Quiche Night!

Quiche was one of the original Girl's Dinner Night feasts, and it resurfaces in our rotation every few months or so, mostly because of its supreme deliciousness and ability to take on so many different forms. There was only one problem..... It seems as though dastardly gnomes (because we all know gnomes are who grow it) have selfishly hoarded all the baby corn in the country, so Sabrina's delightful Tumbleweed Quiche had to go without. But it was still awesome.

Jim's Tumbling Tumbleweed Quiche (made in memory of my uncle, Jim Otterstrom) by Sabrina

 

-1 can hominy

-1 can corn

-1 small can olives (did not use this time)

-1 Tablespoon sage

-baby corn (not pickled) (did not use/could not find.  hmph)

-5 eggs

-1 1/2 cups milk

-2 cups cheddar cheese (I used a little less than one cup)

-1 can sliced jalapenos 4 oz.

Directions: Whisk together milk, eggs and sage until combined. Layer dry ingredients in pre-made whole wheat pie shell and then pour egg mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until set.

This quiche is so good! Plans are to make it again once we can find some baby corn. Damn gnomes!

Carmelized Onion, Bacon and Blue Cheese Quiche, By Kala

-6 eggs

-1 cup half and half

-1/2 cup blue cheese

-5 pieces bacon, cooked

-1 medium onion, cooked 10 minutes in bacon fat until caramel colored and sweet

-1/4 t. salt

-1/2 t. pepper

Directions: whisk eggs and half and half until combined. Spread bacon, blue cheese and onions in pre-made pie shell and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour liquid on top and bake 30-35 minutes, or until set.

This one got a bit dark, but still yum-city! 

Spicy Cheesy Hashbrowns

-1/4 cup vegetable oil 

-3 cups shredded potatoes

-1/2 t. salt

-1/2 t. lemon pepper

-1 cup 3 - pepper cheese

Directions: heat oil in skillet, add potatoes and saute' until brown. Turn off heat and toss in cheese, cook until melted and serve.

Sweet lord, is there anything better than potatoes and cheese? 

The answer is a resounding no. We served this awesomeness with pink champagne mimosas, and were happy as well-fed clams. 

Mama Mia!

Last week we prepared an Italian dinner with spaghetti as the main course, bruschetta salad, and cannolis!  Are you drooling yet?

 

 

Main Course:  Spaghetti and Meatballs

Prepared by:  Stephanie

 

2 cans (23 oz) crushed tomatoes

3 cloves garlic chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb hot italian sausage

 

Directions:  Heat olive oil and stir in minced garlic.  Add all ingredients except garlic cloves and stir for about 20 minutes. (medium to low - medium heat)  Add garlic cloves and simmer for about 25 minutes.  Simultaneously roll sausage into balls, season with salt and pepper to taste.  pan fry till browned on the sides.  Boil noodles as stated on box (we don't make our own noodles.  :)  )

 

 

Side Dish:  Bruschetta Salad

Prepared by:  Sabrina

 

2-3 Cups Romain Lettuce

2 chopped tomatoes

1 cup parmesan croutons

½ cup chopped pepperoni slices (hot and spicy in this recipe)

½ cup fresh mozzarella

1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

Parmesan cheese

Lite Balsamic Parmesan Asiago Vinegarette

 

Directions:  Mix the 1st 6 ingredients together.  Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with parmesan.  Makes about 4 salads.

 

 

Dessert:  Cannolis w/ Reeces

Prepared by:  Kala

 

1 Cup Ricotta

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons amaretto

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 premade cannoli shells

Reeces Pieces

 

Directions:  With mixer, mix together first 6 ingredients until thick "whipped cream" consistency.  Pipe into shells.  Add Reeces Pieces to garnish!

 

 

And so concludes another successful dinner night.  Next week:  Quiche!

 



OPA!

Last week’s dinner theme was “Greek”! Gyros have to be one of my favorite things, but one thing I
have learned…Greek food is not cheap to make! But is it worth it? Tastebuds say “Yessss!”

Main Course: Gyros w/ Tzatziki Sauce

Prepared by: Sabrina

2 lbs Gyro Meat (makes 6-8 gyros)
Pitas (or flatbread)
Red Onion
Tomato
2 cups plain Greek Yogurt
1 ½ medium Cucumber
¾ Garlic Clove
1 Tablespoon Dill
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Salt to Taste

Directions (Sauce): It’s best to make the tzatziki sauce (ahem…”cucumber sauce”) hours before the
meal so all the flavors blend well together. If you do not have Greek yogurt, you may strain regular
plain yogurt (if you don’t have a yogurt strainer…and honestly – who does??)– by using coffee filters to
remove excess liquid.
Peel and seed cucumbers and place in a strainer above a bowl.
Heavily salt the cucumbers (about a tablespoon…this is to pull some of the moisture out of the
cucumbers)
Let cucumbers strain for about 30 minutes. Not much liquid to be removed, but enough!
In large bowl, add greek yogurt
With paper towel, dry off/soack up the cucumbers, and dice them.
Chop/blend the cucumbers, garlic,and dill (add to yogurt)
Stir it up, add lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to taste!
Let refrigerate for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.

