Kale Salad

Kale isn't just for adding to other dishes and roasting. It makes a great salad green. The leaves are really dense and it holds up to refrigeration very well. It won't wilt as quickly as other salad greens. The trick to making it work for you is adding and acid (like a lemon vinaigrette) and letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours. 


The leaves will become slighly more tender and turn the most amazing shade of green. 


I use it to top my sandwiches or just when I want something easy and green on the plate.


Here it is on a roasted fish summer sandwich...

Here's a picture of the kale salad after is sits overnight...

And here's a picture of my Greek Tuna Salad Sandwich...

Ready?


Kale Salad


1 Bunch of Kale, stems removed and chopped into 1" pieces
Juice of 1 Lemon
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper 


Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour on top of the chopped kale and stir well to cover as much of the leaves as you can. After a few minutes you'll start to see the leaf texture change a bit. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or over night and use as a side or to top sandwiches.

Roasted Fish Summer Sandwich (Kinda Sorta)

This is an easy and really yummy sandwich that hardly takes any time to make. The ingredients may scare you a little at first. You just need to trust me on the awesomeness.

Here's what you'll need...


Makes 2 sandwiches:
(10 minutes)


2 Hoagie Rolls
1 Medium Tomato, sliced thin
1 Medium Cucumber, sliced thin
A couple of forkfuls of Kale Salad
Ken's Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing. (Lemon vinaigrette or other vinaigrette works well to.)


And...


1 can of Sardines packed in double layers in Olive Oil


Turn on your oven's broiler and set the top rack about 8" from the heat source.


Take your can of sardines and pour out about 1/2 of the olive oil. If you pour the oil in your dog's dish you will be  seriously loved. Dump that can into a roasting pan. (I used a 9 inch cake pan...don't judge) Use tongs to gently separate the little fishies and spread them around the pan.


Put your pan of fishies and your opened hoagie rolls on the top rack. Shut the door. And Listen.


When you hear the oil from the sardines popping good they're ready to come out. Use caution removing popping fishies. Pull the bread out when the inside is looking a little brown and the bread feels toasted. It needs to hold up to liquid. Not toasting the bread for at least a few minutes will give you a sloppy sandwich.


Pour dressing onto each side of the roll and use a spoon to make sure the vinaigrette or dressing is spread thinly over all of the inside surface area of the bread. Top and bottom...edge to edge.



Using tongs, put about 8-10 of the roasted sardines on the bottom. Add slices of cucumber, tomato, kale salad or anything else you really like on your sandwiches. Avocado? Bacon? It's a free country. Go nuts.

Enjoy!




People didn't eat sushi when I was a kid (not in North Carolina anyway). I think seeing my father eat sardines just freaked me out. I've been eating sushi for ages but sardines just heebed my geeb for some crazy childhood reason. Sardines always freaked me out a bit but last year I made an attempt to like them. I tried a few different recipes I found online and now I almost always have a half dozen cans in my pantry.  They're crazy good for you. The "World's Healthiest Foods" website says:

Sardines are rich in numerous nutrients that have been found to support cardiovascular health. They are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels; one serving (3.25 ounce can) of sardines actually contains over 50% of the daily value for these important nutrients. Sardines are an excellent source of vitamin B12, second only to calf's liver as the World's Healthiest Food most concentrated in this nutrient. Vitamin B12 promotes cardiovascular well-being since it is intricately tied to keeping levels of homocysteine in balance; homocysteine can damage artery walls, with elevated levels being a risk factor for atherosclerosis.

I try to keep adequate food stores in case of an emergency and sardines are a staple. It's almost impossible to find fresh sardines in the US but the canned varieties are usually imported and, due to the manufacturing practices, have a shelf life for many years. For example: I have a can of mushroom soup that will expire in 2013. My sardines don't expire until 2017.  I really like the ones double layered and packed in olive oil. They aren't too big and they roast up well for sandwiches and snacks. The smoked sardines from Trader Joe's are also very good. Stick with the ones in olive oil to start out. I have some packed in mustard, hot sauce and tomato sauce hanging out in the pantry. I'm a little *meh* on those. Not as big a fan.

The Livestrong website also has lots of fun information on sardines. It's almost like a fan page.

