Sweet Potato Crusted Spinach Quiche

Dear Jess,

As you know I got through fazes of having love affairs with different foods. Right now, I'm lusting after sweet potatoes. I have been making sweet potato, leek soup; oven roasted sweet potato, brussel sprouts and onions; and now, Sweet Potato Crusted Spinach Quiche.

To be honest, I didn't expect this to be anything special. Actually I expected Jason to ask me not to make a quiche for dinner again (as it usually isn't filling enough.) To my astonishment, before he was done his first piece, he said - TWICE - "Sally, this is really good quiche!" And then again the next night as we were eating something different for dinner he said "That quiche you made yesterday was really good!" ... I think that qualifies this meal as a huge success. It also means I will be making it again in the near future.

Sweet Potato Crusted Spinach Quiche
adapted from www.fourteenforty365.com

4-6 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced into medallions
Olive oil spray
2 large handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 eggs, beaten
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/4 - 1/2 cup goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Peel sweet potatoes and slice thinly with a food processor, mandolin or a very sharp knife. (Watch your fingers!)

Lay potato slice out in a pie dish in a crust-like fashion, spray with oil and bake at 400F fro 15 minutes. After the crust has baked, reduce oven heat to 375F.

Spray a saute pan with oil and saute sliced onion and minced garlic until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach and saute until wilted and tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan, and place on top of sweet potato crust. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of spinach mixture.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat your eggs. Add herbs, salt and pepper, and mix again. Pour eggs over your quiche.

In your oven, bake until the quiche is firm and browned, about 40 minutes.

This tastes the best when it's still warm.

Love,

Quinoa 'Fried Rice'

Dear Jess,

I am finding my new routine. Alice has a few naps a day, and I am able to identify when she needs one. Due to her sleeping at night time, this gives me time to get things done around the house (as I normally don't need to nap myself anymore) and cook more often!

Today's recipe came from the Internet. I haven't done anything with ginger in a while, and you know how I love quinoa! It turned out just how I wanted it. The only thing I will change next time, is I will use another egg.

Enjoy!

Quinoa 'Fried Rice'
from www.domesticsuperhero.com

2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 carrots, peeled and grated
3 cups cooked quinoa (I cooked mine with chicken broth)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 green onions, sliced
Sriracha, for serving (optional)

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add eggs and fry until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping only once. Let cool before dicing into small pieces.

2. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or wok* over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onions become translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add mushrooms, broccoli and zucchini. Cook, stirring constantly**, until vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add corn, peas, carrots and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.

5. Add ginger and soy sauce, and gently toss to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

6. Stir in green onions and eggs.

7. Serve hot with a drizzle of Sriracha, if desired.

* I just used my large pot, and put it on medium heat.
** If you're using a large pot like I did, it is not as crucial to stir constantly throughout the recipe.

I was quite pleased with the flavour. Like I said earlier, I will add another egg next time (3 eggs total).

I hope all is well!

Love,

Brunch: Poached Egg atop Quinoa Flat Bread and Sweet Potato Patties

Dear Jess,

Today feels like Saturday to me. Jason got a rain day (though it has not yet rained...) and has been tinkering around the house doing little things. As for me, Mary-Austin an I started the day out right: drank tea and coffee, armed ourselves with knitting and cross-stitching, and watched Anne of Green Gables part 2. We then moved upstairs to bake cookies, plan shopping lists, make soup, and make this masterpiece of a breakfast/lunch. Mmmmmmm. It's been a good day.

These Quinoa Patties are quite nice. They do taste like quinoa, so if you don't like the taste I would not recommend them. They are meant to be topped with something delicious, so eating them by themselves would be as bland as eating a regular flat bread by itself. All very important things to keep in mind before making them.

The Sweet Potato Patties don't form into a firm patty, but they do taste delicious. I am making the left over 'batter' into a nice salad. I highly recommend these.

Quinoa Flat Bread
from closetcooking.com

1 cup raw quinoa, pulsed in a grinder or food processor
1 cup whole wheat flour or brown rice flour
1 egg
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the processed quinoa, flour, egg, water, salt and pepper and let it soak for an hour.

