Cheddar & Spinach Quiche

There are few things I love more than an easy crust. Especially an easy (and delicious) crust filled with gooey cheese and fluffy egg.

As I am not shy about admitting, homemade pastry crust terrifies me and I have definitely not mastered it. Mostly I just avoid it (which is probably also why I have not mastered it, too). That being said, the crust for this quiche can be pressed into the pan by hand. Thank goodness! It's also made half wheat and half white flour for a nutritious twist.

This quiche is fast for a weeknight, but also impressive enough to serve to dinner guests. The filling can certainly include your choice of cheeses and vegetables or even meats. Here I used onions, spinach, and cheddar because that was what I had on hand. A quiche is the perfect, foolproof canvas for customizing and getting creative.

It's also downright cozy and comforting on a cold winter's night like tonight. Even the dog was begging to join the table.

Cheddar & Spinach Quiche with Press-In Crust

Crust:

1 1/3 cups white-wheat flour

1 1/3 cup white flour

1 t. salt

2/3 cup canola/vegetable oil

4 T. cold water

Quiche Filling:

6 eggs

2 1/3 cups milk or heavy cream (I used a mix of 2% and 1%)

1 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

generous dash of ground nutmeg

6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 T. oil for the pan

5 oz. (slightly less than half a bag) frozen chopped spinach

1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Crust: In a large mixing bowl combine the flours and salt. Then add the oil and water and mix with a fork or  your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs. Using a quiche pan with a removable bottom (If you use a pie plate, half the recipe for the crust) press the dough mixture into the bottom and evenly up the sides of the pan. Place in the oven at 450 degrees to pre-bake for about 10 minutes.

Filling: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and once hot, add the onions. Stir 2 minutes, then add the spinach and cover. Cook until tender, about 6-7 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt. Remove the onions and spinach from the heat and pour into the egg mixture. Stir to combine.

Remove the quiche pan from the oven and pour the egg mixture into the crust. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until the center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. If the crust or top begins to brown too rapidly, cover with tin foil.

To remove the quiche from the pan with bottom intact, place the pan on top of a can and allow the sides of the pan to fall away from the crust. Slice and serve with a side of salad or other vegetable.

Quick Holiday Protien & Fiber Fix: Red Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

It's the holiday season, which means my regular food intake is easily composed of, and in excess of, the following: butter, sugar, white flour, and party appetizers. I am sure this is something you can also relate to.

As much as I enjoy all of the above items while I'm eating them, I do not enjoy it when my holiday pants don't fit, my stomach hurts, and I feel lethargic. Those are all unfortunate side effects. So I looked around and found an answer to this problem in my pantry: red lentils.


This is an easy, delicious, and deceivingly sweet tasting way to get a high protein, high fiber, and nutritious lunch or dinner in between all of those other goodies. It's ready in 20 minutes or less and can be portioned out in to lunch for the week, leaving you time and energy enough to deck the halls, scramble for that last minute gift, or simply relax in front of the fire!

Quick Simmered Red Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli:
Ingredients:
2 T. canola oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium to large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 16oz. bag of red lentils, rinsed
4 cups water
1 bag or box of broccoli florets
Salt & Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Put the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers and can be spread around the pan. Add the onions, stir, and cover. Allow them to cook for a few minutes, then add the sweet potatoes, garlic, and spices. Stir and cook 1 minute, then add the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are just soft, anywhere from 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli florets and stir until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve either alone, with crusty bread, or as a side.

Maple Cinnamon Granola

Crunchy, nutty, and positively scrumptious in cold milk. I twisted a recipe for regular granola and incorporated the rich flavors of maple, cinnamon, and vanilla. M was asking me to get granola from the store so he could mix it into his favorite breakfast cereals. I knew I had whole rolled oats, and I also knew that store bought granola's are delicious but also fraught with fat and sugars. It was time to try my hand at a granola I had some control over.