I just happened to have a bottle of the Ken's Steakhouse Vidalia Onion dressing in the fridge door. It's crazy good as a sandwich spread. It gives you onion flavor, a touch of sweetness and it sticks to the toasted bread
without getting drippy. Good stuff. I was all set to make this with a lemon vinaigrette and realized I'd used my last lemon in the kale salad. Accidental discovery.

Veggie Pop Overs

Dinner is often the mother of invention. This time it worked out well. I had a few veggies and a can of Grands Biscuits and made a pretty awesome and tasty dinner. Yay me!

I made three different looking pop overs. I did this mainly because I was getting hungry and running out of patience. I'm please to report they were all awesome.


Version #1 was a biscuit rolled thin, topped and then folded over on itself. You can't over stuff these or they just bust out instead of pop over. Heh!

Version #2 was made with two biscuits rolled flat. The filling was added to one and the second biscuit placed on top.

Version #3 contained the last of the veggie stuffing tossed in a ramekin and topped with the last biscuit. I didn't roll it out but I did smash it a little to cover the surface of the veggies a little better.


Oh dear, where did the picture of the ramekin go?


Anyhoo...


Here's what I used but you can use just about any combination of meats and veggies you want. Just aim for a thick sauce at the end. If the veggies have too much liquid your biscuits will be soggy.


Preheat oven to 375


Line a cookie sheet with parchment


Veggie Filling:


1/2 Medium Onion
3 Cups of Sliced Mushrooms (About 2/3rds a container)
3 Cups of Kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups of Vegetable Stock
1/4 tsp of Thyme
1/4 tsp of Herbs de Provence 
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp pepper (I did about 8 turns of the pepper mill)
1 Cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Corn, Beans, Carrots and Peas variety is what I used)
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp flour
1/4 Parmesan Cheese


Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, mushroom and spices and cook until they release their liquids and start cooking down. When the liquid is almost gone, add 1 cup of the stock and stir in the kale. Cover and let the kale steam and get tender. Add more broth as necessary to keep the steam going. Finally, stir in the frozen vegetables and the tablespoon of flour mixed in with a 1/2 cup of stock and the butter and cook for another 10 minutes or so or until you have a nice and thick sauce. It's ok to add more flour and stock to get it where you need it.


Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes


Pop Over:


Roll out your biscuits until they're about the size of small saucers. Fill them with 3-4 tablespoons of the cooked veggies and a pinch of cheese. Leave about 1/2' edge to seal the biscuits. Add another rolled biscuit to the top. Crimp the edges of the pop overs with the tines of a fork and stab the top of pop over 2-3 times with the fork to make steam holes. 


Bake for 13 minutes or until they're a golden brown.

Housewife Approved: In Your Face

My husband is taking the Bar exam in three days. I could set myself on fire atop the dining room table and he probably wouldn't notice unless his backpack of books went up in flames with me. 


I'm not complaining. *snort*


Really.


I'm running to the Interwebz for the closest thing I'll have to a conversation without calling someone or leaving the house. Do dogs count?


Moving on...


I wanted to share some things that I'm loving...


When I was working a gazillion hours a week I bought an insane amount of makeup and skin products. If I needed a touch-up and didn't have some stashed in my desk I'd stop and pick up something else. Sometimes I bought makeup or skin care products because I needed a pick-me-up. Because nothing improves your day like feeling prettier than you did when it started. Am I wrong?


Now that I am a housewife and funds don't magically appear in the bank account I've stopped buying stuff willy-nilly and spending too much. Man, I spent BANK on girly stuff! Now I seem to focus my attention on what works instead of labels, reviews in fashion magazines (I read books now) and the search for the perfect shade. I've also matured (or stop giving a crap) and if you see me without makeup...I don't care.


These are my list of must haves. If I run out I will replace it with the exact same item. 


California Tan's Total Immersion

• Extends, enhances and complete your tan with Step 3 daily moisturizer
• Smooth, revitalize, and hold on to color with Vitatan® 2000
• Bathe skin in intense hydration and tan-darkening benefits with Crimson Sea Copper
• Boost anti-aging action and revive skin after UV exposure with Deep Sea Blend

This stuff has all the best perks of a facial moisturizer without the $80 a jar price tag. I have dry skin and my goal is to not look like the Crypt Keeper when I'm 50. I use it morning and night and it works just fine under my foundation. It's actually made as an after tanning lotion. I don't tan. I can't speak to the post tanning benefits but it's an incredible facial moisturizer and I actually prefer it over the highfalutin jar of wasted cash. Oh, did I mention it's a 16oz bottle? 10% of the price of the cosmetic counter stuff and you get 10x's as much. I win!


