Quiche Feast!

I've been making quiche for over 20 years (yes, I'm really that old) and it never gets boring. In fact, the combinations of fillings are limitless and I don't think I've ever had a quiche I didn't like. Now, if you have "real men" who won't eat quiche, call it something else ... Sausage and Egg Pie for example.

What you want to do is start with good ingredients. These pies were made with King Arthur flour (they're celebrating 225 years this year!) and Cabot cheeses. Two of the very finest you'll find. Make sure you par-bake your crust, and go slow - a rushed quiche will puff and crack and that's just not pretty at all. Use milk if you like, I used heavy cream this time. Cheese should be shredded as fine as possible for best results.

Here are two excellent examples of quiche that are sure to please just about everyone.

This is the beautiful crust I used for both quiche. Buttery and cheesy and flaky - it's a divine vessel for delicious fillings!

Cheesy Pie Crust
Makes two 9-inch pie crusts

2 sticks cold unsalted butter - cut into small cubes
1 cup shredded Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 2 1/2 cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

Combine flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. 
Add butter, and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal 
Drizzle 1/4 cup water evenly over mixture. 
Work together until mixture just begins to hold together (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time,  Add cheese and combine well
Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes or overnight if needed. 
Roll and bake as directed.

This is the correct chorizo for this recipe. Bulk chorizo will add a different texture.

Chorizo and Hatch Chile Quiche

This one if for the guys! Spicy and full of flavor, they won't know it's a quiche unless you tell them!

Chorizo and Hatch Chile Quiche
Makes one 9-inch quiche

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 chorizo sausages diced
1 large hatch green chile, roasted, seeded and chopped (mine are from the Hatch Chile Store)
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 c shredded Cabot Monterey Jack Cheese
one 9-inch pie shell - I used a springform pan - see recipe for Cheesy Pie Crust.

Directions:

1. Bake pie shell until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
2.Cook chorizo in a small pan until browned. Drain well and pat on paper towels.
3. Blend eggs, cream and salt together until well combined. Place the chorizo, cilantro and chiles into the bottom of the pie shell. Top with cheese.
4. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and very lightly lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.

5. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Quiche before baking

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Quiche

Cabot's Garlic and Herb Cheddar is so delicious in this! It adds just the right amount of herb and flavor.


Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Quiche
Makes one 9" deep dish quiche

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 fresh asparagus spears
4 oz smoked salmon- chopped
2 c grated Cabot Garlic and Herb Cheddar Cheese
one 9-inch pie shell - I used a fluted pan with a removable bottom - see recipe for Cheesy Pie Crust

Directions:

1. Bake pie shell until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
2. Cut asparagus spears into lengths that will fit in a pinwheel design in the pie pan - about 4-inches long. Chop remainder of spears into smaller sizes.
3. Blend eggs, cream and salt together until well combined. Place the salmon, asparagus cuts  and cheese into the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange longer asparagus lengths into a pinwheel design on top of the cheese. 
4. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and very lightly lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.
5. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

Tortilla Española

 


Tortilla Española is a traditional Spanish dish served at many local restaurants and bars in Spain. Served hot or cold it's delicious either way. The oil may seem excessive, but is necessary for the true flavor of the tortilla. Honestly, don't freak out about it, you'll be blissfully unaware after your first bite!

Tortilla Española
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 as an appetizer, 6 as a meal

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes or other waxy potato, peeled, quartered and sliced thinly
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 whole eggs
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over low heat, add the potatoes, onions and salt and cook, turning often, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender but not browned.
2. Drain potatoes in a colander over a bowl. Drain as much oil as possible and reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil.
3. Beat eggs well and add paprika, salt and pepper. Pour hot potatoes into eggs and stir well.
4. Put the 2 tablespoons of oil back into the same skillet and pour in the potatoes and eggs.
5. Turn heat to medium and cook until eggs are nearly set on top, 5-7 minutes.
6. Put a large plate facedown over the skillet and invert the tortilla.
7. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet, uncooked side down, and cook for another 3 minutes.
8. Slide tortilla onto a plate and cool for several minutes before cutting.