2. Heat a greased pan over medium heat

3. Pour* 1/4 cup of mixture into the center of the pan, cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 5 minutes. 

*The word 'pour' made me think they would pour out like pancake batter... they didn't for me. I had to plop it on the pan and flatten it with my flipper. I might add more water next time and see what happens... it would help get them thinner I think.

 
Sweet Potato Patties
adapted from lunchbox.com

2 baked sweet potatoes
1 (19oz) can Navy beans

You simply take a baked sweet potato, drained and rinsed Navy beans, add in a few accents (I used horseradish, fresh minced garlic, salt and pepper with a dash of dried thyme), mash, saute and serve. You could add in other whole food ingredients too like brown rice, finely chopped apple, hemp seeds - whatever! The sweet potato is such a nice binder - you can really get creative if you choose.

As I mentioned, they did not stay together for me - that does not mean they were not super tasty! Next time I will add brown rice or bulger wheat. I will let you know how that goes!

There is so much possibility with this. You can add herbs to the flat breads and/or sweet potato patties. You could top the whole thing with hot sauce, and even add lettuce between the flat bread and sweet potato. The options are endless!

I can't wait until next Friday! I am trying to find things to make while you guys are here!

So much love,

Sunday Snack: Tuna Patties with Garlic, Lemon Aioli

Dear Jess,

It was so wonderful to see you the other night, even if it was for only a couple hours. I cherish our 'snuggle' times.

My plan today was to make Jamie's Shortbreads. As it turns out, I had to wait for my butter to come to room temperature before I could start. Thus, I tried this quick little number. It comes from a cookbook that my mom picked up at Costco called Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook. It's part of a new 'eating lifestyle' that is fast spreading. I like the concept as it falls in with eating whole foods, and cutting out refined sugars, flours and preservatives. I guess it's not so much new as 're-invented'. It has recipes for all sorts of dressings, mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauces etc. This book is beautifully put together, with an index of the names of the recipes paired with a picture of it! I have made my grocery list to include a couple meals from this book.

I can still taste this one! Jason and I just finished eating it 10 minutes ago. I didn't have high hopes for it, as it looked too simple to be delicious. I was (happily) wrong.

 
Tuna Patties with Garlic, Lemon Aioli
From Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook
3 cans of Tuna packed in water and drained
2 eggs
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil

1. Mix the tuna with eggs, dill, salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium to meium-high heat. make sure the oil is nice and hot!

3. Form the tuna mixture into 11-12 small, slightly flattened patties and cook in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes per side.

4. You will not be able to fit all 11-12 in your pan at the same time, so you might have to add more oil for each batch. Make sure the patties are brown before you flip them so that they hold together! Serve with my Simply Coleslaw (p. 202) and topped with Garlic Lemon Aioli (p.72).

I'm sure you understand the benefits of coconut oil. I love that you can use it on medium to high heat with no fatty, unhealthy things happening to the oil, or your food. (It is expensive, but I wait until the Bulk Barn has a sale.) It created a really nice 'deep-fried' browning on the patties. So long as you leave them long enough these patties do stay together. 

Fortunately, we had just come from my mom's last night with some left over coleslaw, so I just pulled that out of the fridge. I haven't made my own mayo yet, so I simply used some olive oil mayo, minced garlic, and lemon juice for the aioli. Just keep mixing until the flavour is where you want it!

I also realized you didn't take Beauty and the Beast with you! I will try to remember to bring it for you Christmas party.

Lots of Love,

Perfect Eggs for Brunch

Dearest Jess,

This weekend was my mom's surprise 50th birthday party! It went off without a hitch! There was Line Dancing and food, and laughing and contests and the unveiling of the website! So much fun!

On the Friday we had smuggled Bill and Caitlin into Peterborough without Mom knowing. We all stayed at Jason's house for the night. On the Saturday morning Kristy and Steve joined us for breakfast. They brought seasoned home-fries and bacon, and we provided the eggs and fruit salad (and of course coffee and tea.) I found these on Pinterest and made them on Christmas morning this past year. I think the original source was a blog called Snacking in the Kitchen. Unfortunately, I never got around to sharing them on this blog, so this time I made sure I got some pictures!

