No Empty Chairs

June 8, 2010 · 8:19 pm

Create-Your-Own-Quiche

At our house, quiche is a year round food. In the winter, I pair it with soup for a hearty meal, and in the summer it stands more on its own, usually accompanied by a fresh, crisp salad.

As a family of seven, we are a two-quiche dinner family. Which works out well for everyone, because I will make one “good” quiche, chock full of vegetables, and another “plain” quiche, a standard Quiche Lorraine, with just bacon and cheese. So whichever kids don’t like my vegetables of choice that day are made happy with the plain, boring variety.

Quiche is a great way to use fresh, seasonal vegetables, especially prolific summer garden veges. It is also a good way to use small amounts of leftovers (both veges and meat like chicken or ham).

The following quiche recipe is completely adaptable to whatever meat and vegetable you have on hand. The only real recipe alteration you need to watch for is the amount of cream you use. For low-moisture add-ins (like bacon, sausage, chicken, onions, asparagus, broccoli), 2 cups works well. For high-moisture items (ham that has not been sautéed, spinach, zucchini, tomatoes). reduce the amount of cream to 1 ½ cups or your quiche will not set correctly.

To keep the crust on my quiches (and pies!) from browning too quickly, I like to use pie crust shields over the edges. I have one commercial pie crust shield, but as I am always making two quiches at a time, for the second quiche, I make my own shield out of foil. I used to try using foil strips, but they always shifted when I tried to add additional strips, or move the pie in/out of the oven, causing me great frustration. So ….

How To . . . Make Your Own Pie Crust Shield Out of Foil

Set your pie plate, right side up, on a square of foil that is 2-3” larger than your pie plate.

Trace the bottom of your pie plate (the smaller side).

Set pie plate aside and cut out the inner circle.

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You can trim the corners on the outside edge, but I usually just leave them. Fill your pie crust, then set foil ring over the edge of the pie. Gently fold down outer edges, being careful not to squish all of that edge-crimping you worked so hard on!

Bake pie, or quiche, with the pie shield on. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, carefully remove shield. If the edges are not brown enough, leave shield off and bake until edges are golden brown. If the edges are browned, replace shield and continue cooking until quiche/pie is cooked through.

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RECIPE:

Create Your Own Quiche

Servings: 6
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Pastry crust for 9” pie plate
2 cups cream**
4 eggs
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Pinch of ground cayenne or Ancho chile pepper (optional)
1-2 cups chopped cooked meat (ham, bacon, chicken, sausage)
—–and/or vegetables (onions, green onions, peppers, spinach,
—–zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, etc)
½ cup fresh grated Parmesan (plus optional 2-3 Tbs for garnish)
1-1 ½ cups additional shredded cheese (Swiss, cheddar, Gruyere,
—–pepper-jack, feta, cream cheese-cubed, etc)

**NOTE: Use less cream (about 1 ½ cups) if meat/vegetables are very moist

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prepare pastry crust and place in 9” pie plate (deep dish, if possible).

In a medium bowl, mix cream, eggs, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).

Prepare meat and vegetable filling: chop and sauté meat and vegetables like onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms; lightly steam broccoli; green onions, asparagus, tomatoes, and spinach can be used raw, but frozen spinach should be thawed and drained to remove as much liquid as possible. Cool cooked vegetables slightly.

Combine meat, vegetables, Parmesan and additional cheeses in a mixing bowl. Spread evenly in pie crust. Pour cream/egg mixture over filling. Use a spatula or fork to remove any large air pockets.

If desired, cover the crust of the quiche with a pie shield. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to set at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving.

OPTIONAL: Sprinkle hot cooked quiche with 2-3 Tbs grated Parmesan as soon as it comes out of the oven.

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SPINACH QUICHE: I used about 1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon, 1 onion, sautéed, and 1 box of frozen spinach, drained and then squeezed to remove excess moisture. I used only 1 ½ cups cream and ½ cup each Swiss and sharp cheddar cheeses.

QUICHE LORRAINE: I used 1 ½ cups cooked, crumbled bacon and 1 onion, sautéed. I used 2 cups of cream and 1 ½ cups Swiss cheese.

