Two Southern Dishes for Christmas

Today we’ll be celebrating an early Christmas with one of our daughters, her husband and my GRANDSONS!  I decided  it would be fun to have brunch together.  I had taken a Bacon and Cheddar Grits Quiche to our recent Church ladies’ fellowship, and after making it again, I was reminded that it was something my family loves.  The quiche will be the main star of our meal!  It’s pictured below.   

This recipe is amazingly delicious!  The crust is not pastry, but cheddar cheese grits.  Southern people love their grits and when you eat them fixed like this, you will, too!  Be warned, however – this recipe is easiest when started the day before.  I like to do steps 1-3 and refrigerate it overnight.  The next day you just mix the egg mixture and bake it for an hour or so. 

Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Grits Quiche

We will be sharing Christmas Eve with my parents, my sisters and their husbands.  My sweet sister is hosting us and we’re each contributing to the meal.  I am making a new dish – Pioneer Woman’s Twice Baked Potato Casserole.  I’m not 100% sure that Twice Bake Potatoes are purely southern, but all the butter, sour cream and cheese make it lean that direction!  I may lighten it up a bit, but I think it’s going be delicious and will travel well. All we’ll have to do is heat it up upon arrival!  It’s a great make-ahead dish!  Here’s the recipe ~

Pioneer Woman’s Twice Baked Potato Casserole 
Her recipe here serves 16.  I’ll be cutting this recipe in half

Ingredients

1 pound thin bacon

16 russet potatoes

6 tablespoons canola oil

4 sticks (1 pound) salted butter, plus more for buttering baking dish

2 cups sour cream

2 cups grated Cheddar or Jack (or a mix of both), plus more for topping

2 cups whole milk

4 teaspoons seasoned salt

6 green onions, sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook the bacon in a saute pan until crispy; let cool and then crumble.
3. Scrub the potatoes, then place them on baking sheets. Rub the potatoes with the canola oil and bake until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the potatoes and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
4. Slice the butter into pats and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon and sour cream. With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise and scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl. Tear up 3 of the skins and throw them in. Smash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and some salt and pepper and mix together well.
5. Butter a baking dish, and then spoon the mixture into the dish, top with more grated cheese and bake until warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes.

My dad’s birthday is on Christmas Eve, so I get to bring the birthday cake!  His favorite cake is German Chocolate.!  This recipe was a winner when I had my baking business. I’ll share the recipe with you next week.

In the meantime, I hope you’re baking up some yummy recipes for Christmas wherever and however you celebrate.  Remember, even if there are “oops!” moments in your food or plans, the focus is on Christ.  Keep Him center of your heart and your plans as you move forward this week.

Merry cooking and baking!