Spinach and Cheese Quiche with Carmelized Shallots

The other day, we were having dinner with some amazingly wonderful friends, and our conversation veered onto the topic of wedding presents. J and A, two of the most honest and real people I have ever met, were married recently (and are expecting a wee boy in March). We all talked about the kinds of gifts that couples tend to receive when they marry later in life as opposed to those received when you are married quite young. We laughed at the foolish, oohed over the beautiful, and reminisced on our own wedding days. And I started to regret, as we drove home that night, that we took the common path when J and A were married. After all, we're in our late thirties now. Everyone gives money, right? But how will they ever remember what they mean to us?

M and I married quite young. We shared our own gift horror stories. Two barely-employed graduate students had little use for four sterling silver coffee sets (quite possibly stolen from the set of Downton Abbey, had that show been even conceived of in 1999.) However, it got me thinking about some of the more memorable gifts that could only have been given to the young...by the young.

Our friends were quite young, too. The ink had barely dried on our bachelor's diplomas, and we were still trying to figure out what an adult does with a papasan chair. Our friends didn't arrive at our reception with padded envelopes or boxes of crystal. They arrived with tokens of friendship. Their meager budgets forced them to consider the couple, not the cost. Rather than open their checkbooks, they opened their memory books.

One of our groomsmen, a friend of M's from childhood, had only met me once or twice before the wedding. He, too, was getting married within the year, and we had a little time to talk about planning the big event. At one point, his fiancee asked about our lives and our hobbies, and I mentioned that I loved to cook. I didn't have expensive pots and pans or an elaborate kitchen. But I loved food, and I knew what to do with it. When we finally got to opening our gifts after we returned from our honeymoon (on Cape Cod - we needed to find a place we could drive to, for plane fare was out of our price range, for sure), I saw a small, square, flexible package wrapped simply. The Newlywed Cookbook.

I'm sure by today's standards, that cookbook alone would not even suffice as a shower gift. But this I know. I cannot tell you who wrote a check. I do not remember who delivered those silver trays. But every time I open that cookbook, so battered and stained from almost fifteen years of use, I think of D and H, and I smile.


You need:

for the crust:
 1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, chilled and cut into pieces
3-4 tbsp. cold water

for the filling:
2 tsp. olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. sugar
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. ricotta cheese
3/4 c. Swiss cheese, grated
1/4 c. mlk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Make the crust. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, salt and butter and process until the mixture resembles course meal. Add the cold water, one tbsp. at a time, and process until the dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-in. circle. and press into a 9-in. pie plate. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sugar and saute for ten minutes or until shallots are caramelized and golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and add all remaining ingredients except the Parmesan cheese. Mix well and spoon into the crust. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

From The Newlywed Cookbook by Robin Vitetta-Miller (1999)

Parmesan Chicken

I am exhausted. This is my third post tonight, and the 350 degree heat surrounding me all day in my classroom has gotten the best of me. However, I cannot leave out this recipe. It was utterly amazing. The chicken was moist and tender and crispy. The dressing was perfect for summer. And it was incredible the next day, chopped over another salad, cold, for lunch. Here's the link. It's worth checking it out. Quite possibly my favorite chicken recipe. EVER.

Ina Garten's Parmesan Chicken

Strawberry Scones

Happy Mother's Day to ME!!

Thanks to M and A, I was surprised with these on Mother's Day. They were moist, more muffin-like than scone, and were a perfect way to use up overripe strawberries. This recipe was in whatever that magazine is that comes with the newspaper. Parade? Not sure. But the recipe was amazing.

You need:

6 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 c. flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. fresh strawberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter under the mixture resembles small crumbs. Add the eggs, cream, and strawberries. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a 1 in. thick rectangle, about 12 inches long. Cut into equal triangles. Brush with a little extra cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

A Cracking Burger

When I was younger, my cousin K and I were obsessed with Eddie Murphy's Raw. I cannot tell you why our parents thought it was even remotely appropriate that we watch that show, but I have to admit something. It was HYSTERICAL. And if there is one scene that I remember every time my husband turns on the grill, it's the McDonald's scene (a wee bit of explicit language here = don't watch this with the kiddos over your shoulder).

My husband is the king of the "meatball burger." He is a kind, loving, hard-working, and remarkably bright man. He is a wonderful father. He is an incredible husband. But every single time he tries to grill a burger he ends up creating with the oddest meatball looking burger I have even seen.

