-
Spinach & Cheese Quiche
Home made quiche is always a hit! Whether it is breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner… quiche is a great choice! Flaky crust and fluffy egg covered in melted cheese come together to make a comforting dish that will have everyone coming back for more.
I use homemade pie crust, as the crust is one of my favorite parts of the quiche but you can use a store bought crust for convenience. This recipe makes 2 quiche.
You will need:
- Prepared pie crust (home made or store bought)
- Baby Spinach (washed and dried)
- 1 dozen Eggs
- 3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3/4 Milk
- 1 Teaspoon of both Salt & Pepper
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar (or your favorite cheese)
Preheat oven to 375F.
Roll pie dough on a floured surface until roughly 14 inches in diameter and even thickness. Then wrap one edge of the dough around the rolling pin and transfer into a greased pie pan. Gently press dough into the bottom of the pan, and up the sides. Trim off excess crust that hangs over the edge and then use fingers to crimp edges. Do this for 2 pie crusts.
Poke holes all over the dough using a fork, then place pie weights onto the crust to prevent bubbling during the baking process. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
While crust is pre-baking work on creating the filling.
Whip eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper until completely mixed. I like to use my immersion blender for this. Once the crust is baked, layer baby spinach directly onto the crust and then pour the filling mixture over it- leaving about 1/2″ of space below the edge of the crust. Cover with a layer of cheese and place in oven.
Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set.
Let cool on a wire rack until cool enough to serve warm. Enjoy!
-
Simple & Rustic Whey Bread
Bread is a perfect use of leftover whey from cheese making. It creates a tender and moist bread with a perfect crust. This is a dense bread perfect for eating slathered with butter, or dipping into soup to soak up rich broth.
You can use warm water in place of the Whey, as I understand most people don’t have whey on hand. I always save it after making Farmer’s Cheese by pouring into glass jars and freezing, so its handy to defrost and use to make this bread. Whey provides the subtle flavor, additional nourishment and density that I love about this bread. Plus this recipe is so easy!
Ingredients:
- 6 cups Flour (your choice: All Purpose Flour, Spelt Flour, Sprouted Wheat Flour etc)
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons ground Salt
- 3 cups Warm Whey (or warm water)
Mix all ingredients until moist and place in an oiled bowl covered with a clean towel. Place in a warm area for 6- 8 hours until about tripled in size. I place mine near my wood burning stove in the Winter if the house is cold, or on a warm day I place on a sunny windowsill.
Once the dough has risen, dump onto a floured work surface. Fold it into itself 4 times, then cut in half and form into 2 even rounds. You may also place in loaf pans rather than form your own rounds, this will make a shape easier for Sandwich bread.
Place each round on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let rest while your oven heats up.
Preheat the oven to 425F. Then bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown
Allow to cool before slicing.
Enjoy with your favorite soups, stews, or to slice for sandwiches. I personally have a hard time keeping myself from constantly snacking on it slathered with butte or home rendered lard.
-
Canned Grapefruit
It doesn’t typically get very cold where we live, but last week we had a storm that brought snow and freezing temperatures. My friend has citrus trees that were laden with beautiful fruit. The day before the storm we stripped the trees of their bounty before it all would be ruined. We picked over 100 grapefruit alone! Which lead us to think… what do we do now? We can only drink so much Grapefruit juice! I have always LOVED eating Grapefruit since childhood, so we started canning the golden segments to eat at any time of year.
*This is a simple recipe and does not go into depth on required steps needed for canning safety. I will eventually create a “basics to canning” post to help beginners. In the meantime please do some research to ensure you understand water bath canning and that you have the appropriate tools and knowledge to process food safely.
Be sure to have your jars sanitizing and staying hot. I run them in my dishwasher on a sanitizing rinse as I am preparing the ingredients for canning. Then I remove them as I use them so they stay hot.
Begin by rinsing all grapefruit. Then remove membranes, white pith and seeds. Leaving just the flesh of the fruit. Set aside in a large bowl.
Next, prepare an extra light syrup by mixing 1 1/4 cups of sugar to 5 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. (This will make about 6 cups of syrup, you may need more or less depending on how much fruit you have, but it is handy to have extra in the fridge for recipes or to sweeten drinks). Stir to dissolve sugar. Once syrup is ready, leave on Medium heat and keep hot until use. I prefer an extra light syrup so it won’t overpower the grapefruit with sweetness. I am not a fan of overly “syrupy-sugary sweet” canned fruits, I prefer the natural taste and sugar to shine through.