You can buy it online for less than $9 a bottle or you can try your luck at stores that sell indoor tanning products. Most tanning salons have it but their markup is criminal. If you can't find it anywhere just look in the suntan lotion section of your local discount store. Banana Boat, Hawaiian Tropic, Panama Joe and just about every other sun screen brand has an after-sun moisturizer. I've used several on my face over the years and the Total Immersion is my favorite.




Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

For dry, sensitive skin, Cetaphil^® Moisturizing Cream is a non-greasy cream formula that is excellent for the hands, feet, elbows and knees — anywhere that requires intensive moisturizing. It is also appropriate for facial use and is fragrance-free. For over 20 years, dermatologists have been recommending Cetaphil^® Moisturizing Cream to help alleviate symptoms of mild to severe dry skin, as well as symptoms of dry skin associated with conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

This is my serious face cream for serious dry skin days. I use this most of the winter and when my face just hates me. It's thick in a Crisco sort of way. Cetaphil is great for sensitive skin so if this is too think and heavy you can go with one of their lotions...


If you never have to worry about looking like this when your 50...

Talk about motivation!


Did I mention I have dry skin? I've had maybe ten pimples in my entire life and I'm pretty sure those were hormone related.


It comes in a 16oz tub and I've also seen a 3oz travel size. It's a body cream and I keep one tub next to the sink for dry hands. The jar is about $10-$11 and can be found in most discount stores and pharmacies in the lotion section...usually with the less popular, non-sparkly and non-firming business. I got mine here. Don't you just love Target?

Yes to Blueberries


Finally, a beauty product from the beauty section! I like to keep makeup removal clothes handy for when I need to remove makeup (duh!) and I'm away from my shower and all my face cleansers or just too beat to shower before bed. I've tried a few different brands of makeup remover towels over the years that were irritating but I tolerated them for the convenience. I usually hated the smell, they made my eyes burn or made my skin too dry. 


These 'Brightening Facial Towelettes' are formulated with Blueberries and Coconuts to gently cleanse, remove makeup, and moisturize skin all in one. With Lemon Peel and Apple to help brighten skin, these are a great addition to our Age Refresh collection. They leave your skin feeling clean and glowy! 

Available for online purchase in US only.

• 99% Natural
• Biodegradable & FSC Certified
• Dermatologically & Opthalmologically Tested
• Oil-free, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic

Yes to Blueberries Pre-Mositened Towelettes run about $8 and can be found in most stores these days. I got mine from Target. Their website sort of reminds me of a farmers market...one of my favorite places. They have options for sensitive skin (cucumbers), acne prone skin (tomato) and nourishing (carrots). 


I love the pre-moistened ones and always keep some in my makeup kit which I've discussed at length here.


Carmex

There is just no substitute for Carmex. I probably have ten jars scattered around my house at any given time. This does not include the two or three jars that live in my handbag and backpack. I also have one with "NOSE" written all over that I keep in the medicine cabinet for when my nose gets raw and chapped.


I love the tubs. I can set one in the drink holder of the car and I never have to worry about it melting and leaking out all over the place. (Don't attempt running through the dryer...at least it's loud so you can yank it out quickly.) I don't like the tubes or the sticks for that same reason. I hate all things lip gloss and anything sticky. This is waxy perfection. 


I apply it several times a day and almost always apply some under my lipstick. You can find the original formula just about everywhere. The website shows some tinted varieties that I haven't seen in the stores but I'm anxious to give them a try.

The tub of the Cherry is hard to find and if you can find it let me know. The last time I found it I bought every one on the shelf. It's my unicorn.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

• Camphor alleviates pain
• Menthol kills germs and relieves discomfort
• Phenol gently numbs your sore lips and removes old, dead skin

OTHER INGREDIENTS

• beeswax, cetyl esters, flavor, fragrance, lanolin, paraffin, petrolatum, salicylic acid and theobroma cacao(cocoa) seed butter.

