Asparagus, kale, crabmeat quiche

Today is trivia, which means dinner at our place. I have some asparagus I've been holding on to from the farmshare, and thought I would make some quiche. I also had some extra kale and a can of crabmeat. (I actually made two quiches, one with and one without crabmeat)

I DID cheat by buying the piecrust at the store instead of making it (I blame staying two hours late at work)

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp butter

1/2 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into two inch pieces

1/2 bunch kale with stems removed cut into 1 inch strips

1/2 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh taragon

1 can crabmeat

1 cup grated swiss cheese

sautee the onion and garlic in butter til browned, then add the kale and asparagus, turn heat to medium and cover. Cook asparagus and kale until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste

Put the veggie mixture in a prebaked pie shell. add taragon, crumble canned crabmeat over the mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

In a bowl combine egg and cream. Pour egg mixture over the veggies and bake at 350 for 45-55 min until set.

Breakfast Stuff

Eggy stuff
Originally uploaded by kel h

this is an old family tradition for Christmas Morning that my dad got from one of the wives of his fellow coaches back when he coached hockey for NT back in the day

Ingredients

I lb breakfast sausage, browned

6 slices bread toasted and buttered on both sides

6 eggs beaten

1 tsp mustard

2 cups half and half

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

placed buttered toast in 9x13 pan

spread crumbled browned sausage over the toast

cover with cheese

mix eggs, mustard and half and half well

pour mixture over toast

refrigerate for at least 6 hours

bake 40-50 min at 350

Since I'm a vegetarian I like to use veggies instead of sausage.

southwestern butternut squash and sweet potato casserole (aka savory potato kugel)

southwestern butternut squash and sweet potato casserole (aka savory potato kugel)
Originally uploaded by kel h

I have a bunch of sweet potatoes and butternut squash from the CSA farmshare, and I've been looking at some different ideas. One of things that caught my eye was a savory sweet potato kugel. I decided to tweak it a little bit. I like the sweet potatoes with the smokiness of the chipotle peppers, but a little goes a long way.

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash: peeled, seeded and cubed
3 med to large sweet potatoes: peeled and cubed
2 onions diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce diced
1 cup shredded cheddar
bread crumbs
salt
pepper
2 tsp adobo seasoning
olive oil 1 tsp

Steam the potatoes and squash until soft
mash
sautee onions and garlic in butter
add to mashed mix
season with salt and pepper
stir in chipotle pepper and sauce
add cheese
beat eggs and stir into mix
pour into a baking dish and top with bread crumbs, sprinkle with adobo seasoning, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 for 45 min

Chard, Tomato, Leek Quiche

Chard, Tomato, Leek Quiche
Originally uploaded by kel h

due to a mix up, my CSA share came a day late this week. To make up for it they gave me double greens, which is great, but means I need to use them.

Loosely based on Emeril's Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Ingredients
Flaky Butter Crust, recipe follows
1/2 bunch chard
3 cloves garlic
1 leek cut in half and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tomato diced
1 cup cheddar
1/3 cup goat cheese
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and trim the edges. (Alternatively, a 9-inch pie pan can be used.) Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is set, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

In a medium skillet, cook the garlic and leeks in butter and olive oil with a pinch of salt and some pepper. After a few minutes, add chard and cook until wilted. add tomato and cook til heated through

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and half and half. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour into the prepared crust and bake until the custard is golden, puffed, and set yet still slightly wiggly in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Flaky Butter Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed
To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter in the processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube and pulse quickly 5 or 6 times, or until the dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the container. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl, and mix with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough comes together and is no longer dry, being careful not to overmix. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface according to the recipe, fit it into the pan, and allow to rest again in the refrigerator before baking.

Yield: one 9-inch tart or pie crust

Local Food Blogathon Post 1: Tortillas

I'm participating in a blogathon to benefit the MA farmers market association. MA has a great selection of farmers market, and has been working on making healthy food accessible across the state, especially in urban areas where it is difficult to find fresh healthy food. It's a worthwhile cause.

So, I am going to be focusing on locally grown food, which is pretty easy since most of my recipes are made from food from my Enterprise Farms CSA box.

