Quickie Quiche: Tomato, Spinach and Cheddar

 

Do you ever feel like every meal is running together? The same ingredients rearranged?  I know I do.  One night I decided to mix it up a little, and have some Quickie Quiche for dinner.  I know, Quickie Quiche is a really clever name....yet, I feel confident I am not the first to use it.  Oh, well! On to the quiche.

The great thing about quiche is that you can make it so many different ways, and eat it at any time of day.  Bacon and spinash.  Asparagus and cheese.  Mushroom and tomato.  You get the picture, eggs go great with everything.  You can make it heartier or lighter depending on what you add to the magical mix, not to mention it is a great way to pack a bunch of veggies into one meal.  Using store bought crush makes it a super-quickie quiche, but make your own if you prefer. I always make a pretty big one, it goes fast!

Tomato,Spinach and Cheese Quiche

1 pie crust
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tomato, sliced thin
1/2 cup thawed (frozen) or wilted(fresh) spinach leaves
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the crust alone for about 7 minutes, or until the surface is set and no longer moist to the touch.  Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
Beat the eggs and all the ingredients besides the sliced tomato.  Pour the mixture into the crust, and arrange the tomatoes on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and puffed.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Okay, so I have to start out by saying that I had no parts in coming up with this recipe.  I only succeeded in making it deliciously without many of the items on what I consider to be a sprawling ingredient list, and in a mere portion of the time.  It turned out to be a winner with lean protein, tons of veggies and a sweet but not overly sugary sauce that everyone pretty much loves.*Brushes sugar from shoulder* Now that I'm done bragging about my culinary prowess and chameleon like adaptability in the kitchen, let's move on to the method and ingredient list.

First of all, this recipe is actually for Sweet and Sour Pork (butt) which was changed to chicken. I nixed some of the fresh items like ginger, shortened the marinate time for the chicken and eliminated the deep frying in favor of a saute in a shallow pan of oil. I also omitted the celery because it just seemed wrong to me. Celery? In Sweet and Sour Chicken?


I ended up making substitutions for about half of the ingredients, and it was a smash hit with everyone around the dinner table.  To save money, I pulled two breasts from one whole chicken cut up.  As always I stashed the neck and back in the freezer for stock making, and made the other six pieces into Oven Fried Chicken for another night.  One chicken, two meals, happiness all around!  I will post the recipe with my changes since I think that the ingredients I used are more likely to be found in YOUR fridge/pantry today since you will be making this at your next meal immediately following a thorough reading, commentary and sharing of this post via all of the social networks you are a part of.  You will.  Trust me!

 Sweet and Sour Chicken
2/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 ground ginger
1/2 cup flour, separated in half
2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
Kosher salt and pepper
1 tb. oil , plus more for saute (canola, olive, whatever you like)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 ounce honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup large diced onion
1/3 cup carrots sliced 1/4-inch thick, on a bias
1/3 cup large diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup large diced green bell pepper
1/2 can pineapple chunks

1. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine soy, garlic, ginger, and half the flour Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the bowl and toss to cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hr.

2. Drain off any excess marinade and dredge the chicken in the remaining flour seasoned with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan heat enough oil to cover the pan to 350 degrees F. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, flipping each piece half way through. Drain on paper towels. Reserve on a warm plate.

3.In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and honey. Whisk to blend.

4. In a small roasting pan heat the tablespoon of oil. Place the vegetables into the pan, allow them to soften for about 2 minutes then add the chicken pieces and cover with the ketchup mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through.

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Pizza and Pondering on a Friday Night

Sometimes I ask myself why I blog.  I am not no more of an extraordinary home cook than many bloggers online.  I don't necessarily always cook the most elaborate meals, or the most exotic.  And I certainly don't often have access to the finest ingredients money has to buy.  But I do know what I CAN do.  I can stretch 2 chickens into four meals for four people.  I can create entire meals under $5.  I can mix organic and natural foods in my family's diet on a budget.  I can make delicious food that doesn't require any level of cooking skill, intricate tools or a lot of time.  And I can certainly love the feeling I get when I go into the kitchen and make something so good that I feel like someone else needs to know about it!  So I will continue to try my best to bring you recipes, information and tips that get me through my day to day trials in the kitchen, and beyond.........Whew! With all that said, let's talk about pizza.