Spicy Super Bowl with Hatch Green Chiles

Here we are ... Super Bowl Sunday! This year I've had the pleasure of using hatch green chiles directly from The Hatch Chile Store (in new mexico, of course!)  for my recipes and the results have been beautiful!

If you don't know what hatch chiles are, let me tell you. True hatch green chiles are grown only in New Mexico in Hatch Valley. Conceivably you could take the seeds and grow these strains elsewhere, but then they wouldn't be "Hatch" chiles, now would they?

Hatch chiles range from very mild with almost no heat to Extra Hot. I was lucky enough to get the Hot version for my forays in the kitchen. They aren't an overbearing heat, which is good for me, I like to be able to taste my food and not be overwhelmed by the spiciness some chiles have. They have a very short season, which makes them highly coveted; mid August to late September, so when you can get them, make sure you do! If you can't, please visit The Hatch Chile Store for fresh and frozen varieties.

I took two recipes I already had and adapted them to use the Hatch chiles and they are wonderful. Firstly I used them in my Pulled Pork sandwiches which usually are made with jalapeños. The flavor of a Hatch chile is different, but the heat is close to the same in Scoville units to the jalapeño so the end result is very good. I also used them in the "mayo" that's put on the top of these sandwiches. 

Next up was chili, of course! I took my recipe for White Bean and Sausage Chili and added these in where there were no hot peppers at all originally. Coupled with the smokiness of the meats (bacon, ham and sausage) and the mild flavor of green bell peppers, it played very nicely and added a bit more of a kick than cayenne pepper alone. 

Lastly I used the whole peppers in a Chile Relleno Casserole. Yes, I cheated. I don't have time to batter and fry a whole batch of chiles, so I went second best and shrouded them in a lovely puffy batter that baked up beautifully. 

Spicy Pulled Pork and Hatch Chile Mayo

Spicy Pulled Pork and Hatch Chile Mayo
Printable Recipe

5 pound pork shoulder
1 cup diced Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed and divided
3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large cloves garlic - minced
2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse pork and dry well. Place in a large roasting pan, fat side up.
3. Rub salt, pepper and garlic all over pork.
4. Add 1/2 cup chiles around roast and pour water into bottom of pan - do not pour over pork.
5. Roast for 5 hours or until fat forms a crisp crust and pork is easily shredded. Strain pan drippings well and set aside.
6. Cool until able to handle and remove excess fat and shred well.
7. Add remaining 1/2 cup of chiles to pork.
8. Pour 1 cup pan drippings over shredded pork and mix well.
9. Mound onto rolls and top with hatch Green Chile Mayo.

Hatch Green Chile Mayo

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons minced Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Combine all and let stand for 10 minutes before using for shredded pork sandwiches.

White Bean and Sausage Chile with Hatch Chiles

White Bean and Sausage Chili
Serves 8
Ready In: 1 hour 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

2 slices bacon - diced
1 cup diced tavern ham or other ham
1 shallot - minced
1 white leek - sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 medium onion - diced
1 large green pepper - diced
1 cup Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
1 pound bulk sausage
4 cups cooked white beans such as cannellini, northern or navy
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried and crushed oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sliced and fried green onion (a.k.a. scallions/spring onion) and leeks and sour cream for garnish

1. Heat a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp.
2. Add ham, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add shallots, leeks, garlic, chiles, onion and pepper. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Crumble sausage well and cook until no longer pink - stirring often to break up.
5. Add stock and beans and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
6. Stir in oregano and cayenne and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Serve with sour cream and fried green onions and leeks.

Chiles Relleno Casserole

Chiles Relleno Casserole
Printable Recipe
Serves 8
Ready In: 1 hour

8 Hot Whole Frozen Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 large whole eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper - several turns or 1/4 teaspoon
Relleno Sauce - see below

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut stems from chiles and open to lay flat. Remove seeds and as much of the ribs as possible without tearing the chile.
3. Divide cheese evenly among chiles - this will depend on the size of the chile, they each vary. Roll up and set into a greased baking dish (9 x 11 works well) seam side down. Repeat with each chile.
4. Blend together eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper and paprika until smooth. Pour over chiles.
5. bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffy and just beginning to brown on top.
6. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

Relleno Sauce

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 cup chopped Spanish or sweet onion
2 large cloves garlic
1 cup water

1. Put ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Serve hot with chiles relleno or chiles relleno casserole.

*Hatch Green Chiles provided by The Hatch Chile Store. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way by free product.

