We are having “Arctic Chill.” It got ccccold last night and right now it’s minus 11. And I have no right to complain because I live in Minnesota, but we’ve been so spoiled this year it’s a shock. We Minnesotans know that a real Arctic Chill can be 34 to 35 below, so there’s that. Maybe we’re actually lucky. But today I feel particularly lucky because I don’t have to go anywhere and I have a piece of Simon Pearce Quechee Quiche I’m going to have for breakfast!
Simon Pearce Quechee Quiche – it’s a little puffy out of the oven but it settles a bit
Here it is, Thanksgiving already. Well, just past. And I thought this might be a great time to put out a recipe on my Best Ham Stock, Instant Pot or Not. I know a lot of you have had Turkey and so I’ve already got you covered with my Best Chicken or Turkey Stock.
Goodness knows I’m not a huge sports fan. I just don’t have the attention span to sit and follow most things on TV. Unless maybe it’s food related, lol! But yanno what I can get behind on game day? The food! There’s just something about the fun party food that shows up around every football party, and these Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders are the perfect example of fun food.
Do you know what my favorite breakfast in the whole world is? Hint: Classic Eggs Benedict. Ok, so I just straight up told ya. That’s because I don’t like to mess around in the morning. Just gimme my Eggs Benedict and I’m happy. And don’t talk to me.
Cheese Tortellini & Asparagus in Brown Butter Sauce is super simple, super fast and super delish! It also has just a bit of a sophisticated air about it, which means it’s perfect fast meal for a family dinner or great if a friend or two drops by. “Would you like to stay for dinner?” “Umm, yes!”
Cheese Tortellini & Asparagus in Brown Butter Sauce
It took me awhile to “crack” the code on sheet pan eggs, but here they are: The Best Creamy Sheet Pan Eggs. They are perfect for a no-fuss morning, great for make-ahead meal prep and marvelous in a breakfast sandwich.
I’m still working on a few leftovers from Easter, how about you? One thing I love to do is make soup with my ham. This year I made a Honey Glazed Cajun Spiced Ham, so I knew that Cajun Ham & Rice Soup would bring those flavors home.
It snowed again. Yep. Not on Easter (and April Fool’s Day) but the day before. It was like a cruel joke, and it put me right into comfort mode. Anyway, here’s some of that comfort, Easy Cheesy Ham & Potato Chowder. It’s wrap up in a throw with your big fuzzy socks and eat from a mug comfort!
Honey Glazed Cajun Spiced Ham is one of my fave Holiday hams, no matter the Holiday. It couldn’t be better during the fall/winter months for Thanksgiving or Christmas and it brightens up a harsh, cold Easter like we’re having this year.
I do love me some quiche, how about you? It’s been a long time since I’ve made Quiche. I’ve been all about the Frittatas lately. I think I had just forgotten how good Quiche can be.
You know what I like, and I hope you do, too, since I’m posting one? Frittatas. And I like them for so many reasons. They’re delicious and the frugal me loves that frittatas are a great way to use a bit of this and a bit of that. And the healthy me loves that anything can go in a frittata.
Three Meat Frittata – Instant Pot or Stove-top/oven
So hey, here I am a Minnesota blogger and I have no Wild Rice Soup on my blog. Uff da. Well, I do have a Wild Rice and Smoked Turkey Chowder (amazingly good and healthy!) but it’s just not the same as a Classic Wild Rice Soup in the Instant Pot, now is it? (As a quick aside, I will be posting recipes that aren’t Instant Pot and aren’t soup, it’s just been a crazy Holiday week, so if you don’t have an “IP” please bear with me!)
Do you need a fun, fresh take on a dish for your Holiday Ham leftovers? Something easy, fast and crave-worthy? You’re gonna want to try this Hawaiian Fried Rice. And you’re gonna look like a genius when you bring this to the table! 🙂
This dish was a new one on me…Featherbed Eggs. I mean, how could you not fall in love with a name like that? It makes me think of country inns with crisp white sheets, quilt draped beds. Cotton curtains blowing in a warm breeze. Comfort.
Featherbed Eggs – eggs nestled into custard soaked bread all atop a layer of ham with crispy edges.
