Quiche Lorraine

From Smitten Kitchen

What sets this apart from other versions of this quiche is the piles of caramelized leeks and the richer-than-rich sour and heavy cream custard, two things I implore you not to miss out on. I hadn’t made this tart crust before, but was very impressed by how easy it came together and how crisp it remained as a shell without requiring a par-baking. I will definitely use it again.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups diced leeks, white and light green only (from about 2 large leeks, although I think you can get away with one super-big leek)
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (I needed a tad more)
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, diced
• 4 eggs, divided
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Pinch nutmeg
• Pinch pepper
• 1 1/2 cups diced ham (1/4 -inch dice; I used about 1/2 pound)
• 3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

1. Heat a large sauté pan over low heat. Sauté the leeks and onions in the olive oil 30 to 40 minutes until caramelized, occasionally stirring. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or two knives until it is in very tiny bits. Add one egg (a fork works great for this) and mix it until a dough forms. (Dough can also be made in a food processor, or in theory, and as the original recipe suggests, in a stand mixer.)

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate (I used an 8-inch deep tart pan, though ended up with extra filling) and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. While the quiche shell chills, mix the heavy cream and sour cream in a medium bowl. Whisk in the remaining three eggs. Add a pinch each nutmeg, salt and pepper and combine to form a batter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Remove the quiche shell from the refrigerator and spread the leek and onion mixture evenly over the base. Sprinkle the ham and then the cheese over the leeks and onions. Pour in the batter and place the quiche in the oven.

6. Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes (a deeper pan, such as the one I used, will require extra baking time). Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Comments:
I LOVE this recipe. I have even made a few and frozen them and they reheat perfectly fine. I had never eaten quiche before trying this, I don't know why but for some reason I stayed away from it and I have regretted that ever since!

Peach and Brie Quesadillas with Lime-Honey Dipping Sauce

From MyRecipes.com

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
• Quesadillas:
• 1 cup thinly sliced peeled firm ripe peaches (about 2 large)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
• Cooking spray
• Chive strips (optional)

Preparation

• To prepare sauce, combine first 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
• To prepare quesadillas, combine peaches, 1 tablespoon chives, and sugar, tossing gently to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange one-fourth of cheese and one-fourth of peach mixture over half of each tortilla; fold tortillas in half. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until tortillas are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges; serve with sauce. Garnish with chive strips, if desired

Cook's Comments:
I made it as an app but you could definitely have it as a meal too. Pretty easy

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

From Pampered Chef

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely minced)

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can fat free low-sodium cream of chicken soup

3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans fat-free chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2/3 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked   

1.  Heat a 4 quart stockpot over medium heat.
2.  Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3.  Add carrots, onion and garlic, cook and stir for 2 minutes.
4.  Stir in chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice, soup, broth and black pepper; bring to a boil.
5.  Stir in rice and reduce heat.
6.  Cover and simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender.
7.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley just before serving.

Cook's Comments:

- Love it! Usually end up adding more broth than it calls for

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

From Cooking Light

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onion, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup salsa verde
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño pepper
• 9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
• 2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.
• 3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.
• 4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth.
• 5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.
• 6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.

Cook's Comments:
 - I like spice and this was too spicy for me! I will definitely make again, but probably omit the jalapenos, or put in just a few. Maybe less red pepper too.

Banana Nutella S'Mores

From Parenting Magazine

Ingredients

• graham crackers
• nutella
• marshmallows
• banana

Using 4 long crackers, split them in half so you have 8 squares:
1. spread nutella on 4 graham crackers
2. put slices of banana on the other 4 and then top those with a marshmallow
3. set the nutella ones aside and put the banana/mallow ones in the oven on broil for 90 sec - 2 minutes -- watch them and take them out when they start to turn golden brown on top
4. take the nutella ones and smoosh them down on top of the marshmallows and voila!

Ginger-Soy Chicken Thighs with Scallion Rice

From Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 (2-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup ginger preserves
• 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Drain; fluff rice with a fork. Gently stir in green onions.

2. While rice cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add preserves, soy sauce, and garlic to pan; bring to a boil. Cook sauce 2 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pan; turn to coat with sauce.

Cook's Comments:
- we ended up doing with breasts instead of thighs, just cut them in half because they were kind of big, and it worked fine, but I think thighs are probably best
- even just the scallion rice would be a nice side with other dishes

Chicken Pizza

From People, but it's also from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 13.8-ounce cans premade pizza crust dough
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
• 1 red onion, sliced vertically
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, grilled and diced
• 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

**This makes 2 pizzas, so just half everything if you only need one**

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Roll the pizza dough out and fit onto two 15-inch pizza pans. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of garlic on each pizza crust, followed by ½ cup each of the mozzarella cheese and ½ cup of the cheddar cheese. Scatter half of the bell pepper, sliced onion, chicken, and bacon on top of the cheeses.
3. Sprinkle another ½ cup mozzarella cheese and ½ cup cheddar cheese over each pizza and drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of olive oil. Bake the pizzas for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly browned. Slice each pizza into 8 pieces.

this is the one Dave made!

Easy Parmesan Risotto

From Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for two to three minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

Cook's Comments:
If you don't like peas you can do it with other veggies - I have done it with butternut squash and it was awesome.

Jeffrey's Roast Chicken

From Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 lb) roasting chicken
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lemons, quartered
1 whole head of garlic, cut in half cross-wise
olive oil
2 Spanish onions, peeling and thickly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Remove and discard the giblets. Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Place two lemon quarters inside the cavity along with the garlic. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. (I also put a bit of tin foil on the tip of the leg if I see it's starting to burn!) Place the chicken in a small (11x14-inch) roasting pan. (If the pan is too big the onions will burn.) Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onions in a large bowl (I used a ziploc baggie!) and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Pour the mixture around the chicken.

Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and a thigh. (Mine took much longer, and I used a thermometer - 165°!) Remove the chicken to a platter, leaving the lemons and onions in the pan. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.

Place the pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the stocks a and sprinkle on the flour, stirring constantly for a minute, until the sauce thickens. Add any juices that collect on the platter under the chicken and taste for seasoning. Carve the chicken onto the platter and spoon the onions and sauce over it. If the lemons are tender enough to eat, serve them, too. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot or warm.

Cook's Comments:
I have made this a few times and absolutely love it. Making it this week for family dinner! Aside from some chopping, it is super easy. I usually pair it with this dish: Easy Parmesan Risotto

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops and Polenta

From Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup uncooked polenta
• 3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops, trimmed

1. Bring 2 cups milk and broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add polenta. Cook for 20 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently with a whisk; remove from heat. Stir in cream cheese. Keep warm.

2. Place vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half (about 5 minutes).

3. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic; rub mixture over pork. Place pork in pan; cook for 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness, basting with vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with polenta.

Cook's Comments:
- you don't have to use whole milk with the polenta; on the polenta bag the recipe called for just water
- I didn't have fresh rosemary and it still tasted great
- pretty quick to prepare, probably only 25 minutes in total