Directions (Gyros): Pan fry gyro meat until browned (but not crispy) on both side. ( I like to place them
on a paper towel to absorb any grease first….maybe I just do this because they are cut in strips like
bacon)
Grab your pita, place gyro meat, tomato slices, and red onion, add tzatziki sauce and enjoy!

Side Dish: Greek Salad

Prepared by: Kala

4 Cups Raw Spinach
1/2 Cup Artichoke Hearts
8 Cherry Tomatoes (in halves)
½ Cup Feta Cheese

8 Peppadews
¼ Cup Red Onion
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1.5 teaspoons Oregano
1.5 teaspoons Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions (Per salad): For the dressing, mix Olive Oil, Vinegar, Oregano, Basil, salt and pepper. Split
Salad ingredients among 4 bowls and add the dressing to each!

And another side:  Stuffed Peppadews

Prepared by: Kala

Easy Peasy - stuff Peppadews with either feta or goat cheese (tonight we used feta)!  YUM!

Dessert: Baklava

Prepared by: Stephanie

1 (16oz) pkg Phyllo Dough
1 lb Chopped Nuts
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease 9x13 pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon, set aside.
Unroll phyllo dough and cut whole stack in half to fit in pan.
(Cover phyllo w/ dampened cloth so it doesn’t dry out while you are preparing in the pan section)
Place 2 sheets of dough in pan and butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.
Sprinkle 2-3 Tablespoons of cinnamon nut mixture on top.
Top with 2 sheets of dough, butter and nuts (layered). The top layer should be 6-8 sheets deep.
Using sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes.
Bake for 50 minutes (until golden crisp)
While baking, boil sugar and water until sugar is melted, then add vanilla and honey and simmer for 20
minutes.
Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool.

Time consuming? Yes. Messy? Yes. Worth it? YES!

Next up: Italian Night! Until next time, “OPA!”

Mexican Night!!

We decided it was high time we had a Mexican themed dinner night, and what-ho, was it ever a great idea! It was on Halloween night too, so while ghouls, goblins, and drunken teenagers in pillow cases stomped up the porch, we dined on our awesome food. And maybe some candy too, just a piece each or so, I wasn't really counting......

Candy Corn and Peanuts snack

- 3 cups Candy Corn

- 1 cup Salted Peanuts

Directions: Toss in a large bowl

Homemade Corn Chips

-1 package corn tortillas

-canola oil spray

- lime juice

-salt

-cumin (to flavor)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tortillas into fourths, and spray with canola oil on both sides. Sprinkle salt, lime juice  and cumin over tops and bake 10 minutes, or until crispy.

 3-Cheese Enchiladas

-12 corn tortillas

- 28oz can enchilada sauce

-3 cups cheese (part cheddar, part 3 pepper cheese) 

-2-3 tbsp oil

-1/3 onion. 

Directions: Coat each tortilla with oil, and  bake at 500 degrees for 7 min. Pour enough sauce in bottom of 9x13 glass dish to cover. Pour rest of sauce in large bowl & dip tortillas in it. Put cheese & onion in tortillas, and  fold side down in dish. Put leftover cheese/sauce/onion on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 min.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

-1 1/4 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
-1  can black beans, rinsed and drained 
-1 medium sweet red pepper diced
-1 medium tomato diced
-6 green onions, chopped 
-1/2 c. chopped red onion 
-1 jalapeno pepper chopped
-1 garlic clove, minced 
-3/4 c. Italian salad dressing (can use regular, low fat or fat-free) 
-1 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro 
-1 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice 
-1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce 
-1 teaspoon. chili powder 

Directions:In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Then mix remaining ingredients and add to the mixture and toss.

Pizza Party!

The great thing about homemade pizzas, is you can make them often, and rarely repeat.  There are so many options with homemade pizza.  Tonight we prepared 2 pizzas, and because I wasn't thinking clearly, I provided a garlic bread...just to ensure we had enough carbs.

 

For these pizzas you may use storebought crust, or prepare your own!

Crust: You may used storebought, or prepare your own!

1 Cup warm water

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast

3 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 Cups flour

Directions: Mix water, sugar and yeast until dissolved. Next add in the olive oil and salt. Then stir in the flour until mixed together. Let stand for 10 minutes.  Pat dough onto pan or stone.



 

Pizza #1:  Margherita Pizza

Prepared by:  Kala

 

Ingredients: 1/2 Cup chopped Basil

1 Sliced Tomato

1 Ball of fresh Mozarella

Olive Oil

Salt

 

Directions:  Brush the crust with Olive Oil

Add the Mozarella, Basil, and Tomato

Top with Salt

 

Bake at 400 degrees and check ever 5 minutes after 10 minutes (varies based on crust)

 

 

 

Pizza #2: Fiesta 'Za  (okay that was made up)

Prepared By:  Stephanie

 

Ingredients:  Chili Lime Marindade( 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 2 Tablespoons garlic mixed togther)

1/2 lb chicken breast in bite sized pieces

1/2 - 1 Jalapeno

1/4 Red Bell Pepper

1/4 Green Bell Pepper

1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper

1 Cup (give or take) cheese of choice

Olive Oil

 

Directions:  Cook Chicken and marinade in the chili lime sauce.  