So you all know (if you follow me – and if you don’t, I’d love it if you would, here with email (on the right) or on facebook or twitter I cooked up a ham for Thanksgiving. And what a ham it was! The stunning and absolutely delish Biltmore House’s Tawny Baked Ham. It was just a half ham, but of course, there were leftovers! And this year, part of those leftovers went to make Instant Pot Opelousas.
If you’re looking for a showstopper of a ham recipe for a fall or winter holiday, look no further. Simple to make but absolutely stunning, The Biltmore House’s Tawny Baked Ham has it all: Great looks and great taste, even though moy pics don’t do it justice!
Here’s a perfect salad/side that just screams Summer! Maybe that’s why Chef Joe Kindred (Kindred’s Restaurant in Davidson, North Carolina – yep, the same restaurant responsible for Kindred’s Milk Bread) named the original recipe “Summer Bean Salad.”
It might have been the name that drew me in. The Original Cheese Zombie Sandwiches. It was the wholehearted endorsement of those who had grown up on The Original Cheese Zombie Sandwiches that hooked me. A Cheese Zombie is a sheet tray of home-made bread layered with an oozy, gooey American cheese and Cheese Zombies are sooo much better than they sound.
The last time I made Original Cheese Zombie Sandwiches, I made 1/3 plain cheese, 1/3 with pickled Jalapenos and 1/3 with ham. The possibilities are endless.
I love me some Risotto – how ’bout you? It amazes me how you can take a simple ingredient like rice, add a glug of wine & a few gratings of cheese (plus a bit of this and that) and turn it into a gourmet meal – no make that a gourmet experience – because you get to drink the rest of the wine! Plus plus! This is a marvelous recipe for Risotto – Ham & Parmesan Risotto Instant Pot or Stove Top Version.
Ham & Parmesan Risotto Instant Pot or Stove Top Version.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned Not Your Father’s Root Beer on my blog before – see my Dad and I are pretty wild about it and split one every now and then. So when Dad said he’d like a ham, I immediately (and selflessly, I might add) sacrificed a bottle. Of his, of course, lol! And so was born Not Your Father’s Root Beer & Bourbon Glazed Ham.
Here’s a super simple little breakfast casserole that is perfect even for the pickiest of eaters. Delicious just as is, full of cheese & Sausage or Ham, I often like to tinker!
“No, ga-hrose! Ham Balls?” Yeah, my sister didn’t hold back when I told her I made them. And that gross was a whole two syllable gross! Too bad she’s so far away coz I know I could convert her with these little lovelies. They’re the real, deal Iowa Ham Balls with Sweet Sour Glaze, heritage style. No soup or ketchup or any weirdness at all. Just good down-home scratch cooking.
I love quaint, old expressions and this year with all the our hot, hot days I kept thinking about “Dog days of summer.” Now, being a dog lover, I always thought that meant the hot August days where it was all a dog could do but find a bit of shade and pant and try to stay cool.
Have I ever told you how much I love soup? Take a look at my Soup Menu and it will give you an idea! So when I find an outstanding new soup, you bet I’m going to share it with you. Here it is, my sister’s Ham & Potato Chowder. It’s a bowl of comfort, perfect for a winter day!
Talk about good down-home plain cooking, I make black-eyed peas from time to time, and with New Year’s coming up (and a bag of peas I’ve been meaning to use up) now is the time~! Here’s my Traditional Black-Eyed Peas Recipe.
The Cuban sandwich – such a classic and so American, from what I understand! And like many classics, the Cubano Cuban Sandwich sparks heated debate. There are those who say the bread makes the sandwich and it’s impossible to have a great one outside of Miami – I disagree. I think you will, too, after your first bite of this one!
Cubano Sandwich
I think it’s the citrusy, garlicky pork shoulder and good, sweet ham (you’ll need a cut 1/4 inch thick or so, a slab, not shaved lunch meat) that really makes the sandwich. If you don’t have ham in the house, ask your deli to special cut it for you.