I love participating in a CSA. For starters, It is a way for me to support local farms and farm workers. Studies show that for every $100 you spend at a local retailer, $68 stays in your local community, compared to $43 when you spend at a chain. I also love the variety I get. It keeps me from getting into a rut. Also, my farmshare is delivered by a local bike delivery company (metro pedal power), so it is green, and supporting even MORE local business. Also, eating local means your food is fresher, seasonal (which means tastier and more nutrient rich) and takes fewer greenhouse gasses for transportation.

One of the challenges with using a CSA is finding ways to use the food. Especially if you are a single woman like me. Fortunately I like to cook. But sometimes you wind up with a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and you aren't quite sure what to make of it.

This is what you make of it: Tortillas

Spanish Tortillas are essentially big a omelet that you don't fold. Traditionally its egg and potato, but you can throw a whole bunch more in there. My problem is that i get a bit over ambitious and my tortillas become "overstuffed" and don't hold together really well. Not that its a terrible thing, it just means that it's a meal that eats with a fork. The great thing about tortillas is that they freeze well, and you can serve them at room temperature, which make them perfect for lunch.

Here is what I did for mine

'

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

2 small red potatoes small dice

1 tomato, cored, seeded and diced

2 small tomatillos diced (tomatillos are those green things that look like tomatoes in husks. they have a slightly sour taste and are pretty firm)

7 eggs mixed

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 grated cheese optional

1 tsp cumin optional

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil plus extra

cook the onions and garlic in the butter and oil 2 min in large nonstick pan

add potatoes and cook another 8

add tomatoes and tomatillos and cook another 2

in another bowl mix eggs and milk

pour eggs and milk over veggies

stir and scrape for five minutes

lower heat to med-low and cook another 5-7, pressing down, and loosening edges with a spatula

if your pan is oven safe you can chuck it in the oven and bake it off

otherwise flip it (put a plate over your pan, and then turn the whole thing upside down. Then slide uncooked side down back into the pan)

cook another 5 min or so

let sit for 5-10 min then slice into wedges

om nom nom

Zucchini and Summer Squash Crustless Mini Quiche

Zucchini and Summer Squash Crustless Mini Quiche
Originally uploaded by kel h

I've gotten a lot of squash and zucchini in my CSA boxes lately, so I'm trying to find new things to do with it. The original attempt didnt hold together well, so I upped the baking mix and added the tomatoes at the end

4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cup all-purpose baking mix
1 large zucchini shredded
1 large summer squash shredded
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic minced
1 pt grape tomatoes quartered
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c fresh basil chiffonade (sliced into thin ribbons)
1 tsp fresh oregano chopped

Put the zucchini and squash into a tea towel or a bunch of paper towels and squeeze out excess water
whisk together egg and oil
stir in everything but tomato until combined
pour into a greased baking dish or into greased mini muffin tins
drop tomato on top
bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by kel h

Ingredients
Makes 24 cupcakes

Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar, divided
4 large egg yolks
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
4 large egg whites

Lemon Curd
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
Zest of 3 lemons
10 large egg yolks

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar

These sweet and tangy treats are sure to interest young and old alike at your next special gathering. Lemon chiffon cupcakes hide a surprise lemon curd filling and are topped with fluffy toasted meringue.

