Tomato Pie!

This tomato pie is the one recipe I can't wait to make when the first tomatoes of the season get ripe.  It's a really simple recipe, but it's so good and can be served for really any meal of the day. It's perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner.   My sister usually eats the leftovers for breakfast the next morning if she is here when I make it.  With the fresh tomatoes, it just tastes like summer.   Here is what you will need to make a tomato pie:

1 deep dish pie crust

3 medium size tomatoes

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped or about 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 cup fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt

black pepper

1/2 tsp. Nature's Seasoning

Bake the pie shell in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes just to brown it. 

Slice the tomatoes and put them on a double thickness of paper towels. Slice them sort of thick, about 1/4 inch and if the peel seems tough at all, peel them.   Salt each slice and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.   This takes some of the water out of them.  Don't skip this step or your tomato pie will be soggy and won't hold up well.

Dice the Vidalia onion and sprinkle in over the bottom of the pie shell.

Place the tomatoes in the pie crust over the onion in a single layer.  Sprinkle them with black pepper. Sprinkle the chopped oregano and basil over the tomatoes.

In a bowl mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, Nature's Seasoning and Parmesan cheese until well blended.  This is one recipe that you cannot substitute the low fat sour cream or mayonnaise in.  They contain a lot of water and will make the pie very soupy and watery.  Use the real thing in this and just eat one piece if you are watching your fat intake.

This is the Nature's Seasoning.  I use it place of salt and pepper a lot. It's a great overall seasoning and doesn't contain MSG. If you don't have this, just use salt and pepper.

Spread the sour cream/mayonnaise mixture over the tomatoes and to the edges of the crust.

Sprinkle the top with a little more Parmesan cheese and the shredded Cheddar cheese.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.  I place the pan on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and it bakes more even and catches any spillovers.

The cheese should be nice and melted and the top just starting to brown.  Let the pie sit for at least 10 minutes before you slice and serve.

 

Sausage Gravy!

Sausage gravy is an old southern favorite we have been making and eating for years and it's still a family favorite at our house! 

 Sometime when I plan recipes to make and post,  I tend to forget some of the simple and most loved favorites, just because they are not all that impressive or pretty!  I tend to think about the three layer cakes or the pretty salads and such!   Sometime the simple things, like sausage gravy, are the things people will actually be more likely to make!  

I was asked about a recipe for sausage gravy a few weeks ago and it just dawned on me that I hadn't posted one for it!   When I do post this sort of thing, I will always get comments like,  "Who needs a recipe for that?"  "Doesn't everybody know how to make that?" 

Well,  as a matter of fact, they do not know, especially, nowadays.   More and more people just don't learn to cook or they don't have anyone who taught them to cook.   It is always so gratifying to me when someone writes me and says I have helped them learn to cook better meals for their family!   

1 lb. breakfast sausage, browned

2 Tbs. reserved bacon drippings

1/3 cup flour

4 cups milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

In a large skillet, brown 1 lb. of sausage.  Break it up in fairly small pieces.  Add the bacon drippings.  Don't skip this step, because your gravy won't be as good and sausage now, doesn't have enough grease in it to make gravy. 

  Add 1/3 cup flour to the browned meat and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes.   Be sure to break up any clumps.  

Pour in the milk in and whisk until smooth.  I prefer to use whole milk in this.   Bring up to a low boil, where bubbles just  start to form.    You need to stir this frequently, because it can stick to the pan.   Add the salt and pepper and stir.   It will continue to thicken as it cooks.

Pour up in a bowl when you are ready to serve!

Serve over homemade biscuits!    It's so yummy!

Cheeseburger Pie!

  

This is a quiche-like pie that even the non-quiche eaters will love!  If you have those people in your family that have already decided that anything called "quiche" is not edible, we decided to call this a "Cheeseburger Pie"!  Who could hate that?    This is so easy to make and it's also very economical.  

Here is what you need:

1/2  lb. ground beef

1/3 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup half and half cream (could use milk)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1  1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1  9" deep dish pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a skillet, brown the ground beef and onion together.  Drain any excess grease. 

In a mixing bowl, stir together the milk, mayonnaise, eggs and seasonings, including the hot sauce if you are using it.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese. 

Sprinkle the ground beef and onion in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese over the beef.

Pour the egg and milk mixture evenly overall.  Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet or pizza pan to bake.  This catches any spillovers and it also helps the quiche cook more evenly.

Place in the preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the top and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes. 

 A sharp knife inserted in the center should come out clean.  Remove from oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with a salad or fresh sliced tomatoes and dinner is served!





Cheesy Grits Casserole!

This "Cheesy Grits Casserole" is so good for breakfast, brunch or dinner!   I like this for holiday meals, because you can prep it ahead of time right up to the point of baking and then just bake it right before serving.  

Grits are a very southern sort of thing, but I will admit that grits are not served all that much in Kentucky or I should say 'not as much' as they are in the deep south or in some of the coastal southern states.   Although I do think that maybe they have gained in popularity over the last 20 years or so.   We have always eaten grits in our family, because my father says he learned to eat grits when he visited his sister, my Aunt Tootsie, who married and moved to the deep south, southern Mississippi to be exact.    Down there you do not cook a proper breakfast without grits.   It's just not done.  That might have changed some over the years, but that was just how it was then. 