Brush the crust with Olive Oil.  

Add a light coating of cheese. 

Add chicken.

 Add chopped peppers and chopped jalapeno (judge amount by how spicy you like it!) 

Top with more cheese!

 

Bake at 400 and check every 5 minutes after 10 minutes.

 

 

 



"Simple" Garlic Toast

Prepared By: Sabrina

 

Ingredients: I loaf French Bread

1/4 Cup Softened butter

1 Tablespoon Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning

(yes, it's true...sometimes I like to plug my own products)

 

Directions:  In small bowl mix butter and seasoning.

Cut french loaf in two (top and bottom)

Spread seasoned butter on each 1/2 of the loaf

 

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (add cheese if desired)

 

 

 

And so we ate until we were stuffed with delicous carb goodness as we laughed watching "The Best of Chris Farley".  What could be better?  Up next week: enchiladas!

 

 

 

 

 



Dexter Themed Night!

Our favorite premium cable show came back on, and like any good pseudo soap-opera Dexter the last season had a killer (pun  intended) ending, and we were dorkily giddy over watching the first two episodes So we decided a fitting theme for this week would be blood. Kinda gross at first consideration, but of course we didn't eat raw meat or anything crazy, we just made red foods, silly.

Pepperoni and Tomato Grilled Cheese

- Bread slices of your choice

- Harvarti with Jalapenos

- Sharp Cheddar

- Pepperoni slices

- 1 slicing tomato

- Butter to coat bread

Directions:  Assemble ingredients on buttered bread and grill like standard grilled cheese in cast-iron pan until golden brown and melted.

Oh, me, oh, my. So spicy, toasty and delicious!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

• -3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• -1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
•  -tablespoon kosher salt
• -1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• -2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• -6 garlic cloves, minced
• -2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• -1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• -1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
• -4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• -1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• -1 quart chicken stock or water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold. *Recipe by Ina Gartner

Can't go wrong with good ole' tomato soup! Sure beats the pants of tin-flavored Campbell's!

Bomb Bloody Mary's

• -3 cups tomato juice
• -3 tablespoons lemon juice
• -3 tablespoons lime juice
• -1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• -1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, or to taste
• -1 teaspoon minced garlic
• -3/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (recommended: Tabasco)
• -3/4 teaspoon salt
• -1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• - 1 shot Vodka per drink
• -String Cheese
• -Pickles
• -Celery
• -Beef Sticks
• - Green olives ( if you're not Sabrina) =)

Directions:

In a blender combine the tomato juice, lemon juice, lime juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and hot sauce and process until smooth. Transfer to a glass container and add salt and black pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to serve, fill each glass with ice.

Almost a meal in themselves, these beastly beauties were delicious ( albeit super filling) accompaniment to our "blood" themed meal. And making your own mix is easy and saves upwards of 900 mg of sodium in a glass. Save yourself the sausage fingers! This turned out to  be one of the best meals we've done in a while.

Next week: Pizza party!!

Fondue-licious!

Last week, we decided to treat ourselves to a feast of fondue!  Dipping all sorts of things....in all sorts of things?! What a glorious idea!

It was a grazing fest, so here are our fondue dishes, in no particular order:

Cheese Fondue

- 1 Cup Dry White Wine

- 1/2 lb Gruyere Cheese (shredded)

- 1/2 lb Swiss Cheese (shredded)

2 Tablespoons Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

-Directions:  Simmer wine in fondue pot (or do on stove top and transfer to fondue pot when finished).  Add cheese 1/4 lb at a time and stir constantly until melted.  Very important to keep stirring or it will gradually stick more and more to the bottom.  Once all the cheese is melted, add flour, salt and nutmeg. Stir.

Served with:  French Bread, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Steak

Oil Fondue

- Oil (amount depends on the size of the pot....deep enough to dip!) Broth will also work!

Optional:  Dipping Batter :

Stir together:

-1/2 Cup Milk

-2 Eggs

-1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-Cup flour

-Directions:  Get oil to desired temperature.  Best to check with a thermometer.  The oil should not become so hot that it "spits" at you.  Make sure the steak is dried well prior to dipping in the hot oil.  Dip until cooked to your liking!  Dip in the batter first to get a fried breading!

Served with: Steak, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Chocolate Fondue:

-1 Cup Chocolate Chips

-1 14 oz can Condensed Milk

-2 Tablespoons butter

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-Directions:  Still all ingredients together on Medium heat and stir constantly.  Keep on low to medium heat in fondue pot.

Served with:  Strawberries, Bananas, Marshmallows

Beverage:  Wine Spritzers

- Wine of your choice

- Tonic Water

-Lime wedge if you please!

Happy Dipping and Sipping!