Cooking with Peggy

by Peggy Guntis

Hi everyone! You are reading this in the bloom of spring, but I’m writing it in the “bloom” of winter. It’s after all the holidays, well before we leave for McCarthy and deep into the time of year when Jim still wants to eat! I’m a little tired of cooking or, at the very least, can’t think of a single thing to cook. It’s times like these when I reach out to family and friends for recipes. For the next couple of issues, I’d like to share some of those with you.

A special part of my life was spent in Virginia where four of my dearest friends still live. Each time I visit, I gather a few more recipes to try during the “blah” times. Let me share a few with you.

A Crustless Ham Quiche from Becky Morris

½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 to 8 drops of hot sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup chopped, cooked ham

Saute mushroom in butter in a medium skillet until lightly browned; drain well, and set aside.

Combine next 7 ingredients in container of electric blender; process until well blended.

Combine egg mixture, mushrooms, cheese, and ham. Pour into a greased 10-inch quiche dish. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Quiche should be puffed and golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ham and Asparagus Casserole from Joan Ruck

10 oz. fresh asparagus - partly cooked
2 cups diced ham
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons green pepper
2 tablespoons onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 sliced hard-cooked eggs
½ cup milk
1 can mushroom soup
2 tablespoons melted butter and ½ cup dried bread crumbs

Layer - asparagus on bottom, next the ham through lemon juice, next the eggs, sauce (milk and soup) and next the buttered crumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Works well in a 1 ½ qt. Casserole.

Chicken Casserole from Trish Modisett

6 double boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons minced parsley
4 tablespoons slivered almonds
8 oz. of sour cream or yogurt
mushrooms

Put half of the chicken breasts in the bottom of a lightly buttered casserole. For the sauce, mix together the mushroom soup, the cream of chicken soup, wine, garlic and sour cream (or yogurt.)

Cover the breasts with half of the sauce, half of whatever amount of mushrooms you want to use and half of the parsley and almonds.

Repeat the layers ending with the parsley and almonds and bake (I cover it) for 1 hour to 1½ hours at 350 degrees or until the chicken is done.

Apple Pie Cake from Pat Buenneymeyer

2 cups sugar
1 ½ sticks of margarine
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup chopped nuts
4 cups chopped raw apples

Beat sugar, margarine and eggs until creamy. Then add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add nuts and apples and mix. Bake in sheet cake pan for 40-45 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Try these and enjoy. I’ve cooked very little beef over the last 5 or so years and Jim is desperately lacking. Any recipes to share? Just send them to Bonnie at WSEN and she will see that I get them. Happy eating!