Sassy's Recipe Page

Old-Country Quiche

2 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup light cream
½ cup grated sharp cheese
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Salt, if desired
1 lightly baked 9-inch pie shell, firm but not brown

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a skillet, sauté the potatoes and onion in the butter until cooked and lightly browned, about 1 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Mix the eggs, cream, Gruyere, mustard, pepper and salt into the potato-onion mixture. Pour into the pre-baked pie shell. Bake in oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting. Serves 4 to 6.

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

1 lb packaged mozzarella
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 cup flavored bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Slice the mozzarella into flat wedges (it's easier to fry this way). Set up 3 bowls, one with flour, one with egg, one with the bread crumbs. Coat each piece of cheese first with flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, then throw immediately into the hot oil to fry (the coating doesn't turn out as well if you let it sit around inside its coating). Fry for a minute or two on each side until coating is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

Note: The difficult part of this is keeping the cheese from escaping the coating while it's frying. For best results, don't let the oil get too hot while frying, and try to keep the oil level at about 1/4 inch deep at all times during the process (i.e., do not deep fry).

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups water
1 pound pasteurized process cheese spread (like Velveeta)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup cornstarch mixed with 1 cup cold water

Steam broccoli until tender (can cook in microwave on high power, 6 minutes per pound). Place half-and-half and water in microwaveable dish. Add cheese (cut in pieces), salt and pepper. Heat until all the cheese is melted. Add broccoli. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into the cheese mixture in the double boiler, and heat over simmering water until soup thickens. Makes 10-1 cup servings.