PUMPKIN QUICHE: See recipe here

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Best Ever Cheddar and Herb Drop Biscuits

Looking for a great bread to serve with dinner? But no time for yeast and rising bread? Hate to roll out biscuit dough?

These biscuits are super fast, easy, and taste better than any biscuits I have ever tried. They can be on the table in just about 20 minutes, from start to finish.

I am not usually a fan of biscuits. They tend to be dry and flavorless. And rolling out biscuit dough never seems worth the effort. Not so with these flavorful drop biscuits! Full of cheese and garlic flavor, with a slight tanginess from the buttermilk or kefir (I am definitely a kefir fan!) Brushed with additional melted butter/garlic/herbs at the end, they are not your average hockey-puck biscuits.

Great served with pasta (in place of garlic bread) or with a nice Sunday roast. In fact, I would have a hard time coming up with meals they would not be great with.

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RECIPE:

Cheddar and Herb Drop Biscuits

Servings: 12-18
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2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup** buttermilk or kefir (I used 1 cup + 2 Tbs kefir)

3 Tbs melted butter
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
¼ tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease or line a large baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender, or two forks, to cut in butter until dough forms small pea-sized crumbs. Stir in shredded cheese. Mix in buttermilk or kefir just until moist. **Add an additional 1-2 Tbs buttermilk or kefir if biscuit dough is overly dry (dry spots here and there are fine, but the dough should hold together, and not still be crumbly).

Use two spoons or a cookie dough scoop to drop the biscuits onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and golden.

While the biscuits are baking, in a small bowl combine melted butter, parsley flakes, and garlic powder. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the hot biscuits with the melted butter mixture. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12-18 biscuits

NOTE: If you don’t have buttermilk or kefir, you can substitute sour milk: Place 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup. Add milk to 1 Cup line. Stir. Let sit for about 5 minutes before using.

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Cheese Stuffed Peppers and Pasta Shells

I love stuffed vegetables—squash, peppers, tomatoes—but my kids usually turn up their noses at such things. This recipe is easily adaptable for all of our tastes, pasta shells for the kids and vegetable shells for those of us who actually enjoy food with a little color.

One of my peppers was wobbly, so I cut a thin slice out of the bottom (being careful not to create a hole in the bottom of the pepper) to help keep the pepper level in the baking dish.

This filling is a standard ricotta manicotti filling, thick and cheesy, but I also love it mixed with spinach or other sautéed vegetables.

Stuff your peppers or pasta shells with the cheese mixture and place in a baking dish.

Top with sauce– a jarred marinara sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce works great—and bake, covered, for about 45 minutes at 350°F.

After it is cooked through, I like to top it with a little extra cheese and pop it back in the oven for about 5 minutes.

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Serve with a tossed salad and crusty garlic bread!

RECIPE:

Cheese Stuffed Peppers or Pasta Shells (or Manicotti)

Servings: 6-8
Print

3 whole red or green peppers OR
——½ box jumbo shells or manicotti noodles, cooked
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
½ cup fresh grated Parmesan
2 eggs
1 tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 jar marinara sauce (or about 2-3 cups homemade sauce)
Additional grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F

If using peppers, cut peppers in half and remove seeds.

Combine cheeses, eggs, and seasonings. Stuff peppers (or cooked pasta shells/manicotti noodles) with cheese mixture. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place stuffed peppers/shells/manicotti in pan. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the filled peppers or shells.

Bake, covered, at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired, and bake 5-10 minutes longer.

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ALTERNATE PREPARATION: Add well-drained chopped spinach and/or other sautéed vegetables (mushrooms, onions, zucchini/squash, eggplant) to cheese mixture; stuff and bake as directed.

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2 Comments

Filed under Main Dishes

Tagged as baked pasta, cheese, low carb, manicotti, pasta, stuffed peppers, stuffed shells

May 27, 2010 · 10:22 am

Turning Teen and Three Chocolate & Peanut Butter Creations

Last week was my Middle K’s 13th birthday! While she is technically the “middle child”, she is in the unique position to play, as it suits her, the role of oldest, middle or youngest child.

