Goat Cheese, Spinach, & Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 packed cups fresh spinach 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 ounces goat cheese (and a bit extra)
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Prepare the pie crust the night before to save yourself some time.

On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled pie dough. Turn the pie crust dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and crimp the edges. 

Using pie weights, blind bake pie crust for 20 minutes.  Remove the pie crust from the oven, remove the pie weights, and cook an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown.

While the pie crust is baking, drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside.  Mince the garlic, and set aside.  Rough chop the spinach and set aside.  Crumble the goat cheese, divide in half, and set aside.

Remove the pie crust from the oven and let cool.

Whisk the eggs, milk,  cream, salt, and pepper together until combined. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 goat cheese, and the spinach. 

Pour the egg mixture into the cooled pie crust.  Top with the other half of the goat cheese.  Use aluminum foil or a pie shield to prevent the pie crust from over browning, 

Bake the quiche until it is golden brown on top and the center is no longer jiggly. Depending on your oven, this will take anywhere between 45 - 55 minutes. 

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This quiche makes great leftovers for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Myrtle's Note:  I loved the combination of these ingredients, but I followed the process a bit more from the method source article.  However, my step-father, who has made quiche, had me not cook the spinach in advance.  Since the quiche turned out to be pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted, I think he was right in his methodology.  The sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes and the tanginess of the goat cheese is just lovely.


Yield:  6-8 servings

Adapted from:  http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/03/11/goat-cheese-spinach-sun-dried-tomato-quiche/

Method from:  http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-fool-proof-quiche-168459

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices 
• 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces 
• 1/4 cup cold vodka 
• 1/4 cup cold water

Directions:

Take the butter and shortening from the refrigerator.  Cut the butter into 1/4 inch slices.  Cut the shortening into four pieces.  Place both into a bowl and pop into the freezer to chill further.

When ready, process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. 

Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). 

Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.  Use your hands if needed to help it come together into dough.

Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days or place into the freezer for later use.

Myrtle's Note:  I have been so anxious about attempting my very first pie dough.  I had heard about America's test kitchen recipe and thought that would be a good place to start.  I did find it odd when I dumped the mixture into the bowl.  It looked just like flour. I couldn't see it coming together at all, even with the liquids.  However, it did.  Fairly quickly.  This is definitely a doable recipe for a pie crust beginner like me!

Yield:  2 crusts

Source:  http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/11/cooks-illustrated-foolproof-pie-dough-recipe.html

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium red onion (~1/3 cup)
• Juice from 2 limes (~4 tablespoons)
• 2 1/2 pounds ripe mangoes (~4)
• 1 large poblano pepper (~2 tablespoons)
• Leaves from 4 stems cilantro (~3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt

Directions:

Thinly slice the onion.  Place in a bowl with the lime juice and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Peel and cut into a large dice the mango and place in a medium bowl.  Stem, seed, and finely chop the poblano pepper and add it to the mango.  Finely chose the cilantro and add.  Add the salt and olive oil.  Toss thoroughly.  Then add in the lime juice and onions.  Toss thoroughly.

Myrtle's Note:  I do wonder if my mangos were not diced small enough, since I had no photo as a guide.  After dumping the onions in and tossing, I decided they looked odd with long slivers and the mango pieces and tiny pieces of pepper.  So, I fished them out and cut them in about thirds.  Next time, I will sliver and then cut them before soaking.  I am allergic to mangos, so I couldn't taste test this recipe.  However, my folks loved it.  Every cook loves a satisfied customer!

Yield:  4-6 servings

Source:  https://patijinich.com/recipe/fresh-mango-salsa/

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons vanilla paste
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup Greek Gods® Greek yogurt
• 3 cups oats
• 1 cup whole milk

Optional toppings: dried cranberries, apples, blueberries, nuts, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.  Then add then maple syrup, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and Greek yogurt and stir throughly.

Next add the oats and milk and stir until the oats are completely incorporated into the batter.  Let the batter sit for a few minutes, so the oats soak up the liquid and the consistency is like oatmeal.

Line muffin tins with muffin liners. Pour the mixture into each muffin cup until just below the top of the liner.  If using toppings, gently push them into each muffin cup.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before eating. Once cool, you can store in an airtight container or freeze in a storage bag.

Myrtle's Note:  I think that these are more like baked oatmeal rather than muffins.  However, they are tasty!  I tried cranberries and blueberries as toppings and prefer the blueberries.  They were a nice contrast to the strong banana flavoring.  Even with a tablespoon of cinnamon, they are not very cinnamony, so I would not recommend reducing that.  My changes to the recipe were to up the vanilla and make it paste.   And I use Honey or Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt.

