Spinach Quiche - Holiday Luncheon Favorite!

Back in the mid 70s I became passionate about cooking. Although I had cooked for years in the kitchen with my grandmother, it wasn't until I went off to college and cooked for myself and friends, that I fell in love. This stemmed from the immediate gratification I felt creating beautiful and delicious dishes and from those who enjoyed my creations.

As a huge fan of the then new magazine, Bon Appetit', I learned many new and challenging recipes - such as "The Art of Making Quiche!" Quiche was HUGE back in the 70s, in fact I still have the original book that I purchased. I made everything from crabmeat quiche to veggie quiches. Then decided to create my own combinations - below is one of them.

Spinach, mushrooms and red peppers were three favorite veggies of mine so it only seemed natural to put them into a quiche. I also loved Jarlsberg cheese which resembles Swiss but is mild, with a sweet and nutty flavor, plus it's lower in fat.

Sometimes I'd make my own pie shell while other times I'd purchase the ready-made. Fresh packed spinach wasn't as readily available in the 70s as it is today, so I used frozen chopped spinach. I've updated my recipe since then, but feel free to change it, to suit your taste and needs.

This quiche will be the perfect addition to your holiday luncheon table - and guaranteed to get rave reviews!

Spinach, Mushroom 
 & 
Red Pepper Quiche

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

10 oz. package of fresh spinach

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

6 small baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red pepper, diced

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

fresh ground pepper

fresh grated nutmeg

Custard

5 eggs

2 cups whipping cream

3/4 pound Jarlsberg Cheese, shredded

9" pie pan or deep dish

Pate Sucree or ready-made pie crust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Make Pate Sucree (no need to cook prior to baking quiche) or prepare ready-made pie crust according to package directions.

Filling:

Melt butter in skillet and saute onions, then mushrooms and red pepper. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.

Add fresh ground pepper and nutmeg to taste - remove from heat.

Add shredded Jarlsberg, mix and pour ingredients into prepared pie crust.

Blend eggs and whipped cream (custard) together then slowly pour onto veggie mixture.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is firm.

Beautiful and delicious! The perfect dish for a holiday luncheon. Serve with fresh berries, a colorful garden salad and you've got a luscious meal!

Note: The Pate Sucree makes enough for 2 pie crusts. Earlier this year I used one of the pie crusts to make a stunning Meyer Lemon Tart with a Layer of Chocolate. 

Enjoy!!!

Candied Pecans

For as long as I can remember I've been making Candied Pecans.  I make them to have around the house when company is coming, add them to salads, as toppings for desserts or just to eat them plain - they're so good! I especially love giving the Candied Pecans as a holiday gift, packaged in cellophane bags tied with colorful ribbons.

If you've never made Candied Pecans this simple recipe takes no time at all.  Once made look out - your family will gobble them up in minutes, literally!

Here's the recipe.....make a batch for Thanksgiving, everyone will be thrilled you did.

Candied Pecans

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Dash of ground cloves

2 cups pecan halves 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan. 

Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly (about 8-10 minutes).

Add pecans and vanilla, cook until all syrup is absorbed and pecans are coated, stirring constantly (about 12 minutes - will look powdery).

Spread pecan mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment. (Pecans will have a sugar coating)

Cool completely then store in airtight container or serve.

Yields approx. 3 1/2 cups

Enjoy!!!

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Biscotti

With the holidays quickly approaching, all I feel like doing is baking - cakes, cookies, pies, and biscotti.  I love biscotti and never feel stuffed after eating one or two.  I love them with my coffee, tea or even as a midday snack.  They're so light and delicious!

A favorite recipe I've been making for years is Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti.  After viewing a biscotti recipe on one of the many blogs I frequent, I decided this morning when I woke up that I was going to make mine -  however, I thought I'd change it up a bit.  

I had some delicious Blood Orange Olive Oil that I purchased from a store that recently opened  at Plaza Frontenac in St. Louis, called DiOlivas.  I love Olive Oil and Vinegar stores as you're probably aware, if you've been following my blog for a while.  With a myriad of choices, each one delicious and unique in their own way (I was able to sample whatever I wanted), I walked out with quite a few varieties to take home and create, culinary masterpieces!