Chanel Iminitable Mascara

If I could only buy one thing from a department store makeup counter for the rest of my life it would be Chanel's Iminitable Mascara. At least something came from my willy-nilly makeup buying...


I discovered this magic.


I wear glasses and if I overdo it on the application my short, stubby, mousy brown lashes actually touch the inside of my eyeglass lenses.


Crazy, right?


Another reason why I love it...It doesn't flake and end up all over my cheeks like most other brands.


Waterproof mascara usually irritates my eyes so I haven't bought it in years. I can't speak to how the waterproof compares. I use the regular mascara (non-waterproof) with the gold band. There's another formula with the silver band and I wasn't as happy with it. Lucky for me, the Chanel counter exchanged it for the gold band goods and all is well. 

In a single stroke, this mascara delivers it all: volume, length, curl and precise separation. A sophisticated formula and unique brush design combine to deliver lush, long-wearing colour so precisely that each lash, even the finest, is perfectly defined and separated. Pro-Vitamin B5 hydrates and conditions lashes to keep them supple and healthy-looking.


$30 a tube may seem like a lot but in this instance it really is a case of 'you get what you pay for'. It's worth it. It will change your life. I also love the applicator. Those applicators must be one of the ways cheaper brands stay cheaper. The Chanel applicator is much more gentle and I don't feel like I'm brushing my eyelashes with brillo pads.


Merle Norman's Matte Oil-Free Moisturizer

Wait? What. Oil-free? Yep, even girls with dry skin can get a little shine going. Powder has a tendency to settle in my fine lines and makes them a lot more obvious. I can't keep adding powder to control the shine without having a mess on my hands. (See Crypt Keeper image above.) The Matte Oil-Free Moisturizer seems to just suck up any excess oil. I just need to dab a drop or two on the problem area and the shine disappears. I've tried it over makeup and it works just fine.

For Normal to Oily skin types. 
Welcome matte! This lightweight, hydrating lotion contains advanced microspheres that absorb oil throughout the day. Combined with optical diffusers, it also helps minimize the appearance of pores, leaving skin soft and smooth with a fresh, matte finish. Fragrance-free. Oil-free. Non-comedogenic. 

This stuff is very similar to the Shine Control Hydrator (discontinued) that Merle Norman used to carry. 


This is something you may want to look into if you worry about getting shiny or if you have oily skin or combination skin. 


Merle Norman is not as mainstream and top-of-mind as the mall cosmetic counter but their products are top notch. It's very similar to Lancome in quality while being less expensive on many items. Their stores are usually locally owned and operated so you can also feel good about shopping within your community. Other bonus: It's an American company and their products are made in the USA. Other Merle Norman products I like: Fine Line Minimizer, Micro-Refiner Face Scrub (Hub's loves it too), Sheer Defense Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15,  makeup brushes (quality is as good as my MAC brushes).


The Matte Oil-Free Conditioner cost $30. It will last me for years. Since this is a fairly new formula you might be able to pick up a sample. I shop at a Merle Norman Gold Medallion studio and they will almost always give you a sample size to take for a spin. They seem to have sample sizes for most of their liquid products.


I hope my list of favorites gave you some ideas. I'm always open to suggestions so please share some of your must-haves.


Have a great weekend.

Housewife Approved: Travel Accessories

I thought I'd post information about items that I've purchased that I've been very happy with. Here are two items that fall into the travel accessories category. One I purchased for my husband and the other for myself. 

Housewife APPROVED: The LL Bean Personal Organizer

Housewife APPROVED: The Vera Bradley Hanging Organizer

The LL Bean Personal Organizer:

The hubs did his internship with JAG and had to live out of a hotel for ten clean house lonely weeks. Prior to his internship I did lots of shopping for items he'd need on his summer away. I completely forgot about the LL Bean's travel bags and I'm geeked I rediscovered them while shopping online. I ordered a blue one for him and got it monogrammed. I do wish there were more options for the monogramming colors. His bag is the Royal color and the monogram was done in black. It was very well done and as ordered but I would have preferred a more contrasting color that could be easily seen.

These are the options. I selected a large since he needed regular sizes and was driving to his destination. 

Here's another close up. The mirror attaches with a piece of velcro so it can be removed.

