Crustless Zucchini and Basil Mini-Quiches
I made these mini quiche for the first time for Eli's baptism party last fall. Church started at 9am and we were heading back to our house immediately afterwards to start a celebratory brunch. Everything I made had to be prepared ahead of time and ready to pop in the oven as soon as we got home. These mini quiche were absolutely perfect for those requirements. I was able to make, bake and freeze them ahead of time, and just pop them in the oven from the freezer. On top of that, they were delicious and made the whole kitchen smell amazing! I keep a few in the freezer for a quick breakfast, made some for Thanksgiving, and will be making them for an engagement brunch I am hosting next weekend. In other words, they are the perfect party addition.
Crustless Zucchini and Basil Mini-Quiches
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Oil or cooking spray, for the pan
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 small zucchini, grated
1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisking steadily, slowly pour in 1/2 cup of the milk, mixing until quite smooth. Whisk in the whole eggs and egg yolks, mixing again until smooth. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk, the cream, salt, and nutmeg. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to one day. If using the next day, be sure to re-whisk.
In a nonstick pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add grated zucchini, and stir until just softened, another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Oil mini muffin tins well. Put a pinch grated cheese into each muffin cup, a teaspoon of zucchini mixture, and pinch of chopped fresh basil. Pour 1 tablespoon of the batter into each muffin cup.
Bake until the quiches puff and start to turn golden, 15-18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and then carefully run a paring knife around the rim of each muffin cup. Carefully lift each quiche out of its cup.
If freezing, let cool, then flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. After this time, place quiches in a covered container. Reheat on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes.
Pumpkin Chili
Hello, there! I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving full of family and mashed potatoes thankfulness. Justin's mom sent us home with enough turkey to feed an army us for weeks, so I whipped up this chili as a new take on the turkey leftovers. Never mind that it is supposed to be 70 today.... (does anybody feel like it's hard to get in the spirit with this spring-like weather?) This chili was a great way to use up those t-day leftovers!
Pumpkin Chili
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2-3 cups cooked turkey, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can red kidney beans
2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (at least 3 good shakes)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in turkey, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and cayenne. Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Stir in fresh cilantro (if using). Serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Source: adapted from Serious Eats
Slow-Cooked Broccoli Pasta with Crunchy Lemon Breadcrumbs
Some variation of pasta with broccoli is usually our fall-back meal. You know, the meal you make when you a) are missing an ingredient for the meal you had planned to make, b) you are tired after a long day of work, or c) don't feel like cooking and it's this or calling the neighborhood pizza place. I am a creature of habit and could eat the same thing every day, but Justin likes a little variety.
When I saw this recipe, I was intrigued by slow-cooking the broccoli, as well as putting breadcrumbs on pasta. I didn't think I would like the crunchiness on top, but it is now my new favorite pasta topper. The rough texture and crunchiness is the perfect compliment to the soft pasta. While this isn't exactly in the "just as fast as ordering pizza" category, it's just as easy and you won't feel guilty for having dessert afterwards!
Slow-Cooked Broccoli Pasta with Crunchy Lemon Breadcrumbs
1 1/2 lbs broccoli
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
Salt
2-3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups fresh, roughly textured breadcrumbs (made from stale bread)
Red pepper flakes (optional)
1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups small pasta (I used penne)
Break down your broccoli as follows: cut the thick stems from the florets, peel and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Break the florets into pieces. If the garlic cloves are small (the size of an almond) leave them whole. Cut larger cloves into halves or quarters.
Pour 1/3 cup of olive oil into a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add the broccoli, garlic and a pinch of salt. Add about 2 or 3 Tbsp. of water and put on the lid. Place over a medium low flame and cook until you can hear the liquids starting to simmer (about 10 minutes.) (It's fine to peek in the pot to see how things are going.) Turn the flame down as low as possible and continue cooking until the broccoli is limp and completely soft, about another hour. Turn off the heat but keep the lid on your pot.
In a large frying pan, heat up the oil and butter and add the breadcrumbs (and optional red pepper flakes) and sauté until the crumbs begin to brown. Add a small pinch of the salt and turn off the heat. Using a microplane or a fine grater, carefully grate just the peel from the lemon and toss in with the crumbs.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package direction until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Remove the broccoli from the pan with tongs until the only thing left in the pot are the cooking liquid and the garlic cloves (which will be quite soft.) Smash the cloves against the sides of the pot and mix them into the liquid and pour it over the broccoli. Toss the pasta, the broccoli and juices together and sprinkle on the breadcrumbs.
Source: adapted from the kitchn
Baby Food Antics: Butternut Squash
I'm so happy to be blogging again! I thought I would get started with the first installment of baby food. Don't worry, I'll be back on Wednesday with something for us adults. (Here's a hint... it starts with pumpkin and ends with snickerdoodles... Try not to drool too much until then.)
