Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Onion
Preheat your oven to 450F…You will need 3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (about ½ inch cubes) and 1 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion.  Place the potatoes and onion in a bowl and drizzle with 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss all together.  Spread this mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until barely tender.  Cool the potatoes/onions.  Cook 6 slices of bacon very crisp and crumble.  You will need a 9¬-inch deep dish frozen pie crust, thawed.  
Reduce your oven temperature to 350F.  Line the bottom of the crust with half the potatoes/onion and crumbled bacon and cover with a layer of 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese and repeat ending with another 1 cup layer of Gruyere.  In another bowl whip up 4 eggs with 1 ½ cups and half and some chopped fresh herbs…thyme and Quichehalfrosemaryis perfect and ½ teaspoon salt and fresh cracked black pepper…Bake the quiche for 30 -40 minutes…or until set.  Let rest 15 minutes before serving.  This is an amazing meal with a salad and totally “kid friendly”!  Glam enough for a fancy brunch or a lovely little appetizer for a cocktail/wine party!

*****

Tomato Ricotta Tart

Preheat your oven to 450F and cooking spray a 9-inch pie dish.  Add to the bowl of your food processor: 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped, ¼ tsp. sea salt, ¼ tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper and pulse until well combined.  Combine ¼ cup olive oil and 3 tablespoons water and slowly add the flour mixture with the processor running.  The dough should be crumbly and barely come together.  Sprinkle into the bottom of the pie plate and with your fingers press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.  Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.  In a large bowl combine ¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese, one large slightly beaten egg, 2 cloves garlic minced, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil and 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese…mix well and pour into the prepared pie shell.  Seed and slice one pound of tomatoes and layer on top of the cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with another 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese.  Bake about 25 minutes or until set.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish each wedge with more chopped fresh basil! 

*****

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

These pancakes go together fast and are amazing!  In fact, think about coloring out of the box a little and serving than for a grand fall gourmet dessert!  In a large size mixing bowl…sift together:  1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon each…nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.  In another bowl mix together, very well:  1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 ¼ cups half and half, one beaten egg and 4 tablespoons melted butter.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the pumpkin mixture and once again mix well.  Allow this batter to rest 30 minutes.  Prepare the pancakes as you would any others.  Top with our Missouri Toasted Pecan Maple Syrup and huge dollops of real whipped cream. 

*****

Poached Eggs Bruschetta
You will need 4 slices French bread.  Poach 4 eggs.  Run the slices of bread under the broiler until slightly browned.  Butter the other side and repeat.  Layer 2 slices of cheese on top of the buttered side and run under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  Top each cheese melted piece of bread with a poached egg.  Spoon Widgeonwood Real Italian Tomato Bruschetta on top of each egg and serve at once.  This is a fabulous healthy breakfast and gourmet enough to serve at your fanciest brunch!  
*****

Breakfast Pies

These pies are something the kids will like and turn out “glam” enough for a fancy brunch…You don’t have to tell anyone what the crust is made from…First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then in a large skillet over med. high heat…Sauté ¾ pound breakfast sausage, ¼ cup minced sweet onion and ¼ cup minced sweet pepper. Cook until the sausage is nicely browned. Drain, crumble and set aside. You will need one 12-ounce package of refrigerator biscuit dough. Separate the dough…there is usually 10…flatten each biscuit and press into bottom and sides of 10 muffin cups. Divide the sausage mixture between the cups. In a bowl…beat 3 large eggs with 3 tbs. milk or cream, salt, and pepper to taste and divide between the cups…Sprinkle the tops with ½ cup shredded Colby/Jack cheese. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the filling is set! Top each pie with a spoon of our Fire Roasted Black Bean & Corn Salsa and a dollop of sour cream!

*****

Sally's Tomato Pie      serves four-six

Preheat your oven to 325F. You will need one 9-inch pie shell…slightly underbaked (frozen works just fine)! Peel and thinly slice 2-large Widgeonwood tomatoes…placing the slices on paper towels to drain off excess juice (for about an hour). Sauté in three tablespoons butter one large Widgeonwood Candy Onion, chopped…until browned and golden. In a small bowl combine one cup mayo with ½ cup grated cheese (I like a combo of half cheddar and half Romano), one clove garlic, minced and salt and pepper, to taste. Place a layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the pie crust. On top of the first layer of tomatoes, I lay in a layer of fresh basil leaves. Put in another layer of tomatoes and top with the onions. Finish layering in the tomatoes. Spread the top with the mayo mixture evenly over all. Bake for about 30 minutes or until set.  Lovely cut into small wedges for a wine tasting party, just saying!

*****​

Zucchini Pie         serves 4
This starts out on a real gourmet note…You will need a tube of those delightfully delicious Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Then you will unroll the dough and “smoosh” the dough into an ungreased pie plate/pan, forming a crust and leaving no holes. In a sauté pan…melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons EVOO and heat up…add ½ cup chopped sweet onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini. Frisk the veggies about in the skillet until tender. Add about 1/3 cup of chiffonade of fresh basil and parsley and salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl beat two eggs. To the beaten eggs add 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella and stir in the sautéed veggies. Pour all into the pie shell. Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes. (knife inserted in the center of the pie will come out clean) Serve at once, although it is equally divine at room temp. Cut into small little wedges it makes a lovely wine/cocktail appetizer/brunch!

*****

 

​