As a result I have been on the search for a really good burger recipe. However, it has to be healthy. If I have to put a pat of butter in the center to make it moist, it's not for me. Mr. Oliver, again, you do not disappoint. This recipe is very moist, holds its shape, and tastes amazing.

You need:

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs (or 12 smashed up Ritz crackers)
8 sprigs of Italian parsley, chopped
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 lb. ground beef
1 large egg
salt and pepper
olive oil

Mix bread crumbs, parsley, mustard, egg, beef, and salt and pepper. Divide into 4 or 6 (depending upon your preferred size)* and mold into rounds that are about 3/4 in. thick. Drizzle with olive oil and refrigerate for an hour.

Grill, top with your favs, and enjoy!


* I divide into six, but make only four burgers. Then, I take the other two chunks and make a bunch of little meatball burgers (sorry, Eddie!) and freeze them. Another great way to serve burgers to kids? Grill them as meatballs and then skewer with tomato, bread chunks, cheese, and pickles. Burger kabobs!

Farro and Asparagus Salad

A and I are trying to stick with "meatless Mondays," something that hasn't been easy. We need protein in our bodies, but nuts are no longer an option and we all despise tofu in every form imaginable.

This month, Kiwi magazine had a feature on recipe clubs and this was the first recipe listed. My kids love rice, and farro is not only an easy substitute, but is chock full of protein. It was a hit. The kids loved it, and it's served at room temperature, so it makes a great summer dish on warm nights and a wonderful leftover for lunch.

You need:

1 c. farro
1/2 c. walnut pieces (which we left out, of course)
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 in. pieces
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. white or red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. chopped parsley

If using the walnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and roast until lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes.

Bring a medium pan of water to boil. Salt the water and add the farro, Cook for 20 minutes or until just tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add an inch of water to a skillet and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes until crisp tender. Drain and toss with the farro. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Pour over the farro mixture and toss with the feta cheese and parsley.

Spinach "Ice Cream"

My friend Rachel is a genius.

For months I have been trying to figure out how to get C to eat his spinach. When he was a wee one, it was pureed in the many recipes I made for him. However, once he needed to attempt spinach in its whole form, he would gag and throw the rest of it across the table.

Last week, in a blog entry, my friend Rachel wrote about what she and her son have been up to recently. As she detailed their many adventures, she added a tale about their time in the kitchen making spinach "ice cream," which her son adores.

I quickly sent her a text message asking for the recipe. Here it is. It's absurd how easy this is. And C ate THREE HELPINGS. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise be to the greens.

You need:

1 frozen banana, cut into chunks before freezing
1 handful of frozen spinach
milk

Throw the banana and spinach into the blender. Turn it on. Slowly add milk until it starts mixing about. Stop when it's combined. Don't over mix so it has that great soft ice cream texture. Serve to the most reluctant toddler.

Trail Mix Muffins

This is not a simple recipe. It's not incredibly complicated, either, but because it requires cooking, mixing, whisking, and baking, it's not one to try out when you have little time on your hands. I have to admit that I didn't read ahead enough on this recipe (after all, they are muffins. How complicated could they be?) As a result, I found myself scrambling for time to get them done and to the hospital on time (to visit one of my dearest friends who is fighting with everything she has against a horrific case of pneumonia and to get some meals to her husband and kids - if you have a moment, please, please, please say a prayer). However, these muffins were so incredibly delicious that I had to take a moment to day to post the recipe because they are so worth it. Please note, the original recipe calls for chunky peanut butter. My version below calls for sunflower butter, because our little C is allergic to peanuts. If you don't have a peanut allergy, replace the exact amount of sunflower butter with your favorite nut butter.

You need:
1/4 c. quinoa
2/3 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. sunflower butter
1/4 c. unsalted butter cut into chunks
1 lg. egg yolk (at room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. low fat milk
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. mini-chocolate chips
2 lg. egg whites at room temperature

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the grains have popped open and appear translucent, about 12 minutes. Drain the grains in a fine mesh sieve and rinse them with cool water.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees . Grease or spray the wells of your muffin tin. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, and the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, beat together the brown sugar, sunflower butter, and butter, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth, then beat in the quinoa, continuing to scrape down the sides as you work. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and gradually beat in the milk.

With a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Next, fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed in the batter. In a large bowl with a mixer set at high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter. With a large spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each well of the muffin tin three-quarters full with batter. Bake the muffins until they're brown and firm, about 20 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Cool them in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.