Spinach and Smoked Gouda Quiche

 After a lot of contemplation, my husband and I have concluded that we eat enough eggs in this house to make it worth owning a few chickens.  Seriously, if the end of days were to come, we will have to be sure to have a cellar packed with nothing but eggs, and perhaps a bit of chocolate, and we would be just fine.  Every single morning all of us enjoy eggs, cooked a variety of different ways.  My son relies on them so much that if for whatever reason he misses them in the morning, he will insist on eating them for lunch.

So when I sat this savory pie in front of them and told them it was "egg pie," there was rejoicing around the table, and everyone ate happily ever after.

The flavors in this are just lovely, slightly smoky, and ever so creamy with the smoked Gouda.  The spinach gives it a perfect pop of color and texture that really brings it all together.  I served this with a salad and sauteed veggies for a delicious meatless meal.

Spinach and Smoked Gouda Quiche
From The New Way to Cook Light
(Be sure to either start the crust early in the day so it can chill, or make the night before)

Ingredients

CRUST:
6 tablespoons butter softened
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup flour

FILLING:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash of grated nutmeg
3 large eggs

Ingredients

1.  To prepare crust, place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Combine 2 tablespoons milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and egg yolk in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk.  Add milk mixture to butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Add flour to milk mixture; beat just until combined.  Press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap cover.  Chill for 1 hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 350°.

3.  Unwrap and place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll dough into a 10-inch circle.  Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate.  Freeze 15 minutes.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.

4.  To prepare filling, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onions; saute 5 minutes or until tender.  Add spinach, saute 2 minutes.

5.  Combine 1 cup milk and next 4 ingredients (through eggs) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Stir in spinach mixture.  Pour filling into crust.  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

Serves 10

Per Serving: 205 cal, 12.9g fat, 7.3g prot, 15.4g car, 11g fiber

Linked with Taste and Tell Thursdays

Five Spice Chicken with Jade Rice

 

It's been a very good week for our family.  After the disappointment of not getting accepted in a surgical residency last year, Glenn got in for this year!  We're heading to Loma Linda California this summer!  It's quite the move, going from New Jersey to California, but we're so relieved and excited about the adventure. 

But now we talk about food, which today is this wonderful Five Spice Chicken that I found on Rebecca's blog a few months ago.  I adore dinners like this, rich in flavor, nutritious, but also quick and easy to make, perfect for the weeknights.  I think the five spice powder is completely underused, it's such a gorgeous aromatic spice, which is perfect for chicken.   


Five Spice Chicken with Jade Rice
From Chow and Chatter

Ingredients

Chicken

1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste

one tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoon soy sauce 

dash of sesame oil 

6 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks

Rice
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup spinach
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 eggs whisked a little with a pinch of salt and pepper
dash of soy sauce
1/4 an onion chopped

Directions 

Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade and marinate the chicken in it for 2-3 hours.

Roast in oven, covered, at 350 for 20 minutes and then another 15- 20 minutes uncovered.

For the Jade fried rice, saute the garlic and onion until soft. Add the spinach until cooked down.   Add rice, cook to combine, about 3 minutes.  Add egg and stir until egg is completely cooked.

Pasta Rollups

Well, this is it, the final week! After four months (okay three, I did take December off), I'm finally closing in on this program. It's been fun, it's been hard, it's been intimidating, but I'm so glad I did it. I'm also glad to almost be DONE!

So what comes next? Maintenance sounds nice and easy, but it's almost scarier then being on a strict program. At least with the program there are rules, definite do's and don'ts. I plan to continue eating good clean foods, but hey, should a slice of cheese end up on my sandwich, so be it. Should a cookie land on my plate, oh well. Now I learn the ever going art of balance, and it really is an art isn't it.



And now I introduce to use these fantastic pasta rolls. I've seen similar things like these in the blogosphere for a while now, and I always thought they looked a bit intimidating. Oh my gosh, they are the easiest thing you'll ever make. I think these puppies took me all of three minutes to throw together. Once you have the filling and sauce ready, you're set. I made these when I was not eating cheese, but cottage cheese actually makes a wonderful creamy substitute and more protein, so if that's what you're looking for, give it a try, I posted both options in the recipe.



Pasta Roll-ups
Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb extra-lean ground turkey breast
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I omitted)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (I omitted)
1 28-oz jar tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
8 sheets dried high-protein or whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 10-oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (15 oz) container low-fat ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
1 egg (I used three egg whites)
3/4 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese, (I omitted)

Directions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Turn heat to medium-high and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until meat show no sign of pink. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, then add tomatoes, their juice and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and allow to cook in a colander.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Squeeze all moisture possible from thawed spinach and place in a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, egg, and a quarter-cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until combined.

Spread one cup of cooked tomato sauce into bottom of a 9x10 inch casserole dish. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle flat in front of you. Use your fingers to spread one-eighth of ricotta mixture across the noodle and roll it up. Place rolled pasta, seam side down, into the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. Spread remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups, then top with remaining half-cup mozzarella.

Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove foil adn broil for five minutes or until rool-ups are browned and bubbly.

234 cal, 3g fat, 27 carb, 3g fiber, 7g sugar, 28g prot

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Since we are (hopefully) moving in a year, I've been trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible lately. And as painful as it's been, I've even been getting rid of some of my books, including my cookbooks. Let's face it, as much as I love cookbooks, there's no point in holding on to a book that hasn't been used in years.

I feel like I gained way more then I lost by getting rid of a few cookbooks though. Since I was forced to leaf through all of my cooking books and magazines, I was able to rediscover a TON of recipes that I haven't tried yet. I almost felt like I had just gotten a whole new stack of books and magazines, just by going through them.

This was a recipe that I couldn't wait to try. I have never made stuffed shells before, but when I saw that they were full about about five different kinds of cheese, there was no hesitation. These are hearty, meaty, gooey and very family friendly. They're also made over to be lighter, so pretty much everyone wins with this one. Enjoy!


Cheesy Stuffed Shells
Adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking, April/May 2008

This recipe serves 12! It makes a ton, so you may consider halving if you aren't feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground beef (I used turkey)
1 Italian turkey sausage link, casings removed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large onion
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasonings (I always like extra seasoning, so go by taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons garlic salt (optional)
24-32 pasta shells, cooked and drained

SAUCE:

3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (lighter recipes always omit salt, I know it's better for you, but I just can't stand it, so salt according to taste)

Directions

1. Crumble turkey or beef and sausage into a large nonstick skillet, add fennel seeds and onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is cooked through. Drain if needed.

2. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in spinach, ricotta and egg. Add 1 cup mozzarella, cottage cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Stuff pasta shells with meat mixture. Arrange in two 11x7 baking dishes, coated with cooking spray (I filled one 9x13 and one 8x8 for later). Combine sauce ingredients; spoon over shells. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

I LOVE the holidays!! I love the gatherings, the parties, the music, the lights, even the chill in the air and the occasional snow storm. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. And of course, having the love for food that I do doesn't hurt either. The holidays basically hand you a license to go hog-wild in the kitchen, and it's okay! It's the holidays! It would practically be wrong not to.


This is a dip I served for Thanksgiving, which in our house isn't so much an event, as it is a kick-off, to all of the gorging that will happen for the next month. And now that I've made this dip, I can guarantee that it's going to be making a gooey, cheesy appearance often in our household. This is an Alton Brown recipe, which not only has five stars from a million reviews, but it also takes literally two minutes to make. There is no baking, sauteing, or cooking of any kind. Just a quick mix, and into the warmer (crockpot) it goes, providing giddy flavorful love for all in attendance. Make this dip, use carrots, cracker, bread, a spoon, legos, whatever your heart fancies to dip it in. It will all be delicious!


Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients

1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups canned or jarred artichoke hearts
6 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft. Stir in rest of ingredients and serve hot. Keep in crockpot if you plan to party all night long.

Skillet Penne and Sausage Dinner

This is the type of dish that only needs a few words to get it's point across...

Thirty Minutes

One Skillet

Knock-Your-Socks-Off Delicious!

Skillet Penne and Sausage Dinner
America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
salt
pound hot or sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped fine
8 ounces penne
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half and half)
1 (5 oz) bag spinach
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the tomatoes and penne evenly over the sausage. Pour the broth and cream over the pasta. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted, about two minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tiny Spinach Quiches

I have a thing for tiny bite-sized food. Having kids might have something to do with that, but it also makes for the most convenient party food. It doesn't require silverware, rarely even a napkin. You pop it in your mouth, no plate, no commitment, and then you grab a second.

I actually made these today for an Easter Egg hunt. I figured we could use an adult snack in the midst of the sugar frenzy we were about to be surrounded in. Truth be told, they're a bit of work, but they're also fun when you're looking for a nice project in the kitchen to focus on. The pastry is quick and easy to make, but next time I'm just going to buy a pie crust, it will save me a lot of time and work. The best thing about the quiches is that they make a great appetizer, but they'd also be a hit as a breakfast or brunch item. Plus, I love that bright green color, so nice for spring.

Tiny Spinach Quiches
Adapted from Favorite Brand Name Appetizers

Ingredients

Pastry:
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour

Filling:
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (I used Mont Jack and Mozzarella)
1 small package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 eggs
3/4 cup light cream (I used fat free half and half)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. To prepare pastry, cut cream cheese and butter into flour. Form into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Lightly flour rolling pin. Place pastry on lightly floured work surface, roll out to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 16 circles with 3 inch biscuit cutter. Line sixteen mini muffin cups with dough circles.

2. To prepare filling, preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle bacon, then cheese, evenly over bottoms of unbaked pastries. Squeeze spinach dry and spread evenly over bacon and cheese. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour evenly into pastry cups. Bake 30 minutes, or until set.

If you'd like to make this into a pie, pour into 9-inch pie crust.

Smile for the camera kids! Smile! Kids!

Happy Easter!!!