If you’re a purist and don’t have a Cuban bakery nearby, you can make your own bread. I’ve had pretty good luck using two types of bread, the little soft deli buns from Aldi (yes, I know! But it’s true!) or soft (not a hard, French baguette, but the “Italian”) grocery store baguette. Around here, they’re packaged up in the bakery department. Three Guys from Miami suggest stopping by a Jimmy John’s and picking up a loaf of their bread.*
Cubano Sandwich
Three Guys from Miami (I love these guys and they inspired my Lechon Asado, the pork shoulder roast these sandwiches were made from) state that an authentic Cubano doesn’t have mustard or mayo, tomato or lettuce. My preference is for a little mustard, probably because the first Cubano I ever had did have mustard. No fancy mustard, just the yellow ballpark kind. That’s the great thing about making your own, though! No “rules!” Make it how you want it.
If you want to make an evening of it, invite friends over, fire up your Netflix and watch “Chef.” I mentioned this movie on my post for Individual Molten Lava Cakes, but it was all the Cubano sandwiches made in the movie that really made my mouth water! Before you click, be prepared for some “bad” language. Be prepared, too, to want a Cubano and to dance around the kitchen as you make it!
While I wouldn’t discourage anyone from making a similar sandwich with any left over Pork Roast or Pulled or Shredded Pork, I would highly encourage you to take a little time, plan ahead and lovingly marinade and braise a pork shoulder for Lechon Asado. Then set aside some of it for this sandwich. They’re just insanely good!
If you want to, sneak a little of the oniony sauce from the roast into the sandwich, but not too much or it will be “slippery”. If you’d like to go wild, a touch of my Sweet Pineapple Mango Habanero Hot Sauce is great, or set some out for those who like to “dip.”
1/2 to 3/4 pounds thinly sliced Lechon Asado (Cuban Pork Roast) about 1/4″ thick
To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, pickles, cheese, ham, pork then cheese again. Optional: drizzle a little of the sauce from the roast over the meat.
Although not strictly necessary, lightly steaming the ham and pork before assembling makes a great juicy sandwich, hot all the way through. Simple heat up your pan, place the meats in and toss in about two tablespoons of water. Lid and let cook until the water has evaporated and meats are hot and tender.
Cuban Sandwiches are not always “pressed” and can be served as is or griddled like a grilled cheese sandwich. If you’d like to press this sandwich, there are several ways, below.
Pressing:
Cuisinart Griddler: I had wanted one for years so when they went down in price I picked one up, but I don’t know that I would necessarily recommend it. It is perfect for Cuban Sandwiches, though. Simply butter both sides of the bread, place carefully on the griddler, close and slowly cook until the tops and bottom are crispy and golden brown.
Panini Press: A panini press is not strictly traditional, but will make a great sandwich – with lines! Butter both sides of bread.
Cast Iron Skillet: Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Generously coat one sides of sandwich with softened butter. Place the sandwiches on the skillet, buttered side down and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Remove the top weight, butter the top and turn over. Repeat. (I like to place a piece of foil between the bottom of the skillet and the sandwich because I find, with my gas stove, my skillet bottoms are a little grody.)
Brick Method: Wrap a brick in foil (one for each sandwich) and heat in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Butter both sides of sandwich. Cook in cast iron skillet, but once the sandwich is in the skillet, carefully remove the brick and place on the top side of sandwich.
from the kitchen of www.frugalhausfrau.com
* Bread:
Jimmy John’s will sell a loaf of day old bread for 50 cents if they have it, or a fresh loaf for $1.00. I have on occasion stopped by Bruegger’s Bakery when I’m nearby and it’s late in the day – and picked up bagels half priced. You’ll be surprised at how many places discount items, usually unadvertised, if you take the time to look around or are brave enough to ask.
Do you love Chicken Cordon Bleu as much as me? If you do, read on. If you’re a chicken cordon bleu lover, I guarantee you’re going to love this Chicken Cordon Bleu Deconstructed Casserole and love how easy it is to make. I think I actually like this casserole a little more than Chicken Cordon Bleu if that’s possible.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Today’s Black Friday here in the US, a day when stores heavily discount prices in their attempt to kick off the shopping season for the Christmas holiday. Of course, many of us work, many of us shop, but many of us skip it all and enjoy time with their family!
