foodie: tofu-egg quiche

last night, i came home from the csa with a slew of gorgeous tomatoes.  so, obviously i wanted to include them in our dinner.  i decided to try making a tofu and egg crustless quiche, despite never having made one before.  luckily, it turned out well (hence why i'm sharing it with you all :-)  it was hearty, yet fluffy and had great flavor -- a winner all around!

here's what you'll need...

1/2 block firm tofu
4 eggs
1/2 medium onion
2 shallots
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1/4 cup fresh herbs (i used basil and parsley)
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup cheese (i used bleu and mozzarella)
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. chop onions and shallots and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and lightely caramelized.  season with salt and pepper.

2. while the veggies saute, put the tofu, eggs, herbs and garlic in a blender.  blend until a smooth liquid is formed.  season with salt and pepper and pulse once more.

3. oil your pie plate well with olive oil and then pour in egg/tofu mixture.  top with onions and shallots, tomato slices and sprinkle with cheese.

4. bake for approximately 40 minutes until the quiche puffs up a bit and the edges are lightly brown.  check the center with a knife to ensure it's cooked through before removing it from the oven.

those gigantic green things are slices of (fully-ripe) heirloom tomato

enjoy with a large side salad and even more delicious, heirloom tomatoes!!!  serves 4 for dinner or 6 for brunch.

bon appetit

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foodie wednesday: mushroom & brie mini quiche

for my family's christmas eve gathering, i offered to make an appetizer.  i wanted a delicious, savory, crowd-pleaser.  so, i came up with mini quiche filled with sauteed mushrooms & onions in a garlic butter phyllo crust.  yum!  my family seemed to enjoy them quite a bit : )

2 1/2 to 3 cups sliced mushrooms (any kind will work)
1 large onion, chopped
3 scallion stalks, chopped
8 eggs
1/4 lb brie
5 tbsp butter
10 sheets of phyllo
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/4 cup of half & half
olive oil
salt & pepper
muffin trays (2.5 dozen)

1. preheat oven to 375.  while that preheats, saute mushrooms and onions in a bit of olive oil for 20-25 minutes.  season with 2/3 of scallions, salt & pepper.  (reserve final 1/3 of scallions as topping)

2. transfer veggies to a bowl and melt butter in the same pan that you cooked the veggies in.  add garlic and be sure not to let butter burn.

3. brush 30 muffin cups with butter mixture and then line each cup with 1/3 a sheet of phyllo folded in half.  brush with butter again.  be sure the buttered phyllo evenly covers the cup to prevent egg from sticking when it bakes.

4. spoon mushroom mixture into cups and top each with a chunk of brie.

5. mix eggs with half & half and salt.  pour egg mixture evenly into cups.

6. sprinkle each cup with a bit more salt, pepper and reserved scallions.

7. bake for 10-15 minutes until eggs are firm and phyllo is lightly browned.

these can be made up to 3 days in advance and just reheat before the party.  they are best if served warm.

enjoy!

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foodie wednesday: farmhouse meals

food tastes better on a farm.  a few weeks ago craig and i had the pleasure of house sitting at a bucks county farmhouse – taking care of horses, donkeys, dogs and chickens.  but, despite the extra chores, that week was one of simple pleasures, good conversation and quiet moments.

one simple pleasure being food.  uncomplicated, delicious dishes that allow the true essence of the thoughtfully chosen components shine through.  farm food is simple food, fresh food, hearty food. with that in mind, I wanted to share a few recipes that will hopefully offer farm-like appeal, whether you can see grass from your window or not.

overnight oats

this is my breakfast almost everything morning. there’s something so comforting about hearty oatmeal that never fails to speak to my sense of “home” and my longing for something comforting.

½ ripe banana

½ cup oats

½ cup soy milk (any milk will do)

1 tbsp peanut butter

cinnamon & nutmeg to taste

1. in a cereal bowl, mash banana with the back of a fork.
2. dust banana with cinnamon & nutmeg and add oats.   mix and mash some more.
3. add in soy milk and stir.
4. cover and leave in fridge overnight (hence the name “overnight oats”).
5. in the morning heat oats in the microwave (i usually opt for 2 minutes on power level 50), and then add in the peanut butter and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon.  the warm oats will start to melt the peanut butter.  yum!

rustic quiche

quiche is often a go-to in my house, and when you’re privy to fresh-laid eggs, it’s a must!  to some it may seem intimidating (since it’s “french”), but this one-dish meal is really a great last-minute, no-frills dinner.   

1 (pre-made) pie crust

6 eggs

½ cup half & half

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 tsp garlic, chopped

¼ cup shaved parmesan

¼ cup feta

salt & pepper

1 tsp curry

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme

1 tsp olive oil

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and red pepper, mushrooms and shallots. mix in garlic and season with salt & pepper. cook until mushrooms and peppers are tender and shallots are translucent.
3. in a bowl, scramble eggs with half & half, curry, herbs and salt & pepper.
4. press pie crust into 9 inch pie plate.
5. pour cooled veggies into crust and pour egg mixture over top. sprinkle with feta and parmesan.
6. bake for 30 minutes until eggs are solid and top and crust is lightly browned. allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

farmhouse cocktail

this “cocktail” is a sure-fire winner!

1 bottle red wine

1 corkscrew

2 glasses

1 person to “cheers” with

1. put bottle in fridge for 20 minutes prior to opening to settle the temperature.
2. uncork.
3. pour into 2 glasses.
4. sip.
5. smile.

i hope these recipes offer you the sense of hearth and home that i was totally soaking up during that week on the farm.  perhaps it’s the few chilly days that we’ve been graced with lately or the fact that fall is approaching, but as i write this, i’m ready to hunker-down and pour myself a farmhouse cocktail right about now.

{this piece was originally written for new jersey life health & beauty}

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squatternut bosh quiche : )

picture credit {here}

craig has been hounding me for days about posting the recipe for a quiche i made (up) the other night.  i guess he liked it or something : )  it's a butternut squash quiche with bleu cheese and (turkey) bacon.  yum!

squatternut bosh quiche (that's for all you f.r.i.e.n.d.s. fans out there)

1 pie crust (pillsbury works just fine...)
1 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1/2 in cubes
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-3 slices of (turkey bacon), chopped
1/8-1/4 cup crumbled bleu
2 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
curry
salt
olive oil

toss squash and onion with drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt.  roast in oven on large baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet for 30-40 min at 375 until slightly browned and fork tender.  while that's cooking, chop bacon and crisp in saute pan.  (or crisp bacon then chop it : )

in a separate bowl, scramble two eggs with milk, dash of curry and salt.  line pie plate with crust and fill with squash, onion and bacon.  sprinkle cheese over hot fillings so it begins to melt.  then pour egg mixture over top and crimp pie crust into a fancy design.
bake at 375 for 30-40min until eggs are set and crust is golden brown.  allow quiche to cool for a few minutes (if you can control yourself) before you cut into it.  enjoy!

joey:  remember when ross tried to say "butternut squash" and it came out "squatternut bosh"?
oh, f.r.i.e.n.d.s. how i miss you.....