Spinach & Bacon Quiche

Another yummy recipe I tried for my friend's baby shower...my very favorite quiche ever! YUM.  :)

½ lb. bacon
10 oz. package spinach
1 c. sour cream (can use light)
salt and pepper to taste
2 unbaked pie crusts
1 onion, minced
½ lb. diced mushrooms
2 c. diced ham
16 oz. Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
8 eggs
1 c. half and half (can use fat-free)
1 Tbsp. parsley 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown bacon, drain, crumble, and set aside. Saute spinach in bacon drippings ( naughty!). Drain. Saute onions. Add mushrooms. Stir in ham and bacon. Combine spinach, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Add meat mixture. Mix in cheese. Divide into each pie crust.

Mix eggs, half and half, and parsley. Pour over pies. Place pies in oven and bake 45-50 minutes or until tops are puffed and golden brown. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Each pie serves 8.

**If reheating, cover pie with foil and bake at 325 for about 20-30 minutes, checking frequently to make sure it's not getting too brown. **

Zucchini Cheese Quiche

Made this for a baby shower a couple weeks ago...yummy!!
Thanks Best Bites for another yummy quiche.

1 single 9" pie crust
1 lb zucchini, thinly sliced (about 3 small-medium zucchini)
1 Tbs butter
1/2 C diced red onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
kosher salt
black pepper
3 eggs

1/2 Tbs dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbs fresh chopped oregano (or 1 1/2 tsp dry)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
5 oz gruyere cheese
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place rolled out pie crust in a 9" pie plate and flute edges.  Place in fridge until ready to use.

In a large skillet on the stove-top, melt butter.  Add onions and garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Add sliced zucchini and add a sprinkle of salt (about 1/2 tsp) and a few cracks of black pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until zucchini is softened.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl lightly beat eggs.  Add dijon mustard, oregano, red pepper flakes.  Whisk until combined and then gently stir in Gruyere cheese.

Add egg and cheese mixture to zucchini mixture and toss until combined.  Place mixture in prepared pie crust and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until center is set and top is lightly golden.  Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.  Can be served warm, at room temp, or even cold.

9-Inch Single Pie Crust

My new go-to pie crust. LOVED this crust for my quiche! Also used it with my apple pie...perfect.
Thanks Best Bites.

1 1/4c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c.+ 1 Tbsp. shortening (I prefer butter flavored but either works)
Ice water (probably about 1/4 c.)

Making the Dough

Combine flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add shortening in small cubes.

Cut in shortening (room temperature) until you get pieces that are about pea-sized.

Now, this is where it gets a little tricky, but don't be scared. Start sprinkling the ice water by about a tablespoon at a time over the flour/shortening mixture.

Very, very gently, turn the dough with your fingers so it gets exposed to the water. You're NOT mixing, just trying to moisten all of the flour/shortening mixture. Gradually, all of the flour mixture will be moistened. Gently pat the dough into a ball (it should come together easily but not be sticky).

Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you're ready to use.

Rolling the Dough
When you're ready to roll out your pie crust, lightly flour your work surface and place the dough ball on the surface. One of the keys in making pie crust is to handle the dough as little as possible. Don't freak out TOO much; like I said, this recipe for crust is pretty forgiving, but at the same time, the less you touch it, the more tender and flaky it will be. Starting in the center, roll the dough out into a circle shape, about 1/8" thick. When you've reached your desired thickness, place the rolling pin in the middle and gently fold the crust over the rolling pin. Lift the dough onto your pie plate and unfold it (gently; notice a theme here?).

The Edge of Reason
Unless I'm planning on doing something fancy schmancy with my edges, I just run a sharp knife around the edges of the pie plate, cutting off the excess dough. Then I use my thumb and fingers to make kind of a big, wavy edge on the crust, but that's just how I do it; there are lots of pretty pie edges.


Pre-baked Crusts
Sometimes a recipe will call for a pre-baked crust. Some people place "weights" (either little balls specifically designed for this purpose, or even beans) in the pie to keep it from puffing and shrinking, but I've found that with this recipe, I don't need them. Just prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until golden-brown.

Double Crusts
Sometimes you'll need or want a lid on top of that pie. Just double the recipe for the crust and cut the dough in half, using one part for the bottom and one part for the top.

When you put the crust on top, you'll need some way of letting the steam out. This is where you can really wow people. I had a roommate who would cut a cute little heart in the top crust; some people cut some decorative slits so when you put it on top, it spreads a little and looks all pretty. My favorite thing to do is a lattice top.

Rainbow Cake

I made this cake for my 6 year old's art/rainbow birthday party last week. It really was so much fun to make! I got the idea over at Martha's.:) I made it easier on myself and used 2 plain white cake mixes to start the cake because I wanted the cake layers a little thicker than that version. I did use the Lemony Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe. This buttercream did a great job holding up between all the layers! I would recommend it when making this particular cake.



