Mexican Quinoa Bowls

Recipe from kitchensimplicity.com.

Serves 4-6.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 1/4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, quartered
To serve: salsa, sour cream shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and guacamole

Add a small bit of oil to a medium-sized pot set over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeños; cook just until fragrant (about a minute). Add quinoa, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, and salt. Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed. 

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Spoon into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Anna's Impossible Quiche

Passed down from Dad's oldest sister, his isn't your typical quiche (just as she's not your typical aunt). The recipe doesn't have a crust, but includes Bisquick in with the eggs and milk instead. It's the only quiche I'd eaten until I moved out of the house, and is still my very favorite.

3 eggs

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup Bisquick

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

½ cup melted butter

½ cup diced ham or crisp bacon pieces

1 ½ - 2 cups grated cheese

Mushrooms

Chopped onion (yellow or green)

Chopped green pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat eggs, milk, Bisquick, salt, pepper, and butter with electric mixer. Pour into a greased 9”-10” pie pan. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the top of the egg mixtures, then press into mixture.

Bake 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Corny Chocolate Crunch

(Makes 5 quarts)

3 quarts popped popcorn (12 cups)

3 cups corn chex

3 cups broken corn chips (Fritos)

1 pkg butterscotch chips

¾ pound dark chocolate coating (I use chocolate chips)

Combine popcorn, cereal and corn chips; set aside.  In a saucepan over med-low heat, melt butterscotch chips and chocolate; stir until smooth.  Pour over popcorn mixture and toss to coat.  Spread into 2 greased 15 x 10 in baking sheets.  When cool enough to handle break into pieces.

Tomato and Bacon Spaghetti (Pasta All'Amatriciana)

from America's Test Kitchen

serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1/2 pound sliced bacon (or salt pork), cut into ~1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
16 ounces spaghetti
1/4 pound Pecorino Romano, shredded

Cook bacon on medium high heat with about 1/4 cup water in a skillet. The water will evaporate over time, but keep the pork moist. Keep cooking until bacon is crisp and most of the fat is rendered (about 5 minutes). Pull out pork with slotted spoon and set fat aside to cool.

Add tomato paste, wine, and red pepper flakes back to the skillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes with juice. Simmer for 12-16 minutes.

Bring water for pasta to boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook pasta until al dente (follow package instructions, but about 10 minutes). Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.

In a small mixing bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat over the shredded cheese and toss (this will help prevent clumping).

Combine spaghetti, crisp bacon, sauce, cheese, and about 1/3 cup pasta water (depends on how tight the sauce is). Top with a little more Pecorino Romano.