Hash Brown Crusted Quiche

I know I've been super lazy lately with keeping my blog up to date. I promise I've been cooking and baking! I just hate the writing part, and now I have a huge backlog of items to post on the blog. So, back in the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, when I had spurts of random energy, I made this brunch for my cousins visiting from NY. It was also the first time we got to use our new kitchen table, and it worked out beautifully. Everyone fit comfortably for a change, and while we are by no means "civilized", it was still much nicer than having people hover over a small space, elbowing each other to get food :) I believe that with the new table, people even passed items to each other. Brunch was a hit and it was a wonderful way to break in the table and start to a gorgeous Spring day.
One of the items I made are these hashbrown crusted quiches. I got the idea from food network, but made my own variation for the quiche fillings. While I love all things "homemade", If you're making several brunch items, a "from scratch" crust isn't always practical. Using this hashbrown crust is a major time saver and so delicious. Who doesn't like a crispy potato crust? Quiche 1 was made with roasted red peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, mushrooms, chives and montery jack cheddar. Quiche 2 was made with chorizo, roasted red pepper, scallions, and a fun cilantro/jalapeno pesto to dollop on top. Have fun with this one and try your own variation. A simple asparagus and leek quiche would be a perfect compliment to the potato crust.
I'm now on week 35, and luckily still feeling great...not too much longer to go!
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Buttermilk Biscuits

I checked the weather and planned ahead this past weekend. They were calling for a slow, steady cold rain on Sunday, so I knew I'd be in need for some comfort. Comfort came in the form of homemade buttermilk biscuits, gravy, and bacon for breakfast. I bought the few ingredients I needed on Friday after work. Starting the day off with these lifted my spirits and kept them going all day long. And to top it off, I was blessed with the most gorgeous sunny day on this holiday Monday :) These biscuits are unbelievably easy and fast to make, so try making them for your rainy day! Turn them into a dinner biscuit by adding cheddar and chives to the recipe.


I had a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit which I dipped in country gravy. Talk about comfort!! Neil stuck w/ the original biscuit n' gravy :) Btw, making a country gravy is essentially a simple bechamel recipe that you can find anywhere. The only difference is that the base roux is made with meat drippings (in this case, bacon) and flour, instead of butter and flour.

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French Toast

Being snowed in last weekend was a real treat! I haven't seen such beautiful snow in the NoVa region in years. I opened up all of my shades, and spent the time making more holiday cookies while watching the snow fall. It was so peaceful and it was actually nice to be "stuck" at home, and not deal with the typical holiday madness. I also took out my homemade brioche from the freezer and made this comforting french toast for breakfast. Brioche makes the best french toast because of it's dense, yet fluffy nature. It soaks up all the yummy custard without becoming soggy like a typical bread would. The french toast recipe is as simple as it gets. This would be a fabulous brunch item if you have overnight guests for the holidays. Happy Holidays everyone!!!

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Eggs in a Basket

As I previously mentioned, I'm currently without oven :( We had a guy come and take a look at it on Sat. morning. He ended up fixing the oven, so I put it to the test with with these "eggs in a basket" for breakfast. I've timed this recipe to exactly 8 minutes and 30 seconds, which consistently produced the perfect yolk center....not too runny, but just very slightly cooked. Well, the test failed. The yolk was completely runny even after 12 minutes, and I ended up sticking them in the toaster oven. I put a meat thermometer in the oven, and as I suspected, it didn't come to the display temperature. Neil thought that maybe we just needed to clean the oven, so he used the oven cleaner function. Well half way thru the "cleaning", the oven died again. So, now I have a dead oven, which btw is also locked due to the oven clean function! Neil's still determined to get it fixed though and the handy man's coming back this week.

Anyways, these eggs in a basket are awesome in a working oven. I got the recipe from my cousin, and have been making them almost every other weekend. They are insanely simple, and so festive for a brunch party. You can make endless variations for a crowd. I like to make them with jack cheese and scallions. But, you can do basil/tomato/mozzarella, tarragon/brie, thyme/gruyere, bacon/cheddar/chives. etc. The basket is made of two wonton wrappers. You can alternately make the basket with slices of prosciutto, which is also delish. Baking times will depend on how you like your yolks, so just play around with the timings. I pull it out when it jiggles with some consistency.