Asparagus and Leek Quiche

Asparagus and Leek Quiche

Quiche is delicious any way you slice it, but spring veggies like leeks and asparagus make it even better. Lightly sauté the asparagus to bring out even more flavor. Change the cheese to anything you like if Swiss is too heavy for your palate, and use green onions in place of the leeks if desired.

Asparagus and Leek Quiche
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 60 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 pie crust
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 ounces Swiss cheese - shredded
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 leek - split lengthwise and rinsed well to remove sand and grit
8 spears asparagus cut in 4-inch lengths

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Fit pie crust into an 8-inch pie pan and crimp edges. Weight with beans or other pie weights and bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and set aside.
3. Beat eggs until light and lemon yellow in color. Stir in cream, salt, pepper and cheese.
4. Slice leeks thinly and cook in olive oil over medium heat until limp. Add asparagus and cook for another 5 minutes until spears are crisp-tender.
5. Pour half of the egg mixture into the par-baked crust and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Top baked egg mixture with asparagus spears, fanning them out from the center like the spokes of a wheel. Sprinkle with cooked leeks and top with remaining egg mixture and put back into the oven.
7. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until top is puffy and set. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Eggland's Best Brunch

This past Sunday I was able to host an Eggland's Best Brunch at my house. We had a packed house and an equally packed table featuring recipes from both Eggland's Best and Fabio Viviani's ebook, "Did I Really Make Breakfast?"

Why Eggland's Best eggs? Well, take a look at the stats for yourself. Eggland's Best eggs, compared to typical eggs have:

Click to make larger

And just in case you didn't know, it's safe and healthy to eat up to 6 eggs a week!

Not only are there more nutritional benefits to EB eggs, but they also use a special patented hen feed, a more strict quality assurance program than any other, and EB eggs are fresher than other eggs, being shipped to the store no later than 48 hours after laying.

The flavor is also better than ordinary eggs and it's actually quite noticeable even in recipes where the eggs are combined with several other ingredients. I chose to use 3 of my own recipes, 3 from Eggland's Best and 3 from Fabio Viviani. Every single recipe was a hit with every age range at the brunch. Of course, the kids loved the Deviled Eggs and Breakfast Pizza with Hash Browns and Sausage from Eggland's more than any others, but the adults hit up Fabio's Eggs Baked in Cheese Fondue until there was nothing left. I changed up the recipe in the tiniest way, I served the eggs and cheese sauce over steamed asparagus rather than toasted bread and nobody could get enough.

Of course, Fabio's Cheese Bomb Biscuits and my Vidalia Onion Pie were also devoured completely (the biscuits were the first thing gone!) and the remainder of recipes including EB's Mexican Fiesta Breakfast Bake, my own Angel Food Cake with blueberries and peaches in cream, Mini Quiches and JoAn Henry's Strawberry Muffins were as well liked as any. Overall, everyone went away fully FULL and happy and several guests left with EB shopping bags, aprons, egg plushies, egg turners and coupons for a FREE dozen of Eggland's Best eggs!

Check out this short video of the food and one of the happy little guys.




Full Disclosure: Eggland's Best provided me with VIP coupons for free product, a $100 gift card to use for supplies, a flip video camera, information, recipe cards and prize packs to give away to guests.

Poaching Eggs

Perfectly Poached Egg

When I posted Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta, I received comments far and wide (here, Twitter etc.) about the poaching of eggs. It seems that many find it to be a daunting task, so I thought I'd offer a short tutorial about making them.

1. Fresh eggs are best - the white will become watery and more likely to 'thread' with older eggs. Crack the egg into a small bowl, using one bowl for each egg you intend to cook.
2. A pot of water is not necessary, rather two inches or so of water will suffice when cooking the eggs. Fill a small pan with two to three inches of water and bring to a simmer only - do not boil! Using a wider pan will allow you to cook more eggs at a time.
3. Add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will help the whites stay together and usually does not affect the taste. Lower a bowl with an egg just to the edge of the water and gently slip into the water.
4. Some will say to turn off the heat and cover for 3 minutes, I say it's not necessary and have never lost an egg yet.
5. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, skimming the surface of the water to remove whites and foam that accumulate.
6. Remove eggs carefully with a slotted spoon and serve as desired.

