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Spinach Mushroom Quiche

I made this quiche for brunch on Sunday.  It was quite tasty, especially accompanied by Texas hashbrown potatoes and fruit.  The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of butter, 3 cups of cheese, and cream, but you won't miss all that saturated fat in the healthier version.

Spinach Mushroom Quiche

2 T. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 (10-oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze out as much liquid as possible)
5 white button mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
1 (10-inch) unbaked deep-dish pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly golden.  Add mushrooms and saute until they cook down.  Stir in spinach and season mixture with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pastry-lined pie pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden, the quiche has set in center and a knife inserted an inch from the crust comes out clean.

Allow quiche to stand 10 minutes before serving.

posted by: artichoke72 at 18:16 | link | comments |
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Cantonese Lemon Chicken

I made this dish the other night and only managed to set the smoke detector off twice (and only because the hubby finally removed the battery until I was done cooking).  If you don't mind frying, then this recipe is pretty easy.  I was amazed at how crisp the chicken turned out....very nice.  When making the lemon sauce, make sure to stir constantly....it was wanting to lump up.  I served this dish with steamed broccoli and rice (I put a little extra lemon sauce over the broccoli and rice).

Cantonese Lemon Chicken

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten (I used a whole egg)
1 T. water
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. dry sherry (I substituted fresh orange juice)
3 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup cornstarch, extra
2 1/2 T. flour
oil, for frying

Lemon Sauce
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 T. water
2 T. sugar
1 T. dry sherry
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. water, extra

Cut the chicken into long strips, about 1/2 inch wide, and then set aside.  combine the egg, water, soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  Pour the egg mixture over the chicken, mixing well, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Sift the extra cornstarch and flour together onto a plate.  Roll each piece of chicken in the cornstarch mixture, coating each piece evenly, and shake off excess.  Place the chicken in a single layer on a plate read to be fried.

Heat the oil for deep frying in a wok or pan. It is hot enough to use when a cube of bread turns brown in it in 30 seconds.  Carefully lower about 4 pieces of chicken into the oil and cook until golden brown.  Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining chicken.  Let the chicken stand while preparing the sauce.

To make the lemon sauce, combine the lemon juice, water, sugar, ands sherry in a small pan.  Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  Stir the cornstarch into the extra tablespoon of water and mix to a smooth paste; add it to the lemon juice mixture, stirring constantly until the sauce boils and thickens.  Set the sauce aside.

Just before serving, reheat the oil in the wok to very hot; add all the chicken pieces and fry for 2 minutes until very crisp and a rich golden brown.  Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.  Pile the chicken onto a serving plate, drizzle over the sauce, and serve immediately.

Note:  the first frying can be done several hours in advance.

posted by: artichoke72 at 15:02 | link | comments |
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Fig Bread

Here's another recipe from my friend Donna.  She got it from her Tassajara Cookbook.  I made 3 mini loaves instead of one big loaf and they baked for 30 to 35 minutes.  I also used white grape juice in the recipe (I didn't have apple or orange juice) and all purpose flour (instead or pastry flour) and it all turned out well.

Fig Bread
  
1 cup apple or orange juice (both are good)
1 1/2 cups dried figs, de-stemmed but left whole (I cut in half)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon or orange rind, grated
1 3/4 cups pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
Heat the juice almost to boiling and pour it over figs, salt and butter in a mixing bowl.  Stir to melt and set aside in the refrigerator to cool.  Beat eggs, then beat in the sugar, vanilla and fruit rind.  Stir this into well cooled (room temperature)
fig mixture.  Sift the flour together with the baking powder and baking soda.  Mix into the wet ingredients with a
minimum number of strokes.  Grease and flour medium sized loaf pan (I used 8.5 X 4.5 size) pour in the batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

posted by: artichoke72 at 12:13 | link | comments |
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Portuguese Soyrizo & Kale Soup

This recipe came from Rachel Ray, but her's had meat chourico and chicken broth in it.  I subbed Soyrizo and vegetable broth to make this hearty vegetarian soup.  It was fast and easy, just how I like it.  Don't forget to take the Soyrizo out of it's plastic casing before adding it to the soup.  It will be crumbly.