DiOlivas is a locally owned family business, so if you live in or around the St. Louis, Missouri area you should definitely pay them a visit.  If not, you can always purchase their products online - everything I tasted was so good, you can't go wrong with any of them.

So, this morning I decided to make biscotti.   Instead of my usual recipe that I often make during the holidays, I decided to use my Blood Orange Olive Oil instead of plain Olive Oil, plus, add the zest of an orange.  

OMG!  You have no idea how moist and delicious these were!  Even my daughter said they were the best biscotti I've ever made.  

So of course I knew I had to share the recipe with you.  I know you're going to love them.  Besides making them for yourself, don't forget to package some up to give as a holiday gift.  Who wouldn't love these?

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Biscotti

Makes approximately 28-30

¼ cup DiOlivas Blood Orange Olive Oil

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups, unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup dried cranberries

1 ½ cups pistachio nuts, shelled

Zest of one Orange

Preheat oven to 300F degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, blend olive oil and sugar together. 

Then add vanilla and almond extracts and eggs, beating until the mixture is completely blended.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined.  On low speed, gradually add to the egg mixture.  Fold in orange zest, pistachios and dried cranberries.

Divide dough in half.  On the cookie sheet, form each half into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.  Space logs about 4 inches apart.  (Dough will be sticky so lightly moisten hands in cold water before forming into logs).

Bake in center of oven for 35 minutes or until the logs are light brown.  Remove from oven and turn heat down to 275F degrees.  Let logs cool on baking sheet 10 minutes.

With a large metal spatula, remove the logs to cutting board and using a long, sharp knife, cut each log on the diagonal into ¾ -inch slices. 

Stand slices upright on cookie sheet and return to oven for 8-10 minutes, until they are light brown.

Cool biscotti on rack and store in a tin between sheets of waxed paper.  They can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!!!

Virtual Book Launch Party!

I have a very special post for you today. My friend Faith Gorsky from An Edible Mosaic just had her first cookbook released: An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. I’m excited to be participating in her virtual book launch party and sharing a recipe from the book!


The book has over 100 Middle Eastern recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant, but also a few recipes from other areas of the Middle East. Faith has a pretty unique story…after getting married Faith spent six months living in the Middle East, where she fell in love with the culture and cuisine. Subsequently, she returned four more times for visits, each time delving deeper into the cuisine and deepening her passion for and appreciation of the region. Recipes in her book are authentic Middle Eastern (taught to Faith mostly by her mother-in-law, Sahar), but streamlined just a bit for the way we cook today, with unique ingredients demystified and cooking techniques anyone can follow. If you didn't grow up eating Middle Eastern food, it can be a difficult art to master; Faith understands that, and explains complicated dishes in an approachable, easy-to-follow way. The book is available to order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

After you check out the recipe below, please head over to Faith’s blog to check out her virtual book launch party to see the other bloggers who are participating. Also, as part of her virtual book launch, Faith is hosting a giveaway of a fabulous set of prizes. Be sure to head over and enter!


The recipe from the book that I’m sharing with you today is for Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts, along with a variation for Mixed White and Yellow Rice. The recipe is actually vegan so you won’t have any trouble incorporating it into a vegan or vegetarian meal, but it is just as delicious served with chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood, and it would be really fantastic with just about any curry dish. (In the cookbook, Faith recommends pairing Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce with this rice dish.)   Read below for this delicious recipe.....

Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts, Pictured with Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce, another recipe from An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair.


Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts
ROZ MLOW’WAN

Recipe courtesy of An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky (Tuttle Publishing; Nov. 2012); reprinted with permission.


Serves 4 to 6

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking


1½ cups (325 g) basmati rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons sultanas (golden raisins)
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron threads (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)


1. Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sultanas, boiling water, salt, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
4. Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top; serve.

OPTIONAL Add two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon stick at the same time that you add the rice.

