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!
See Recipe!

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.

See Recipe!

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!!!

See Recipe!

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.

See Recipe!

Onion Tart

This past Saturday, I got to visit my friend's family farm out in Shenandoah. It was a mini reunion of sorts, since she invited some of my best girls from VT. We were all thrown together at Shanks Hall freshman year, and have remained best buds ever since. We've come a long way from the awkward, overly eager freshman girls we once were...priceless memories. The farm was the perfect setting for our gathering. This isn't your typical farm. It's the wonderland of farms complete with fun farm animals, pumpkin patch, fire pits, an absolutely gorgeous house (w/ my DREAM kitchen), and random nooks/crannies throughout the land. The addition of fall foliage to the inherent beauty, made it all surreal. My description doesn't do it justice. We had a wonderful lunch out there, and walked over to the firepit for smores, petting the goats and donkeys along the way. I told Neil I want to retire on a farm until he reminded this "city girl" of farm duties. I suppose I'm better suited as a guest :)

To thank them for being invited, I made my holiday tart that I posted last year. Consisting of butternut squash, turnips, and parsnips, I thought it was perfect for this event and time of year. Well, making this tart turned into a bit of a fiasco. My oven died on me!!! I mean, it's completely shot...dead. I was able to bake my crust, and right after I pulled it out, it was over. The oven has been doing this periodically the last few weeks, so I knew something was wrong, but it usually turns right back on after 10 minutes. Well, it's Monday now, and it's still dead. Neil's desperately trying to do whatever he can to get it fixed. He knows that if we have to replace the oven, I'm going to coerce him into replacing other old appliances in the kitchen too....I've been dying for a 5 top burner. Hey, you always get a better deal if you buy more, right? That's what I'm trying to tell Neil :)

Anyways, I improvised and cooked the vegetables for the tart in a dutch oven versus roasting them in the oven. Then, I drove over to my mother in law's house to bake the assembled tart. I finally made it to the farm, tart in hand, only an hour late.

I had some leftover crust, so on Sunday, I made mini onion tarts in my toaster oven of all things! This tart, as pictured, consisted of a thick layer of caramelized onions, gruyere, and prosciutto. The recipe is very similar to the holiday tart, so if you follow those instructions, swap out the vegetables for more caramelized onions, and add prosciutto, you'll be set. If you're vegetarian, leave out the prosciutto and you won't miss a thing.

Ugh...I can't even make Halloween cupcakes without an oven. All of a sudden everything I want to make involves an oven :(

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 :)

See Recipe!

Bellinis

I've had some really bad imitations of bellinis in restaurants here. Most just use peach juice with champagne, which tastes awful. But, I had my first real bellini in Venice, and it was a frothy delight! Ever since then, we've been making it at home during the summer months. It's a refreshing and relaxing treat. A traditional bellini consists of pureed peaches and prosecco (sparkling wine). Make a "Bellini Bar" with different fruit purees to mix with the prosecco! It's a great idea if you're hosting a brunch, shower, etc.

See Recipe!

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!

See Recipe!

Goat Cheese Tart

I love tarts and I love goat cheese! I rarely ever get to make this because of Neil's strong aversion to goat cheese. It's all in his head! I've snuck in goat cheese on occasion, and he never noticed. Little by little I'm weening him in. But, he's not ready for this tart yet. Anyways, when I was asked to bring an item to my friend's party, I jumped at the opportunity. This is incredible for goat cheese lovers, and the presentation is really pretty for a spring party. Speaking of, the winter is still lingering way longer than it should be :( I had to bust out my winter gloves last week!

See Recipe!

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.

See Recipe!

Savory Holiday Tart

Last November, I had the most delicious savory winter tart at a Farmer's market in London on Portobello Road. It's that time of year again, and I wish I was in London right now. Not a possibility, so the next best thing is to try recreating that tart. I can't remember the exact ingredients of the tart I had in London, but I recall it having winter root vegetables and a delicious crust. Since I had Veteran's day off last week, I used the time to experiment with making this tart and a flaky crust from scratch. I was very proud of the end product, and it did take me back to that day in London. Neil was scared to try it at first when I told him that it had parsnips and turnips in it, but he ended up finishing almost half the tart! This recipe is definitely a keeper and a perfect addition to a holiday gathering. I'm trying to get my cousin go to make this recipe for our Thanksgiving this year. I would, but I've been tasked with desserts :)

See Savory Holiday Tart Recipe!
See Pate Brisee (flaky tart crust) Recipe!

Goat Cheese Tart with Basil/Chive Crust

If I haven’t mentioned it enough already on this blog, let me reiterate that goat cheese is my absolute favorite cheese! I love the tang and depth of the cheese. Some are obviously stronger in flavor than others. Neil won’t go near it, so I’ve had to stop making any goat cheese dishes for us. I made this goat cheese tart for a friend’s party. You have to like goat cheese in order to enjoy this tart. I absolutely loved it and could have devoured the whole thing myself. Neil on the other hand almost had a gag reflex after trying it. I seriously think that it’s psychological with him, and little by little I’ll make him a goat cheese lover too. Anyways, paired with a crisp arugula salad, and a glass of wine, this tart makes for a wonderful dinner. If you are one of the “haters”, then try using a different cheese in this tart, because the basil /chive crust is great!



Btw, I found an interesting little tidbit about goat cheese on-line that I wasn’t aware of:

“Goat cheese is less calorie dense then cheeses made from milk from cows or sheep. Fats in goat's milk and cheese are easier to process in the digestive system, therefore some individuals who can not have other milk products, might be able to have goat's milk and cheese”

As if I needed a reason :)

See Recipe!

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.

See Recipe!