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Breakfast

Crustless Leek and Gruyere Quiche

Hello everyone. Here's an easy quiche for lunch or light supper. Can occasionally be too watery when re-heating, you can thicken the mix by substituting some cream for the milk.

Ingredients:
1 lb. leeks (3 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil (more if pan tends to stick, less if using non-stick pan)
6 large eggs
2.5 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (half this if you're not looking for a gooey qhiche)
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 10" quiche dish or 9.5" deep dish pie plate
Cut roots and trim tops of leeks
Cut lengthwise in half, cross-wise 0.25" wide
Clean leeks thoroughly

Heat olive oil
Cook leeks with 0.25 teaspoon of salt
Cook ~12-14 minutes (until leeks are tender)
Transfer leeks to quiche dish, spread evenly.

In a bowl: eggs, milk, cornstarch, 0.25 teaspoon salt, 0.25 teaspoon pepper
Whisk

Pour egg mixture over leeks.

Sprinkle Gruyere

Bake 30-35 minutes (until a knife comes out clean and top is golden brown)
Cool 5 minutes

Inpiration & Fun

So I was browsing the internet today and came across this blog that had me reading on and on. For those of you who live in Seattle, it's a fun way to find out about some new places to check out!! Also, there's lots of other links to other parts of her blog, some food-related, some not, that are fun to check out. I found out about an amazing bakery supply store in Maple Leaf that I want to check out - Home Decorating Supply Co. (pictured on the right) on 95th & Roosevelt - that has apparently a HUGE selection that everyone from professional chefs to home cooks frequent. I'm hoping to go check it out!!! Places like that always get me into trouble though... Oh well, it's a fun, tasty kind of trouble. :)
Anyways, the link to the above-mentioned blog is:
(http://seattlebonvivant.typepad.com/seattle_bon_vivant/seattle_nosh/)
Hope it inspires you to go out and try some new neighborhood places!

Deviled Eggs

My mom made these for us growing up as a special treat when we had guests. There's something so delicate and fancy about these, and yet they are so easy to make!! And there's never any left, so make sure to make plenty!! One is never enough!

Eggs
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Dijon Mustard
Sweet pickles - chopped finely
Lawry's seasoning salt

Garnish:
Paprika
Lettuce or spinach leaves to serve on

Directions:

Place eggs in a pot, cover with cold water (don't start with warm or hot water because your eggs will crack from the shock of temp. change). Bring to a boil, and then let boil 10-15 minutes until the eggs are hard-boiled. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes. Carefully pour out the hot water, and then proceed to rinse the eggs with cold water until eggs start to feel cool to the touch. Fill the pot with cold water (last time) and let the eggs sit in it as you start peeling them.
Tip for peeling the shells off nicely: It helps to tap the eggs on their side on your counter, just to start the cracking on one side, and then peel from there. Be gentle with the eggs, but be sure to remove all of the shell, even the teeny tiny pieces =)
Using a sharp knife to get a clean cut, slice peeled eggs in half, and pop out the yolks into a separate bowl. Mash these with a fork then add in some mayo, ketchup, Dijon mustard, finely chopped sweet pickles, and some Lawry's. Note that I haven't given any amounts for these ingredients, but just add it in in stages, a little at a time till you get the taste and creaminess you're looking for. You can't over-mix this, so blend well. Once you get the desired taste and texture, spoon this mixture into a ziploc bag.
If you're serving right away, arrange the egg whites on your serving platter/plate, if not store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge (eggs will take on any flavors in your fridge, so be sure it's a well-sealed container). Once ready to serve, arrange them on a bed of lettuce or spinach leaves. Carefully cut off a bottom corner of the ziploc bag containing your egg-yolk mixture, and pipe it into the indentations in the egg whites.
Sprinkle the top with a dash of paprika each, and serve!! Enjoy!!

Homemade Calzones

Just messsing around and threw this together.  Basically, picked up some garlic dough and flattened it out.  Inserted finely sliced lean chicken thigh, half an onion, eggplant, broccoli, and some pesto sauce inside and then sealed it up.  Brushed the outside with olive oil and cooked for 30 min at 400 degrees until light brown and crispy.

Saturday Morning Breakfast - YUMMM!!!!!!