Mixed White and Yellow Rice

VARIATION
Mixed White and Yellow Rice


Serves 4 to 6

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking


1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
2 pods cardamom, cracked open
2 whole peppercorns
¾ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
1-2 pinches saffron threads or ½ teaspoon turmeric dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water


1. Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan, cover and place over moderately high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the rice, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and salt, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the boiling water to the rice, turn heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to very low, and cook 10 minutes (don’t open the lid during this time).
4. After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer 1/3 of the rice to a separate bowl.
5. Stir the saffron or turmeric-colored water into 1/3 of the rice (the rice will turn yellow). Mix together the yellow rice and white rice; serve.

More Spooky Foods

Friday I shared with you the Buddha's Hand Citron that Frieda's sent to me.  This fruit is so unique and creepy looking - I hope you seek it out and bring one home for your family to try.

Today I'm going to share with you the hottest chile on earth - Ghost Chile, Kiwano and Black Garlic that Frieda's sent to me.  I blogged about Black Garlic back in 2009 when it first came out but the only way to get your  hands on some was to order it online.  Now Frieda's is bringing it to the produce section of your supermarket.

Black Garlic is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before. It's sweet meets savory, a perfect mix of molasses-like richness and tangy garlic undertones. It has a tender, almost jelly-like texture with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency similar to a soft dried fruit.  It’s as delicious as it is unique.

Imagine garlic without all of the annoying stuff. Bad breath?  No!  Pungent odor?  No!  Acrid bite?  No! You know how a great wine gets better with age? That’s what black garlic is all about.

It's said, black garlic is the anti-garlic. You don't want to swap out all of the regular garlic in your pantry for the black variety - these are two distinct flavors. Continue eating regular garlic, but  pick up some black garlic to try - it's unique.

In Taoism mythology, black garlic was rumored to grant immortality - although I can't guarantee that. However, there’s no doubt that black garlic is great for your health—it’s loaded with nearly twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic. It also contains S-Allycysteine, which is fancy talk for a natural compound that has been proven to be a factor in cancer prevention.

Black garlic is all-natural. There are no additives and no preservatives.  In fact, there’s only one ingredient—garlic. It’s aged for a month in a special fermentation process under high heat, where it develops its darker color, softer texture, and sweeter taste. Amazing what a month can do.

Here's a recipe you might like to try with the holidays coming up.  Oh and your guests don't have to worry about guzzling down Scope after eating it, because it won't make your breath smell.

Black Garlic Dip

Ingredients

• 1 tub of cream cheese
• 1 small pot of soured cream
• Half to one tablespoon of creamed horseradish (according to taste)
• 2 cloves of peeled black garlic – chopped
• 3 tablespoons of fresh chives – snipped
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Place all the ingredients with the exception of the creamed horseradish and snipped chives, into a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the creamed horseradish according to taste. Stir in the snipped chives.

I think you'll enjoy this!

**********

The next piece of fruit Frieda's shared was the Kiwano (Horned Melon)

I have to say this was beautiful once cut into.  The exterior has orange and yellow tones with spikes or horns as it's called.  The pulp is lime green, jelly-like and filled with tender, white edible seeds, similar to those found in cucumbers.  To taste it reminded me in some ways of kiwi and watermelon.  However, the seeds bothered me.  Although edible I didn't feel comfortable eating them and kept wanting to take them out.  

I can see creating a wonderful smoothie or ice cream from this.  Definitely worth trying. It's recommended to simply slice the Kiwano and eat with a spoon like you would grapefruit or slice into wedges and eat the meat.  

The skin on the Kiwano IS NOT edible and you should never refrigerate the whole melon - this will cause it to turn bad quickly.

*************
The last item Frieda's shared with me was the fresh Ghost Chiles.  Originating from the Assam region of northeastern India.  In 2007, Guinness World Records certified it as the world's hottest chile pepper, with a Scoville Unit rating of about 1 million.  (The Red Savina Habanero previously held the title, with a Scoville Unit rating of 500,000) - so you know this is one HOT, HOT, CHILE!!!!!

It's been said that the smaller a chile the hotter it is.  The Ghost Chiles are 2-3 inches long and 1 inch wide.   They are a bright reddish orange color and very fragrant.  Smelling them actually burns your eyes.  You definitely do not want to touch these with your bare hands and for heavens sake do not touch your eyes, lips or mouth after handling one.

