife, cut 8 or 12 equal wedges. Place themslightly apart on a greased or non-stick baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg white slightly to a froth.
In another bowl, blend 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon. Brush scones lightly with egg white, then sprinkle them with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
I added a glaze as one of the coupon boards recommended,  just mix about 2/3 cup of powdered sugar with a teaspoon or 2 of milk, just enough to make a drizzley glaze. 
Makes 8 to 12 scones.  I cut ours into 8,  cutting them into 12 would be very dainty. 



Gavin had so much fun with bubbles.  He had fun watching me blow bubbles and he  was really delighted when he could blow his own. 



Little Elizabeth looks like a princess here
but she climbs and crawls on everything
a little more like a monkey than a princess!

your vote is requested

This is my son Bobby and his wife Bridgette.  Bridgette is the singer for a band and Bobby is the band's manager/roadie/jack of all trades.  I am not a big fan of metal music but I really love Bobby and Bridgette.  Their band,  Siva Addiction, is a in a battle of the bands contest sponsored by the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indiana. 

to vote,  just go to the link, then scroll about halfway down and vote for Siva Addiction.  You don't even have to listen to them if you don't want to or put in any information, it is very quick to vote.   The contest has a big prize,  $20,000!     It is a limit of one vote per computer. 
So,  if you want to take the time to vote,  it would make Bobby and Bridgette very happy to get your vote.

thanks!

Pyrex baked bread

My grandparent's bread recipe makes 4 little loaves that fit perfectly in my 4 little Pyrex loaf pans. 

You can still use this recipe even if you have not collected Pyrex. Just bake it in 2 regular loaf pans and it will be just as delicious.  It might not be as cute, but then everyone does not always care if their bread is cute, do they? 

we will be having some tomorrow at breakfast,  toasted with crockpot apple butter.  yum!

Crock pot apple butter

I bought 2 bags of cooking apples this fall and planned to make apple pies with them.  Then Jeff got several bags of apples from a coworkers yard and I made pies with those apples.

Those grocery store apples have been sitting in the fridge just waiting.... and they were not getting any fresher. 

So I looked up how to make crockpot apple butter to use them,  and it was very easy.  I used THIS as a guideline -  my way  used a little more than 5 pounds of apples, peeled and chopped,  2 cups sugar, 3 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cloves and a dash of salt.  It cooked on high most of the morning until the apples all broke down, I mashed them with a potato masher to help them along.  Then they cooked on low all afternoon until the juice cooked out and they thickened up. 

I put the apple butter in 1/2 jars - it made 7- and then put them in the fridge.  They will get eaten pretty fast here.  The recipe talks about freezing it and I am sure it could be canned. 

and you sure don't need scented candles or potpourri when apple butter is cooking,  it smells wonderful!

"new" Pyrex

Growing collections are so fun!  I've been using and collecting vintage Pyrex for awhile and my family knows it is what I like.  This holiday season expanded my Pyrex collection - so much that I moved it to a new home.

Jeff found this set at our local antique mall, on Black Friday weekend and everything was 20% off!    I used them Christmas for the Strawberry Pretzel salad, deviled eggs and corn casserole

Jimmy gave me this set for Christmas - little loaf pans bake bread so nice and the covered dish is perfect for small casseroles and leftovers.




My brother found this set of classic mixing bowls in New Boston, TX and surprised me with them on my birthday.   If you ever watch I Love Lucy,  you will see this set on the shelves of  her TV kitchen. 




Most of my Pyrex in this bigger cabinet - a few pieces are in the fridge -but I think there is still room for even a few more pieces..... this used to be the cabinet that held the baking supplies and I moved them to a smaller cabinet - see that little blue bowl on the bottom right, in that stack?  That was my first piece of vintage Pyrex.  Actually it is Jeff's.  We lived in his grandparents farmhouse for 18 months.  That little blue bowl was there, under the kitchen sink catching the water from a drippy pipe.  After Jeff fixed that leak, I washed and kept that bowl.  Jeff liked to eat his cereal and ice cream from that bowl.  All our children refer to it as "Dad's blue bowl"     So,  Jeff really started this collection!



these Pyrex bowls are on top of some of the cabinets



The new baking cabinet - the baking things actually fit better and seem more organized in this smaller cabinet




My collection is not just for dust catching - I use multiple pieces of it everyday and I am always on the look out for more.

Happy New Year!



hmm.. what is this thing on my head? 


The grown-ups had blackeyed peas with rice and cabbage for their traditional New Years day lunch,  I just had a bottle and got to wear these stars. 

Happy 2011 everyone!

a few Christmas day pictures

My mom and brother have been asking for Christmas photos,  but I just did not take very many that day.  it was pretty quiet in the morning, then not quiet at all in the afternoon and evening.  But here are the few pictures that I did take.   Jeff took a few movies and he will make a disc for family later

Christmas morning,  Jeff reading his Kindle

Jimmy texting

Later Christmas Afternoon - Elizabeth in her holiday tu-tu opening her first purse

little dog Fletch trying some silly sunglasses with Bridgette

Nina modeling her Christmas jammies with houseshoes to match.  She said they were all very comfy. 

Christmas Menu
cinnamon rolls for breakfast
snacks for lunch
supper - Jeff smoked a prime rib
also rolls, baked potatoes,  a big salad, deviled eggs, corn casserole
desserts for the day- chocolate sheet cake and cherry pie and cinnamon rolls