Spinach and Cheese Tart

This quiche is sooo good -- but deadly. We had it at Julie's baby shower today. :) mmmmmmmm. Happy baby baby baby boy Juls!

Spinach and Cheese Tart

9" pie crust

Custard:
2 c. heavy cream
5 eggs
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated (i threw in a bit of parmisiano reggiano too)
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce (just used hot pepper sauce)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Filling:
3 cups fresh spinach (or 1pkg frozen spinach thawed)
6 oz gruyere cheese, grated
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1 T. chopped fresh oregano

Combine custard ingredients, mixing well.

Combine filling ingredient and place in bottom of pie shell. Gently pour in custard.

Bake @ 300 for 40-50 min. (usually longer)

AMBF's Taco Night

One time last year AMBF invited us over for a spontaneous taco night. It was soooooo good. She was gracious to share her non-recipe recipe with me and I happened to run across it again today. Thought I'd post it.

For the Rice:
I used 3/4 cup basmati. I rinsed the rice a few times and then let it sit in water for about 20 minutes. In a pan I put in a 3/4 cup of water (equal to the rice), one can of diced tomatoes (drained), diced green onions, chopped jalapenos, some cumin and cinnamon. I brought all of that to a boil, added the rice, covered and set to simmer for about 15 minutes.

For the meat:
I always use ground turkey. I think that package was 1lb. I started with a tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan and sauted 1 chopped onion on low/medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Then I added chopped garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the turkey, 1/2 Tb. of flour, and let meat brown. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Then I always add a can of salsa (or that night I added 1/2 jar of salsa and 1/2 can of rotella). Let the meat simmer until the sauce becomes thick. I like to top with off with some fresh cilantro.

Beans:
I just used one can of drained black beans and this little, yellow can of "mexican" salsa I bought in the Latino aisle at No Frills ... it was super spicy and delicious. I just let the beans simmer in the salsa until warm.

Microwave Popcorn

I stole this idea from the Motherload blog. I use this "recipe" every Sunday night for our Dyer Family Movie Night. It is SO much cheaper than buying microwave popcorn. But, if you love that butter taste, you're out of luck. No replicating that in a home kitchen. Pretty sure you need a factory for that. ;)

1/3 c. popcorn
-- put it in a brown paper lunch bag
-- add:
1 good drizzle of olive oil
1 hearty sprinkling of table salt
-- fold the bag over twice, place on plate and microwave as you would a store-bought popcorn bag.

Grandma Eck's Pickles

For the brine:
2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pickling salt
(this is enough for four jars)

Per quart jar:
-cucumbers to fill jar
-fresh dill weed (get tall sprigs that have headed into seeds. i got it from the french guy at the farmers market. you could also use the soft willowy kind but i think it'd milder in flavor and more expensive)
-grape, horseradish or cherry leaves (i couldn't find this. it makes them stay crunchy.)
-2-3 cloves of garlic
-1 tsp alum
-1/2 cup of the brine
-boiling water to fill jars

Mix vinegar and salt in a pot and boil to make the brine.

Meanwhile, wash jar and boil lids to soften rubber.

Put garlic, a small bunch of dill and grape leaves in bottom of each jar.
Add cukes
Add alum
Add 1/2 cup brine
Ad another small bunch of dill
Add boiling water to fill jar (we realized we needed to make sure that the liquid went to the top and covered all the cukes. dont let any stick out)

Wipe off any dill or debris from the jar rim before screwing lids on tightly, to ensure a good seal.

Put jars in 350 degree oven or a hot water bath just until sealed (do not boil). It took about 10 min.

This recipe is pieced together from three phone calls and four e-mails from my mom who ended up saying: "If you use this recipe then it is just however many jars of pickles it will fill. It is kind of a guess. I looked in the mennonite cookbook at pickles and not one recipe calls for alum. My mom always used it and I am sure grandma Eck did too but it is not written on her recipe. Old recipes are awful. Nothing is 'fer sure.' "

Browned Butter Blondies

I made these the other day for Lindsey and Alicia and they requested this recipe. It is easy and yummy and has an atrocious amount of sugar. This is my go-to dessert recipe when my kitchen is bare.

2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
10 T. butter
3/4 c. eggs (which is funny, but the original recipe called for egg substitute, as I got this from Cooking Light. But, I'm not interested in using egg substitute)

Combine flour, sugar, b.p., and salt in large bowl.

Place butter in a small skillet over med. heat. Cook for 6 minutes, until lightly browned, stirring a bit. Cool 10 minutes or so. Whisk into eggs. Pour butter/eggs into dry ingredients and stir just until moist. Spread batter into 13x9 pan coated with butter. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Best a bit gooey.