I don't know many people who have a whole lot of luck at making really good homemade pizza dough.  I love pizza but there's nothing I hate more than shelling out $30 for a pizza night and getting some suck-a$$ pizza! It's always 50/50 with these pizza places, sometimes a hit and sometimes a major, major miss.  Actually for me it's more like an 80/20 miss-hit ratio.  So after some research online, I found a great dough recipe and made pizza without even getting out a pot for the sauce! Not to mention the obvious health benefits of making your own food as opposed to eating out, and saving MAJOR dough (<-----pun intended).

Happy Helper/Eater #1

Happy Eater #2

The best thing about this dough recipe is that it is so simple, and can be ready to bake in an hour if you wait until the last minute on a weeknight.  Or you could fancy it up with toppings for a girls' night or game day with the guys.  If you make it ahead, this is literally at 15 minute, $5 dinner kind of night.  It also works well regardless if you like thick or thin crust.  Some variations I made on this recipe:

• I also substituted instant yeast for active dry yeast.  If you have instant yeast, you don't even have to start the yeast in warm water, just add it in with the dry ingredients before adding to the wet.  
• I also par-baked the crust for about 7 minutes before adding the toppings to prevent sogginess.  
• For the sauce, I opened a can of crushed tomatoes and spooned it onto the crust, then sprinkled lightly with garlic powder, a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Add movie and enjoy!

Altered from Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

 Prep Time: 5 min + 1 hr proof time    Cook time: 15 minutes

Cost:  $6.23 for two pizzas       Servings: 2 large pizzas

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I substituted instant)
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.(Skip if using instant yeast)
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast (or water/sugar) solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour, adding instant yeast to flour if you're subbing for active dry.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions, and Spicy Marinara

I don't know about you, but around my house we love spaghetti. Spaghetti with meat sauce, baked spaghetti, you get the picture. It's a staple, go t0-meal for many families. Sausage with peppers is a popular Italian dish, but as a family who doesn't eat pork or pork by-products it can be difficult to find a sausage that doesn't have a pork casing. So when I found this sweet Italian turkey sausage with a halal casing I picked up a pack and did a little experimenting. I've made sausage before, so a homemade turkey Italian sausage may be coming your way in the future but that's another post for another day. As for today, the store bought ones will do.

This meal was simple to make, DELICIOUS, and an all around crowd pleaser at a dinner table manned by a husband with a particularly discerning palate and a two year old. Not to mention that it's nutritious with a low fat, low calorie turkey sausage, homemade marinara, whole wheat pasta and crisp, fresh veggies. If you're looking for a 20 minute dinner, look no further.

To summarize: this dinner was DAMN good! Just thinking about it makes me want another bite, but I'll leave some turkey Italian sausages at the store for you. You can thank me later ;)

What You'll Need:

1 or 2 sausages per person (how hungry are you?)
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 white onion (I used a sweet Vidalia)
1 box whole wheat pasta
1 28- oz. can crushed tomatoes, drained of excess liquid
1/2 ts. crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, sliced in 1/2
2 tb. olive oil
1 1/2 tb. Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Boil water for pasta, and add salt before adding the pasta. Be sure to give the pasta a good stir so that it doesn't stick. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of a medium skillet on medium high heat, add sausages, and cover. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan, and wipe dry with a paper towel. Let the pan heat up again, then add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan. Heat the oil and add the sausages back to the pan to brown on all four sides. Remove the sausages and add the sliced onions and peppers, with a pinch of (kosher) salt. Cook the onions and peppers until they are tender-crisp (you can pierce them easily with a fork, but they are still firm). For the sauce, add the other tablespoon of olive oil, the crushed red pepper and the garlic to a pan over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds before adding the crushed tomatoes. Add the Italian seasoning and sugar, if you desire it. Heat the sauce through, and remove the garlic cloves before serving. Then let the sausage eating contest begin, and I guarantee it will be a tight race!

Oh, and I used roasted garlic and garlic oil for the sauce/peppers. But that's another post for another day :)

Hello again...

Has it really been 20 days since I've graced your mental space with my presence? Alas, I am here with more tales from the kitchen!

