Easy Mini Quiches

We had friends coming to visit and I decided to make these for breakfast. These were so delicious and so easy. Seriously, the chopping was the most tedious part. You can make any variation you want, I went with all vegetables and cheese. I'm sure these would be yummy with bacon or sausage in the mix.


Easy Mini Quiches
Courtesy of Christina Eats

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/3 c. milk (I used skim)
1/2 c. red and/or green bell pepper, diced ( i used red)
1/2 c. mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
1/3 c. green onions, sliced thinly ( i omitted and added spinach)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. each salt & pepper
olive oil
oil spray (such as PAM)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat about 1 tbsp. oil in a pan on medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until soft. Add peppers, mushrooms, spinach and spices. Cook for several minutes until soft.
Whisk together eggs and milk in a mixing bowl. Add vegetable mixture and mix lightly.
Spoon mixture into lightly greased muffin pan. Fill each cup almost full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Cool for 20 minutes, then carefully remove mini quiches from pan (I used a spoon to help).

Asiago Tortellini Soup with Black Pepper Flatbread

Since we have been experiencing hints of fall weather recently, I decided to make a soup for dinner the other night. I came across this recipe on the Cooking Light website and was happy I did. This was so simple and very fast. I made a black pepper flat bread as suggested and it was the perfect compliment!

Asiago Tortellini Soup
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients: 

-1 (9-ounce) package fresh three-cheese tortellini 
-1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth if making vegetarian)
-2 plum tomatoes, chopped 
-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 
-1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Asiago cheese 
-Basil leaves (optional) 
-Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
 

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

While pasta cooks, combine broth and tomato in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in basil. Cover and let broth mixture stand until pasta is done. Add drained pasta to broth mixture. Ladle soup into shallow bowls; sprinkle each serving with cheese. Garnish with basil leaves and pepper, if desired.


Black Pepper Flatbread
Courtesy of Cooking Light 

Ingredients: 

2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano 
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough 
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; form into a 12 x 9–inch rectangle. Lightly coat top of dough with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with garlic mixture. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool flatbread; cut into 6  large slices.




 

Cilantro Rice

My friend cooked dinner and served this rice. I loved it so much that I made it the next night! The original recipe is called Mexican Rice with Cilantro Dressing, but it's so versatile that I have renamed it cilantro rice and encourage you to make it as a side to go with anything! It's very easy to make although a bit time consuming with all of the chopping. The recipe also suggest the rice sit for 1.5 hours, but that is not necessary. Plus, it smells to delicious to wait that long!

Cilantro Rice
Courtesy of Epicurious, discovered by Karen Merriwether

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced seeded serrano chiles
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth (use vegetable broth if vegetarian)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• cilantro dressing (recipe follows)

    cilantro dressing:

• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup olive oil
• 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon minced seeded serrano chile

Directions for Cilantro Dressing:

Combine all ingredients in processor. Blend until almost smooth. Season dressing with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature; rewhisk before using.) 

Directions for Rice:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and serrano; sauté until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes. Mix in rice; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

Transfer rice to bowl; cool to barely lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Add 1/2 cup cilantro dressing to rice; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Pasta with Truffle Butter

YUM YUM YUM. This pasta is so amazing, I am coming off of my long hiatus just to share this recipe with you. Yesterday, as I cleaned the apartment I turned the tv to food network to watch one of my favorite peope, Ina Garten, get down in my dream kitchen. Hmph. Anyway, I discovered two things:

1) inexpensive way to make truffle pasta
2) a wonderful food blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen

If you are looking to impress family and friends with a delicious meal, and aren't about spending hours in the kitchen, please try this recipe. It won't dissapoint. I served this with a roasted tomato on the side stuffed with sausage and rice.

Pasta with Truffle Butter:
Courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 ounces white truffle butter  (I found this at Whole Foods)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (8.82-ounce) package Cipriani tagliarelle dried pasta or other egg fettuccine (I used whatever egg fettuccine I could find in the store)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 ounces Parmesan, shaved thin with a vegetable peeler


Directions
Add 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) saute pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the truffle butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, lower the heat to very low, and swirl the butter until it melts. Keep warm over very low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, exactly. (If you're not using Cipriani pasta, follow the directions on the package.) When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the saute pan and toss it with the truffle-cream mixture. As the pasta absorbs the sauce, add as much of the reserved cooking water, as necessary, to keep the pasta very creamy.

Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and garnish each serving with a generous sprinkling of chives and shaved Parmesan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at once.



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Black Bean Burrito Bake

 I made these for dinner last night. I love love love black beans so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it out. I made these early, set them in the refrigerator, and Christian popped them in the oven once he got home. They also didn't take any time to prepare...15 minutes tops! The only thing I would change is I would add a bit of salt to the bean mixture. I must admit this is a picture of  some of the leftovers today...which were still delicious!

