And when you're managing allergies and vegetarians, having three different types of quiches are helpful. The quiche base is the precise amounts I used, the fillings are approximate, as I was in a hurry and not measuring. Cook times can't be provided right now either; I was using my stepmom's crappy convection oven.:
Quiche Base:
1 Ready made pie crust (I used Pillsbury)
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
(optional: 1/4 cup sour cream)
Bake the pie crust according to package instructions. In a bowl whisk together eggs, whipping cream, salt and pepper until completely mixed. If you're adding sour cream, mix in after whisking. Add a layer of each ingredient of one of the below fillings (ex: one layer of ham, then one layer of cheese)*. Pour egg mixture on top. If you're using a shitty Advantium oven, cook quiche for 15-17 minutes at these temperature levels: U=4, L=4, M=4. If you're using a normal oven, I would guess 45ish minutes at 350 degrees. Will update with a definite normal bake time later.
*Completely cover the bottom of the pie crust with the ham or mushrooms. Then completely cover the ham or mushrooms with cheese. See below for additional instructions with salsa.
Ham and Havarti filling:
1 cup diced ham
4-5 slices Havarti
Mushroom and Swiss filing:
1 cup diced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
4-5 slices Swiss cheese
Salsa and Cheese filling:
1/2-3/4 cup salsa
3/4-1 cup pre-grated Mexican blend cheese, or finely grated cheddar cheese
For salsa filling: Don't layer fillings, just mix the salsa and cheese in with the egg base.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Icing, Icing, Icing!
Deliciously Rich Buttercream:
3 cups confections sugar
1 cup butter (Irish butter, Kerrygold)
1.5 tsps (Mexican) vanilla
2 tblsp. heavy whipping cream
Decorator Icing:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tblsp milk
3 cups confections sugar
1 cup butter (Irish butter, Kerrygold)
1.5 tsps (Mexican) vanilla
2 tblsp. heavy whipping cream
Decorator Icing:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tblsp milk
Friday, December 5, 2014
Grown-Up Stocking Stuffers
1. Magazine of their favorite hobby/topic
2. Mini booze bottles
3. Lotto tickets
4. Filler candy (small chocolates, candy canes, etc)
5. Specialty candy
6. Travel size hand lotion
7. Travel size any toiletry
8. Four packs of AA and AAA batteries (my family buys a jumbo pack and splits up the batteries)
9. Chapstick
10. $5 gift cards (Starbucks, Itunes, fast food)
11. Sharpies
12. Shot glasses
13. Mini flashlight
14. Travel tissues
15. Mints or gum
16. Coffee/tea samplers
17. Thumb drives
18. Hand and feet warmers
19. Contact solution/ eyeglass wipes
20. Specialty food items (hot sauce, spices, nutella)
21. Keychain bottle opener
2. Mini booze bottles
3. Lotto tickets
4. Filler candy (small chocolates, candy canes, etc)
5. Specialty candy
6. Travel size hand lotion
7. Travel size any toiletry
8. Four packs of AA and AAA batteries (my family buys a jumbo pack and splits up the batteries)
9. Chapstick
10. $5 gift cards (Starbucks, Itunes, fast food)
11. Sharpies
12. Shot glasses
13. Mini flashlight
14. Travel tissues
15. Mints or gum
16. Coffee/tea samplers
17. Thumb drives
18. Hand and feet warmers
19. Contact solution/ eyeglass wipes
20. Specialty food items (hot sauce, spices, nutella)
21. Keychain bottle opener
Monday, November 10, 2014
Perfect Imitation Curry
Curry's actually pretty difficult to figure out if all you've got is a cooking background of the WASP variety. I love Indian food, but for years I was never able to pull off an actual, quality curry dish. Oh, I've got a curry chicken salad, a seven boy curry (a dish which I've never once seen in a restaurant and seems to be a distinctly "white folk" meal), and I've even thrown together a mostly satisfying curry-in-a-hurry. But that wonderful, orange/red sauce? That heavenly aroma that fills the house (and that you can never quite seem to achieve with McCormick's yellow curry mix)? It was always just out of my grasp.
But at last, I have finally found the secret. I still use McCormick's curry powder, BUT I also use their garam masala mix. It should be noted I don't mix my own curry or garam masala (fun fact: these are spice mixes, not individual spices! I went many years not knowing that). Really, who has the time to do all that mixing? But combing the two pre-made, plus a couple extra spices, finally gets me to that wonderfully full aroma of a true curry dish. And the sauce? The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is stewed and pureed tomatoes and onions (and maybe even some cream).
Give this recipe a shot; it'll satisfy all your cravings in the comfort of your own home.
Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu / OR 2-3 chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsps. Butter
1 11 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (if you don't have a blender, instead use one can tomato sauce)
1 large sweet onion
1 green bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1 tsp fresh minced garlic (equal to one clove)
3/4 cups frozen peas (this is a guestimate. I usually just sprinkle them in until it looks like there's proportionally enough in the dish)
McCormick's garam masala
McCormick's yellow curry powder (Badia could work too, but I find it to be too salty)
Cumin
Turmeric
Salt to taste
Optional:
8 oz can chickpeas
1/4th cup chopped peanuts
Raisins
Grated coconut
Optional, for butter chicken:
Ground Fenugreek
Ground Cardamom
1/3 cup heavy cream
To Cook:
1) Cut tofu or chicken into one inch cubes; toss into a bowl and coat with garam masala (don't sprinkle; COAT). Set aside.
2) Cut the onion in half. Set one half aside and finely dice the other half. In a deep pan, melt butter and toss in diced onion. Saute until translucent and then pour in the diced tomatoes and add the garlic. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
3) If you have an immersion blender: Pour tomato and onion sauce into a large pot and blend until smooth. Leave in pot.
If you don't have an immersion blender: Let the sauce cool a bit and then pour into a normal blender. Blend until smooth and then pour into a large pot.
If you have no blender: Leave as is and pour into a large pot.
4) Put the pot of sauce to simmer.
5) Take the deep pan previously used (not need to rinse or wash). Heat the pan back up and throw in your tofu/chicken. Brown on all sides, using a little sauce to wet the pan every now and then if it gets too dry. Once browned, put the tofu/chicken in the pot with the sauce. If you'd like to add chickpeas, add them now.
6) Chop the bell pepper and other half of the onion into 1 inch squares. Saute in the pan for 2-3 minutes with a little sauce and butter. Once done, add to the pot with the sauce and tofu.
7) Add frozen peas to the pot. Sprinkle liberally with curry powder. Sprinkle less liberally with cumin and turmeric. If you're making butter chicken, sprinkle fenugreek and cardamom. Add salt to taste. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. (Before simmering, it might be fun to add a handful of raisins, but I've never tried it)
8) If you're making butter chicken, turn off heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Serve over rice and add as much raisins, peanuts, and coconut as you'd like!
But at last, I have finally found the secret. I still use McCormick's curry powder, BUT I also use their garam masala mix. It should be noted I don't mix my own curry or garam masala (fun fact: these are spice mixes, not individual spices! I went many years not knowing that). Really, who has the time to do all that mixing? But combing the two pre-made, plus a couple extra spices, finally gets me to that wonderfully full aroma of a true curry dish. And the sauce? The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is stewed and pureed tomatoes and onions (and maybe even some cream).
Give this recipe a shot; it'll satisfy all your cravings in the comfort of your own home.
Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu / OR 2-3 chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsps. Butter
1 11 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (if you don't have a blender, instead use one can tomato sauce)
1 large sweet onion
1 green bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1 tsp fresh minced garlic (equal to one clove)
3/4 cups frozen peas (this is a guestimate. I usually just sprinkle them in until it looks like there's proportionally enough in the dish)
McCormick's garam masala
McCormick's yellow curry powder (Badia could work too, but I find it to be too salty)
Cumin
Turmeric
Salt to taste
Optional:
8 oz can chickpeas
1/4th cup chopped peanuts
Raisins
Grated coconut
Optional, for butter chicken:
Ground Fenugreek
Ground Cardamom
1/3 cup heavy cream
To Cook:
1) Cut tofu or chicken into one inch cubes; toss into a bowl and coat with garam masala (don't sprinkle; COAT). Set aside.
2) Cut the onion in half. Set one half aside and finely dice the other half. In a deep pan, melt butter and toss in diced onion. Saute until translucent and then pour in the diced tomatoes and add the garlic. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
3) If you have an immersion blender: Pour tomato and onion sauce into a large pot and blend until smooth. Leave in pot.
If you don't have an immersion blender: Let the sauce cool a bit and then pour into a normal blender. Blend until smooth and then pour into a large pot.
If you have no blender: Leave as is and pour into a large pot.
4) Put the pot of sauce to simmer.
5) Take the deep pan previously used (not need to rinse or wash). Heat the pan back up and throw in your tofu/chicken. Brown on all sides, using a little sauce to wet the pan every now and then if it gets too dry. Once browned, put the tofu/chicken in the pot with the sauce. If you'd like to add chickpeas, add them now.
6) Chop the bell pepper and other half of the onion into 1 inch squares. Saute in the pan for 2-3 minutes with a little sauce and butter. Once done, add to the pot with the sauce and tofu.
7) Add frozen peas to the pot. Sprinkle liberally with curry powder. Sprinkle less liberally with cumin and turmeric. If you're making butter chicken, sprinkle fenugreek and cardamom. Add salt to taste. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. (Before simmering, it might be fun to add a handful of raisins, but I've never tried it)
8) If you're making butter chicken, turn off heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Serve over rice and add as much raisins, peanuts, and coconut as you'd like!
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