Directions
Prepare the Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare pans with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and half the sugar together into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and reserve. In another large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla, and zest. Mix with a handheld mixer or whip attachment until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg yolk mixture gradually to the dry ingredients, mixing with a handheld mixer or whip attachment on medium speed until a paste forms. When a paste has formed, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue adding the remainder of the yolk mixture until it is all incorporated. Beat for an additional 2 minutes on medium speed. In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites with a clean whip attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar while beating the egg whites and continue to beat until medium peaks form. Gently blend one-third of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake at 375°F until the top of the cupcakes spring back to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling before decorating.
Prepare Lemon Curd.
Combine half of the butter, half of the sugar, the lemon juice, and zest and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, blend the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Temper the mixture by gradually adding about one-third of the lemon juice mixture, stirring constantly with a whip. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the whisk leaves a trail in the curd. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining butter. Strain the curd into a shallow container or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the curd. Cool over an ice bath. Store the curd, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Prepare Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Put the egg whites and sugar in the clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and stir together until the sugar is blended into the egg whites. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 140°F. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and beat on high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy and has a stiff peak.
Finish the cupcakes.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip two-thirds full with lemon curd. Insert the tip as far as it will go inside the center of the cupcake and apply gentle pressure. Try not to squeeze too hard or lemon curd will squirt out the top of the cupcake. Stop filling once you see any lemon curd around the base of the tip. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Clean the piping bag and tip and fill it two-thirds full with Swiss meringue. Pipe a large pearl of meringue on top of each cupcake. Use the back of a spoon to lift up areas of the meringue, creating spikes. Lightly toast the meringue with a kitchen torch or under the broiler until the tips of the meringue are golden brown.

Onion, Tomato, Mushroom and Thyme Frittata

Onion, Tomato, Mushroom and Thyme Frittata
Originally uploaded by kel h

Mushroom Onion Tomato Thyme Frittata

Ingredients
2.5 c cooked pasta
1 sweet onion halved and sliced
1/2 pt cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 box mushrooms chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp dried thyme
6 eggs enough to cover the pasta
2/3 c milk
salt
pepper
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter

cook and cool the pasta
caramelize the onion with the butter on a low heat
take the onions out of the pan, cook the tomatoes mushrooms and garlic til mushrooms are browned
add thyme
remove from heat and add to cooled pasta along with onions

In separate bowl mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cheese

Pour egg mixture into pasta and veggies

Spray a non stick skillet with pam and pour egg and pasta mixture in.

Cook on one side for about 8 minutes, running a thin spatula around the edge periodically to make sure it isn't sticking

when the edges get brown, get a plate slightly smaller than the skillet and put it on top of the skillet upside down

Flip the frittata onto the plate, then slide back into the pan with the browned side up.

Cook for another 8 minutes or so, then flip it back onto the plate

let it sit for a bit and cool a smidge, then slice

The one pictured was made with 3 cups of pasta, and is somewhat structurally unsound because I added more veggies than the recipe I was jumping off from called for. I think reducing the pasta in the frittata will increase the stability as the egg to non egg ratio will be better allowing for more binding.

while structurally questionable, the frittata pictured is undeniably tasty

Pina Colada Bread Pudding

If you like pina coladas, and have leftover bread...add eggs, milk, sugar, and some more stuff...bake it up and you're fed

From the Delicious Disney Desserts cookbook my dad got me for Christmas (thanks Dad!)

Ingredients

-10 slices bread cubed and put in the broiler on a sheet until golden brown (or, in my case, one extraordinarily stale baguette)
- 1/2 c fresh pinapple finely chopped (I subbed most of a can of chunk pineapple drained)
-2 tbsp melted butter
-2 c milk
-6 beaten eggs
1/2 c heavy cream (I used buttermilk for both dairy items because it's the only dairy I keep in the house)
-1 c sugar (I used brown because I like it better)
-4 tbsp coconut milk (be sure to shake the can before you open it, I forgot)
-2 tbsp rum

Directions
-preheat the oven to 350
-toast the bread in the boiler and toss in a bowl with the pineapple
pour into a greased pan and drizzle the melted butter over it
-toss the eggs into a mixer
-heat up the milk (don't boil) add the milk, sugar, cream, coconut milk and rum to the eggs to make a custard.
-Pour the custard over the bread. You may need to stir to get it all covered
-Bake in an oven at 350 for 35-40 min when it springs back when you push down in the middle

The cookbook has a recipe for vanilla rum sauce, but I just used ice cream

Rum Sauce
Combine 2 egg yolks, 2tsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsbsp sugar in a mixing bowl til smooth
combine 1 c milk, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a sauce pan and boil
whisk egg yolk mixture into boiling milk (stir quickly)
Immediately pour into a bowl that is nestled inside of a larger bowl filled with ice water so it doesn't curdle. Add 1 tbsp coconut rum and whisk thoroughly