Directions:

1. I took two white cake mixes and mixed them up in a large bowl according to the directions on the box. Then I divided the batter into 6 different bowls. Each bowl ended up with about 1 and 3/4 cups of batter each. Then I mixed some food coloring into each bowl to get my rainbow colors. Only use the gel food colors! You really only need a very small amount in each one.

2.  When each color is mixed, place batter into 6 separate round 9 inch pans. I only had three, so I baked 3 first and then when they had cooled, I transfered the cakes to a cookie sheet. I washed the pans and baked the other 3 cakes. Be sure to grease your pans well so that the cakes come out without sticking. I baked the cakes in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes.

3. After all the cake layers have cooled, place your bottom layer (purple) onto your cake plate. Add a thin layer of frosting. Place your blue cake layer on top of the frosting. Continue in this manner until you have added all your cake layers.

 4. Crumb coat: after you have your cake layers placed together, take your frosting and lightly frost the entire cake (sometimes it helps even more to freeze the cake for an hour before crumb coating). This layer will have a lot of crumbs in it, but don't worry, they will not show. Place the cake back in the freezer or fridge for an hour.

5. Take your cake out and frost the entire cake.

6. I topped mine with a skittle rainbow and marshmallow clouds.

TIP:  Right after you have frosted the entire cake, take your flat spatula and dip it into a tall cup of hot water. Then with it clean of frosting,  run it over the frosting layer to give it a smooth finish. I continue washing the spatula in the hot water over and over until I like the results.

After the stacking and before the crumb coat:

Mushroom Risotto

This recipe is my all-time favorite risotto! SO much yummy flavor! Risotto can be a bit time consuming, but so worth it!

[pictured with  hake fish fillet on top]

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 small onions, finely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
* 1 teaspoon minced celery
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (most the time I use baby portabellas, but white or any combination of gourmet mushrooms is delicious)
* 1 cup milk (use whole for richness)
* 1/4 cup heavy cream (can also use half and half)
* 1 cup Arborio rice
* 4-5 cups vegetable stock (use 5 cups for more creaminess)
* 1 teaspoon butter
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is tender and garlic is lightly browned. Remove garlic, and stir in the parsley, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook until celery is tender, then add the mushrooms. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft.

2. Pour the milk and cream into the skillet, and stir in the rice. Heat to a simmer. Stir the vegetable stock into the rice one cup at a time, until it is absorbed.

3. When the rice has finished cooking, stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese, and remove from heat. Serve hot.

A TIP: As this is risotto, you do have to spend the entire time stirring it, or it will burn to the pan. However, if you want a little security, you can make it in a heavy nonstick pan. That way, even if it sticks a little, it comes off quickly and you're fine. Risotto does take a while to cook...but so worth it!

S'mores Cupcakes

S'mores are pretty much on of my very favorite desserts. I've been trying different s'more cupcake recipes out for awhile and finally found a keeper! Made these last Sunday...soooo good and SO rich!

 [via]

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 20 grahams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (I reduced this to 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1 cup milk chocolate (I pulsed mine in the food processor to make them a lot smaller)

Swiss Meringue Marshmallow Frosting (NOT BUTTERCREAM)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I used 3/4 cup regular sugar and 1/2 cup vanilla sugar)
4 egg whites
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk and beat until batter is almost smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (Mine were done at 16 minutes). Remove from oven and cool.

5. To make the frosting: Combine egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl over but not touching a pan of simmering water). Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixtures reaches 160°F, about 5 minutes. Pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high for 6 minutes or until room temperature. Add optional vanilla extract 1 teaspoon at a time until desired flavor.

6. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with grated milk chocolate or graham cracker crumbs.

Polenta Cakes with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Honey

This recipe was really great! We're don't eat alot of polenta...we like it okay, but in this dish it was awesome. So yummy! I used store bought polenta instead of mixing up my own the first time...either way its good!

Serves 8

For the Polenta:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup polenta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced in 1/4" slices
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• honey, to drizzle

1. Bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Turn heat to low, and continue whisking for 5 minutes, or until polenta is smooth and creamy. Spread the polenta in a 9x9 baking dish, and set aside to cool.
2. While the polenta is setting up, add the butter and olive oil to a heavy-bottomed skillet set to medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a sprinkle of kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, golden, and caramelized- about 20-25 minutes.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into another skillet, set over medium heat. Using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out circles of the firm polenta, and place in the heated skillet. Cook until slightly browned and crusty on one side, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the other sides another two minutes.
4. To assemble the polenta cakes, place on a plate, add one tablespoon of caramelized onions to each cake, top each with about a teaspoon of crumbled goat cheese, and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!