Yield:  18 muffins

Source:  https://www.buzzfeed.com/robertbroadfoot/these-banana-oatmeal-muffins-are-perfect-for-a-snack-on-the

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 3.5 oz. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 slice bread (suggest Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse Sourdough)
• 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 3-4 large cloves of garlic
• fresh rosemary (~1 large spring)
• fresh thyme (~6-8 stems)
• fresh sage (~5-6 leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Mince garlic and set aside.  Strip rosemary and thyme leaves and mince them, along with the sage, and set aside.  Pulse the bread in a food processor to make fine breadcrumbs and set aside.  Lightly beat egg and set aside.  Drain (but preserve the oil) and rough chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

Put the tomatoes and garlic in the food processor and pulse.  Add in the bread crumbs and pulse.  Put this mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Then add the rest of the ingredients, except for the saved oil and mix well.

Shape into 21 meatballs and place on a large metal pan.  Brush with the olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes container.  Bake until done (165 degrees), approximately 16 minutes.

Myrtle's Note:  I have wanted to try chicken meatballs for a while and went looking for a recipe.  This was close to what I wanted, although I changed the herbs and switched to fresh breadcrumbs.  Since the original recipe called for 1.5 pounds of chicken and I wanted to have a recipe for a 1 pound container, I had to work out reducing some of the ingredients.  The mixture feels really wet and I was worried, as I rolled out the meatballs, that they would not set, but the end result were really tasty, firm meatballs.

Yield:  6 servings

Source:  adapted from http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken-meatballs-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/

Lemon Thins

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup lard (or shortening)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350.


Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla paste.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.   Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto the counter and shape into a 12 inch roll.  Wrap the roll in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Unwrap dough.  Cut into 1/4th inch slices, cutting only enough for your pans and then put the roll back into the refrigerator.  Place two inches apart on stoneware or an un-greased baking sheet.

Bake until the edges are just starting to lightly brown (approximately 11-13 minutes).  Half way through, rotate the pan.  Cool 1-2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Myrtle's Note: The two substitutions I did was to use lard and vanilla paste.  The one thing I found, again, with my oven these cookies took 12-13 minutes, when the original recipe says 8-9 minutes.  I was surprised the cooking time was so off.  Because they are such a thin cookie, I also learned that it is important to rotate the pan half way through.  Otherwise, the back ones become too browned.  I am not a browned cookie kind of person.  In short: these are really, really, really tasty ... thin, crispy, and lemony.  Mmmm!

Yield: 4 dozen

Source:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/lemon-thins

Eggplant Involtini

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants (~1.5 lbs each)
• 1 small red onion
• olive oil
• 1 quart whole tomatoes in juice (not puree)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• pecorino cheese
• 1 slice bread
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, or 1 large dollop Gourmet Gardens® basil paste
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees


Directions:

Prep.  Line two large baking pans with greased parchment paper and set aside.  Grate pecorino cheese (about 3/4 cups rounded) and set aside.  Mince onion and set aside.  Mince Garlic and set aside.  Use a food processor to create breadcrumbs from the slice of bread and set aside.  Drain the tomatoes into a bowl.  Rough chop the tomatoes.  Put the pieces into the bowl of tomato juice and set aside.

Roast the eggplants.  Peel the eggplants.  Trim a small bit from each side so that all your ensuing slices can lay flat.  Slice into 1/2 inch slices.  Lay out the slices on the pans.  Brush olive oil (about 5 tablespoons) on the slices, then salt and pepper.  Flip and repeat.  Place into the oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let rest, flipping after 5 minutes lest condensation form beneath the slices.

Make the tomato sauce (whilst the eggplant slices are roasting).  In a sauteause pan (one that can go into the oven), put one teaspoon of olive oil and brown the onions.  Part way through, add the garlic and finishing browning.  Add in the tomatoes and their juice.  Add oregano, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn medley, and pinch of red pepper flakes.  Let simmer whilst making the cheese filling.

Make the cheese filling.  In a medium bowl, add together the ricotta, a well rounded (heaping) 1/2 cup of pecorino, the breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (about 1/2 of a large lemon), the basil (I prefer the paste) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Mix until well-blended.

Roll the eggplant slices. Distribute the cheese mixture evenly amongst the slices by placing a hefty soup spoon of cheese mixture onto the large end of the eggplant slices.  Starting from that large end, roll up the eggplant slices around the cheese mixture.  Place each slice into the sauce, with the seam side down.  Put one eggplant roll into the middle of the pan and fan the rest around it into a circle.

Finish.  Simmer on the stove for 12-15 minutes (look for the cheese mixture to melt).  Remove from the stove and top with more grated pecorino.  Finish in the oven beneath broil to brown the top.


Myrtle's Note:  I saw this on America's Test Kitchen and wanted to make it immediately.  Whilst I did tweak the tomato sauce a bit, I found the recipe rather easy to follow (once I transcribed it from the video).  This was one of the absolute best eggplant recipes I have ever had.  And was a bit hit with guests.  Over all, none of the steps are complicated and the end result is an impressive dish.  The key is to do all your prep beforehand so that you can smoothly go from prepping and roasting the eggplant slices to the sauce to the cheese mixture to the rolls.


Yield: 4-6 servings

Source:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngU9ke0ykNc