I really like this one. It's the smaller option  and I think it would hold travel sizes well for shorter jaunts like overnight stays and car trips. There may be one in my future. :) The larger bags would require taking a bigger suitcase and not an overnight bag.

I ordered him the large size that LL Bean suggest for 3+ days. I thought he would get more use out of it and it wouldn't be too big to take on most trips. I really like the hanging hook so the bag can hang instead of cluttering the small hotel counters.

He has a shaving kit that can hold travel sizes and a few essentials and it works well for short trips. What he needed was an organizer that could hold full sized shampoo, shower gel, contact solution, razor with extra blades, shaving cream, bandaids, deodorant and other toiletries.

In retrospect, I was shopping while imagining him traveling to a third world country. I didn't know much about the town and I wasn't sure he would have time to shop or realize he was out of something before it was completely gone. (Men are strange creatures that way.) Honestly, it was just easier for me to pick things up a little at a time while I did the household shopping. It also allowed me to take advantage of sales and coupons. Score!

The LL Bean site says the following:

• Improved with innovative side-zip storage pockets, so you can quickly access toiletries
• Built-in hook allows you to hang it anywhere, from shower rods to tree branches
• Main compartment has multiple soft mesh pockets and includes a removable shower caddy
• Made of water-resistant fabric

And now on to the hanging organizer...which I also love.

Housewife APPROVED: The Vera Bradley Hanging Organizer

The Vera Bradley Hanging Organizer:

I am not usually a fan of anything floral or girly which is why this was my first Vera Bradley purchase. I opted for the color you see above because it wasn't as vibrant as the other patterns available. I was about to buy one of the LL Bean bags for myself but decided I needed a makeup system more than a toiletry system at that time.

This bag is large with four large compartments. As you can see from the photos, the two compartments in the middle are see through. I keep my eye makeup and my face colors in there so I can see what I'm grabbing. Having clear lids on my eye shadows, powders and blushes makes it especially efficient. The top zip container is large enough for my makeup brush bag as well as a 5" cosmetic mirror. There's a nice quilted divider in the top compartment that protects the mirror side from the brush side. Good thinking.

The bottom compartment is the largest compartment of the bag. I have several small bottles as well as my foundation, travel hair spray, a pack of makeup remover cloths, travel Q-tips and body lotions. There's even room to spare. It could handle the addition of travel sizes of a shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and my small puffy sponge.

I could easily covert this bag to handle full size shampoos, conditioners, etc. by removing excess makeup and accessories. I've used it for events where I tend to have multiple makeup options. By packing my everyday makeup, the necessary brushes (and not all 25), and eliminating the magnifying mirror I could easily make room for my full size bath items providing they are a normal size and not economy. I have some mid-size refillable bottles that would be perfect for this bag and could last much longer than the store bought 3 oz sizes.

I really like the cotton quilted fabric exterior. My last few bags have had very stiff zippers that often scratch my hands and wrist. I like the zippers on this bag. They move easily and have fabric pulls. It's a nice touch. I may treat it with a stain repellent (Scotchguard) the next time I go on a Scotchguarding frenzy.

The bags folds on to itself and ties at the top. The handles are long enough to carry it easily and the attached hook is sturdy and will fit around the shower rod in my bathroom.

I liked this bag so much I ordered a small makeup bag for my everyday makeup to replace the uber expensive one with the brutal zippers. I went wild and ordered something flowery and nuts. I like it. Now I'm wishing I ordered the hanging organizer in something wild like this. It grows on you.

While I will never be a fan to the point of collecting all of a pattern, I do like the quality of these bags. They usually have several patterns on sale as they launch new patterns. I'm not sure of their system so if you want to get a matching set, you may want to plan your purchases accordingly.

I do think this would make a lovely gift for a bride or an expecting mother. I think this would also be good for grandmothers. I know my mother could organize her medications in the clear pouches and have room for her beauty regimen. It arrives in a very nice box and wrapped in tissue paper with the paperwork tucked in a discrete envelope.

Here are the features listed on the Vera Bradley website for the hanging organizer:

• Metal hanger tucks away
• Top zippered, quilted compartment plus two taffeta-lined, clear plastic compartments
• Gusseted, plastic-lined bottom compartment opens wide when unzipped
• Easy-tie closure and two carry handles

They've launched sheets and bedding and I'm really liking the Indigo Pop. Cool, no? And I like the cotton of their fabric. I think it would be cozy.