The first time I tried these I was sure they would stick to the pan and get all messy and no fun. Much to my surprise and delight they turned out exactly the way they said they would! They bake nice and fluffy, they are full of flavour, they are easy to adapt to the tastes of your guests and they look super cute on your plate! (I think the last time I was surprised like this was when I made Juicy Chicken Thighs, and Stuffed Tomatoes.) This is in my binder, and I plan on repeating it often.

Broccoli and Sausage Egg Muffins  (Makes 12 muffins)
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
2 scallions (green/spring onions)
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese as needed

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, brown Italian Sausage for about 5 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink. Remove from heat and stir in broccoli and scallions.
3. Whisk together eggs, milk, oil and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Lightly spray a 12-cupcake pan with oil. Spoon out the sausage and broccoli mixture evenly into each cupcake.
5. Ladle the egg mixture over sausage and broccoli.
6. Sprinkle the Parmesan Cheese.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

It is so easy to 'alter' these. You can basically put whatever you want in it. Instead of sausage and broccoli you could do corn, chili powder and cumin; chopped spinach, basil and tomatoes; bacon and cheddar; black beans and salsa... the list is endless!

Seriously. Make these. If you never make anything else in your whole life... make these!

I love you and can't wait to see you next. I hope your house is coming along nicely! I'm sorry we can't come and see it yet... hopefully soon you will be able to give us a tour!

Love,

Sunday Brunch

Dearest Jess,

First: extra prayers to you today as you dive into your first kindergarten class! I am so proud of you!

The weather is getting cooler. This past Labour Day Weekend flew by as Jason and I enjoyed the coolness of the air while listening to Jim play drums at the Black Horse Pub in his friend's band, sipping on some red wine, reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and making warm and comfy foods.

Ken (Jason's Dad) and Carolyne were in town for Saturday and Sunday. When they got back from church on Sunday I had just pulled out of the oven my first ever frittata!

It was a perfect beginning to an autumn Sunday. Golden onions, cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach and basil all wrapped in ricotta cheese and fluffy baked eggs. What a treat! Jason made a delicious fruit salad for a beautiful side. I told Jason that 'I love when you can put as much time into breakfast as you do dinner... it seems to be so enjoyed by everybody.'

 

Ricotta, Tomato and Spinach Frittata

adapted from this recipe

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely sliced

300g cherry tomatoes

140g spinach leaves

large handful basil leaves

100g ricotta

8 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 200C. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the onion for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and toss for 1 minute to soften. 

2. Remove from the heat, add teh spinach leaves and basil, and toss together to wilt a little. Transfer all the ingredients to a greased 33cm x 22cm rectangular dish. Take small scoops of ricotta and dot over the vegetables.

3. Season the eggs (with salt and pepper) and beat well, then pour over the vegetables and cheese. Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes until pale golden and set.

I can't wait to hear all about your first day in the classroom! I love you and miss you so much.


So Much Love,

Breakfast in Bed

Dear Sally,

It was so wonderful to see you this weekend. As Jesse and I were pulling out of the driveway last night he said to me, "I wish Sally and Jason didn't live so far away." I agree with him but I have to say that I am so glad that no matter where we are living our relationship doesn't change.

As you know I made breakfast in bed for Jesse on Saturday morning. Funny enough, I got the recipe from Cosmo Magazine and although I didn't take any pictures from when I made it I have included the one from the Cosmo website. I made Jesse warm bread pudding, cut up fruit and mimosas. The cinnamon and sugar used in the bread pudding were soaked up in homemade bread that I had made two nights before. It smelled so delicious when it was baking it made me think of the Cinnabon at Eglinton subway station.

I love you so much and I am so excited to see where the future leads you!

Jess

Cinnamon-Swirl Breakfast Bread Pudding

Cosmopolitan Magazine

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 loaf day-old bread, torn into small pieces

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and whisk until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. Stir the bread into the egg mixture. Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. Pour in the bread pudding and cover with foil. Let sit in the refrigerator at least one hour and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread pudding, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the pudding is browned. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Morning Mimosas

champagne

orange juice (no pulp)

Fill a champagne flute half full with orange juice. Top with champagne and enjoy!