The gently spiced sweetness of the cereal is balanced by its generous use of toasty nuts, including walnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. Each time I've baked up a batch my mind has been exploring the creative possibilities. I plan to bake a batch that incorporates pureed pumpkin and another that involves peanut butter (two of my favorite flavors). It would be easy to do -- simply stir in the different flavors when mixing up the wet ingredients.

This granola is simple to make and the big batch will last you well throughout the week... which is good, because it will easily find its way into more than just your morning cereal bowl. Try it on top ice cream at dessert, or over Greek yogurt for lunch, too.

Maple Cinnamon Granola

Ingredients:

2 cups whole rolled oats

1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup unsalted, shelled sunflower seeds

1/4 cup Fiber One original cereal, finely crushed, or wheat germ

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Optional: dried fruit such as blueberry, cranberry, and cherry

Directions:

Grease a 15x10 baking pan. In a large bowl combine the oats, walnuts, coconut, sunflower seeds, Fiber One or wheat germ, and peanuts. In another bowl whisk the honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the oat mixture. Pour into the baking pan and spread out evenly. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring after the first 20 minutes. If desired, stir in dried cherries, blueberries, or cranberries.

Spread on a large piece of foil to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for two months.

Pumpkin-Cheesecake Cake

I had no idea what to name this cake. What do you call two separate cakes when they get rolled into one dessert-bomb like this?

It's cheesecake and cake that's piled high on top of each other. Yep! As if it could get any better, this dessert was kind of amazing because... Well, I am afraid to tell you why. You're going to laugh and think I'm lying.

...This cheesecake-cake was kind of amazing because it was so very easy to make (!)

Stop being skeptical! I'll tell you why it was so easy and when we're done you're going to believe me and then go run and make one yourself. Two words: semi-homemade.

This cake is inspired by Junior's Cheesecakes, which is a New York-based company that layers their incredibly dense, New York Style cheesecakes between layers of moist cake and rich

frosting. If you like staring at photos of ridiculously delicious food almost as much as I do, click on the link to the website and salivate away.

The best way to show you how I put this cake together is through photos. Here's what you need:

one quality store-bought frozen cheesecake

(I used Trader Joe's Frozen Pumpkin Cheesecake)

one box of store bought cake or bread mix

(I used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread mix)

Your favorite frosting recipe

(I made cream cheese frosting, recipe below)

First I baked the pumpkin bread according to the box directions, in a round cake pan the same size as the cheesecake. I cooled it completely, then froze it overnight. You don't have to freeze it, but it helped to cut it into two layers when it was very firm.

In the meantime, I made cream cheese frosting:

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick of butter, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Then, I sliced the cake into two cake layers from one. I put one cake layer on top of the frozen cheesecake, as shown below. Keeping the cheesecake frozen keeps it firm and prevents it from getting squished while you're frosting and layering everything.

I topped that with about 1/3 of my frosting and spread it out. Then I added the second cake layer on top of that and frosted it with a thin layer all over to catch the crumbs (about another 1/3 of the frosting). I refrigerated that for one hour to set the crumb layer.

Then I used the rest of the frosting to frost the cake completely. I garnished it with toasted

walnut pieces.

Then I kept the whole thing in the fridge until an hour before it was time to eat it. The cheesecake had thawed itself out underneath the cake layers, just as it should. The cake layers were the perfect balance to creamy cheesecake and sweet frosting.

The whole thing was just plain fun to make, serve and enjoy with our friends. And if that's not what Thanksgiving is all about, I'm not sure what is!

Super Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate is a match made in heaven.

These cookies are the perfect homage to that divine pairing. When it comes to peanut butter, I don't want a subtle flavor. When it comes to cookies, I don't want something crunchy or dry. Thank God for these goodies.

They threaten soft collapse when handled, but mysteriously remain intact. They boast a flavor that is lusciously creamy and bold, with fragrant and salty peanut butter that is delightfully balanced with bursts of sweet chocolate and crystalline sugar.