Meatball Subs In The Slow Cooker

I'm not making this tonight so I don't have any photos just yet. Some of my single friends keep asking so I'm just going to throw up a quick and dirty recipe for you. 


I'm here to serve.


This is super easy and a perfect lunch or dinner when you have to feed a group or you just want to cook once and eat all week. I'm not sure which genius first put this together. A bachelor friend made this years ago and it was so easy my flabber got ghasted. It's an easy go to meal when we have friends in town and I need to feed a crowd without wrecking the kitchen or spending the day in it.


Meatball Subs


1 Bag of Frozen Pre-cooked Italian Style Meatballs
1 16oz Jar of Regular Spaghetti Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese and/or Shredded Italian Cheese Blend and or sliced provalone
Hoagie Rolls
Pinch of Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper Flakes or Oregano to taste (optional)

1. Pour the bag of frozen pre-cooked meatballs into your crock pot.
2. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meatballs. 
3. Put the lid on and turn it on the high setting. (Note: Plug it in. Trust me...so much better when it's plugged in. :P)
4. Try to give it a stir after two hours. It's not mandatory but it helps eliminate any cold spots in the meatballs.
5. After 3 hours cut into a meatball to make sure they're heated through (or cook on low for 5ish hours if you'll be out of the house.)
6. Serve on hoagies with shredded cheese 
7. You can put your subs under the broiler to get the cheese all gooey and the bread a little toasted before or after you load it with meatballs. (Optional)

Tips: 


When I have the option of meatball sizes I always get the smaller ones that are 0.5oz meatballs. The big ones (2oz meatballs) don't fit on the roll very well and they make a big mess when you try to eat them. You can always cut them in half after they're cooked, but go with the bag of the smaller meatballs instead of the jumbo gobstopper size.

Make sure you get the pre-cooked Italian style meatballs. If you use raw meatballs you'll end up with a meat soup...or just meaty sauce, depending on creative license.

Regular ho-hum spaghetti sauce works best. I usually use Ragu or Prego and get their traditional spaghetti sauce. I'm sure I've used my fair share of store brands over the years as well. Sauces with the chunky vegetables or other big bits don't really give enough cooking liquid. 


All slow cookers seem to cook at different temperatures. You may need to adjust your time according to your slow cooker's personality.


Resist taking the lid off and checking it during the first 2 hours. Pretty please! Every time you remove the lid it adds to the cooking time. AND DON'T leave the spoon sitting in the slow cooker with the lid cockeyed. One of the cardinal rules of cooking with a slow cooker means you leave it alone. That seal that's created by steam between the pot and the lid actually keeps it cooking without everything drying out. I am old...I am wise...trust me. Cook it on low if you need to be out of the house and are worried about over-cooking.


Slow cookers aren't really meant for one person portions. You'll end up with a dried out mess if you try to make this for one with 4 meatballs and some sauce. Just stick with big portions. Your friends will thank you. 


Put any extras into sandwich size portions in plastic storage containers or zipper bags. Pack it up with a bun and some cheese and you can re-heat it at work for lunch. If you run out of buns you can toss it on some pasta. Who doesn't have some kind of pasta?

I use a Crock Pot slow cooker and it's about 4.5-5 quarts. It's battle worn and also very shy so I found this one from the Crock Pot website to post instead. 

Training Wheels Quiche

Quiche can be tricky. I had a few epic disasters when I was a housewife in training wheels. *shudder* I tried several recipes before I found one that I liked and wasn't a chore to make. (I have zero patience when it comes to opening the oven and jiggling something for two hours to see if it has set. None. Nada.)

This may not be quiche by the standards of Julia or Martha, but by golly I can cook it and it taste good! Once you figure the base quiche recipe you can start customizing it with different flavors.

I'll try to break it down and make it easy. I'll explain what I use to get the base recipe and then how I customize it. 

(BTW...I'm a lousy photographer so pardon the weird shadows. I looks and taste good even if my camera phone doesn't help my cause.)