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta

Ratatouille has been one of my favorites for over twenty years. The first reference I had ever come across was in a Sunset publication that I picked up at an Atlantic Books warehouse that long ago. I recall thinking then that it was one of the most delicious sounding dishes I'd heard of. It was billed as a salad in that book and included no background whatsoever.

As the years passed I learned more about its origins and the slight differences and variations, but I always came back to making it close to the way I first learned. My own recipes can be found here and here and it is those I used to make this breakfast.

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta

I've taken to eating ratatouille bruschetta-style, on toasted thick bread and there's nothing so satisfying to me at the moment. Until this particular craving is fully sated, I expect I'll find more new and interesting ways to consume this thick French stew.

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta
Serves 1 or 2
Printable Link

2 slices French batard
1 cup prepared ratatouille, warmed through
2 large eggs

1. Toast bread rounds until desired crunch is achieved.
2. Top toasted bread with ratatouille.
3. Poach eggs (slide gently into simmering water from a small bowl or plate - one at a time - and cook until whites are just firm and center is still soft). Remove with a slotted spoon and set atop ratatouille. Grind fresh pepper over the eggs. Serve.

Bacon Pie

Bacon Pie

Bacon pie, it turns out, may be just a joke. Dear George asked if I ever made bacon pie - my response was, "What's that?" He told me he had friends who talked about a pie that was popular in Upstate New York and made it out to be the best stuff going. The only reference I could find online was at an urban dictionary - something about it being consumed with root beer. I also consulted Mr. Dave, author of Ridiculous Food Society of Upstate New York and he told me the only pie he could recall having was more akin to the Bisquick 'Impossible Pie' type and served with gravy rather than having gravy in the pie. Oh, and Dave has more bacon recipes than a person should and each one looks heart-stoppingly delicious. And I do mean heart-stoppingly.

No matter, I came up with my own recipe based on what George told me, which was, "eggs, sausage, bacon and gravy". There are several other names I could think of for this pie like: Heart Attack Pie, Stroke-For-Sure Pie, Go-Broke-Quick Pie or Lard Butt Special, but I think for now we'll just go with Bacon Pie.

I had one child tell me, 'this should be a daily food here'. Yeah -- it's good. As always, eat at your own risk.

Bacon Pie

Bacon Pie
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

1/2 pound bacon - cut into small dice
1 pound breakfast sausage - cut into small chunks
12 eggs
1 double pie crust for 9-inch pie
flour
milk or water
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pie dough and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs well and cook until no longer runny (scrambled eggs - folks). Set aside in a large bowl.
Cook bacon and sausage in the same pan until the bacon is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and put into the same bowl with the eggs.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add flour to the drippings - there should be about 1/2 cup of drippings to which you would add 3/4 cup flour. Whisk the flour into the drippings and slowly add water or milk (it really is just a preference here) until a thick gravy forms. Cook for several minutes to cook out any flour taste. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add eggs, sausage and bacon back into the gravy. Stir until everything is well coated.
Pour into the bottom pie crust, top with remaining dough and vent with a knife.
Bake for 30 minutes or until top is browned and filling is bubbling out the sides of the crust. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Don't eat this more than once a year.

Baked Grits and Eggs with Cheese

I've been eating grits since I was very young - perhaps shortly after birth - I'd have to ask mom. My family is not from The South - Midwest actually - but there's such a strong Southern influence in and around where my mom grew up that I have a fairly good grasp of Southern food. That's a good thing because some of the finest food in the world was born in the rural south here in the U.S. and it's something I think every good cook needs to have in their repertoire.

Not only is Southern food hearty and full of flavor, it's also economical - which is also a good thing. When we were young my mom would often make grits, eggs and bacon for breakfast on weekends and there is nothing quite like those flavors blended together.