Place segments into clean/sterile/hot jars. Leave at least 1″ of headspace as they do tend to float to the top during the canning process. Using a canning funnel slowly ladle hot syrup over the fruit in to the jars. (Be smart and use pot holders to protect your hands from burns.) Still leave about 1″ of headspace. Be sure to remove any air bubbles that may be present. Then take a clean damp towel, wipe the edge of the jar mouth so that the lids have a clean surface to adhere to. This will help prevent “false seals”. Immediately place a lid evenly onto jar. Screw on rings “finger tightness”, and place into boiling hot water bath canner.
Once the canner is at capacity (mine only fits 4 Quarts at a time), cover with lid and maintain a boil for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove each jar using jar tongs and place on a towel lined countertop where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours.
The next day you must test your seals. Remove the rings, and try to pry off the lid with your fingers. If it does not budge, you have a tight seal and it can be safely stored. If the lid budges or opens, it must be placed in the fridge and used within a week as it is not safe to keep at room temperature.
These jars of grapefruit are so beautiful on the shelf and will be a refreshing treat at anytime no matter the season. I plan on using them in desserts, fruit salad, cocktails, atop of yogurt, as well as eating them straight from the jar! Enjoy!
-
-
Oven Baked Pork Loin Chops
This is a very simple recipe to cook perfect Pork Loin chops. I prefer a chop cut out of a loin as it tends to be a more tender and juicier cut. (I suppose it technically is a loin steak rather than a chop but I am not concerned with formalities) You may purchase a whole pork loin for a reasonable price and cut chops to your desired thickness, or purchase them already cut. It is just personal preference.
I prefer to Oven bake if I need to feed a crowd, as it allows an entire batch to be done at once with even consistency. The meat comes out juicy and the tiny bit of fat on the outside crisps up and renders into the meat. Yum!
You will need:
- Pork Loin Chops (or steaks) cut into 1/2″ thickness
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Ground dried Sage
- Salt and Pepper
First, preheat oven to 375F.
Seasoned and ready for the oven Then season both sides with Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Sage, Salt and Pepper. Place on a greased rack over a baking sheet (I like to line my baking sheet with foil to catch the drippings).
Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 145F.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
I prefer a little gravy over mine (Because gravy makes EVERYTHING better), so I collect the pan drippings and place in a saucepan on medium heat. Add 3 Tablespoons Flour, and whisk until golden brown in color. Slowly add 2 cups of Broth and simmer until desired thickness. Be sure to whisk the whole time.
Serve with mashed potatoes or your favorite side dish. I always pull a jar of my Freezer Applesauce https://itsasavagelife.com/freezer-applesauce/ out to enjoy, as growing up we always had applesauce with Pork Chops. Nostalgia always gets the best of me.
-
Bacon Wrapped Elk Loin (Elk Backstrap)
The most coveted cut of meat in wild game is the “backstrap” which is more commonly known as the loin in other meat animals (pork, beef etc). This cut is typically the first muscle chain to be selected and held with such a high regard that most hunters will remove it and prepare for dinner the day of harvest, while letting all else wait. It is a muscle that runs along the spine, so it used less than other muscle groups, allowing it to remain tender.
One of my favorite ways to prepare backstrap is to marinade, wrap in bacon, and then grill on the Traeger grill. Any grill will work, I just prefer the added smoke and cooking consistency our Traeger provides. The marinade and bacon wrap both keep the lean meat moist as it is cooking to ensure a perfect result. Thanks to my Brother, we are blessed to currently have Elk meat in the freezer, but of course any type of loin will work for this recipe, cooking times and temperature will obviously vary based on type of meat.
Ingredients:
- Elk Loin (size of your choice)
- A good quality smoked Bacon (our favorite is our homemade: https://itsasavagelife.com/homemade-smoky-peppered-bacon/)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
First you’ll mix up the marinade: Combine soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and seasonings into a dish or bag and place loin inside. (I typically use a gallon zipper bag for marinating as it allows for easy clean up.) Let sit in the Fridge 4-8 hours to soak up the flavor.
Once you are ready to start cooking preheat your grill to 375F.
Remove the loin from marinade and gently dab with a paper towel to dry the exterior surface. This will help the bacon adhere to the loin.
Now, grab yourself a piece of bacon and start wrapping! Toothpicks are handy for holding the bacon ends in place, and I typically overlap end over end to create a continuous bacon cover. Once your loin is wrapped in a bacon “blanket”, season with fresh cracked black pepper and allow to sit until your grill has reached temperature.
