Iowa Farmer Today Article

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas over the weekend.

We got back late last night from southern Missouri after visiting our families and friends. It was a long holiday trip, but a much needed one. Spending time with our families during the holidays is what we look forward to the most. Presents are great, but it’s family time that makes your holiday memories.

When I arrived at work this morning a saw a copy of Iowa Farmer Today (Missouri Edition) on my desk. I was reading through the most recent edition and came across the interview I recently took part in with the paper for the Farm Cook section.

I got a call from the paper the beginning of December about my cooking blog and my recipes. McKenzie Keedy Disselhorst, the Director of Communications for the Missouri Cattlemen Association had submitted my name to the paper as a great cook. Thanks McKenzie!

Mindy Ward of IFT Missouri Edition came to visit me at my home on December 5th to take some photos and interview me about Home Cooking is What I Like. The article that Mindy wrote, "Cook archives family recipes" is very good. I thank her for bringing a simple story to life like she did.

Now to some recipes from some of my co-workers. I love quiche and I really enjoyed making Karla’s Quiche Lorraine. It’s a fairly simple recipe that can be prepared in a snap. I’ve also included a great pork chop recipe from Clarice that dresses up your traditional pork chop recipe.

Quiche Lorraine
by Karla Mantle

Pastry for a single-crust pie
Dash ground nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
6 slices bacon, fried crisp & crumbled
1½ C. milk
1½ C. shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. bacon drippings
1 med. onion, sliced

Prepare pastry for single-crust pie. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes more or until pastry is nearly done. Remove from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium heat until tender; drain. In a bowl stir together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Toss together shredded cheese and flour. Add bacon-onion mixture to Swiss cheese-flour mixture to egg mixture; mix well. Pour egg mixture into hot pastry shell.

Bake at 325 degree for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent over-browning. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Pork Chops Teriyaki
by Clarice Brown
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick
½ cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
¼ cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seed, toasted
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
½ cup finely chopped green onions and tops
Drain pineapple; reserve juice. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork chops on both sides in hot oil.

Combine reserved juice, Teriyaki sauce, ¼ cup water, garlic, sesame seed and ginger; pour over chops and simmer, covered 30 minutes. Turn chops over and continue cooking, covered 30 minutes longer, or until chops are tender. Remove.

Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water and stir in pan juices. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in pineapple chunks and green onions, cooking until pineapple is heated through. Return chops to pan and coat both sides with sauce.