I have tried out so many new recipes lately! So many that I have barely been able to keep up, so I will start with one that is not new but is getting better with time. Since I am a Southerner, I have a torrid and torturous love affair with the bites of buttery, doughy goodness that are biscuits.

Why is my relationship with a Southern staple so strained? Well, because although they are easy to prepare, cheap, and tasty they are essentially flour and fat. Which is not a great choice for a girl who is celebrating a full week at her lowest weight to date in her weight loss journey ( this dedicated soul of which we speak would be me!). But biscuits called my name, and who am I to ignore the beckoning of one of Earth's greatest culinary treasures?

And now a brief discussion on biscuits. Slave women were the originators of the Southern biscuit that is characterized by a soft, tender crumb and buttery flavor. Today's biscuits are of the baking powder variety, meaning that baking powder is the leavening of choice for the dough. This is the alternative to the beaten biscuit, which was traditionally beaten 100 strokes "or more for company". The beaten biscuit was the original version of the modern recipe which was popular when leavening was not available. At the time pearlash was the only widely available leavening but caused a bitter taste in biscuits. But I digress....After looking up a recipe for beaten biscuits, I decided that it's best that I thank God (swt) for technology and stick with this recipe which I have always had great success with.

Baking Powder Biscuits
2 cups White Lily all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, margarine or shortening (or any combination of the three)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup cold milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut fat into small pieces and place in freezer for 15 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix well with a fork or a whisk. Once the fat is cold, use a biscuit cutter tool like this one or your hands to incorporate the fat into the flour mixture (using the tool is better because it keeps the fat cold which creates a flaky, tender biscuit). Add the milk a little at a time, mixing as you go. Add milk until the dough comes together and is a little wet. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and flour the top, adding flour until the outside of the dough does not stick to the surface. Use a 2 inch cutter for biscuits that will be for snacking or with a meal, use a 3 inch cutter if the biscuits will be used for sandwiches. If you prefer biscuits with soft sides, place the biscuits so that they are slightly touching, if you prefer brown, crisp biscuits space biscuits 2 inches apart. Brushing the tops with milk or melted butter is optional. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Then try not to eat the whole pan.

Summer = no cooking

It's official.....summer's humid days, thunderstorms and short nights have struck. What does this mean for me? I am losing my once insatiable desire to cook everyday. Why, you ask? Well, for a few reasons. 1. I, unfortunately, am apparently the last person on earth without central air, and these window units are no match for a hot oven and/or stove. 2. I, unfortunately, am the last person on earth who doesn't have a dishwasher, therefore creating a masterpiece of a meal loses it's luster when it is immediately followed by A LOT of time spent cleaning up the mess made when making aforementioned masterpiece. So today I present to you, the cheesesteak pita. It's quick, tasty, faintly culinary in nature and requires limited use of appliances (score!). It's available at many Greek-inspired restuarants and pizza joints, and this is my take on making it at home. It's full of tasty summer veggies, and relatively low in calories so it's pretty much a win-win around the Hasan house. It also has healthy Greek yogurt in it, which is becoming widely available due its increasing popularity. Try it out, and if you're not a fan of the Greek tzatzki sauce, just try it anyway. For me? Please? I swear you'll love it! Although I LOATHE yogurt, I LOVE this sauce.

Tzatzki Sauce
1 container (individual serving size) Greek style yogurt
1/2 of one large cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 clove minced garlic
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

For the Pitas:
1/2 pound shaved, lean beef or Steak-Umms
sliced cheese (the amount is up to you, but watch those calories!)
1 package whole wheat pitas
veggies to taste, see below

Add the cucumber and yogurt to a small bowl, add a squirt of lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for about thirty minutes before use. If you don't have fresh garlic (which you should) substitute a pinch or garlic powder. If you don't have a fresh lemon, use another citrus or just skip it.

Wrap a stack of whole wheat pitas in foil and put them in the oven on low (250 degrees) to warn while you get started. Then prepare your veggies for the pita. Chop lettuce, red onion, chopped cucumber, tomatoes and black olives then set them aside.To make the pitas, season your steak with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add to a hot pan and saute. Strain the meat and add it back to the pan. Allow the meat to crust in the pan, and add sliced cheese ( I prefer white American for this ) while everything is still hot. Stack the meat with the veggies and add the sauce, and voila!, you are in for something good (and fast too!)