Man Food: Jamie Oliver's Sausage Carbonara

Dear Jess,


I am happy to say: things are quite busy. There's work, yoga, drawing, church, cooking, running, and so much more. The weather is slowly getting warmer which will lead to running outside, and other adventurous outings.

Friday night has become a 'resting point' for Jason and myself. We really enjoy pouring a large glass of red wine before picking a low-maintenance (yet delicious)  meal to make. On this particular Friday, however, we were invited to a friend's house for coffee and dessert. Since my yoga class went until 6:45, it really didn't leave much time for making dinner before going out for dessert. All of this leads to today's feature recipe: Sausage Carbonara.

Jason and I had made this in the 'pre-blog' days. Knowing what to expect from this one, he offered to whip it together so it would be ready by the time I got home. (What a nice young man!) I have to admit, that Jason cooking Jamie Oliver for me makes him even more attractive... if that's even at all possible.

What I love about this particular dish, is it's lightness in spite of the pasta and meat. The egg and lemon zest really make it a sweeter dinner. Jamie accurately describes it as the 'breakfast pasta.' We originally found this recipe in Jamie Oliver Italy, but this time we pulled it off JamieOliver.com.

Sausage Carbonara
From Jamie's Italy
4 good quality organic Italian sausages
olive oil
4 slices of thickly cut pancetta, chopped (we use 6 strips of bacon)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g dried linguine pasta
4 large free-range or organic egg yolks
100ml double cream (we used 2% milk)
100g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon
a sprig of fresh flat-leaf parsley, shopped
extra virgin olive oil

1. With a sharp knife, slit the sausage skins lengthways and pop all the meat out. Using wet hands, roll little balls of sausage meat about the size of large marbles and place them to one side.

2. Heat a large frying pan and add a good splash of olive oil. Gently fry the sausage meatballs until golden brown all over, then add the pancetta and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, until it's golden. While this is cooking, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the linguine, and cook according to the packet instructions.

3. In a large bowl, whip up the egg yolks, cream, half the Parmesan, the lemon zest and parsley. When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, and immediately toss it quickly with the egg mixture back int eh pasta pan. Add the hot sausage meatballs and toss everything together. The egg will cook delicately from the heat of the linguine, just enough for it to thicken and not scramble. The sauce should be smooth and silky. If the pasta becomes a little claggy, add a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water to loosen it slightly. Sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan, season if necessary, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve. Eat immediately!

I am thrilled that God is making himself known to you, and giving you little pushes. I'm reading a lot of John Piper lately, and it is definitely enlightening. I am very excited to hear more details. Also I am looking forward to this upcoming weekend of laughing and sharing.

So much love,
Sally

Benaddictive Breakfast

SALLY!!!!

First let me send my apologies for neglecting by cooking and blogging duties. It seems that I now have things going on almost every night and weekend and like you I have found it difficult to come home from work and cook up a big meal.

I finally had a chance to get back in the kitchen and decided to visit the magical world of Crazy Plates for some culinary inspiration. I was out late Friday night with Jesse and we finally got around to a feast of a breakfast around 11 (I of course was up at 8 because sleeping in seems to be impossible).

We (Jesse) had fresh bodum coffee, home fries, eggs benedict and fruit. It wasn't quite up to Cora's standards but it was still delicious.

I had originally written a wonderful long post but for some reason my first one was deleted. I will paraphrase my original composure.

I miss you, miss cooking random things together at your house, can't wait to come visit you!!
Also keep your eyes out for an awesome twist on Jamie Oliver's classic burger. Jesse and I have this perfect idea that will blow your mind.

Love,
Jess


Benaddicted to Eggs
From Crazy Plates by Janet and Greta Podleski
8 slices Canadian bacon
4 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 plain yogurt
1 tbsp honey mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch of salt and cayenne pepper

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, lightly brown bacon. Remove from pan and set aside.


2. Fill a medium skillet half full of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmering. Break one egg into a small dish, then slide egg into simmering water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Simmer eggs, uncovered for 4-5 minutes, until yolks are set, but not hard.