If you want to get totally out of this world, mix in half peanut butter chips and half semisweet chocolate chips. I can't imagine that addition would be anything short of amazing. Whatever you do with these cookies, run, don't walk to the kitchen to whip up a batch. The secret to the softness is a very short baking time... and since they'll be devoured just as quickly it took to bake them, that's a very, very good thing.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies: makes over 4 dozen small cookies, 2 dozen regular
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter (not natural)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
About 2 cups quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, then stir in the remaining flour. If the dough is too sticky, cover and chill until easy to handle.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll 1" balls of dough between your palms, then roll in a small bowl of granulated sugar to coat. Place the balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 4-5 minutes. Even though it will not appear that the cookies are baked, allow them to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack with a spatula to cool completely. Store up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Thai Pumpkin Curry

It's creamy and warming. A marriage of complex flavors without the complex effort.

This authentic tasting curry is healthy and satisfyingly flavorful. The coconut milk and pumpkin combine to create a luxurious and velvety sauce that is laced with bright bursts of lime balanced by the nutty, caramel tone of sauteed onions and spices. 

Best yet, it comes together in minutes. I used firm tofu because that is what I had on hand, but it's a versatile dish that would be equally wonderful with sauteed chunks of chicken or plump shrimp. Don't be deterred by the coconut milk, which is an ingredient many may not have on hand. It's an essential part of what makes this so authentically Thai. But once you whip up this curry, canned light coconut milk will surely become a pantry staple in your house as it now has in mine (and at about 99 cents a pop, it's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to Thailand). 

Thai Pumpkin Curry: serves two generously
Ingredients:
Canola oil for pan
1/2 package of firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cubed
1/2 large white or yellow onion, cut into small wedges
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 T. curry powder
1 t. mustard
1 t. cumin
1 t. turmeric
2 dried chiles de arbol
1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews or almonds
1/2 14.5oz can Pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 14.5 oz. can light coconut milk
1/2 cup milk
2 T. dried coconut flakes
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt to taste
Brown rice for serving

Directions:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the skillet and heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and tofu, cooking until the onion is soft and golden, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, curry, mustard, cumin, turmeric, chiles, and nuts, and stir, 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, pumpkin, milk, and coconut flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for two minutes until slightly thickened. Add the lime zest and lime juice and stir. Salt to taste. Serve over brown rice. 

Hazelnut Pesto Pasta with Brussels Sprouts

Roasted brussels sprouts are a warming and delightful way to enjoy one of the best flavors of Fall. When tossed with a non-traditional, earthy sauce of hazelnut pesto, the combination becomes a hearty nod to the lingering days of summer, too.

The hazelnut pesto is more grounded and mellow than the usual all-basil pesto due to its use of parsley instead. Since the flavors of the sauce are so balanced, the tender and toasty brussels sprouts really shine.
Sauteing the sprouts creates a delightful and mildly addicting brown crust on each bite. This delectable pasta dish is a welcome canvas for these often (sadly) misunderstood and too-often cast aside, but truly scrumptious, baby cabbages.

Pasta with Hazelnut Pesto and Brussels Sprouts: makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups packed fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup packed basil
2/3 cups toasted hazelnuts
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional as needed
1 recipe fresh egg pasta, prepared as linguine, or 1 box dried linguine
1 lb. fresh brussels sprouts (heads should be small, tight, with no brown)
Shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Rinse the brussels sprouts and drain. Trim the bottom portion of each sprout, keeping the base intact, then quarter each. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large pan over medium low heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the sprouts.
Gently toss the sprouts every few minutes to keep from burning. Saute until they are lightly browned and tender, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. While the water is heating, make the pesto by adding all of the ingredients from the parsley through the olive oil to the food processor. Process until completely blended, scraping down the sides as necessary. When the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the directions until barely al-dente.

Using a pasta ladle, spoon all of the noodles directly into the pan with the brussels sprouts. Pour the hazelnut pesto sauce over the noodles and pesto and toss well. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Add kosher salt to taste and serve topped with generous shavings of Parmesan cheese.