When Eli was six months old, I decided I not only wanted to make all of Eli's baby food, but I also wanted to go organic. I had always shied away from organic foods thinking, "Well, we just don't have the extra money to spend on organic food." I was very surprised to see that organic food isn't always more expensive. In fact, at our grocery store organic potatoes, apples and avocados are the same price as the regular produce! Justin and I have not transitioned to 100% organic eaters, but I have been trying to stick to the dirty dozen as a general guideline to start.
I was a little nervous about making all of Eli's solid food, but making baby food has been significantly easier than I expected. I generally make a big batch on Thursday evenings, and then freeze most of it in ice cube trays. After the puree is frozen, I pop the cubes into freezer bags to store them. This makes it easy to thaw overnight in the fridge, or pop into the microwave if we are in a hurry. If you decide you want to start making baby food, don't feel like you have to go out and buy special equipment, as you probably have everything you need already. I use a jelly roll pan for roasting, a stock pot with a steamer insert for steaming, an immersion blender, and ice cube trays. That's it!
One of the things I love most about making my own baby food is that I can already make something for both Eli and us. I don't want to eat pureed peas, but if it's a vegetable I'm roasting, like this butternut squash, I can roast and puree for Eli, and save a little for Justin and I. We like to use the squash for some of Mrs. W's Butternut Squash Pasta. Give this a try for you and your little one!
Butternut Squash Recipe
Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes
Because of the recent east coast heat wave (90s and humid, ugh), I have been doing my best to avoid cooking using the oven. We had some leftover artichoke hearts in the fridge, so this recipe was perfect using pantry staples. It was a light cream-based pasta that was perfect for a weeknight meal.
Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) artichoke Hearts, drained
1 can (14.5 Oz.) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup heavy cream
½ cups chicken broth (more as needed)
½ tsp. nutmeg
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 pound thin spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or other herbs), chopped
Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes, and stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package direction until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Reduce heat on your artichoke mixture to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.
Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan, then pour sauce over the top. Add parsley, and toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of additional chicken broth if sauce seems too thick.
Fresh Tomato Tart with a Basil Garlic Crust
I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this tart is. We all know anything with garlic, cheese and tomatoes is going to be incredible, but really. I'm not joking. This was transcendent. (Credit goes to Mrs. W for use of that word.)
This was my first attempt at baking a tart, so please forgive my uneven, not-so-pretty crust. The dough was very easy to prepare (and can be made in advance), and it's basically cheese, basil and tomatoes for the topping. I have also tried this recipe with parsley (instead of basil), and it was equally delicious. I served this at my Ladies' Luncheon and everyone raved over it. If you only try one recipe from my blog (although I hope you try more!), please give this one a try. (Do I sound desperate for you to try this? I think I am a little. It's too good to keep to myself.)
8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella
1 large, ripe tomato, cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh minced basil
3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the dough, and press it into a tart pan with removable bottom. Line the bottom of the tart pan with the sliced mozzarella, then arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese. Top with salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with basil.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or until dough is golden brown and cheese is bubbly and browned in spots. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours).
Basil-Garlic Crust
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 tablespoons ice water
Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Add flour and salt, and mix to combine. Add butter, and beat until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, blend the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Mix until dough forms into a ball, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.) On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Source: adapted from Pink Parsley
Baked Potato Soup
With all of the snow we have getting on the East Coast, we needed something to warm us up. Since you are well aware of my love for potatoes, baked potato soup sounded like heaven in a bowl. This recipe was perfect for the job and provided great leftovers!
Baked Potato Soup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 of a large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 russet potatoes (about 2-1/2 lbs.)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (I omitted)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with a fork, and bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and coarsely mash. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Place flour into the vegetables; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes).
Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil).
Ladle 1-1/2 cups soup bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and about 1 tbsp. bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.
Source: adapted from Cooking Light
Risotto Marsala
We have been trying to eat less meat in our house, so in my quest for more veggie and fish centered recipes, I fell in love with this risotto. Personally, I love mushrooms, and anything with Marsala wine has me sold. This risotto has an amazing punch of flavor and is excellent with some fresh bread on the side. We ate this as our main dish, but you can definitely serve this as a side dish as well. And what was Justin's reaction? He gobbled down his entire plate including every.single.mushroom. This is the first time I have ever seen him enjoy them! If you are in a house with a mushroom-hater, I definitely recommend giving this a try. (Just don't tell them about it in advance, or your mushrooms may mysteriously go missing.)
Risotto Marsala
serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. tomato paste
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1 cup Marsala wine, divided
3-4 cups low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup, white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan until simmering. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add shallots and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
Add the Arborio rice to the skillet, and toast until opaque around the edges, 3-5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the Marsala wine and cook, stirring often, until absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, and stir occasionally until almost absorbed, 8-12 minutes. Working 1 ladle of broth at at time, continue to add broth, stirring constantly. (Add the next ladle when the broth is almost completely absorbed.)
After you have been cooking the risotto for 10 minutes, stir in the mushrooms. Continue to cook risotto, stirring constantly, until it is al dente, for a total of 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining 1/4 cup of Marsala wine, Parmesan cheese, basil, and remaining butter. Add salt and pepper if necessary and season to taste. Serve immediately.