If you order grits here or really most places in Kentucky, they are not going to be cooked right.  That is just my experience and I can tell you why they are not good.  

First of all, you have to salt the water or liquid you are cooking them in immediately.  You cannot salt grits after they are cooked or even after they are cooking.   Do it right from the start.  

Also, once cooked, grits should have some body to them. They should not be runny and thin.  They also should not be a stiff blob.  There is a happy place, just like mashed potatoes, in the middle.    When cooked properly, they won't still be gritty either.  If they are, they are not done and didn't cook long enough.   DO NOT use instant grits!  They are so nasty!   It is fine to use quick cooking grits, which are not instant!  Or use the regular grits, which just take a little longer to cook.   

I am sure this grits advice will bring on some debate, because grits can be like cornbread, very subjective and everybody has their own ideas about them.  That's ok though,  because that  is what the world of food is all about.  You can never learn it all and everybody can teach us things we never knew or thought of! 

Here is what you will need for this "Cheesy Grits Casserole":

4 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup butter

1 cup quick cooking grits

dash of hot sauce (I use Tabasco)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the milk with the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and add the butter and grits.   Reduce heat to simmer and whisk constantly until the grits are done,  about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Remove from the heat.   Stir in all of the cheeses and the eggs.  If you do not have the smoked Gouda cheese, you can use all cheddar instead of one cup of each.  However, the Gouda cheese gives this a really nice, creamy texture.   

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish you have sprayed with nonstick spray.  Place in the preheated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or just until it starts to brown on top and puffs just little.

Even non-grit eaters will love this casserole!  





Country Ham Quiche!

Since I grew up in Kentucky and have lived here all of my life, at one time I never really realized that not everyone had access to or was familiar with country ham.   Country ham is Kentucky, maybe more than bourbon, horses and tobacco.  

 I have since learned that country ham is fairly regional.  When you go past the Mason Dixon line north or to the west, it sort of starts to fade away.  Really surprising is that it's also not very available in Mississippi, Louisiana and much of Alabama.  

 I am not completely sure why this is, but I have  a theory that it has to do with the saying ...."It's cold enough to kill hogs in here".   Have you ever heard someone say that about a cold room?  Well, it had to be really cold before you could kill hogs because the process of dressing the meat and such took some time and if it was too warm, the meat would ruin.  Maybe it wasn't cold enough in those coastal states to cure the meat?  I am not really sure. 

I am told that my grandfather was well known for wonderful country hams and smoked shoulders.  He killed five to six hogs each winter.  That might seem like a lot, but he had 11 kids to feed. 

 According to my aunts, his secret was using both hickory and sassafras woods and he used the roots of the sassafras tree not just the limbs.  It gave the meat a very unique flavor.   Everybody around wanted the secret to his smoking technique.   

You may have heard the saying, 'they used every part of the hog, but the squeal",   according to my mother...they did. Which probably explains my excessive use of  bacon and ham in my cooking...it's genetic! 

Of course, now days you can order country ham online, but I am not sure a lot of people would know what to do with it.  Somebody asked me today, what makes Kentucky cuisine so different from other areas, and I have decided that a big part of it is the country ham (and so much more).  We fry it, bake it, and use it to season everything from dried beans to green beans and just any kind of fresh greens like collards, mustard or turnip greens.   That's why any discussion of foods for a Kentucky Derby celebration, party or tea must include country ham!   You will find the usual country ham and biscuits and there is nothing wrong with that at all, but this is the use of country ham in a quiche and it really makes this quiche extra good. 

Here is what you will need:

Country ham (just the biscuit slices is enough), eggs, half and half, butter, sour cream, pie crust, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce.

Ingredients:

1 deep dish pie crust
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups chopped country ham

4 eggs

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup Swiss cheese

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of Tabasco sauce



Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet.  Wash the ham slices off.  Country ham tends to be very salty and can be a little gritty out of the package so it needs to be rinsed off.  Chop it up and saute it in the butter.  Country ham is a cured meat, but it is not fully cooked. 

Beat the eggs with a whisk, add half and half, sour cream, seasoned salt, pepper cayenne and Tabasco sauce and whisk until well blended.   Place the pie crust in a deep pie plate or you can use a frozen deep dish pie crust. 

Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet or pizza pan.  The quiche cooks more evenly like this and it's easier to move in and out of the oven.

Place the ham with the butter in the bottom of the crust.  Sprinkle both cheeses over the ham.  Pour the egg mixture over all. 

Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50-55 minutes.  If it starts to brown on top too much and is not done in the center, place a piece of foil lightly over the top.  Usually this doesn't happen, but all ovens vary.

Let the quiche sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and it will come out much easier.   For a Derby Tea these could be made in a mini muffin pan for mini quiches, just chop the ham a little finer.

Slice and serve!  I served it with fried potatoes! 

Cinnamon French Toast Casserole!

