Miracle Baby and Anything Tomatoes

Jasper says, "Yay, I'm going to be a big brother! But enough with the shirt, Mom."

If you don't know by now, B and I are expecting a baby in mid-September.  He/She is our miracle baby and certainly a blessing from above.  I won't get into all of the details from the past year when we first decided we were ready to take on the journey of parenthood but I will sum it up by saying that things have not been normal with this ole (young) gal since that time.  We were basically told that our chances of becoming pregnant on our own were slim to none.  I will conclude by telling you that things still weren't normal when our baby was conceived but our loving and gracious God intervened without us having to resort to medications or infertility treatments.  My prayer since February of last year was that God would allow me to one day become a mother and if it wasn't going to happen on my timeline, I asked that he would grant me an understanding and peace.  And most of all I prayed that I would stand strong in my faith, trusting in him always (that's tough sometimes, you know?).  A year later, God graciously fulfilled my desire; however, my prayer has not changed.  I realize now more than ever that all I can do is rely on my faith in our God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and loves me more than anyone. 

And speaking of timing, Baby Berryhill is due two weeks before B and I were to leave for the Cinque Terre, one of Italy's finest treasures.  This twelve-day trip was being planned as B and I decided that if a baby was not in our future then an extravagant trip should be and we had big plans to see the world.  Wow!  We look back and laugh, realizing that traveling would have been fantastic but how much more rewarding the journey of parenthood will be (and saved me from splurging on a Louis Vuitton backpack:) ). 

So what do tomatoes have to do with all of this?  Everything!  They've been the most pronounced craving thus far and I can't seem to eat enough.  I remember a distinct hormonal moment early on--I cried when I finished my Subway sandwich because the tomatoes were gone and I knew I couldn't get another one until the next day.  Pitiful.  I have already consumed enough salsa to fill a gallon jug.  When the tortilla chips are gone, I have been caught eating the remaining salsa by spoonfuls straight from the container.  Any salsa will do but Publix brand is by far the best.

Last night we had our dear friends, the Hayes', over for dinner.  They are expecting their second baby any day now and we really enjoyed a relaxing evening together, sharing a meal and catching up before life gets hectic again.  I prepared a chicken and grits dish, which included tomatoes, of course, and it seemed to be a big hit.  I made it several times last year but remembered how delicious it was as I stumbled upon it this week in my recipe binder.  It's so simple, all ingredients go into a slow-cooker and all you need to add is a green side dish and bread and you have a meal.  The recipe calls for boneless-skinless chicken thighs and although that's all I've ever used, I feel certain that breast meat will work just as well.  For our readers in Jefferson County, watch for sales at Ingles and IGA as they often have boneless/skinless thighs on sale.  They are usually more expensive than breasts if you pay full price.

Southern Slow Cooker Chicken and Grits
Adapted from Weight Watchers

1 3/4 cup chicken broth
6 Tbsp uncooked corn grits
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp jalapeno peppers, canned (can use less or more depending on desired heat)
1 medium sweet red pepper or yellow pepper, chopped
1 - 14.5 oz can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 tsp ground cumin seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks

Place broth in a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker.  Slowly add grits, stirring constantly, to avoid lumps; set slow cooker aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, jalapeno and red/yellow pepper; saute, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Add vegetables to slow cooker. Place tomatoes, cumin, salt and black pepper in slow cooker; stir to mix.  Add chicken thighs; cover and cook at medium setting for 5 to 6 hours. Yields approx. 4 servings.

Enjoy,

Marie

Cheese and Ham Quiche

Don't you just love a good ham? I mean, you stick it in the oven and let it bake for a while. Then you have the basis for a dozen different dishes. The only problem with that is you and your family will likely get very tired of ham before it is all used up.

Because I have a job, I depend on leftovers for meals. Thankfully, my family doesn't mind but they will only take so much of seeing the same thing set in front of them. That's when you have to get inventive and a little sneaky, if you will, so they won't feel like they are eating the same ham over and over again.

Cheese and ham quiche is just one of the ways I use leftover ham and it is one of my favorites. It can be served for breakfast, lunch, or supper by varying the sides served with it.  Add grits or hash browns when serving for breakfast. Steamed broccoli, asparagus, or green peas and fresh fruit or fruit salad steps it up to lunch or supper standards.

Start by shredding the cheeses and cubing the ham. I hear debates over shredding cheese yourself as opposed to buying it pre-shredded.  Hey, do what is convenient for you. In this recipe, it matters not.
You can even buy ham all ready cubed in  the grocery store if you don't have leftovers to use in this recipe.

I use a frozen, deep dish pie shell for this recipe because it is convenient and I usually have them on hand. Feel free to make your own pastry if you are into that. If using the frozen shell, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it will soften enough to prick the sides and bottom with a fork. The shell is prebaked for a few minutes and pricking helps prevent the crust from bubbling up.

Cubed ham, the cheeses, and minced oinion are sprinkled on the bottom of the crust. Pour egg and milk mixture over this. Ready for the oven !

Let the quiche cool for about 10 minutes so you will get a nice, pretty slice. Enjoy!

Cheese and Ham Quiche

  Adapted from Pillsbury "Simply from Scratch" Vol. 2

9-inch unbaked, deep dish frozen pie shell

1/2 cup cooked, cubed ham

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 eggs

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or 1 tablespoon instant minced onion

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 & 3/4 cups evaporated milk (a 12oz can of evaporated milk yields 1 & 1/2 cups..just add a little milk or half & half to make up the difference)

Heat oven to 425F. Prick sides and bottom of pie shell with a fork and bake for about 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325F. Sprinkle ham, cheeses, and minced onion into partially baked shell. In medium bowl, beat eggs until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over cheeses. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 to 10 minutes; cut into wedges to serve. Yield: 6 servings

*Nan's notes: Sometimes frozen pie shells need a little reshaping. Let the shell soften a few minutes at room temperature until it can be handled without breaking the crust. Recrimp the crust if necessary. Reshape the edges of the foil pan if they have been bent during shipping. The crust will be full after adding all the ingredients so taking these steps will prevent the mixture from over running the crust.

Just in case, place the quiche on a foil lined baking sheet before baking.

Happy cooking!

Nan