I was reading through one of the many blogs I follow and became inspired to make mini-quiches. One thing I've learned as of late is to bake everything I can in muffin tins. You see, the weather in Florida is positively wonderful right now. (Sorry, dear loved ones in Spokane.) And it doesn't make a lot of sense to run your oven for an hour because as it is the windows are open to let the wonderful breeze blow through your house, and there's no point in making a case for turning on the air-conditioner.
Recipe for Paprika Pie Crust
2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t sweet paprika
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup cold water
Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix oil and water. Beat with a fork until there are lots of bubbles. Pour liquid into dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Divide crust into 12 equal portions. Slightly grease a muffin pan. Press each portion of dough into a cup of the pan making sure the dough is up the sides and not too thick along the bottom of the cup. Bake at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes or until beginning to turn golden. If at any time crust becomes difficult to handle, consider refrigerating it for 15 minutes or so.
Recipe for Sun-Ripened Tomato Quiche Filling
6 eggs, beaten
6 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 banana pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup sun-ripened tomatoes, cut into smaller-than-bite-sized pieces
1/4 t. salt
1/8 cup Parm-Reg for topping (optional)
In large bowl, beat eggs. Add ricotta and stir until well mixed. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Pour egg mixture evenly into each of the 6 muffin cups with par-baked crust. Bake on 375 about 15-20 minutes or until eggs are cooked. Sprinkle with cheese in last minute of baking or just before serving.
It is recommended that the egg mixture not drip behind the crust or overflow the crust because it may make the crust soggy.
I should have tried this recipe much sooner, but broccoli and cauliflower were just three weeks ago on sale for a really good price in our little corner of the world. The recipe came from a book called The Vegetarian Bible, a gift from friends, Frank and Emily. Unfortunately, they gave me the book right before I started feeling sick from my pregnancy, and I wasn't interested in cooking for a long while after that. I'm glad I finally got the time, energy, and desire to pull it out.
For my birthday, Paul bought me a "deck" of soup and stew cards from the Moosewood Restaurant collection. It was such a clever idea, and luckily, it was cold enough to take advantage of them before we left for Paris when my kitchen was nearly empty of food.
We are busy travelers. Paul's parents are even busier travelers. My parents used to be busy travelers. We find it very hard to justify purchasing gadgets and souvenirs; spending money on things that will eventually be put away because they do not fit the house decor any more or because we have purchased something even better that deserves that special spot in our home. That is why we advocate purchasing kitchen gear and food-related items on vacation trips.
For an all-girls mini party, I needed a simple mid-afternoon snack to be more of the main dish for a small group. I already had some crackers made of a variety of seeds--flax, poppy, sesame,etc. The crackers have a great and unique flavor. I simply wanted something to add to them. I then selected a plain, but well seasoned hummus and a medium salsa as dips.
Firstly, I guess I lied. I said I would never make mashed potatoes another way after having the Garlic and Rosemary ones. However, I made these mashed potatoes for a pot luck and know that most people like creamy, skinless potatoes with basic flavors. Secondly, I started this recipe using the Barefoot Contessa's "limited time availability" recipe on foodnetwork.tv. (As an FYI, this recipe is only published around the time a show airs due to legal reasons.) However, when I tasted her product, I was disappointed and chose to edit it my way.
This is one of our favorite recipes from "The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet". It allows for much creativity and lets Paul and I make differing concoctions according to our tastes.
from the Moosewood Restaurant collection. It was such a clever idea, and luckily, it was cold enough to take advantage of them before we left for Paris when my kitchen was nearly empty of food.
