Sweet & Savory Crumpet Brunch

 

Whenever we're in Seattle, we always make a point to grab a bite at The Crumpet Shop in Pike Place Market. It was here that I had my first ever crumpet experience and needless to say, I was instantly hooked on those light and fluffy crannies. Crumpets are like a cross between an English muffin and a pancake with a light & fluffy center and slightly crisp bottom.

Brunch at Cafe Broder

Living in the brunch capital of the nation can be intimidating at times. On one hand, having an infinite number of restaurants to try is what dreams are made of, on the other, it takes the question of "so where do you feel like eating today?" to a whole new level. I'm talking hour-long discussions here people - pro and con lists, debates, pie charts - the decision process is daunting.

9/10 we end up revisiting our favorite places because they're so darn good; among those favorites are the Broder Cafes...

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich

Hey everyone! If you're a mom I hope you had a great Mothers Day and if not, well a weekend is a weekend am I right? Even though I didn't get to see my mom in person this year, I was able to catch up via skype which is always nice :)

This is a staple meal at our house, it's always super easy to whip up using leftover chicken, I've made it so often I can't believe that I haven't blogged on it yet so I thought it was time!

I've made chicken salad various ways before...nuts, grapes, celery, cardamon, but this version is our absoute favorite. The curry spices with the subtle sweetness of the cinnamon is the perfect balance. I served it with some simple greens tossed in a citrus vinaigrette for a light, fresh, summertime meal.

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich

makes enough for 2 sandwiches

1 - 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 mayo (more or less depending on how you like it)
1 TBS yellow curry powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and white pepper to taste
1 medium sized apple, diced small
1/3 cup chopped pecans

English muffin or whole grain bread, toasted (or you could make a lettuce wrap)
greens of your choice

Directions

1.After you've poached the chicken, allow to cool completely then shred into a bowl (if you're not using leftovers).
2.Add the apples and the pecans
3.In a separate bowl, mix together the mayo, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and curry powder, mix well.
4.Pour the dressing over the chicken and mix well. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

4th of July

Man, I can't believe it's already July! I must admit I am relieved that summer is trucking along, fall/winter can come at anytime now! 4th of July sort of snuck up on me this year, since we're away from family and friends we will probably just be spending this holiday around town eating delicious food and exploring some new places, possibly checking out the downtown firework show if the weather allows. I decided to do a red, white, and blue round up for your 4th festivities most of which are on the healthy side with a few indulgences (because after all, it is a holiday).

Blueberry Lemonade
Festive Fruit Trifle
Dark Sweet Cherry Mini Pies
Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Sugar Topping
Heirloom Tomato Tart
Chocolate Creme Brulee with Raspberry Sugar
Blueberry Cobbler Bars
Flag Cake
Watermelon Mojitos
Balsamic Strawberry Dressing
Berry Skillet with Oat Topping

Hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend!

Heirloom Tomato Basil Quiche

So I finally got to check out the local Trader Joe's this past weekend. If you haven't been let me put it into perspective for you...imagine a place that has all the choices of Whole Food's but for 1/4 of the price...yeah, it's pretty amazing.

I first discovered this place in Charleston, SC since we didn't currently have any in Jacksonville at the time but lucky for me there are a couple in the Houston area. This one was particularly snazzy because it was in an old movie theater, I think it's awesome when they utilize old buildings instead of just tearing them down.

Anyway, cutting to the main attraction of this post, I found baby Heirloom tomatoes on sale for $2.99!!! I have paid up to $10 for these babies so I couldn't believe this score! What's the big deal about heirlooms you might ask? Well, besides the fact that they look cool this is actually how tomatoes were originally looked back in the day, hence the origin of their name. Plus, each color has a slightly different flavor making it more exciting for the pallet. Sometimes basic is best when it comes to a classic quiche, nothing particularly fancy or unique about it just a good old fashioned tart with the classic flavors of tomato, basil, and Parmesan.

Tomato Basil Quiche

makes one 11" quiche

1 lb of Heirloom grape tomatoes, whole
1 TBS olive oil (or garlic oil if you have it, if you don't just add 1 tsp of minced fresh garlic)
salt & pepper
4 eggs
1 cup milk (or half and half if you wanna get crazy)
4-5 large basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 sheet of puff pastry dough OR you can make your own crust with the recipe below

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 1 inch larger than a 11 inch tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Carefully push the pastry into the corners of the tin. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 mins.

2.Meanwhile, in a small roasting tin, drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes in a low shelf of the oven. Take out the tart from the fridge and line the bottom with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with dried beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown, at this time you can remove the tomatoes from the oven as well.

3.Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Gradually add the cream/milk, then stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper (preferably white pepper if you have it). Sprinkle half the cheese over the base of the baked tart shell, scatter over the tomatoes, pour over the cream mix, then finally scatter over the rest of the cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden brown (I would put the quiche on a cookie sheet just in case there are any leaks). Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove from the tin. Garnish with more basil if desired.