Place your loin directly on to the grill. We use the internal temperature meat probes that came with our Traeger grill, it allows you to have a constant read on the temperature without opening the lid and losing precious heat. Grill for 30-40 minutes or internal temperature of 130F for Rare. But obviously cook for longer for your desired internal temperature. We love our meat to have a beautiful red center BUT not everyone feels the same. Please follow proper temperature guidelines for your desired “doneness”.
Now you must let it set and rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the juices to settle and stay inside the meat.
After the resting time, slice individual steaks. We like to cut “steaks” about 1 inch thick as it allows for adequate bacon per serving. MOST IMPORTANTLY please don’t forget to remove the toothpicks!
I also whipped up a balsamic reduction sauce to accompany it this time, but any gravy or sauce will be a nice addition, but not necessary.
Enjoy with your favorite sides and a glass of Red Wine or your favorite whiskey.
-
Slow Smoked “Reverse” Seared Prime Rib
I am completely serious when I say that we have MASTERED the perfect Prime Rib. We have tried many techniques over the years but this one took the cake! We took a technique we recently started using on steaks and applied it to a roast achieving perfection! The key is “dry aging” for 24 hours, slow smoking until desired internal temperature is reached, then QUICKLY searing in the oven. It has the perfect amount of smoked flavor without over powering the flavor of the meat and no off-putting burnt crust of seasoning that usually happens with home cooked Prime Rib.
The most important thing is to purchase a good grade of meat. You have to pick a Choice or Prime Grade if you want a good end result. (As a daughter of a Cattleman I could go on for days about this… but let’s save that for another day.) You may have your butcher cut the ribs off and tie them back on the roast for you (this ensures even cooking), but we choose to do it ourselves.
You will need:
- A Choice or Prime Grade Prime Rib Roast with ribs cut & tied
- Salt
- Pepper
The first step is done the day before cooking. Take the roast and set in a foiled lined pan (rib side down). Liberally apply salt to all exposed surfaces of the meat. Then place in the fridge uncovered and let rest for 18-24 hours. This is a quick way of “Dry-Aging” the meat, locking in moisture and flavor.
1 hour before cooking, take the roast out of Fridge and place on the counter
Turn on Smoker to “Smoke” setting, or lowest heat setting. Ideally 180F-200F. Once ready, place the pan on grill and smoke uncovered until at least 110F internally. We prefer a rare middle to our roast, so please go to a higher temperature if you would like Medium to Well done. It took our 7lb roast 5-6 hours on our Traeger Grill to reach 110F.
Once the meat has risen to desired temperature, preheat your oven to 500F. In between transferring from the smoker to oven, brush with melted butter and apply ground black pepper to exposed meat surfaces. You can also baste the meat with any drippings in the pan. Ours did not have any drippings until after the oven sear. Sear for 7-10 minutes depending on how crispy you want the “outside”. We went for 10 and it was perfect for us!
Now the hard part… Remove from Oven and allow to sit and rest uncovered 15-20 minutes. It will be the longest 15-20 minutes of your life!! It is almost torture smelling the meat and having to wait!
To carve, cut all strings and dispose. I always carve the meat off the ribs and set the bones aside for Bone Broth. Carve steaks to your desired thickness. Typically 1/2-1 inch is desired. Serve with Creamy Horseradish sauce, Au Jus, and your favorite side dishes.
And just from writing this now I’m craving Prime Rib again, we literally just finished the leftovers and I’m ready to cook up another! We enjoy the leftovers in: Homemade Beef Ramen, Prime Rib French Dip Sandwiches and Prime Rib Tacos!
My favorite sides are Creamed Spinach and Sweet Potatoes -
Best Ever Dinner Rolls
These gems are the traditional dinner roll of your dreams! The perfect texture and flavor. I typically make a batch and freeze the rolls we don’t eat right away for a later meal. They hold up well in the freezer, and reheat easily. This is my go-to item to take to big holiday gatherings! This recipe only needs to rise for about an hour so it does not take too long to have a batch hot out of the oven!
Ingredients:
- 10-11 cups of All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 2 1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Milk (Whole is the only milk I ever have, but you can try 2% if you have it)
- 1 Stick Butter (1/2 Cup) cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 Large Eggs
First, put a dough hook on your stand mixer. I assume you can hand mix these, but it would be quite the chore!! A Kitchen Aid stand mixer will save your arm muscles!
Place the milk, water and butter pieces in a microwave safe bowl and heat until warm. You want it warm enough to activate the yeast without burning them. Think of a nice warm bath for the little “yeasties”.
