New Cooking Garb For Me!!

SUPER excited about my new (vintage) apron for only $8.  I am definitely moving up in the cooking world now!

Love love love the vintage store around the corner from my house.  Thank you A Touch of Vintage!

To visit their website click here.

Quick and Easy Quiche

I make this quiche often and vary what ingredients are used, but the base is always the same.  Switch out the broccoli for spinach or get creative with bacon and sun dried tomato.  Anything really works.  Very easy to whip together and impress your guests.  Or cook in advance and reheat for lunch.

4 eggs
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup of Broccoli chopped
1/2 cup onion diced
1 frozen pie crust (I prefer deep dish)
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley (optional)
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, pour into the frozen pie crust (do not defrost).  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until top begins to brown.  Let rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

The original recipe that I knocked off some time ago included half and half in addition to the milk and 8 oz. of cheese not 4.  I have cut it down and really have not noticed.  If you would like to "beef" it up I suggest the addition of these.  I also use skim milk and light mayo and it is still equally yummy.

The Perfect Roast Chicken with Herbed Rice

I have to attribute this recipe to two amazing chefs.  The following is a combination of the infamous Julia Child and Tyler Florence, with quite a few tweaks from me.  Keep in mind, oven times may vary.  

As always take any recipe with a grain of salt and make changes based on your tastes and especially based on what needs to be used up in your fridge.  If something is on the verge of going bad, find some way to use it in the dish you are costructing tonight!

Below,  whenever I refer to salt I am referring to coarse sea salt and I used white onions.

Start with a 1 whole frier chicken, about 3-4 lbs
I used an organic amish chicken this time, I am not sure if it is worth the extra money, but let me tell you I don't usually splurge in this mannor, but I think it might make all of the difference.

Scrub chicken under hot water, rinse inside and out. Dispose of gizzards and organs (or reserve to make stock).

Slide your fingers under the chicken skin on the breast side, separate from the meat as much as possible with out tearing the skin.

Slice thinly 1 medium onion and 1 lemon, toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper. 
Stuff the inside of the chicken as full as possible with the onion mixture, reserve any that could not fit, if you have it tie the legs together with chicken string.

Chop a handful of fresh rosemary, a handful of fresh parsley and a handfull of fresh thyme (substitute a dried if necessary, rule of thumb 1 teaspoon of the dried herb = 1 tablespoon of the fresh, just estimate)
Mix together (you could use the bowl from the onion mixture even if there is some left in it) with a splash of olive oil and a little salt. I believe Tyler Florence would suggest to blend in a food processor to create a paste, totally doable, but just dirtys one more gadget, I leave this step out.

With your hands spread the herb mixture under the skin on the breasts and on the skin. Sprinkle the top with salt and make sure the skin has a thin coat of oil on it (Julia would suggest butter).

Put in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to brown and crisp skin, then turn the oven down to 350 degrress for 1 hour 15 minutes. 

About 30 minutes into the cooking process top the chicken with 1/4 cup of dry white wine and spread coursely chopped carrott and onion around it in the pan.  Baste the chicken and vegetables through out the cooking time.

When the chicken has reached 170 degrees pull out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve with herbed rice (recipe below) and carrot and onion mixture.

I made this for my neighbors and I one Monday night after work, it was so yummy we all went back for thirds! Totally unnessary food consumption, yet so good.


Herbed rice:  Cook white rice to package directions, saute slowly 1/2 an onion in a pan until slightly browned toss in 1-2 minced garlic cloves sautee for another couple minutes.  Add to rice with a handful of chopped parsley stir well.  Add a little lemon if you have it on hand.

Carmelized Onion, Bacon & Spinach Frittata

9 Eggs
2 handfuls of Fresh Spinach
4 Slices of Bacon
3/4 cup of diced onion
1/2 Red Pepper diced
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan
1-2 garlic cloves minced
Pinch of Red Pepper flakes

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

Start by sauteing the bacon until browned in a cast iron skillet (if you have one) and set aside. No need to wash the skillet. Add the onion and saute until the onions have browned and carmelized, around 15 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper, saute five minutes and add the spinach saute until slightly wilted. Top with bacon, Parmesan, salt, and red pepper flakes.

In a bowl mix the eggs and milk. Pour egg mixture over everything else in the cast iron skillet (layer in a baking dish if you do not have a skillet that is oven safe). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until edges have browned. Let rest for a few minutes and serve.

I served with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.

I had some friends over for a somewhat impromptu Sunday Brunch, above was the result and it was quite delicious, as well as relatively easy to make.

Oh how I wish I took a photo of this.  It was so beautiful in the cast iron skillet... I just might have to make this again.

The Beginning...Twisted Roasted Rosemary Eggplant Parmesan

Nearly every meal I make stems from the fact that I always have too much food in my fridge and I am always trying to find creative ways to utilize it all. I have a shopaholics addiction to buying food and exploring what is out there. So whatever I make is always an adventure and an experiment despite how many recipes I might refer to.

The following had no recipe reference but was overwhelmingly tasty and just the right amount of richness.

In the fridge.... The eggplant was in need of being used, as well as the leeks, there was half of a red pepper (a rare comodity in the fridge of a food lover on a budget) and the following is what happened. Not your typical eggplant parm, but super yummy!!

I roasted.... @ 400 degrees:

1/2 of a medium eggplant sliced thin

1/2 small leek (only the white part) sliced horizontally the same size as the linguini you are about to cook.

2 tlbs fresh chopped rosemary

1/2 red pepper sliced

Please use garlic (I was out)

the above tossed in olive oil and balsamic (use your judgement) a splash of white wine and sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Roast for around 20 minutes

8 oz of Linguini (I used Trader Joes' Spinach and Chive)

While this is roasting boil pasta less than the cooking directions (less than al dente)

drain and set aside.

When the veggies are done roasting remove from dish, place pasta in the bottom of dish tossed with olive oil, top with the roasted veggies, shredded parmesan cheese and marinara sauce. I would opt for some crushed red pepper depending on your sauce.

Throw this concoction back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so.

This is the best way I have yet to cook eggplant. Fantastic flavor, less of the texture that slightly rubs me the wrong way with eggplant. It is overloaded with aromatic rosemary flavors that blow me away. And, as opposed to the traditional eggplant parmesan, it is not greasy or heavy.

Enjoy!