Asparagus Quiche

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

·         1 pound asparagus, chopped into small pieces ( I used frozen)

·         2 Tablespoons of finely chopped green onions

·         1 teaspoon oil

·         1 teaspoon lemon zest

·         2 (8 inch) unbaked pie shells

·         1 cup cream

·         4 eggs

·         Black pepper to taste

·         Red pepper to taste

·         8 ounces Gruyere, grated – best quality, no substitute

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place fresh asparagus in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain and cool. (If frozen, skip this step)
2. Place green onion in skillet with tsp oil and sauté for one minute and set aside.
3. Sprinkle onions and chopped asparagus into pie shells.
4. In a bowl, beat together eggs, cream, lemon zest and peppers. Sprinkle Swiss cheese over asparagus. Pour egg mixture on top of cheese.
5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until firm, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

          I found a bag of asparagus and 2 pie shells in the freezer and worked up this lovely little quiche for lunch! Very tasty

Tomato, basil and mozzarella with balsamic & olive oil

Slice 3 medium tomatoes
shred about 4 ounces of mozzarella
Sprinkle with shredded basil

mix a vinagrette with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and 1/4 t. dijon mustard.

Splash dressing over tomato mixture.

All must be absolutely fresh.

Beef, Italian Sausage and Spinach Ravioli

1 recipe pasta dough

Filling:

1 T. olive oil

6 ounces Italian sausage

6 oz. ground meat

1 clove garlic, pressed

½ cup blanched and chopped spinach – (6 oz)

1 t. dried herbs

Salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs

2 T. grated parmesan cheese

Dash nutmeg

Brown and crumble beef and sausage and olive oil. Drain off oil, place meat in food processor and cool. Add remainder of ingredients and process briefly. Cool completely

Filling and Cooking Pasta

Flour sheet of dough and place over ravioli mold. Fill each space with 2 tsp. filling. Wet dough slightly and lay another sheet of dough over meat.  Press dough down with rolling pin and remove excess dough around edges. Turn mold over to release raviolis onto a baking sheet line with waxed paper.

Cook ravioli in gently boiling water for about 8 to 10 ,minutes. Serve with sauce.

Pasta Dough

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/3 c cake flour
3 eggs
2 t. olive oil

Place flours in food processor. Beat eggs and olive oil in small bowl. Turn on processor and slowly add eggs and oil. Continue processing until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is sticky, knead a little more flour in by hand. Divide dough into 3 pieces and wrap in plastic. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Start with 1 pices of dough and send through pasta machin on setting #1 - 6 to 8 times, folding into thirds each time. Sprinkle with flour if necessary. Now roll the pata through on #2 and continue though #6

Lemon Almond Biscotti with White Chocolate

6 tablespoons butter softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 cups flour

12 ounces white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one large (about 18" x 13") baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, almond extract, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the lemon juice and eggs; At low speed of your mixer, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky.

Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Shape it into a log that’s about 13" long x 3" wide x 3⁄4" thick. Bake the dough for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool on the pan about 25 minutes; Reduce the oven heat to 325°F.

Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, lightly but thoroughly spritz the log, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Softening the crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti much easier.

Use a serrated knife to cut the log crosswise into 1⁄2" slices.  Set the biscotti on edge on the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 30 to 35 minutes, till they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden around the edges. Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Melt chocolate carefully in microwave (50% power for 1 minute) and dip one end of biscotti in chocolate. Cool in  muffin pans until the chocolate is hard.

Salad with strawberries and balsamic vinegar

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

1 T. Dijon mustard

½ T minced fresh herbs – (thyme)

¼ t salt

1/8 t. white pepper

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup walnut oil

Add all ingredients to a container with lid and shake well to mix

Serve with mixed salad greens and sliced strawberries.

(I sprinkled a small amt of sweetener and balsamic on strawberries before adding)

Fresh Herb Bread

2 ¼ t. dry yeast

3 c. bread flour

1 T. powdered milk

2 T. sugar

1 ½ t. salt

1 T fresh herbs, chopped

1 T. butter, melted

1 c. warm water

Place everything in bread machine and set on manual.  Lightly sprinkle corn meal over a baking sheet or stone. After cycle is finished, form dough into round and place on prepared baking sheet or stone. Let rise about 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes or until browned on top and bottom.