3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, honey mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat just until the mixture is heated through. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

4. For each serving, place 1 toasted muffin-half on a plate. Top with 2 slices of bacon. Remove egg from water using a slotted spoon. Place egg over bacon. Pour 2 tablespoons sauce over egg. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley, if desired.

Christmas Love

Dear Jess,

Firstly: I MISS YOU. Terribly. The worst actually! How are you? How was your New Years? How was Christmas? How is your apartment? We need to go on a date!

Christmas this year was different than any other. Bill came home from California. He was super bummed because he hasn't had a real winter in over a year, and he was met with a blizzard. We also toned it down with gifts. There were no stockings, and we all got each other a small gift. It was actually quite lovely.

Food-wise it was spectacular. I ended up trying the 'egg-muffin-breakfast-things'. I saw them in a magazine somewhere a long time ago... so I am sorry to say I cannot give you a reference. I found them a little difficult to get out of the pan, because the bacon and egg would stick on the pan. I believe this could be fixed by using smaller eggs, and possibly a bigger muffin tray. I really like this idea because you can keep it basic (as shown here) or dress it up (adding a basil leaf, cheese, herbs etc.)

Siblings

Breakfast Muffin Things

So, all you need for the breakfast muffins is: Bread, eggs, bacon. You grease your muffin tray (even on the top of it!) Cut your bread in half and place half in the cup of the tray. Cut your remaining half in half again and place them in the empty spaces of your breaded cup. Place half a strip of bacon in the breaded cup (be careful that it doesn't touch the tray... it sticks really badly) and then crack your egg into the cup. I baked for 30 minutes at 300. As long as the egg is set you're good to go! Then pop them out and serve! My Gramma says that each cup is worth 3 weight-watcher points each. So they're no too bad!

Instead of turkey this year, we decided to try something new (of course.) My mom picked up some (prestuffed) Cornish Hens! If you can get past them looking like baby turkeys, they're extremely delicious! You buy them frozen and cook them for an hour!

Stuffed Cornish Hen, Caesar Salad, Garden Squash, Carrots and Broccoli

From left: Mom, Bill, Jim, Me, Cory, Mel, Uncle Chris, Aunt Marg

For Dessert we did another treat. Mom and I made Baked Apples wrapped in phylo pastry with a Whiskey Sauce! I don't have the recipe because it was one my Mom just pulled off the internet, but there are so many good recipes if you Google 'Baked Apple Recipe'.

Baked Apple

Anyways, I love you and miss you (as always.) I hope work is going well and not too stressful. I am starting work with my Dad on Monday, so keep that in your prayers if you can. You know how I feel about routine!

Kristy is well into wedding planning. There is a bridal show coming up on a weekend in January if you are interested! It's only $10 for the whole weekend! Let me know.

I love you,
Sally

Jamie Oliver's Scrumptious Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Soup

Dear Jess,

Firstly, I am sorry about the delay in this post. It has been unavoidable, because of some neighbourhood squirrels that seem to thoroughly enjoy chewing through internet chords (even after we have fixed them numerous times). Thus, I find myself making frequent trips to OCAD (which, I believe is now named OCADU) between teaching my classes, to use the internet here.

The weather has been crazy. It was calling for snow this week, however I don't believe it has dipped below 8 degrees. Due to this, and my lame sickness that seems to have completely owned me for a week, I decided to make soup last night!

This recipe actually came from your house. Jamie Oliver's book 'Jamie's Dinners' to be more specific. I made a few changes during the process, however it turned out delicious, and very appropriate for an easy, hearty and tasty mid-week, curl-up-in-your-track-pants, dinner. Instead of using ham, I doubled the sausage, and I used half a pound of spinach instead of a full pound.

 

Scrumptious Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Soup
olive oil
5 1/2 oz chorizo sausage, finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 lb fresh spinach, washed and chopped
8 fresh tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 14oz can or jar of good quality chick peas, drained
5 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper
2oz spanish ham or prosciutto, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
2 hard boiled eggs

1. Put your oil and chorizo in a large pot. Cook for a couple of minutes and add onion, garlic and celery. Turn heat down and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on and without colouring the onions. Take the lid off and allow a little colouring to happen. Add your spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and chicken stock. Bring to boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

2. Partly puree. Remove from heat and stir in your ham or prosciutto and 2 or 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

3. Garnish with grated hard boiled egg and serve!


In closing, I want to express how much I appreciate our friendship. You are such a supportive and encouraging force in my life. I am truly blessed to have you in my life. Last weekend was precisely what I needed. I love that we don't have to pretend about anything with each other, and that sincere honesty and love reigns.

