It's been a busy couple weeks with friends and family in town, which means lots of hosting, laughing, reminiscing and most of all COOKING! If you're like me, you desire nothing more than to fill your home with the people you love, but this often comes with a certain level of preparation to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed with your hostessing duties. And so, I keep this little gem in my back pocket because it will please ALL THE GUESTS. ALL THE TIME. And with only 6 ingredients, you can keep it tucked away in your memory for that moment in the grocery store when you think, "What will I cook for dinner? Or lunch? Or brekky? Or brunch?" This dish is delish at any point in the day. It's adapted from this little recipe from a southern lady named Paula Deen, so you can trust me when I say, "Y'all. This is gonna be good." (I also find it important to note that this recipe includes exactly ZERO tablespoons of butter, which given its creator, is kind of a miracle.) In all of its glory.... Spinach & Bacon QuicheYou should also know that I had a childhood aversion to "Quiche" since in my mind it equated to rubbery eggs in a sea of overcooked vegetables, but hear me when I say, this quiche will make you question the validity of all previous quiches in your life. Just cook it already! Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375. Press the pie crust into a pie dish. As you can tell, "pie crust pressing" is not one of my spiritual gifts, so please no judgment. 2. If you haven't already cooked your bacon, do that now! I usually just microwave mine in some paper towels for 1 minute per slice. It's bacon, yall, so you fry it, bake it, or nuke it till its crispy and it will serve your tastebuds well. 3. Coarsely chop the spinach leaves and layer them in the bottom of the pie crust. Or pour those leaves straight outta that bag. Next top with the bacon bits. Then sprinkle the swiss cheese over top. See? It's too easy. 4. Whisk the eggs and add the whipping cream. Mix it all together and throw in a dash of Salt & Pepper for good measure. Carefully pour egg mixture over top the cheese. Don't pour to fast or it won't have time to sink in! 5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through. The way I scientifically test the doneness is by simply jiggling the pan. The top will definitely be browned at the 35 minute mark, but make sure there isn't anything jiggling around underneath the surface. If so, give it a few more minutes. 6. Take it out of the oven and ENJOY! Do you know how yummy this is? So yummy that I forgot to take a picture until I had served 3 pieces of it. My bad. The houseguests were really demanding. Wishing you kudos in the kitchen, McKinleyGod blessed me with some incredibly creative children. While their "creativity" is not often valued by modern cleanliness, artistic, or design standards, I have evidence to support thirteen reasons why they are, in fact, prodigious home decorators. So, here goes... 1. They can repurpose existing items to serve new functions. For example, instead of using a clear tub to hold neatly-folded clothes, only children can see that this clear tub is better used as a boat. I can't believe I didn't think of this idea first! 2. They recognize when details are missing, and willingly add their own personal touch. Like on a keyboard. With a sharpie. 3. They understand that a beautiful exterior is as important as a beautiful interior. Therefore, they take extra measures to tastefully apply graffiti to outdoor surfaces. 4. They have a clear vision and are not satisfied until it is achieved. In this case the vision looked like "NOT Carrots", and thanks to his persistent pushback, the message was received very loudly and very clearly. 5. Their creative abilities thrive even in a minimalist environment. This picture was taken during the walkthrough of our new house on base. The leasing agent was obviously impressed by my children's ability to begin decorating with nothing inside, except a roll of toilet paper. As you can imagine, it was undeniably clear from this walkthrough that we were going to make exceptional tenants. 6. They live, breath, and eat all things decorative. This fervent appetite for creative design allows their best work to shine through in both their artistic creations and their diapers. 7. They subscribe to the motto, "There is no such thing as too much color." This infallible way of thinking allows children to envision new and creative ways to add color to every room, counter, wall and floor in a home. No surface is off limits!. 8. They have expensive taste. When considering a new floor covering in our dining room, my son could have opted for a cheap flour option, but instead chose a high-end alternative - baby formula. Only the best for our floors! 9. They have a new-age approach to clutter - the more clutter, the better. Organization is a thing of the past. True beauty can only be appreciated once you have pulled ALL toys out of ALL spaces. 10. They have an in-depth understanding of form and function. For example, a roll of paper towels makes both a beautiful runner on the stairs and also collects dirt from the feet of those walking up and down them. It's a genius design, really. 11. They give you the red carpet treatment. And don't worry, this red carpet treatment isn't just for a fancy night in Hollywood, it is permanent (thanks to my children's undying partnership with Sharpie markers). Thanks to this celebrity treatment we can enjoy it for many years to come. 12. They think outside the box. Only a toddler can see a perfectly good white board and realize that there is no need to confine stunning artwork in that one space. And so, they create beautiful masterpieces that have no bounds, no limits, and no lack of intense color. (See #7). 13. And finally, after a hard day of interior decorating, they clean up after themselves. The last thing you want after perfectly accessorizing your home, is a mess on the floor. But luckily children are exceptional cleaners, so much so, that one could even EAT off the floor. Exhibit A. What did I miss? Do you have some child-designed elements in your home? We can learn so much from those creative little beings, so please share your child's design ideas with the world! If you want to see more parenting shenanigans or get some daily words of encouragement, head on over and "like" my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram and/or sign up for my Monthly Mutterings. All are welcome here! Wishing you child-like creativity, McKinleyI hesitate to even share this dish so early into our journey because it is undoubtedly my most requested recipe. And so, I'm fearful that after this post, my readers will softly close the door to this Food Freak Friday shop and quietly tip-toe away because they've already received the motherload. HOWEVER, if you promise never to leave my side, then I will share the yummiest piece of my heart with you. This is my go-to brunch offering, my blue ribbon potluck dish, and my favorite appetizer. Oh, and I almost forgot, it is unfairly easy to make. So easy, in fact, that you will almost feel guilty when people compliment you on how delicious these rolls are. Almost. Without further ado, Heavenly Ham RollsDirections: 1. Preheat the oven to 375. Using a bread knife (or your longest serrated knife) carefully cut the rolls in half. Expert Tip: DO NOT tear apart the rolls, but rather treat the entire package like one big loaf of bread. You'll safe yourself a headache later. Promise. 2. Spread a light coat of mayonnaise on each side of the rolls. If you are one of those odd ducks who HATES mayo, please DO NOT, under any circumstances leave the mayo out. I promise you will not even taste it, and I also promise that if you DO leave it out, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Lightly grease a 9X13 pan and squeeze the bottom half of the rolls into the pan. You may be thinking "But they don't fit!" Just tell all of the bottoms to "suck in" and I can assure you they will fit. 3. Top with the ham and cheese, and cover with the tops of the rolls. Once again, just give the tops of those rolls a gentle reminder to "suck in! 4. Now for the heavenly part! Melt the stick of butter in a small bowl. Whisk in mustard, worsterchire, onion salt, and poppy seeds. Stir until combined and then spread over tops of the rolls. Be careful not to let any of the buttery goodness leak out of the pan, but instead pinch those cute little buns, so that it can run into the sides and bottoms of the rolls. I promise you'll thank me later for this. 5. Cover the rolls with some foil and bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes. Take off the foil and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the tops of the buns are slightly browned. DO YOU SMELL THAT? That this the smell of an award-winning dish, my friend. You will be invited back to every party, if for no other reason than the fact that YOU DELIVER DELICiOUSNESS. Wishing you kudos in the kitchen, McKinley |
McKinleyI am a lover of people, a child of God, and a laugher at jokes. I write words, cry tears and smile at strangers.
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