I like to change things up a little and add cheese or green onion to my grits, but the kids don't always like that, so I usually cook up grits with cheese or even just lots of butter for them. This dish is a couple of my favorites all in one.

Please don't use instant grits for this. If it's all you can get then I suppose it's OK, but the taste and texture of instant is so very different from the real deal that you'll be doing yourself a favor by buying long-cooking grits. Add crumbled bacon and green onion to the grits before baking if you like.

Baked Eggs and Grits with Cheese
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

4 servings grits
4 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
4 whole eggs - room temperature
1/2 cup shredded or julienne cheese
oil or cooking spray

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make 4 servings of grits according to package directions leaving out any cooking salt or butter. Once grits are done, add butter and salt and stir. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Coat an 8 inch diameter cast iron skillet or other heavy pan with oil or cooking spray and put pan into heated oven for 5 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and pour grits into pan. Make 4 indentations in grits and drop one egg into each indentation.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until egg whites are set and yolks are still loose.
Serve hot.

Finished grits in a cast iron pan

Eggs set on the grits

Cheese topped grits and eggs

Italian Eggs

What makes these eggs "Italian"? A movie! Moonstruck, to be exact. There is a scene in Moonstruck where Cher's character is making breakfast and she hollows out a slice of bread, tosses it in a frying pan and adds an egg to the hollowed out center. From the time I first saw that movie (long time ago!) I've been making this particular variation of those eggs.



Start with a nice large loaf of Italian bread and cut into thick slices.


Hollow out the center of each slice. Heat some oil in a heavy frying pan and add the bread.


Add an egg to the center of each slice of bread. Do this slowly so the egg begins to set and doesn't flow out from underneath the bread. Cook until the bottom of the egg is well set.


Flip once and allow to cook for a few minutes longer.


Top with mozzarella cheese and lid the pan for a few minutes until the cheese melts.


Voila! I sometimes add Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb to the top of the eggs for extra flavor.

Chorizo Eggs

Here's a good in-between-holidays dish. It's not very heavy, uses few ingredients and doesn't contain turkey OR ham. Really, some of us just can't take any more leftover recipes. Chorizo can be purchased either cooked - where the consistency is close to pepperoni - or uncooked like any other sausage. I used uncooked for this one, but I really prefer the cooked sticks of chorizo. Go with what you like.

Chorizo Eggs
Serves 3-4
Printable Recipe

8 eggs - beaten
1/2 pound ground chorizo
1/4 cup sliced green onion (aka scallions or spring onions)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and brown chorizo. Drain if needed and add eggs, cheese and onion. Stir until eggs are cooked but not dry. Serve with warmed flour tortillas.

Sunday Dinner - Mother's Day

This isn't dinner, but it's what will be on my table today. I made two lovely Salmon and Asparagus Quiche that will be served with a loaf of round French bread, tapenade (of course), goat's cheese, artichoke hearts and my favorite lemonade, followed by Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, sliced cantaloupe and grapes. If I'm feeling generous, I'll share it with my family .

Salmon and Asparagus Quiche
Makes two 9" deep dish quiche
Printable Recipe

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 T fresh snipped dill
2 c asparagus cuts-cooked and drained
4 oz smoked salmon-flaked or 1 c fresh cooked-flaked
2 c grated Swiss or other cheese
two 9" deep dish pie shells

Bake pie shells until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
Blend eggs, cream, milk, garlic, and dill together until well combined (I used the blender for 2 minutes). Divide the salmon, asparagus and cheese between the shells. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
William Ross Wallace
Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends!

Ready, Set, Cook! #32

OK boys and girls, before you take a look at today's ingredients, PLEASE click the link above for the NEW rules of play. They were changed just last week and it's important that you check them out.

Today's three are from my third child. She called them; we'll play them.

sausage
eggs
green pepper

Easy, no? I'll be "seeing" you Thursday with links to submissions!

*Note: If you want to play but don't want to post your recipe to your own blog for whatever reason, let me know and I will post it here for you.

Tea Anyone?

I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea," said Anne, shutting her eyes ecstatically. "And asking Diana if she takes sugar! I know she doesn't but of course I'll ask her just as if I didn't know. ~Anne of Green Gables~
L.M. Montgomery

Several years ago I was part of the "Women's Christmas Tea" committee at my church. I was put in charge of - surprise - the food. I had a certain amount of money we could spend and knew there were 80 ladies coming to a Victorian themed tea.

