Quiche!

This is a yummy recipe.  I got it (well, except for several parts I made up) 

off of a package of Swiss cheese.  I have no choice 

but to post it so I can throw the package away.

You need:

400ºF oven

1 pie crust (my favorite recipe here)

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

2 cups fresh spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces

6 eggs

3/4 cup milk (or half and half or cream)

4 slices cooked bacon broken into pieces

 (or 3 oz. chopped Canadian bacon, ham, whatever floats your boat)

2-3 green onions sliced

Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese into pie crust.  Top with spinach.  

(Leave an empty spot for any family members who won't eat spinach.  

Cleverly mark that piece with a special imprint on the pie crust.)

Beat eggs and milk together and pour into crust.  

(Note:  The recipe on the package called for four eggs,
 but I thought it turned out a little flat, 

so I added to the recipe for next time.)

Sprinkle remaining cheese, bacon and onions over the egg mixture.  

(I had mine in the bottom layer, but it would be prettier with them on top.

Or, you could do half on the bottom and top. Whatever mood you're in.)

Bake 15 minutes.  Cover edge of crust, and reduce heat to 350ºF.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until center is set and top is lightly browned.  

Let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.

Voila!  Bon appetit!

Strawberry Daiquiri Salad

Time for another recipe!!

There are certain recipes I make enough times that I need to put them in one easy place.  This is one of them.  I love to take it to gatherings because it's so tasty and pretty.  It's about time I got around to posting it!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 tsp. dijon mustard

1 cup slivered or sliced almonds

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1 (10 oz.) bag baby spinach, rinsed and dried

2 pints sliced, fresh strawberries

1 cup toasted flaked coconut

1/2 red onion, chopped (I use green onion)

1.  Whisk the lime juice, honey, oil and mustard together in a bowl.

2.  Combine the almonds, salt and sugar in a large skillet.  Still constantly over medium-low heat, until almonds are light golden brown and coated.  Remove from skillet and set aside to cool.

3.  Toss the spinach, strawberries, coconut, onions and cooled almonds in a large bowl.  Top with prepared dressing and toss to coat.

Enjoy!!

Sweets for the Sweet

I had a baby a few days ago.

At my house.

With her mom.

And obviously, that was a cause for celebration!

So I made a pastry ring. Well. A pastry heart. It's more girly.

And SO easy!! But that can be our little secret.

I knew you would want the recipe.

Scandinavian Pastry

2 cups flour, divided
1 cup margarine, divided
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 eggs (3 for more of a meringue-like texture)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract, divided
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3-4 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 425ºF.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl using a pastry blender or 2 forks combine 1 cup of the flour and 1/2 cup of the margarine until crumbly.  Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir together until dough forms.  Roll portions of dough between palms of hands to form ropes, joining ropes together end-to-end to form one long rope about 18  to 20 inches long.  Carefully place rope on baking sheet in desired shape.  Flatten dough to a uniform width, about 3 inches wide.

NOTE:  I am a total rule breaker when it comes to recipes.  The recipe is good as is, but depends on that orange juice up there for flavor.  I skip the orange juice and use milk in the icing, and then fill the ring with my secret ingredient:

Ginny's Jam (see her picture?)

Ginny is a sweet friend of mine who won the blue ribbon at the state fair many years ago now for her triple berry jam, and Gedney has been selling it ever since.  It's YUM.  But so are raspberry preserves, pumpkin butter, you get the picture.  My no-nonsense Scandihuvian ancestry has been tainted by modern culture.  What can I say?  Use filling.

But keep it away from the edges because it will want to ooze.

OK.  Back to the real recipe.

In a medium saucepan bring to a boil remaining 1/2 cup margarine and remaining 1 cup water.  Remove from heat and add remaining 1 cup flour all at once, stirring until well mixed.  Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.  Spoon on top of dough.  If you use filling, you can use your fingers to try to seal the edges and prevent most of the oozing.

Bake 30 minutes.  In a medium mixing bowl combine confectioners' sugar, butter, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough orange juice (or milk) to be of icing consistency.  Drizzle over warm ring.

Move to serving platter after loosening with spatula, if desired.  Cut and serve!

If you are planning to use the leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast,

I hope you have some cereal in your pantry.

Quinoa. It's what's for dinner.

Have you heard of quinoa (keen wah)?  It's a grain that's sort of like a mixture between rice and couscous.  It's crunchy and a little bit nutty tasting.  And it's healthy!  It has protein.  You can get it at the grocery store.  


Anyway, my friend and I were downtown one day, and bought quinoa curry burgers off a truck.  They were fabulous.  Here is a recipe I concocted using this other one as a basis. All you really need to know?  My kids will eat them!


Quinoa Curry Burgers


1 cup uncooked quinoa (about 2 rounded cups, cooked)

2 cups water or chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

To cook quinoa:

First rinse quinoa in a strainer until the water comes through clear.  In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender.  (My package points out that the germ ring is visible when the quinoa is done--watch for the tiny little circles to appear!) Allow to cool for a few minutes.  


Add:

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (can also use grated zucchini, yellow squash, anything of similar texture)

3 beaten eggs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian) 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar


Mix together, and add more bread crumbs if the mixture is too sticky or won't hold together.

Spray a frying pan or griddle with cooking spray, and heat on medium to medium-low. Drop by large spoonfuls onto pan, and gently flatten into patties about 1/2 inch thick.  Cook until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 10 burgers.  Serve on buns (if desired) with things like tomato, sprouts, spinach, avocado, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, or other sauce. (Ben likes to eat them like pancakes with syrup.) 


YUM!!

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

I have two new favorite recipes.  They are good.  They are easy.

I had to decide which one to post first.

The clear answer?  Chocolate.

Always chocolate.

But before that, in the also sweet category...

...we stopped at this ginormous candy store.

They had a ridiculous amount of candy. 

You name it, they had it.

They also had huge shelves filled with every imaginable kind of pop.

All the ones in these two pictures were root beer and cream soda.

Which made for one happy boy!

OK...now for the recipe.

Are you ready for this?

Brownie Cookie Cups

1.  Make a packaged brownie mix batter according to the directions on the box.

2.  Fill cupcake wrappers 1/2 full of batter.  (Approx. 20)

3.  Stick a piece of chocolate chip cookie dough in the center.

(Store bought or your own.)

4.  Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes.  Check and bake longer if needed.

Make them.

People will rave.

I'll take that to go

It's time for our first baseball tournament. Three games on Saturday, and more Sunday if they advance. I did some checking around for food ideas to take with us. Someone posted a link to this recipe for salsa roll-ups, which sounded great, but should be kept somewhat cold.

While I was making them, the cream cheese reminded me of another recipe that I used for a tea party with Bethany and her friends a few years back. It's baked, so it doesn't need refrigerating, and we can throw them in a plastic bag and take them anywhere.

I give you (drum roll please...) Stuffed Pinwheels!

You need:

1 package Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix (or Ranch dip mix) 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces) 2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 2 packages refrigerated pizza crust (about 10 oz. each) Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes ENJOY!! Should be a fun weekend!

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except pizza crusts, set aside. Unroll pizza crusts and top evenly with filling. Roll starting at longest side, jelly-role style. Cut each roll into 16 rounds. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange cutouts on the sheet. Bake uncovered about 13 minutes until golden brown.

Shhh...I'm skipping the first game to go to this:

If you don't hear from me it will be because I'm buried under piles of pictures and can't figure out what to post first.

What's your favorite food to take wherever you're going?