Portuguese Soyrizo & Kale Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium white waxy potatoes, like yukon golds, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 (15-ounces) can garbanzos (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
12 ounces soyrizo
1 quart  vegetable broth

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat.   Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot.   Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, soyrizo, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil.   Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes  longer or until potatoes are tender.

posted by: artichoke72 at 19:54 | link | comments (4) |
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No-Rise Basic Pizza Dough

It is quick and easy to make pizzas since I found this recipe for a no-rise yeast dough in the recipe booklet that came with my Cuisinart food processor.  I modified the recipe slightly by adding whole wheat flour to make it a bit more nutritious.  I usually cut the dough into fourths and then make individual pizzas for each of us.  The dough keeps well in the fridge for a day or two.  By the way, I have a Wilton's pizza pan that I just love.  It makes a wonderful crispy curst.

No-Rise Basic Pizza Dough
(Made in a food processor)
Makes 1 14-inch pizza crust or 2 9-inch pizza crusts

1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2/3 cup warm water
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil (I add a little more)

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.  Insert metal blade into the food processor and put flour and salt into the work bowl and attach lid.  Turn on the machine and pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process about 45 seconds, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Add the oil through the feed tube and process 60 seconds longer.

If dough sticks to the sides of bowl, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing for 10 seconds after each addition, until dough leaves sides of bowl but remains soft.

Roll dough on floured surface into circle, rotating and turning dough often and using enough flour so it doesn't stick.  If dough resists rolling, let it rest for a few minutes and try again.  Roll dough into 15-inch circle for flat 14-inch pizza pan, or into 10-inch circles for flat 9-inch pans.

Oil pan(s) lightly.  Fold rolled dough into half loosely and then in half again.  Position point at center of pan and gently unfold.  Press into place from center outward, turn under the 1-inch overhand and shape it into a rim.  Crust(s) is/are now ready to bake and fill.

To bake pizzas:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place rack in the lower third of the oven.  Bake pizza crust(s) for 6 minutes.  In the meantime, prepare fillings.

Top with favorite toppings and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese (if using) is melted.

Some favorite toppings:

spaghetti sauce or marinara
pesto
texas (cilantro) pesto
barbeque sauce

mozzarella
provolone
monterrey jack

artichoke hearts
black and green olives
red and green bell peppers
mushrooms (baby bellas)
onions
jalapenos
pepperocini peppers
spinach

cooked chicken

posted by: artichoke72 at 17:42 | link | comments |
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Chicken Rice Soup with Garbanzos and Green Chile

This is a simple version of a Mexican soup called caldo tlalpeno.  There are numerous variations.  You may use leftover turkey instead of chicken.  1 cup of chopped zucchini (or other summer squash) added towards the end of cooking is a great addition.  The soup is traditionallly served with many condiments, like shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, lime juice, chipotles, and avocado.  This recipe makes a pretty big batch.

Chicken Rice Soup with Garbanzos and Green Chile

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked rice
8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
3/4 cup chopped roasted mild green chile
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper

In a heavy sauce pan, warm the butter over low heat.  When melted, add the onion and garlic.  Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the rice and saute it briefly until the grains become opaque.  Pour in the stock, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until rice is very soft.  Serve hot.

Recipe source:  The Border Cookbook: Authentic Home Cooking of the American Southwest and Northern New Mexico by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (The Harvard Common Press, 1995).

posted by: artichoke72 at 10:33 | link | comments (1) |
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Asian-inspired Cucumber Salad

This is a recipe I came up with this  past summer when I was overrun with cucumbers from the garden.  Let the salad sit for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors combine. 

Asian-inspired Cucumber Salad

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 chile, minced (optional)
1 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
3 T. sugar
3 T. fish sauce (you may substitute soy sauce)

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rice wine vinegar, sugar and fish sauce.  In a larger bowl combine cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and minced chile.  Pour dressing over the salad and toss.

posted by: artichoke72 at 10:09 | link | comments |
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