3 eggs
1/4 cup milk (I use 1%)
Salt
Freshly Cracked Pepper
1 Pink Lady apple
1 slice Honeydew melon
2 pieces favorite bread, toasted
Butter
Paprika (garnish)

1 large glass freshly squeezed orang juice
Slice of lime (garnish)

Directions:

Heat a medium-sized frying pan to medium-low. (With cooking eggs you never want a very high heat, so make sure your pan never gets to where you feel like it's hot.) Once it's starting to feel warm to medium warm, put 1 Tbsp. butter in to pan, let it melt and swirl. (If your butter sizzles and browns on the edges when you put it in the pan, your heat is too high.)

As your pan starts to heat, crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk. (I like it when it's not completely whisked to a homogenous mixture, but do as you wish/prefer.) Add in milk, salt and pepper. Whisk lightly to mix.

Once your pan is ready, pour in egg mixture. Let it sit and cook till you start to see a layer of cooked egg start to form. Stir. To get fluffy large pieces in the final stage be sure to not over stir or break up the pieces forming to much. Repeat these two steps until you see that the eggs are cooked. If any egg creeps up the sides of the pan make sure to pull these down back into your eggs before it starts to brown or form a tough crust.

As your eggs are cooking, pop your toast in, slice your melon and apple. As soon as your eggs are done, plate them, sprinkle them with a touch of paprika for color, butter your toast (as desired), place melon and apple artistically on your plate. Serve with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice garnished with a slice of fresh lime. And enjoy! It's such a fresh, lovely start to any kind of day!!!

Persian Rice With Blackeyed Peas

Amazing recipe originally made by my friend Soha. Yummmmm!!!!

3-4 cups cooked basmati rice (I used chelow made the day before)
1 can blackeyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 sweet onion, diced
3 tsp dried dill
1 tsp marjoram
Water
Salt & Freshly cracked Pepper
1 baking potatoe, washed and diced into fairly small cubes
Butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Plain yogurt

Directions:

In a large frying pan heat 2 Tbsp. EVOO & saute the potatoes over medium heat until soft and golden brown (might need to add a couple of tablespoons of water and a lid near the end to help soften). Once cooked, turn heat up to med-high, add in diced onion and saute onions are soft and browning. Add in margoram and dill, stir, then add in blackeyed peas. Add about 1/2 tsp. salt and some freshly cracked pepper, stir then add in cooked rice. Add 1-2 Tbsp. butter. Stir all ingredients till fully mixed and then add in about a cup of water. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and let heat through. Stir and taste. Add more water, salt and pepper if needed. Don't add too much water though - it could get mushy!!!
Once fully heated and seasoned to taste, serve hot with some fresh plain yogurt and enjoy!!!

BROCCOLI AND FETA WITH WHOLE WHEAT ROTELLE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound whole wheat rotelle pasta
1/2 pound (or more) broccoli florettes
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup feta cheese
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

*Ingredients can be adjusted - more cheese, less garlic, vice versa, as desired.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in pan. When heated, but not smoking, add minced garlic and saute for about one minute. Add broccoli florettes and saute for about one more minute. Add water to let broccoli steam slightly as it cooks. Before the broccoli gets too soft, lower the heat on the stove and add the feta cheese. Stir to mix well. Remove from heat and serve immediately over pasta.

Makes two or three servings.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

EASY, FANCY TOMATO SALAD

1 package Trader Joe's Heirloom tomatoes
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 or 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cut tomatoes in half and place them in a bowl.
Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt.
Mix well.
Serve.

Amazing Tuna Salad

Serves 2

2 cans solid white tuna, fully drained (dry as possible)
2-3 tsp. dried dill (can use fresh, but amount may need adjustment)
3 Tbsp. finely diced onion
Juice of 1 baby lemon (small)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt (or to taste)
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, sliced right before serving

Garnish:
Paprika
Sprig of fresh Dill, Basil or Parsley

Directions:

Flake tuna with a fork into mixing bowl. Add dill, onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and Lawry's. Mix fully. Divide into two parts. Pack a small bowl or cup with one part.

On your salad plate place 5 thin slices of tomato in a ring. Invert tuna bowl over center of tomato ring, and carefully shake loose.