Crust

Recipe from Epicurioius

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.

2.Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (If you overwork mixture, pastry will be tough.) Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

3.Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides with a fork. Chill 30 minutes.

Chicken, Potato, and Brie Tart With Onion Jam

Being married to a meat eater has taught me to vastly expand my standard chicken recipes. I mean, you can only make so many chicken salad sandwiches...

When I saw this chicken tart recipe from The Kitchen, I was very intrigued. Not only does it sound fancy, but it is fairly easy to make (especially if you're lazy like me and used a pre-made puff pastry-shhhhh). I also rediscovered my love of Brie cheese which is, in my opinion, the lord of all cheeses - it's soft, melts beautifully, and has that rich creamy taste that allows you to pair it with sweet or savory meals. For a pre-meal snack I cut up thin slices of apple and topped them with some of the onion jam and a dot of brie and it was amazing. The tart itself was a perfect balance of richness and a sweet/sour flavor from the onion jam, all in all a perfect brunch or dinner meal!

Chicken, Potato, and Brie Tart With Onion Jam

makes one 11" tart

Recipe adapted From The Kitchen

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium sized onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS sugar, leveled

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
2-3 large waxy potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups cooked chicken, torn into big shreds
1/2 cup brie, pinched off into bite sized pieces
4 eggs
2 tsp dried thyme (I also garnished with fresh German thyme)
1/2 cup cream

Directions

1.For the onion jam, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper, and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes until nice and soft, stirring every once in a while so that they don't catch on the bottom. In between stirring, half covered with the pot lid. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar, remove the lid and cook a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

2.Put potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes 15-20 minutes until just able to be pierced with a knife. Drain and set aside to cool.

3.Roll out pastry to fit a 11" round removable base tart tin. Pop in the freezer to chill while the oven heats to 180˚C (350˚F). Layer the onions, potato and chicken into the pastry shell. Dot with brie. Whisk eggs, cream and thyme, then pour evenly over filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is golden. Serve immediately on it's own or paired with a salad.

On a side note - Houston had some pretty major storms last night which resulted in flooding. This is the second time the weather has tried to kill us lol, I am starting to get a complex Houston - what's your problem?! Seriously though, I hope everyone is okay and my prayers go out to those that lost their cars and homes last night, stay safe!

Easter Recipe Ideas

Easter has always been a pretty cool holiday in my family, my mom always did the traditional Easter basket and hid some eggs around the house. I remember THE BEST Easter was when I got a gameboy game in my basket (man, I feel old). After that we would attend the sunrise service at our church which was always held outside in a field and we would watch the sun come up over the tree tops. Afterwards we would usually head over to my grandparents house and partake in the traditional hard boiled eggs and kielbasa (from my grandmother Polish side of the family).

Not all Easter Recipes have to be obnoxiously themed (even though I'm kind of a sucker for themes) I always try to base a menu around what is currently in season so I also included some easy to prepare springtime goodies that would impress any crowd.

From top left to right:
Key Lime Pie Cupcakes
Asparagus & Parmesan Crustless Quiche
Summer Berry Skillet With Toasted Oat Topping
Speckled Egg Italian Cream Cake
Coconut Lime Pops
Chocolate Carrot Garden Cupcakes

Parmesan & Asparagus Herb Crustless Quiche

When I saw this beautiful asparagus on sale, I HAD to nab some up.

Asparagus and I haven't always been the best of friends, in fact, I just started liking this vegetable within the past couple of years. Let's face it, asparagus isn't the best smelling veggie in this world and the flavor can be overpowering at times but if you get a good batch and cook it just right, these little green spears are hard to beat.

As a kid I always remember asparagus being bland and super stringy, which can easily happen if you leave the butts on! I always take one spear and gently bend it in half, the spear should break off, this naturally tells you where the "butt" part starts and gives you a good idea about just how much you need to trim for the rest of the bunch. With this recipe, I decided to leave the crust of this quiche because I was feeling lazy to reduce the calories and make it lighter for summertime. I am also taking full advantage of my herb garden before the cool fall and winter months take over. This quiche was super tasty, with the flavor of fresh parsley, asparagus, and golden brown baked Parmesan bits in every bite, I am willing to bet this will convert any asparagus hater.

Parmesan & Asparagus Herb Quiche

2 TBS butter
1 bunch asparagus, diced, to yield 2 cups chopped asparagus
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, or more to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp. ground yellow curry (you could use Dijon mustard instead)
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2.Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, and add the butter. When the butter is bubbling, stir in the asparagus, and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the herbs, sauté it for 1 more minute until it is fragrant, and remove the pan from the heat.

3.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, curry, cheese, and salt until they are thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pie plate. Place the asparagus in desired design or pattern.Bake it for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the quiche is set, or a few extra minutes if you want it a little browned. Serve it immediately or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or let it cool, cover it tightly, and freeze it for up to 3 months.