Southwest Ham And Cheese Food

PAIGE'S QUICHE

Steps:

• Set a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the butter. Fry the onions in the skillet, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add the red and green bell peppers and continue to cook until the onions are deep golden brown, at least another 5 to 10 minutes (maybe longer). Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and press it into a large, fluted, deep tart pan (or a deep-dish pie pan).
• Whip the cream, eggs and some salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the cheese, ham and onion-pepper mixture. Pour into the pie crust.
• Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. (The quiche will still seem slightly loose, but will continue to set once removed from the oven.) Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.
• If using a tart pan, remove the quiche from the pan. Cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife and serve!
• In a large bowl, gradually work the shortening and butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse meal, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add the cold water, white vinegar and salt. Stir together gently until the ingredients are incorporated.
• Separate the dough into 2 pieces and place each piece into a large ziptop bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough into a disc (about 1/2 inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. If you will be using the dough immediately, it's still a good idea to put it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill.
• The dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap for storage; it will keep up to a week in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.

WESTERN OMELETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat together 3 of the eggs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small non-stick skillet, with tight-fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook, covered, without stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ham and scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until hot, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Melt a nut-sized piece of the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add 1/4 of the pepper mixture. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until just cooked, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and, using the rubber spatula, smooth over the top of the omelette so that it evenly covers the inside of the skillet. If using the cheese, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons over the omelette. Let rest for 30 seconds until the omelette has set.
• Using the rubber spatula, fold the omelette in half, and transfer to a warmed plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 omelettes in all.

SOUTHWEST HAM AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Place 1 slice ham on each of 3 tortillas.
• Top each with cheese, another slice of ham and a tortilla.
• Heat 2 T of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot.
• Cook 1 sandwich in oil, turning once, until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
• Cut into 4 wedges.
• Repeat with remaining oil and sandwiches.

SASSY HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, chives and thyme. Mix until well combined and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, onions, Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside in a warm spot to keep the butter from solidifying.
• Cut all 12 rolls in half. Place the roll bottoms in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Place equal amounts of ham (about 3 slices) on each roll. Top with the gruyere. Spread a generous amount of the chive and cream cheese on the roll tops. Place the tops on top of each sandwich bottom.
• Pour the butter mixture over the top of the sandwiches. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to toast the buns.

CHRISTY'S AWESOME HOT HAM AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Spread one side of each slice of bread with 1 teaspoon butter. Place one slice, butter-side down in the hot skillet. Top with Swiss cheese and ham. Spread the unbuttered side of the second slice of bread with mayonnaise and mustard; place it, butter-side up on top of the sandwich. Cook until the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side.

HAM & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the gammon, skin-side up, in a deep roasting tin, then pour over 1 litre water. Scatter over the peppercorns, onion, carrots and bay leaves, then cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 hrs.
• While the ham is in the oven, cook the cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 mins until just cooked, then drain well. Leave to steam-dry in the colander.
• Remove the ham from the oven, take off the foil and set aside on a large dish or board until cool enough to handle. Strain the liquid into a jug and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut away the string and skin to leave a thin, even layer of fat. Use the tip of the knife to score the ham fat into a diamond pattern, if you like.
• To make the cheese sauce for the cauliflower, melt the butter in a shallow saucepan and stir in the flour to make a sandy paste. Slowly pour in 500ml of the reserved ham stock to make a silky sauce, then add the cream. Season with a grating of nutmeg and a grinding pepper, then taste to see if it needs more salt. Bring to a simmer and stir gently for 5 mins, then take off the heat and stir through all the cauliflower and most of the cheese. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Spoon the cauliflower cheese into a large roasting tin and bake for 20 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the cauliflower is tender.
• Heat the grill to medium, and nestle the ham, fat-side up, in the middle of the cauliflower cheese. To glaze, brush the ham fat with the mustard, then scatter over the sugar (don't worry if some goes on the cauliflower). Scatter over the remaining cheese (avoid getting any on the ham) and grill for 10-15 mins until the ham is glossy and browned and the cauliflower cheese is bubbling and golden. Leave to rest for 5 mins before serving.

WESTERN OMELET

Steps:

• Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and green onions; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ham until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Set filling mixture aside in a small bowl and keep warm.
• Beat eggs together in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon butter; heat until foaming. Pour in eggs and cook for 30 seconds. Lift the edges of the omelet so that the uncooked egg runs under the cooked edges and comes into contact with the hot skillet. Shake and tilt the skillet to move the uncooked egg. Repeat until the top is set but still moist and soft, about 2 minutes.
• Spread the filling over one side of the omelet. Fold the other half over the filling and slide omelet onto a plate.