My husband loves hot foods and couldn't wait to try this so he took itty bitty bites and seemed to do fine.  However, I decided to go online to see what others had to say about the Ghost Chile and found numerous videos of people eating them in one bite.  Here's a video of a man eating one whole - this will give you an idea of the heat and potency.  Amazing!

As I'm writing this, I have my Ghost Chiles in the oven at 120F degrees drying them out.  I plan to dehydrate them all day and then grind them up in my spice grinder.  Of course I'll be sure to grind some bread in there afterwards and wash out as well as I can. Dehydrating and putting them in powder form will lower the heat slightly and I will be able to use them in dishes like Chili or wherever a hot spice is wanted.

Love to hear what you think of this video and all the items I shared with you in this 2 part series of Spooky Foods.

Don't forget to check out all these amazing Spooky foods at Frieda's and all that they carry.  With so many exotic produce items, you'll want to be sure to check out the shelves in the produce section at your market for Frieda's foods.

Spooky Foods

I feel terrible that I've been gone all week and haven't posted a thing.  This past week was crazy and exhausting.  My poor little dog Cody has been so sick all week and has kept us up for the past 3 nights asking to be let out every 2 hours.

Cody is an English Lab who eats everything you can imagine and never gets sick.  So when he vomited 2 days in a row and then kept running to go outside I knew something wasn't right.  Yet, he was relatively playful and still wanted to eat.  Staying up all night and then busy working during the day makes for a very tired ME!

The culprit appears to be his food.  The company that we purchase his food from changed their packaging but I didn't know they changed the ingredients - all of them. He's been eating the same kibble for years, so when I mentioned to the gal at PetSmart, the spokesperson for this brand about the new packaging, she just said they gave it a face lift.  Apparently though they added more fat to his kibble resulting in major intestinal upset, exhaustion, a sore bottom and a dose of medication.  Rule of thumb: Never switch a dog over to new food without gradually weening them off the old - unfortunately I wasn't aware of the change.  Hopefully we will all be catching up on our rest now.

In the meantime, I had all these great things I wanted to share with you for Halloween, but it's come and gone.  I received a wonderful box of Spooky Foods from Frieda's that I'd hope to share.  Since I couldn't share them prior to Halloween I'd still like to tell you about these very cool and hot foods.

Frieda's Produce carries some very unique exotic fruits and vegetables. To find a store near you that carries Frieda's Produce view this map.  Of course if you live in a remote area you may not be able to find Friedas but don't worry you can order what's in season here.  With all these unique foods you'll want to keep updated on the latest items to hit the market shelves through Frieda's social media sites and newsletters - there's always something fun going on, including lots of recipes to create with their wonderful produce.

I'd like to share with you some of the fun foods Frieda's Produce sent for me to sample - I think you'll be surprised that some you've never heard of!

The first was the Buddha's Hand Citron. Wow what a cool fruit.  This is a large citrus fruit with finger-like tentacles, larger than my hand with 16 fingers - ooh very creepy!

Although this fruit is large and extremely fragrant, it has very little juice.  It's best use is in the rind that can be turned into candied citron, jams, infused vodkas - I think it would be great for Limoncello, liqueurs or even to give a room in your home a lemony scent.  Wherever you use the zest of a lemon you could use the Buddha's Hand Citron instead.  

With cold and flu season rapidly approaching you might want to pick up a Buddha's Hand Citron to make an old Chinese cold remedy that is sure to ease a cold and fever.

Buddha's Hand Citron Chinese Cold Remedy

Directions:

Slice thin slices of Citron (can use mandoline or vegetable peeler) and place in a colander with about 1/4 cup of salt and let sit for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan combine with 1 cup Rock Sugar (pulverized)
1 1/2 -2 cups water
1 tablespoon cloves
1/4 cup sliced fresh ginger

Cook slowly until liquid evaporates and mixture is very thick.

Add:
1 cup local raw honey and blend all together.  Store in a sterilized jar with lid in the refrigerator for months.

To Serve:
Place one tablespoon of the mixture into a mug and pour hot water over it.  Stir and enjoy!

Drive your cold away with this Chinese remedy!

Note: Rock Sugar does not burn

Tomorrow I'll share with you some of the other Spooky Foods Frieda's sent to me.  So be sure to stop by!