Here's the recipe as I made it for this post:


Training Wheels Quiche



1 cup of Shredded Cheese
    plus 1/4 cup to spread on top and a small handful for the bottom of the pie crust
3 Beaten Eggs (or 3/4 cup of Egg Beaters)
2 Heaping Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
3/4 cup of Milk


1/4 cup of Diced Onion
2-3 tbsp Diced Parsley
1/2 cup of Chopped Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained (Yep, the square box from the freezer section)
1/2 cup of Grape Tomatoes, quartered or diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of Portobella Mushrooms, chopped

1/4 tsp of Salt
1/2 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper
A pinch of Paprika
A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Chopped Garlic or 1 Garlic Clove, chopped



Stir to combine. Pour into a frozen pie crust with some cheese in the bottom and sprinkle some on top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the temp reads 155 on a meat thermometer.




Here's how I did it:




Start with a frozen pie crust. Just pop that sucker out of the freezer and toss it on a baking sheet. No need to cook it first. And sprinkle a few tablespoons of cheese in the bottom. I don't remember why I started doing this, but I still do it. If it ain't broke...

See that aluminum foil? Very important. If anything boils over it won't be a lot, just enough to really burn and stick to your baking sheet. Do what you want but don't say I didn't tell you so. :)


Now for the filling....


Here's the dairy portion:


1 cup of shredded cheese
3 beaten eggs (or 3/4 cup of Egg Beaters)
2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
3/4 cup of milk

This is a pint glass. (Shout out to Sweetwater Brewery!)  This glass is 16oz and contains the cheese, eggs, mayo and milk. Crazy, I know...just wait...you'll get it in a second.

Note: The eggs, milk and mayo will stay consistent. What type of cheese will depend on what flavors you want to go with. I'm using a combination of Colby Jack and Cheddar since this one just has vegetables. If you wanted to go with a Greek themed quiche you could use a mix of Feta and Swiss. Seafood quiches also do better with lighter cheeses. Ham or bacon could go either way. 


Now for the goods:

1/4 cup of diced onion
2-3 tbsp diced parsley
1/2 cup of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Yep, the square box from the freezer section)
1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, quartered or diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of chopped portobella mushrooms




Is what I have here...

Yep, another pint glass. Whatever you put in the pint glass...


1/2 spinach, 1/2 chicken


1/3 mushrooms, 1/3 cooked bacon, 1/3 diced broccoli


1/3 shrimp, 1/3 spinach, 1/3 mushrooms


Just go with what flavor combinations you like and fill that sucker up!






Here's the hat trick:

 Take your two pints of visual reference and toss it into a big bowl.

 Not pretty...but stir until all the ingredients are combined.

Add seasoning:


1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper
A pinch of Paprika
A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Chopped Garlic or 1 Garlic Clove, chopped




Stir some more...

Pour it into your frozen pie crust and top with another handful of shredded cheese. Note that 2 pints of goods fits perfectly into the standard pie crust.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. 


(Feel free to stick a meat thermometer in the middle and make sure it reaches 155. I'm too old to play guessing games with food. Meat thermometers RULE!)

Let sit for about 15 minutes to let everything set and so the cheese doesn't seem soupy when you cut it.

 Enjoy! Serve with a nice salad for lunch or dinner. It also goes great with coffee for breakfast.


Tips:


If you're cooking seafood, replace the salt with 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay.


If you're going a Greek quiche you can at 1/4 tsp of oregano, use Feta and Swiss, add black olives and maybe some diced pepperoncini peppers on top. Mmmm. Just go easy if you happen to use kalamata olives. If you over-do it the entire quiche will taste like olives. Not so good.


Make two at a time and freeze one. Let it cool completely and seal it in a large zipper freezer bag or use a vacuum sealing system.


If you're going on vacation you can chop and measure everything at home. Just pour into two 16 oz wide mouth mason jars and refrigerate. Pack your crust and jars in a cooler and throw it together when you get there. 


I cooked and vacuum sealed six different quiches before our family vacation. Just freeze them and transport in a cooler. It saved us hours of cooking in a strange kitchen and gave us more time for fun. 


Tomato makes it pretty and I always seem to miss it when I leave out the onion or parsley. Even if you only use a tad, it's better than nothing. Unless you hate onion or parsley...then may the force be with you.




Let me know how you like it and what flavor combinations you might try!