In the Mixer bowl stir together only 4 cups of flour (you’ll use the rest in a minute), salt, sugar, and yeast. Add in eggs then SLOWLY add the warm liquid mixture. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times as it mixes.
Once mixed, add 1 cup of flour at a time to the mix. Do this slowly as the mixer hook may try to kick some flour back out at you. As you add each cup of flour, the dough will grow and grow (mine almost outgrows my mixing bowl each time) so be careful. Once the dough is no longer “sticky” it is ready to knead (usually takes 10-11 cups of flour total).
Knead the dough for 10 minutes, either by hand or by continuing to use the dough hook on your mixer. Then place in a greased bowl, covered with a clean dish towel and let rise for 1 hour (or until doubled in size). A warm place will help it rise. I typically place near my wood stove and let the heat do the work!
Ready for the Oven! Once the dough has risen, using greased hands form into roll shapes. Keep in mind that they will at least double in size! My first batch I had formed way too big and they raised into giants during baking! Now I typically form them into the size of a golf ball, and they rise into a normal roll size. Place into a greased pan just touching each other.
Allow to rise once again for 1 hour.
Preheat Oven to 350F.
Brush the tops of each roll with a little melted butter (it creates the perfect golden color!). Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. When they are done, place the pan on a cooling rack and serve once they cooled.
All done and ready to be devoured! They store really well in the freezer in gallon freezer Zipock bags, just allow to defrost and then warm in the microwave or oven. They turn out great!
-
“Marry Me” Biscuits
I am a SUCKER for a good biscuit, BUT they must have the perfect melt in your mouth richness and flaky texture! Slathered with butter, topped with jam, honey or gravy… you can’t go wrong either way!
My husband is a biscuit snob! I’m pretty sure that one of the reasons Mr. Savage first fell for me was due to my biscuit making abilities!
Ladies, if you are looking for a marriage proposal, you better start making these biscuits!
Biscuits do NOT need to be daunting or scary! They are so easy to whip up as an addition to breakfast or dinner. We do not eat canned biscuits in this house. I see the novelty of it, but this recipe saves a step or two compared to others, so it does not take much time to have these on the table!
Butter Mountain in all its GLORY The trick is to grate the butter first, so be sure to have your butter very firm. I store my extra butter in the freezer, so I usually take the sticks out of the freezer and allow to sit on the counter for a bit to start to thaw. By the time I use them, they grate perfectly. Creating butter “flakes” allows it to easily be dispersed throughout the dough causing the biscuits to have nice flaky layers. It saves you the step of “cutting in the butter” which most traditional recipes require, making this recipe a little quicker to create.
Ingredients:
- 4 Cups All Purpose Flour (plus a little additional for dusting your work surface)
- 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cup Milk
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Preheat your oven to 450F.
In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. (I mix this recipe by hand, I feel that a electric mixer will “over” mix the dough resulting in a tough texture.)
Grate the hardened butter onto a plate. Then gently mix into your bowl of dry ingredients. Once the butter is evenly distributed, add the milk a little at a time, and stir until moist. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough will resemble pie crust dough. It should be moist but not wet!
Dump out onto a floured work surface. Using your hands form the dough into a thick rectangle shape. Fold the dough over onto itself 3 times. Then roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and fold it over onto itself again 3 times. Roll dough out to 3/4 inch thickness and using a biscuit cutter, cut out as many biscuits as possible. Be sure to place the cutter straight down and pull back up again without twisting.
Place biscuits on baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving about 1/4 inch space in between each other. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes until golden on top. Oven times may vary and I used the convection setting on mine, so check yours at 10 minutes to prevent overbaking.
Makes approximately 18 biscuits.
-
Kayaking is for the Dogs
Kayaking is one of my favorite activities. Living close to many bodies of water, we are lucky to be able to get often when the weather is nice. The best part of kayaking is that the dogs LOVE it! Once they see the boats and gear getting loaded up, they load themselves in the truck to ensure they don’t get left at home.
Once we get to the dock, they load right into the kayak and impatiently wait for us to “launch” on our adventure. Most of the time after the initial excitement of being on the water, they lay down and nap as I paddle around (it must be nice!).
They wear PFDs (Personal Floatation Device) for safety. Even though they can swim, accidents can happen and it is not worth the risk. The best part is the handle on the PDF! They will jump off to swim from time to time and the handle makes it so much easier to retrieve them back into the kayak. I can’t imagine trying to wrangle a water sodden creature in to the kayak without it!
Being able to get out on the water, paddle, fish, relax and enjoy nature with your best pals is a great form of therapy!
Stay tuned for future posts on kayaking with the dogs!