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Brioche

Brioche is a delectable French bread. But unlike most French breads, it's extremely rich, a little sweet, and very "pastry-like". This is due to the high butter and egg content. It's absolutely heavenly, and my bread of choice for making bread pudding or french toast...although it tastes great plain. You can find it sold at any bakery and most grocery stores. I most often just buy it, but I took on the challenge of making it from scratch. It's not difficult, but it is a fairly long process because you have to let the dough rise multiple times before you can bake it. I've always loved working with dough, so the process wasn't a chore to me. I also believe that anything made at home with your own hands is rewarding and therapeutic. That's a feeling that you can't buy. If you don't care about those aspects, I don't see an advantage to homemade brioche versus store bought. I usually find homemade goods far superior, but in this case the taste/texture is essentially the same. However, you can't tell people that you slaved away and made it yourself :) Like any other bread, it freezes really well. I have half the loaf frozen in my freezer right now so I can use it for weekend French toast.

On another note, I finally checked out Eventide Restaurant in Clarendon this past weekend. The ambiance, food, and service were all very impressive. I had an excellent homemade pappardelle with crab meat, shrimp, mussels, and pancetta. The chef also gave us a complimentary treat of mini risotto fritters. The restaurant has a lounge menu/bar on the main floor, main dining upstairs, and a fabulous rooftop with lite "cold food" dining and a full bar. It's a great use of space and surprisingly large. They said the rooftop should remain open for a couple more weeks if the weather cooperates, so check it out while you can.

Btw, summer seems to be hanging around this week :)

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Belgian Waffles

When I was packing up to move to a new house a couple years ago, I came across a waffle iron. I had no idea I even had one, or how it got there. Apparently, it was one of the few items that came with Neil when we got married. He never even used it, and I have no idea why he bought it. Maybe he thought his "future wife" would one day make him waffles :) Well, of course I put it to use. Making waffles on a Sunday morning is so much fun. It takes me back my college days at VT, when my hall mates and I went to Sunday brunch at the dining hall. We always got made to order waffles, topped with tons of whipped cream and strawberries. How I miss those days!

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Fluffy Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Looking through my posts over the last year, I realized that I haven't posted many recipes for breakfast. So, I'm posting the pancakes that I now make almost every Sunday morning. Growing up, it was always my job to make pancakes for my younger sister and brother on the weekends. Back then, I made them using Bisquick...yes, Bisquick of all things! I got pretty sick of it over the years, and I swore off pancakes for a while after moving out. By "a while", I mean that it wasn't until last year that I even thought about making pancakes again. But, this time I attempted it sans Bisquick, and realized that it's just as simple to make from scratch, and the end product is exponentially better. Pancakes are officially back in my life :) This recipe always come out light and fluffy, the way pancakes should be. It also uses orange zest and chocolate chips as a delicious twist. Sometimes, I use lemon zest and blueberries during berry season. If you haven't already noticed, I love adding zest to many recipes. It's this subtle ingredient that makes so many dishes shine.

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Crepes

It’s still strawberry season, so why not highlight them with crepes! I made these for breakfast last weekend when my cousins surprised me for my 30th birthday celebration. The crepes were made in advance, because I had already planned on using them with strawberries that Neil was going to get me from the farmer’s market. Well, I “unknowingly” planned quite well for the unexpected house guests. No need to be intimidated by crepes. They are easier than pancakes and use simple, everyday ingredients. Once you have the crepes down, the possibilities for fillings are endless. Make them savory with wild mushrooms and a béchamel sauce, or make a fancy dessert with flambéed bananas and a rum sauce. Or, just eat them plain. They are delicious!! For the crepes pictured, I filled them with melted chocolate, and served with freshly sweetened whipped cream, and strawberries marinated with Grand Marnier liqueur.

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