In terms of birth order, you can’t get much more middle than our Middle K. The third of five children, with both a younger and older brother, and a younger and older sister. But as there is a five-year age gap between Middle K and Little A, she spent a fair amount of time as the “baby” of the family. This age gap often divides our family when it comes to activities: the “big kids” and the “little kids” (think amusement parks here). So in these settings, she fills that youngest child role. But at home, she has really stepped into the “oldest child” role with respect to the little ones. She is the one they come to when they want to play, and she is often the one to help them and put them to bed when Brian and I are out.

I guess it is in her adaptability that her strength as a middle child really shines. What a blessing to our family.

If only she would look at a camera willingly!

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Middle K loves to cook, as long as it is something sweet, and she has been on a real chocolate and peanut butter kick lately. Here are some of her most recent endeavors:

Peanutty Buckeye Bars

Peanut Butter Heart Kisses

These Hershey’s Bliss chocolates make a great alternative to traditional Kisses.

Some of the peanut butter cookies were left “heartless”, for our chocolate-adverse Little A.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes

(Traditional Buckeyes will have some of the peanut butter middle showing at the top like an “eye”, but Middle K was in this for speed and volume, not appearance)

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RECIPES:

Peanutty Buckeye Bars

Servings: 18-24
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1 (19.5-oz) package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13” baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Stir in peanuts.

Remove about one-third of the brownie batter and set aside. Spread the remaining two-thirds of the brownie batter evenly into prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie mixture in pan. Separate the remaining brownie mixture into pieces, flatten them with your fingers (you want them to be pretty thin), and lay them on top of the peanut butter layer. Do not completely cover the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes 18-24 bars.

From Better Homes and Gardens

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Peanut Butter Heart Kisses

Servings: 3 dozen
Print

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½ cup butter
½ cup coconut oil or additional butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Hershey’s Bliss Chocolate Hearts (or Dove Hearts or other “shaped” chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter, coconut oil (if using), peanut butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Add dry ingredients. Roll dough into balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Immediately press 1 chocolate heart into each cookie; cool on a wire rack.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Servings: 3-4 dozen
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1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
½ cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet or bittersweet)
2 Tbs shortening

In a large bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. (This will be a stiff dough; hands work best for mixing)

Shape dough into balls. (If the dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate for about 20 minutes before rolling into balls) Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet or cutting board. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and shortening. Alternately, melt chocolate and shortening in the microwave (for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time).

Use a toothpick to dip balls into warm, melted chocolate. Leave an “eye” shape at the top by not completely dipping peanut butter ball. Return coated balls to the waxed paper lined pan.

Refrigerate to set.

Makes 3-4 dozen

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1 Comment

Filed under Cookies, Desserts, Uncategorized

Tagged as birthdays, buckeye, chocolate, Cookies, heart kisses, Hersheys Bilss, peanut butter, Valentines day

May 18, 2010 · 11:29 am

Chewy Granola Bars

Homemade chewy granola bars: A fraction of the cost of store-bought bars, and so much tastier! Not to mention healthier. I never mention that part to my kids.

I used a combination of oats, almonds, pecans, Rice Krispies (to make them a little less dense), sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, raisins, and dried cranberries.

I like to toast the oats and raw chopped nuts before mixing with the other ingredients.

I use kind of a “shortcut” step when making these. Instead of cooking a syrup to bind the bars, I use a can of sweetened condensed milk. Doesn’t everything taste better with a little sweet milk mixed in?

To avoid sticking: Spray the back side of a spatula with non-stick spray and use it to press granola bar mixture into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You could also just spray your hands and use them to press the mixture into the pan.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until top just begins to brown.

Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, and then use parchment paper to lift cooked bars out of the pan.

Cut into bars or squares.

Be sure to save all of the “crumbs” after you cut the bars. These are great over a bowl of yogurt!