I love you,
Sally

The First Snow

Outside the front door

Dear Jess,

Today I woke up and it was only 4 degrees outside. It was also snowing. I decided that today was a good day for staying inside to make warm food.

As you know, in the fall/winter I love to make chowders, stews, chilis etc. Today I decided to branch out and try something new.

On the menu for today: Broccoli and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche (with a brown rice crust), Creamy Tuna Rotini Casserole, and Peanut Butter Gingersnap Cookies!

'Sealed With a Quiche' Pg 68 Eat, Shrink & be Merry

 Broccoli and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, divided
7 whole eggs
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped bottled roasted red peppers
1/2 cup packed shredded light Swiss cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 plum tomato, thinly sliced

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan or casserole dish. Set aside. Beat eggs in a small(ish) bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are tender (2 minutes.) Transfer onion mixture to a medium bowl. Add cooked rice, 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, and 2 tbsp of beaten egg. Mix well. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan and press down with the back of a spoon to make a crust.
3. Top crust with broccoli florets, roasted red peppers, and shredded cheese, in that order. In another medium bowl, whisk together remaining eggs, salt, basil, and pepper. Pour over vegetables and cheese. Top with tomato slices and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake quiche for 45 minutes, or until it's puffed up and golden, and eggs are set. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before slicing.



It comes out of the dish beautifully! And, oh man is it yummy!



'Tinbucktuna' Pg 111 Eat, Shrink & be Merry

Creamy Tuna Rotini Casserole
8oz uncooked rotini pasta
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 tbsp butter
1 cup diced onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can (10oz) condensed, reduced-fat cream of broccoli soup, undiluted
2/4 cup packed shredded light old (sharp) cheddar cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cans (6oz each) chunk light tuna in water, drained

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen vegetables to the boiling water for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables.
2. Meanwhile, prepare sauce. In a large, non-stick pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add soup, shredded cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, basil, mustard powder, and black pepper. Mix well and cook until sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, vegetables, and tuna. Serve hot.

A Taste of Everything!

'Girl-Guy Cookies' - Pg 168 Eat, Shrink & be Merry

Peanut Butter Gingersnap Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 tsp each ground ginger and salt

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light peanut butter

3 tbsp butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together both flours, baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, ginger, salt, and allspice. Set aside. Combine granulated sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In another medium bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla. Beat again until smooth.

4. Using a wooden spoon, mix peanut butter mixture and flour mixture. You will be making a stiff dough. Using your hands, shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart (they spread a lot while baking). Flatten cookies slightly using a fork.

5. Bake cookies for 7 minutes. They may appear undercooked, but that's okay. Remove cookies from oven and immediately transfer from pan to a wire rack to cool.



They are chewy and full of winter flavour!



 I hope your weekend was fantastic!

So Much Love,

Sally

Too Many Tomatoes!

Dear: Jess,

This morning I woke up and it was pouring rain, and was supposed to continue all day. I decided to suck it up and make the trek to the grocery store so I could make some yummy comfort food.

As you know, Caitlin has a love for tomatoes, so we always have a surplus. This week, however, neither of us had been home, so I found myself with about 10 tomatoes that needed to be used immediately. I found this recipe in an Everyday Food magazine that my friend had in her kitchen. They're easy, and so yummy!

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes
4 large tomatoes
Fresh ground salt and pepper
1/2 cup of corn
4 large eggs
2 tsp chives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch dish with parchment paper. Remove the seeds and inners of your tomatoes. Put the tomatoes in your dish. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Divide the corn among the tomatoes. In a medium bowl whisk eggs, chives, and salt and pepper. Divide your egg mix among your tomatoes. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the egg mix is set.

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Sally