Source: adapted from Pink Parsley
Arroz Con Pollo
I used to love watching I Love Lucy as a kid. Ricky Ricardo would always talk about his favorite meal - Arroz Con Pollo. I never knew what it was, but I was sure it had something to do with snails. (Maybe I though it was the Spanish equivalent of Escargot?) My mother confirmed this -Snails with Chicken. (Apparently, she never took Spanish in high school.) But don't worry - I finally learned what it really meant in Spanish 101 in high school. You'll be happy to hear there wasn't a snail within 20 feet when I cooked this. (Nor were any snails harmed in the making of this meal.)
Arroz Con Pollo is just a fancy (and Spanish) way to say Chicken and Rice. My grocery store had drumsticks on sale ($1 a pound!) last week, so I decided to make this recipe. The chicken was moist and flavorful, and the rice had a nice kick to it. Next time, I think I will add a little cumin and some more veggies, but overall it was a tasty and very easy meal for a busy week night.
Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
2 pounds chicken pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 chicken boullion cube
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dry thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups water
Brown chicken pieces in olive oil and season with salt and pepper (they don’t have to be completely cooked, just browned). Add vegetables and garlic, and continue to saute until translucent. Add rice, thyme and bay, and stir for about a minute. Add water, boullion and tomato paste.Stir well, and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil 5 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 10 minutes. Do NOT lift the lid! (This will make the rice gummy.) Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before lifting the lid.
Source: adapted from Canary Girl (seen on elly says opa!)
Butternut Squash Pasta
This time of year, I am obsessed with butternut squash and pumpkin. I’ll consume pretty much anything with “pumpkin” in the name: pumpkin coffee, pumpkin muffins/cake/bread/cookies/soup/beer/yougetthepicture. I would consider getting help for this addiction (“Hi, I’m Mrs. W, and I’m a pumpkinholic”), but then I think about how much fiber I’m getting and think, Doesn’t everyone always say we need more fiber in our diets? I’m so healthy! And down the hatch go five pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, chased by a pumpkin beer.
So anyway, when I saw a recipe for Pumpkin Sage Pasta over at Nat Nests, I knew I had to try it. But I happened to have leftover mashed butternut squash* in the fridge, so I swapped it for the pumpkin and made a few more tweaks to my taste, et voila! Delicious (and so fiber-full)!
I have now tried it with the pumpkin as well, and I happen to like the squash version better, because if I have one vice it’s my sweet tooth. The original pumpkin recipe is more savory. Both are autumnal, cozy-fleece-slippers comfort food, and taste great leftover, too.
Butternut Squash Pasta
Approx. 2 cups whole-wheat pasta (I used rotini)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves fresh sage, chopped (I used a lot more because it’s mild and I love sage)
1 cup butternut squash, pureed or mashed*
1 cup reserved pasta water
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste
1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
2. Saute garlic and sage in olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add pumpkin and pasta water.
4. Whisk together until combined. Add more pasta water if sauce is too thick, more squash if too thin.
5. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
6. Pour sauce over drained cooked pasta and stir to combine.
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
*Mrs. W’s Sweet Butternut Squash
1. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds.
2. Place squash halves on foil-lined cookie sheet, cut side up.
3. Roast at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
4. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Scoop out squash into a mixing bowl, and mash or puree the squash (you can mash by hand with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender if you want smoother squash).
6. Mix in a tablespoon of butter, a spoonful of brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if you have it), a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of maple syrup.
Roasted Broccoli
I absolutely love roasting vegetables. It brings out so much flavor and smells wonderful coming out of the oven. I love roasting broccoli, because it makes it nice and soft without making it mushy. Now that the weather is cooling down, I definitely plan to make roasted broccoli a lot more often.
Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli (or any vegetable of your choosing)
Olive oil
Butter
Salt and pepper
A couple cloves of garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In an oven-safe dish, toss broccoli and garlic with just enough olive oil to coat. Add a bit of butter, and a lot of salt and pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how soft you like your veggies. Remove from oven and immediately scrape broccoli up with the end of a spatula. Serve hot.
Grilled Chicken Skewers
Grilled Chicken Skewers
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
½ tsp. garlic powder
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut into large chunks
In medium bowl, blend vegetable oil, soy sauce, corn syrup, lemon juice, sesame seeds and garlic powder. Place chicken in bowl, cover, and marinate in fridge for 2 or more hours.
Thread chicken and veggies onto wooden or metal skewers. Pour marinade into saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Place skewers on grill. Cook 15-20 minutes, turning frequently, until chicken is no longer pink. Baste with marinade frequently during last 10 minutes.
Mexicorn
I always seem to have trouble coming up with sides for Mexican food. I love my stand-by Mexican Rice, but lately I have been looking for something different. This is a perfect Mexican veggie side dish, and you probably have all the ingredients at home. We loved this, and will definitely make this along side tacos and fajitas.
Mexicorn
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Pinch of cumin
Juice of 1/2 a lime
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Heat olive oil in a large skilled over medium heat. Add everything except the cilantro, if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with cilantro.
Source: adapted from Vintage Victuals
