Skinny Guinness & Irish Cheddar Crustless Quiche

February 18, 2015 Amanda Plott

When I was growing up, quiche was basically a staple in our house. My dad would usually go through the fridge and use up any leftover meats, cheeses and vegetables to make a hearty quiche which was typically served with soup or a salad of some sort.

Quiche is definitely a good way to use up leftovers.

I've always loved quiche. It's sort of like having breakfast or brunch for dinner in my opinion and generally when you think of quiche, you don't think healthy or low calorie by any means.

The quiche of my childhood always had the usual pie crust at the bottom, so when I started off cooking I tended to follow suit. A few years ago though, I stumbled upon the idea of a crustless quiche. ...Why not? The crust to me always just seemed like wasted calories anyway...

Healthified Home-Corned Beef

February 16, 2015 Amanda Plott

I've always been a bit intrigued with St. Patrick's day. Perhaps it's because I've got some Irish roots. It could also have something to do with some over zealous teachers when I was in elementary school making a big hub-ub about the holiday. I remember that we had a little Leprechaun visit our room, and all though none of us children saw him he managed to leave glitter and rainbows in his wake. As far as I remember he did some rather naughty things too. Turned desks upside down and even turned our milk green. Those mischievous and sneaky little Leprechauns!

When I started making corned beef a few years back, I began doing so with the pre-brined corned beef briskets that you can buy at the store. But, this year I wanted to try and do something a little different. I began to do some research into the matter and found that - YES, you can corn your own beef and that it is really easy to do!...

Crock Pot Blueberry & Banana Irish Oatmeal

July 16, 2014 Amanda Plott

A big heaping bowl of irish oatmeal for breakfast almost always hits the spot for me, but I haven't had any for quite a while now. I guess I have it in my mind that oatmeal isn't exactly a summer sort of breakfast, so I tend to brush it aside for these grueling few months of 100 degree weather.

However, oatmeal was a specific request on the part of my grandmother, and since it's getting down to her last few weeks here... I thought I would finally oblige!

I didn't want to make the same irish oatmeal that she had before when she was here last summer to visit. No, no. I wanted to try something a little different.

Blueberries and bananas anyone?...

Crock Pot Peaches & Cream Irish Oatmeal (Quicker)

April 29, 2014 Amanda Plott

I have really been in the mood for peaches lately. Perhaps I'm more ready for summer than I thought. In the summer, peaches have to be one of my most favorite things in the world to eat.

I couldn't be more happy about the city of Fredericksburg being right down the road from me. A lot of the locals from there will sell their homegrown peaches on the side of the roads here when peach season is upon us. It's heaven...

Healthified Irish Nachos

March 11, 2014 Amanda Plott

Irish nachos get their name from the fact that they are basically like any other traditional 'nacho' except that they are made by using potato rather than tortilla chips, and are often served in any pub along side a beer!

Of course, they are not generally the most healthy option that you can find. With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, I thought I would give this classic a healthy twist in honor of my Irish heritage...

Skinny Irish Car Bomb Brownies

February 26, 2014 Amanda Plott

Irish Car Bombs are a super tasty alcoholic drink that always makes it's appearance around St. Patrick's Day.

Don't know what an Irish Car Bomb is? Well, it's a fun little drink where you drop a shot of whiskey and irish cream into a Guinness beer and then quickly chug it down. You really have to chug it down before the cream curdles in the beer. Bleck! And you don't want that.

I always like to play around with combining drink recipes and dessert recipes. After all, what's more fun than cooking with alcohol? Not. Much...