 

I really like breakfast dishes that can be made the night before and just popped into the oven in the morning.  It makes having a nice breakfast for overnight guests or just family really easy and hassle free.  This French Toast casserole needs to be assembled the night before and then all you have to do is bake it and maybe cook some bacon or sausage to go with it.   Here is what you need for this:

8 slices bread (slightly stale bread works best)
1 stick butter, divided
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs
1  1/2 cups half and half (can use whole milk)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt 6 Tbs. of butter and mix with the brown sugar.

Spray a 2 1/2 quart square or rectangular casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Lay 4 of the bread slices in the bottom, overlapping if necessary.  I used sliced Italian bread.   Sprinkle half of the butter/brown sugar mixture over the bread.

Lay the other 4 slices of bread over the first 4 and sprinkle with the rest of the butter/brown sugar mix.  Dot with the other 2 Tbs. of butter and sprinkle the cup of chopped pecans over the top.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Pour this mixture over all.  Press the bread down to get it all wet with the egg mixture.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  If it starts to brown too much on top, cover with foil. I usually remove it at about 40 minutes and it never browns too much, but all oven are different.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.  You can sprinkle with some powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.   This serves 2-4 people, if you have a bigger crowd, just double everything and prepare in a 9"x13" baking dish.

French Toast Casserole!



Hash Brown Ham and Cheese Quiche!

We really like quiches, mainly for supper or even a brunch.  I sometimes make hash browns or fried potatoes for a side with quiche.  This quiche uses the hash browns for the crust so it just combines all of the goodness in one dish. 

My husband gave this recipe the two thumbs up and said it was the best quiche I had ever made and that includes a lot of quiches.  I think the potato crust made it a little hardier than other quiches and that was the appeal for him. 

 Remember back when they used to say 'real men don't eat quiche', wonder why?  All of the men in our family eat quiche, it's eggs, cheese and milk, what's not for a man to like?  And now this one has the one of the other male food groups...potatoes.  I think they were wrong about men and quiche...lol.

 Here is what you will need for this yummy dish:

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded hash browns
4 Tbs. butter, melted and divided
1 cup chopped ham (or you could use browned sausage or crisp cooked bacon)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup half and half
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
dash seasoned salt
dash Tabasco sauce

Thaw hash browns and then press between paper towels to remove any excess moisture.  If you don't do this, the crust will be a little soggy.  Just get the extra moisture out of them, they don't have to be completely dry.

Melt the 3 Tbs. of the  butter in a deep pie plate or a quiche dish.

Toss the hash browns with the butter to coat and then press in the pie plate like a crust.  Make sure to go up the sides.  Pat until it is tight.  Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 25 minutes until it is just browning and crispy.  Watch in the last 5 minutes and don't let it burn or brown too much.

Saute the chopped ham in a about 1 Tbs butter until it's just slightly browned.

Place the browned ham in the potato crust once you remove it from the oven.

Mix all of the other ingredients and pour over the ham.  Make sure the cheese is distributed evenly over all.  I place the pie plate or quiche dish on a cookie sheet or pizza pan before filling it.  This will catch any spillovers and make it easier to take it in and out of the oven.  Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the quiche for 30 minutes.  It should be just browning on top when done.

Cornbread Quiche!

This is a recipe that is the result of a request made by one of our regular "Sweet Tea and Cornbread" readers.  He asked for a  'breakfasty' recipe using cornbread.  At first, I was a little stumped, but after thinking about it for a day or two, I decided to do a 'cornbread quiche'.  We love quiche at our house, but I had never used cornbread in one before.  But, when you think about it, why not?  We ate this for dinner, but it would be great for a late breakfast, lunch or brunch.   Here is what you will need:
Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage  (you could also use chopped ham or bacon)
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half and half
1 can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated asiago or Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. sugar
dash of salt
dash of garlic powder
a few drops of Tabasco sauce

Brown the sausage and chopped onion. Drain when browned.

I used this smokehouse sausage made by my favorite sausage maker, Purnell's.  I don't know if this is a new product on the market, but it's new here and I love smoked sausage.  You can also use regular breakfast sausage (try Purnell's if you can get it), chopped ham or even bacon would be great!

Mix all of the other ingredients except the cheeses...Jiffy cornbread mix, butter, creamed corn, half and half, sour cream, eggs and seasonings.  Stir until well blended and then fold in the shredded cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle the browned sausage in a dish you have sprayed well with nonstick cooking spray.  You need a deep pie plate for this or I used my Corning French White quiche dish.  You can also  bake it in  a 2 quart casserole dish and cut it in squares.

Pour the quiche mixture over the sausage and then sprinkle the top with grated asiago or Parmesan cheese.  If you don't care for asiago or Parmesan you could use some shredded Swiss cheese or even Monterrey Jack or more cheddar. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes.  Test at 40 minutes by inserting a sharp knife in the center and it should come out clean when done.  Watch to be sure the top doesn't brown too much.  Place it on the middle rack.  

COOKING TIP:  Before you fill your quiche pan or deep pie plate, place it on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan, then fill it. This makes the quiche cook more evenly and if it does spill over the pan catches it. It's also easier to move in and out of the oven without spilling.

When it's nice and brown, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Cornbread quiche, fried potatoes and sliced tomatoes from the garden!