Surviving Christmas

These simple Christmas egg and cheese recipes will make creating a family breakfast simple, easy and nutritious. BUT!!! these aren't just breakfast dishes - in fact - most of them are great for other times of the day! Nothing here is difficult, but these dishes are filling and very tasty.

At our house, Christmas morning started Mom's one day off per year. After breakfast, she refused to cook again for the day, but there were always tons of things in the fridge so no one ever minded. Breakfast was simple, but always more than we could eat.

There would be a selection of coffee cakes, eggs and meat - that's it - fill up and warm the belly, get some energy, and off to enjoy the rest of the day!

Anytime Quiche
Quiche is one of those Christmas egg and cheese recipes that has been the butt of jokes, the mainstay of the pantry, and a great make-ahead meal for busy families. With the basic egg mixture, you can create endless variety.

This recipe is super-easy to double, triple, or even more. If you are doing more than one, and you intend to freeze any for later, simply bake until it is set, but not browned. Be sure to thaw to room temperature before baking the frozen one, and you will be just fine.

Another thing you can do is to freeze individual portions of fillings instead of entire quiches. This will save a lot of room in the freezer (especially if you make several at one time), and is simply a matter of thawing the filling, and baking the quiche.

Either way - quiche, with its endless variety and super simple creation, is a family friendly, fast and nutritious dinner all in one pan!

Christmas egg and cheese recipes like this are never boring. Spice it up, or pare it down - change the 'weightier' ingredients and have a ball!


Ingredients:  Pastry for 9-inch pie crust (I use Pet Ritz or Pillsbury)
2½ ounces thinly sliced deli ham, diced
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
4 large eggs
1¼ cups milk
1 cup light cream
Pinch of ground red pepper
Dash nutmeg
Sprinkle ham and cheese over pie crust.

Place eggs in medium-size bowl and beat lightly. Stir in milk, cream, red pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well and pour over cheese and ham.

Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes.

Variations:

Crab Quiche: Eliminate ham and substitute 2 cups crab meat.
Vegetable Quiche: Eliminate ham and substitute 2 cups chopped, cooked vegetables of your choice.
Bacon Quiche: Eliminate ham and substitute 12 slices crisp-cooked, finely crumbled bacon.
Spinach Quiche: Make the Bacon Quiche, but use 6 slices bacon, and 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen spinach.

You get the idea -



Broiled Egg Salad Sandwiches
A complete meal in a bun - what more could you ask?? When most people think of Christmas egg and cheese recipes, they think breakfast. You won't find any strictly breakfast foods on this page. I like eggs any time - and cheese is a better snack for me than even chocolate!


Ingredients:  8 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
3 tablespoons prepared yellow or Dijon mustard
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup green pepper, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon celery seeds
3 tablespoons onion, very finely chopped
3 sandwich buns rolls, toasted open-faced and buttered
2/3 cup evaporated milk
Dash of sage
Combine the eggs, cheddar, green pepper, onion, evaporated milk, mustard, salt, celery seeds, sage and pepper. Spread each bun with about ¼ cup of the egg mixture. Broil about 5 inches from the heat source until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.


Country Breakfast Casserole
Another of the Christmas egg and cheese recipes that makes a complete and wholesome meal! Everything is tossed in here, and it's served up just like those skillet breakfast plates at the local restaurant. Feel free to add to this - anything such as red or green peppers (even hot ones, if you wish!), bacon, mushrooms - use some imagination!

This is one of those wonderful dishes that you can just keep adding and adding to, and except for the size of the pan you are cooking in, there just are no limits!

Don't limit yourself - this is one of those hearty egg and cheese recipes that would be great any time of day!


Ingredients:  1 roll (12 ounces) sausage, or 1 package breakfast sausages
3 medium potatoes, cubed
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup water
½ cup milk

1 package country-style gravy mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch paprika

In a large skillet, cook crumbled (or sliced) sausage and cubed potatoes over medium heat until brown, stirring occasionally. Remove sausage and drain on paper towel.

Spread sausage and browned potatoes over bottom of a LIGHTLY GREASED 11x8 inch baking dish.

Whisk together eggs, water, milk and gravy mix. Pour over sausage and potatoes. Add salt, pepper and paprika, and mix into pan. Sprinkle cheese to cover top.

Bake at 325°, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Or, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake for 50 minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
 



Super Souped Up Deviled Eggs
I've rarely been to a holiday party where the hostess didn't serve up some deviled eggs - and I could eat them all just by myself! This is one of the best recipes I've found. It's here in the Christmas egg and cheese recipes section for now until I find a few more appetizers... Then I'll move them over to their own section.


Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs, boiled, peeled, halved lengthwise
4 heaping scoops of salad dressing
1 tablespoon +2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Pinch of paprika to garnish

Remove yolks and mash with the salad dressing.

In a small dish, blend vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Fold into the yolk mixture, add salt and pepper. Using a baggie with the corner snipped off, pipe the mixture into the egg halves and sprinkle with paprika.

 
Veggie Bake
This is a main-stay in the Christmas egg and cheese recipes I have at home. You can substitute eggplant, cooked sliced potatoes or even chopped spinach for the zucchini - let your family tastes decide! It is super fast and easy - and is a complete and healthy meal all by itself!

Veggie bake is great for dinner, but you can serve it just as well at breakfast time to make sure everyone has energy to spare for their busy day!

Ingredients:  1 cup zucchini, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup Bisquick or similar baking mix
 1 cup milk
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch ground black pepper

Layer zucchini, tomato, onion and cheese in a WELL-GREASED pie plate.

Stir remaining ingredients until blended and pour over vegetables.

Bake at 400° for about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Many Blessings
GrannySue