3 for 1

I have mentioned this before, but I especially love when recipes compliment each other and I can use up one purchase to make a variety of different things. This week was the perfect example: I bought a quart of half-and-half at Aldi and used it to make 3 really yummy, different things.


The first was a Southern Living recipe for Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder. This was delicious and made a ton! This is a great fall recipe and the magazine says that it freezes well.

Photo Credit: Iain Bagwell, Southern Living

Since I had leftover hash browns and half-and-half from making the soup, I was excited to find a Paula Dean Hash Brown quiche recipe. The hash brown crust was delicious and filling.


I love a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. They are sooo good! I was pumped to find a recipe for homemade pumpkin creamer. BINGO- another use for the half-and-half in the fridge.


I highly recommend all these recipes...so get some half-and-half and get cookin'!

Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder
Source: Southern Living Magazine

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 poblano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 (20-oz.) package refrigerated Southwestern-style hash brown potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (14-oz.) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup freshly shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (12-oz.) package fresh broccoli florets
• Sautéed chopped ham

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add bell pepper and next 3 ingredients, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes and cumin, and sauté 5 minutes or until browned and tender. Gradually stir in broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.

2. Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients. Stir into potato mixture, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low.

3. Add cheeses, and cook, stirring constantly, until cheeses melt and mixture is thoroughly heated.

4. Place broccoli in a 1-qt. microwave-safe glass bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; fold back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at HIGH 3 to 4 1/2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender, stirring after 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Stir hot broccoli into chowder. Top each serving with sauteed chopped ham.

Hash Brown Quiche
Adapted from Paula Dean

• 1/2 package refrigerated hash browns
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
  
• 1/2 cup diced onion
  
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss the hash browns with melted butter and then press into a pie plate. Bake 20 minutes, or until crisp.

Meanwhile, saute onion and mushrooms in olive oil.

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, half-and-half and cheese.

When the hash brown crust is ready, top it with ham and veggies and then pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top and puffed.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Source: AccidentalMommies.com

• 1 cup half-and-half
  
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 2 T sugar (more or less to taste)
  
• 1 T vanilla
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Heat half & half, pumpkin and sugar over medium heat until bubbling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk vanilla and spices into warm mixture until well blended. Cool and serve.