RECIPE:

Chewy Granola Bars

Servings: 40
Print

4 cups rolled oats
4 cups additional items:
Chopped nuts Sesame seeds
Dried fruit Flax seeds
Sunflower seeds Wheat germ
Rice Krispies Chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt (if using unsalted nuts; omit if using salted nuts)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs honey or molasses
¼ cup melted coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread oats evenly on a rimmed baking sheet (about jellyroll size, 10×15”). Toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Place toasted oats in a large mixing bowl. If nuts/seeds are raw (not roasted), toast them on the same baking sheet for 7-10 minutes. Add to mixing bowl with oats.

Stir in additional dry granola items, cinnamon and salt; mix lightly. Pour sweet milk, maple syrup, honey or molasses, and coconut oil over granola mixture. Mix well.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper, letting it overlap the sides. Spray the back side of a spatula with non-stick spray and use to press granola bar mixture into lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until top begins to brown.

Cool. Lift parchment paper (and granola bars) out of baking sheet. Cut into bars. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container. Cut granola bars can also be frozen in Ziploc bags.

To make crunchy granola bars: Divide mixture into 2 pans (creating thinner bars). Bake until nicely browned. Cut before completely cool. (Don’t use dried fruit or Rice Krispies)

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NOTE:
I doubled this recipe and made them in a large 15×21” pan and got about 80 granola bars.

These are the proportions of dried items that I used (double all of the additional ingredients in recipe):
8 cups oats
2 cups chopped almonds
2 cups chopped pecans
2 ¼ cups Rice Krispies
1 cup dried cranberries and raisins
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds

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4 Comments

Filed under Breakfast/Brunch

Tagged as chewy, granola bars, homemade

May 14, 2010 · 8:16 am

Japanese Tonkatsu

Having lived in Tokyo for several years, Japanese dishes make a frequent appearance on our table. A simple meal, but also a kids’ favorite, is Tonkatsu, a breaded pork cutlet served with rice and thinly shredded cabbage, all topped with tonkatsu sauce.

You do need two “special” ingredients to make Tonkatsu: Panko Breadcrumbs and Tonkatsu Sauce (often referred to as “Bulldog Sauce”, as they are one of the main manufacturers of the sauce). Tonkatsu sauce is sweet and tangy. It has also become the favorite dipping sauce of anything breaded (like chicken strips) around here.

Panko breadcrumbs are available in most grocery stores, but I have only found Tonkatsu sauce at an Asian market or online. I like Asian Food Grocer for many of the hard to find things we like.

If you are not afraid of a little hot oil, Tonkatsu is easy to prepare, and doesn’t really require a recipe. Season some flour with salt and pepper, then dip your pork cutlets in the flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in panko breadcrumbs.

I like to use thinly sliced boneless pork loin chops. You could also use thinly pounded chicken breasts.

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Heat about 1-inch of oil (peanut is my favorite frying oil, but any mild flavored oil will work) in a skillet. Cook cutlets until nicely browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Tonkatsu is usually served sliced into strips (easier for eating with chopsticks) with rice and thinly shredded green cabbage. Drizzle with the Tonkatsu sauce and enjoy!

RECIPE:

Japanese Tonkatsu

Thinly sliced pork cutlets*
Flour
Salt and pepper
Beaten egg
Panko breadcrumbs
Cooking oil (peanut or other mild oil)
Hot cooked rice
Thinly shredded green cabbage
Tonkatsu sauce

Pat pork cutlets dry with a paper towel.

Season flour with a small amount of salt and pepper and place in a small bowl. Put beaten egg and breadcrumbs in two additional bowls.

Dip pork cutlets (on both sides) in the flour, then egg, then the breadcrumbs.

Heat about 1-inch of oil in a skillet until hot. You can check the temperature of the oil, by placing the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If it sizzles, it is hot enough to cook.

Cook the cutlets, a few at a time, in the hot oil, turning once, until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. If you cooking more than one batch of cutlets, keep cooked tonkatsu warm in a warm oven while cooking remaining batches.

Cut into strips and serve with rice, shredded raw cabbage and Tonkatsu sauce.

*Also good with thinly pounded chicken breasts

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