Sprinkle top with Paprika and garnish with fresh avocado slices - be sure to slice avocado immediately before serving to prevent browning.

Serve and enjoy!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2 medium butternut squash
1 leek, washed & roughly chopped
1 medium-sized white onion, diced
1 head of fresh garlic
5 fresh bay leaves
4-5 fresh sage leaves
1 box chicken stock
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream, plus a bit for garnish
1/4 cup lite sour cream
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, loosely packed
Salt & Cracked pepper to taste
Olive oil

Tools:
Immersion (Stick) Blender
Cookie Sheet
Large cooking pot

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and cut the squash in half, removing and discarding the seeds. Sprinkle salt and freshly cracked pepper on the cut face of the squash.
Sprinkle olive oil on cookie sheet, and place squash face down, spreading them out to allow for even baking. Bake for 30-45 min until soft and easily scooped out of the skin.

While the squash is baking, prepare, clean and chop your leek and onion. Also remove around 3/4 of the cloves garlic, peel and roughly chop them. Heat a large cooking pot over medium heat, add around 2 Tbsp. olive oil when the pot is still cold, then once heated add in the bay and sage leaves. Saute for 2-4 minutes until bay leaves are brighter green and sage has begun to wilt. Toss in the leek and onion and saute until onions are getting transparent and leeks are soft, then add garlic. Be sure to stir often to prevent the garlic from burning. Once you start to see some caramelization pour in the chicken stock and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until your squash is fully cooked (very soft).

Once squash is cooked scoop out pulp and add into the soup mixture. Add sour cream. Using your immersion blender (or a regular blender or food processor) blend the mixture until smooth and creamy with not chunks. Add cream and mix. Taste the soup, then salt and pepper to taste. Also add in the brown sugar at this stage, but do it in stages and taste after each amount - you don't want it to get too sweet!

Serve into large soup bowls, drizzle the top with a little cream from a spoon (to keep neat). Serve with a piece of multi-grain toast, and with a fresh, simple salad such as arugula with mixed tomatoes and basil, and enjoy!!

Chocolate Truffles

1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound dark chocolate (tempered or store-bought chocolate chips)

Directions

Heat cream in a pot over medium-low heat on the stove. (Stir as needed to prevent burning/sticking.) Heat until you see small bubbles rising.

Meanwhile, heat chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave (or over double boiler) for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until chocolate is just melted and creamy. (The chocolate will be hot and continue to melt as you stir.)

When the cream and the chocolate are near the same temperature, mix cream into chocolate and stir just until combined. Let cool in refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes or until set (firm, but malleable). Remove from fridge and begin rolling into balls. Coat with cocoa powder, dessicated (or shredded) coconut, nuts, whatever.

Variations

Infuse the cream with flavors such as ginger, lemon/orange/lime zest, coffee, tea, etc. to get a flavored ganache.

While the cream is heating on the stove, add grated ginger, or citrus zest - make sure to wash the rind - and let the cream absorb the flavor before removing from heat. (Same rules apply as above, in that you want to only heat the cream until small bubbles begin to rise, without boiling.)

Use a cheesecloth or strainer to eliminate the rind/zest/coffee flecks, etc. from making their way into the chocolate.

Cool ganache. Roll into balls and coat with cocoa powder, etc. (as desired)

CARROT GINGER SOUP

5-6 TBSP butter

1/2 onion chopped
ginger - about 1/4 cup
4 cups carrots (I used baby carrots and didn't even chop them up!)

4 cups stock (chicken)
Salt & pepper

heavy cream - added at the end

Directions

Melt butter. Add onions and ginger - cook until soft or onions
transparent (about 5-8 minutes). Add carrots, salt and pepper (cook
about 5 minutes). Add chicken stock and cook, covered, until carrots
are tender. Put in blender and blend (or put through a strainer for a
more velvety consistency). Garnish with cream.

Porcini Mushroom & Gorgonzola Risotto

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2 cups water (as needed)
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Reheat the stock to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onions are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue with remaining stock, adding 1/2 cup at a time, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes (use water as needed in 1/2 cup increments until risotto is tender and creamy). Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, Gorgonzola, chives, salt and pepper. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.