I set off looking for recipes that fit well into that era and came up with the most traditional tea recipes. Tea day came and everything went very well except that my scones weren't working. A girl from the church went to a local bakery and between what I made (the ones that turned out all right) and what she was able to purchase, we had enough.

After setting up the buffet-service table I waited there to help others serve themselves if need be and then ran off to refill things before they returned for (hopefully) seconds. After I got back I stayed rooted to my spot behind the table, saying an occasional hello to friends or answering questions about the fare. Suddenly I looked up and saw, with only slight terror, that the Pastor's mother-in-law was on her way to the buffet. Now, normally this wouldn't cause concern for anyone except for the fact that this woman was from England. Now I ask, what country knows more about afternoon tea?

There she was, toddling and tiny and very old and making her way directly towards me. I was quaking in my shiny black oxfords. She looked up at me and asked, in her lilting English accent "Did you make all this food?" as she made a sweeping gesture down the table. I said, "Well, all but____, and ____." (the few things that others had supplied). Then, she looked at me with the sweetest little-old-lady smile and I suspect at that moment that the axe is slowly falling, but instead she says, "I couldn't have hoped for a better English High Tea."

I breathed a thank you and went weak at the knees as the whole room swayed and she toddled back to her table. I don't think I have ever been paid a better compliment on anything I've made.

Even when the event showed up in the local gossip column I was still not as thrilled as I had been at that moment.

These are some of the cards I made to sit by the dishes we served:

Here are the recipes that I decided on for the tea:

Mini Quiche Lorraine

Makes 3 Dozen
Printable Recipe

Filling:

2 eggs

3/4c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

Pastry:

2c. flour

1/2t. salt

2/3c. shortening or butter

1/4c. ice water

Prepare pastry:

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening or butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add water by tablespoon until dough clings together. Form into a ball.

Roll dough thinly and cut into 36 two-inch rounds. Fit into bottoms and partway up sides of muffin cups.

Prepare filling:

Combine egg and sour cream and mix until smooth.

Place a teaspoon of cheese in each pastry lined cup. Top with 2 or more teaspoons of the egg mixture.

Place in oven on center rack and bake 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling puffs and lightly browns.

Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Chicken Salad Sandwich Filling

Makes about 2 cups
Printable Recipe

2 whole chicken breasts (4 breasts) cooked

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Place all in a food process and pulse until combined and smooth but not paste. The salad should still have some consistency to it.

Spread on your choice of breads (no crust) and cut into shapes.

Serve at once or cover tightly and serve within 1 hour to avoid bread becoming soggy.

Raspberry Butter

Makes 1 cup

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup raspberry preserves (no seeds)

2 Tablespoons honey

1 cup softened butter

Mix all well and chill.

Mound in a pretty dish and let sit at room temperature until soft enough to spread.

Scones

Makes 75 small scones
Printable Recipe

8 c. flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon baking powder

4 sticks butter, softened, cut into tiny cubes

7 Tablespoons sugar

10 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 425F

Sift together flour,salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Drop butter cubes over the flour mixture. Blend gently with fingers until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle with sugar and add beaten eggs. Mix gently with hands until well combined. Add enough milk to make pie-dough consistency. Do not overwork. Pat out on a floured table to form a large 1 inch thick square. Cut into small triangles (bases about 2 inches) Bake for 18 minutes or until golden. For browner scones, coat top with beaten egg white.

Mock Devonshire Cream

Makes 1 cup
Printable Recipe

1/2  cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1/2  cup sour cream

Whip cream until soft peaks form-add sugar and fold in sour cream.

Make sure this is not the consistency of whipped cream, but instead a very thick molasses type consistency slightly whipped but less so than traditional whipped cream.

Lemon Curd

Makes about 4 cups
Printable Recipe

2 cups sugar

12 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup lemon juice

2 sticks butter

2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest

In medium saucepan, blend sugar and egg yolks. Add lemon juice gradually. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in butter and lemon peel. Cool completely and serve in tart shells or with scones.