Black Bean Burrito Bake
Courtesy of Cooking Light

• 1  (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1/2  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 1  cup  frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 4  (8-inch) flour tortillas
• Cooking spray
• 1  cup  bottled salsa
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Remove one chile from can. Chop chile. Reserve remaining adobo sauce and chiles for another use. Combine sour cream and chile in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes.
Place half of beans in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add chopped beans, remaining beans, and corn to sour cream mixture.
Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place, seam side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread salsa over tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

**Half of the beans are finely chopped to give the filling a thick, creamy consistency. This dish can be made up to 8 hours in advance and chilled; just bring it back to room temperature before baking.

Fried Pickles

Summer time means rooftop party time! We had some friends over the other night and everyone brought something to the table. I made 2 batches of parmesan balls and a batch of friend pickles. Let me just warn those with small apartments...be prepared for a "fried"smell to linger for a few hours post frying. This was my first time to deep fry anything and I must say I thought it was a success. I found two different recipes and modified/combined the two. I was pleased with my results and being that these were gone in about 15 minutes...I think my guest were pleased too! 




Fried Pickles

1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
36 dill pickle slices, cold
Canola oil
Ranch dressing for dipping

Beat egg, milk and a pinch of cayenne.  Place 1/2 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish.  In another dish, mix 1/2 cup each cornstarch and cornmeal with dill, paprika, salt and pepper.

Dip cold pickle slices in the plain cornstarch, then the egg wash, then the cornmeal mixture.  Fry in 2 inches of 375^o F canola oil until golden, about 3 minutes.

Drain on paper towels and serve with ranch dressing.

Feta Pepper Dip

One of my favorite people in the world moved  to DC(my college VP)  and us Millsaps DC Alumni decided to celebrate with a small dinner party. I love dips and since I had to take public transportation to the party (that is until Christian offered to give me a ride) I decided a dip and chip would be easiest to transport.  If you love feta cheese...this dip is for you! 

Feta Pepper Dip
Courtesy of Noble Pig 
8 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup pepporcini, sliced
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Black pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
Barbecue chips



Blend feta cheese, mayonnaise, and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl periodically.

Fold in sliced, green onions, lemon zest and black pepper.  Transfer to a serving dish and chill dip for at least one hour before serving.

Drizzle dip with extra-virgin olive oil.  Serve with a sturdy, barbecue chip.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I'm back! Our building had a rooftop party the other weekend and everyone was asked to bring a dish. I decided to make a twist on the stuffed jalapeno peppers I made a few months ago. Let's just say it was a great idea. It was the hit of the party...well actually it was second place to Christian's guacamole.

Jalapeno Popper Dip
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 - 4 ounce can chopped green chilis (do not drain)
1 - 4 ounce can sliced jalapenos (do not drain)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a food processor add cream cheese, mayonnaise, Mexican cheese, green chilis, jalapenos and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Spread the dip into a greased (I used PAM spray) 2-quart casserole dish.

In a bowl mix bread crumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Pour melted butter over the crumb mixture and mix well.

Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the dip and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.  The top should be browned and the dip bubbling on the edges.  Do not over heat or the mayonnaise will separate and a grease puddle will form in the middle of your dip.  Serve with buttery crackers, French baguette or chips.

Creamy Ranch Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is one of my favorite dishes and there times when I need a nice helping of it to make it through the day. After a rainy weekend, mac and cheese is just what I needed to lift my spirits...and bbq cups ...and a glass of wine.  I usually bake my mac and cheeses but when I stumbled across this recipe on a new fave of mine, Noble Pig , I was intrigued. A stovetop mac and cheese that doesnt involve a cheesey powder packet...yes,please! It also gave me an excuse to break out he dutch oven. I am always looking for new ways to make mac and cheese and since I love ranch, this seemed like a must try. This was easy, fast, and a delicious blend of ranch and cheese.


What you will need:

Thats:

1 package (16 oz.) elbow macaroni
1 cup milk (I used skim)1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon garlic pepper blend
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 cup  shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream (I used light)
1/2 cup crushed saltines
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions, however, do not use salt in the pasta water.  Meanwhile in a Dutch oven, combine the milk, butter, dressing mix and seasonings; heat through.  Stir in cheddar cheeses until melted.  Stir in sour cream.

Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce with the saltines.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna

Another fuzzy picture...but I am so excited to share this recipe because I know you will love it! I found this recipe on Closet Cooking and I knew that I had to make it when I saw the words bechemel sauce. I love love love a good white sauce. I made this lasagna for a few friends that came over for dinner. In order to maximize my friend time, I decided to go for a one dish meal that I could make ahead and pop in the oven. This was perfect...and a crowd pleaser!  I served this yummy salad on the side. This entire meal is a must try!

Bechemel Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat until melted.

2. Whisk flour and stir until smooth.

3. Whisk in milk and stir until smooth.

4. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper.

5. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Sauce will thicken

Lasagna:

Ingredients:

1 package lasagne noodles ( I used Barilla no boil)

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups sliced mushrooms (portabello, shiitake, etc)

2 servings Bechamel Sauce

2 cups parmigiano-reggiano (grated)


Directions:

1. Cook the noodles as directed on the package. (Add a splash of oil to the water to prevent sticking.)

2. Saute the mushrooms in the butter.

3. Preheat the over to 375 degrees F.

4. Spread some of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then a third of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup of the grated parmigiano-reggiano. Repeat 2 more times. Top the final layer of noodles and sauce, and the remaining parmigiano-reggiano.

5. Bake the lasagna for about 45 minutes. The top should be a bit browned the sauce should be bubbling.

6. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 or so minutes and serve hot.

Herbed Baked Goat Cheese Salad

First of all, sorry for the shadow in the picture. I have never been good with a camera.

As you know, I am a fan of America's Test Kitchen. If you don't watch it, you should. It is awesome and full of great ideas and recipes. I have recently spotted their magazines when checking out at the grocery store and I simply can not resist.  I found this recipe in the "best of" addition and I have been wanting to make it for a while. It's very easy but you just have to plan ahead since preparing the cheese will take you 3 hours.

Herbed Baked Goat Cheese Salad
Courtsey of The Best of America's Test Kitchen 


Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Salad
1 1/2 cups pecans
12 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 large eggs
12 cups hearty salad greens (i used spring mix)
vegetable oil spray

Directions:

For the vinaigrette, combime all ingredients in a jar, seal lid and shake until combined

Salad:

Pulse pecans in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl. Add cheese, chives, and thyme to the food processor and process until smooth ( i chopped the herbs in the food processor then added the cheese). Refrigerate the cheese mixture in a covered bowl until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Using your hands, take 2 tablespoons of the chilled cheese mixture at a time and roll into twelve 1 1/2 inch balls. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. One at a time, dip the balls in the egg, allow the excess to run off, then roll them in the nuts, pressing gently to adhere. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Press the balls into 2 inch disks with a greased measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.

Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Remove the plastic and spray the cheese lightly with the vegetable oil spray. Bake until the nuts are golden brown and the cheese is warmed through, 7-10 minutes.  Toss the greens with the vinaigrette and serve the warm cheese rounds over the dressed salad.

Fusilli with Spinach and Tomato

I know what you thinking. This dish may not look like much...but it is full of flavor! Christian and I normally don't celebrate Valentine's Day but I decided at the last minute that I wanted to make him dinner. Due to the recent snowpocalypse and my last minute dinner idea, I knew my options were going to be limited. I decided pasta would be a good choice for many reasons. a) it's fast  b)fewer indgredients increases my chances of having a successful grocery trip c) i love pasta and  d) it's not a romantic meal so it technically doesn't count as a celebration. The entire meal took about 15 minutes and was absolutely delicious. I plan to make this again and again...especially on weeknights.

Fusilli with Spinach and Tomato
Courtesy of Giada

1 pound fusilli pasta

1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9-ounce) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 ounces (1/2 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (about 3 1/2-ounces) grated Asiago
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.


Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper, and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine.

Mediterranean Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

I spotted this recipe in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living and since I had almost all the ingredients I decided to make it for dinner tonight. This dish was full of flavor and very easy to make. It was definitely a "set it and forget it" kind of meal and I was able to relax and prepare for Sunday night television while the tomatoes roasted away! Sunday nights are always a night of comfort food for me for two reasons...it's the night when I have the most time on my hands to cook and it takes away some of the sadness of knowing the weekend is coming to an end.

Ingredients:
8 ounces of fettuccini pasta
10-12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup of olive oil, divided
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper



Place tomato halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

Mix 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic and seasonings in a small bowl.  Spoon mixture over tomatoes.

Roast tomatoes  in preheated 400 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until soft.

Prepare pasta as directed on the package and drain well.

Place 1/2 of the roasted tomatoes and remaning 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl. Mash the tomatoes well until they form a coarse sauce.

Add pasta and remaining tomatoes and mix well. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

Tomato Pie

Tuesday night is Christian's (my boyfriend) trivia night so I am home alone until about 10pm. Needless to say, Tuesday nights are usually a quick, fuss-free dinner since we eat at different times. I usually make a sandwich or nibble on snacks around the apartment but tonight I wanted to indulge myself and forget about the day in the process. I have been wanting to make this tomato pie for quite some time now and boy was I glad I did. This was absolutely delicious!If I hadn't gone to the gym this evening I probably would have eaten at least half of the pie! That was a tough task. Apparently tomato pies are a staple in most southern families. How did I not know about this?

Tomato Pie
Courtesy of Kasie

1 pie crust (I used store bought)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

4 oz crumbled goat cheese

3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard ( I eyeballed this so I am sure I used a bit more)

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (also eyeballed this)

salt and pepper to taste ( I used sea salt and fresh black pepper)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the pie crust and fit into a pie plate. As you can see from the picture, I could have done a better job at forming the crust in my pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes. While the pie crust is baking in the oven, saute onion in olive oil until tender and caramelized.

Once the pie crust is done, layer your pie starting with the onions. Place the sauteed onions on the bottom. Be sure you have enough to fill the bottom. I had to saute a little more at the last minute! Next, layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the onions.

In a bowl mix together the cheese and the mustard and spread on top of the layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees for another 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Enjoy!