Broccoli and Swiss Cheese Quiche

This has been a rough month to say the least! Whadda way to start the new year with my mother in and out of hospitals and rehab. I think I have managed to cook twice this month, this quiche being one of those times.  One of the best things about making a quiche is that you probably have just about everything you need to throw one together at any time... that is, if you keep frozen pie crusts around, and of course I do. Remember what I said in my book, I like a break once in a while too! And really, those frozen pie crusts are pretty darn good.  Combined with a great salad, dinner's ready in no time. Okay, so on with the recipe:

BROCCOLI AND SWISS CHEESE QUICHE
Cover the bottom of a one frozen deep dish pie crust shell with 2 cups of grated Gruyere or any good swiss cheese. If you like, you can use part swiss and part cheddar, your choice. Set aside.

Saute in a Tbs. of olive oil 1 small finely chopped onion, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning or your favorite herb blend, S&P,  and about 1 1/2 cups of chopped broccoli, stems and florets, until soft. Spread over the cheese. Set aside.

Mix together in a blender or with a wire whisk:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
3 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard OR Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. hot sauce

Pour this mixture carefully over the cheese, onions and broccoli.  A little bit of the filling might not fit. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 55 minutes. A knife should come out clean when tested.  The quiche will be beautiful, puffy and golden brown on top from all that Parmesan you put on top, but will deflate as it cools. Serve it hot out of the oven, or just warm, or have it cold for breakfast.... really good!

Tip: Place the pie crust on a cookie sheet before setting in the oven, and you'll avoid any unwanted spills.

You can view a previous blog entry from September of 2009 entitled Yummy Pictures From the Book Singingirl Cooks for a look at some of the dishes in my book, and of course you know it's for sale. Just ask me!

Thanks and see you next time!

Kale Soup - Go Green!

All this talk about going green... how about a recipe for delicious kale soup to start the new year off? This concoction turned out to be a real winner for me and everyone else who tried it. And I actually felt like I was doing something good for me with all those dark leafy greens in there, lots of garlic and tomatoes, and no meat! Here's the recipe:

KALE SOUP
2 medium to large onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups potatoes, diced but not too small
1 lb. chopped kale
5 cups of vegetable stock
1 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper
1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans

Start by heating the olive oil in a very large soup pot. Over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and saute until soft but not browned. Add the diced potato and cook a few moments longer. Rinse the kale well, and remove any tough, woody stems. If you buy the bag already chopped, which I did ;-) then it's all pretty much done for you except to give it a once over to make sure the tough stems, etc. are removed.  Okay, so add the whole bag to the pot. It will seem like it's just not all going to fit. But as it sautes it will wilt just like spinach does. Lower the heat to medium low and continue to saute until wilted down. At this point, add the 5 cups of liquid. Now you can buy cans of vegetable broth or you can use a cooking base like I did. This is the first time I've ever bought a seasoned vegetable cooking base, and I have to say it is waaaay different than using bouillon; specifically, it is less salty and has much more flavor. There's a brand out there called Better Than Bouillon or Glory Seasoned Cooking Base just to name two.  Whichever you use, make 5 cups of it and add it at this time to the soup pot along with the can of tomatoes and the rest of the seasonings. Stir well, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer this for a good hour or so.  Remove a cup of the soup to a blender, let it cool for a few minutes, and then blend until smooth*. Return it back to the pot to give the soup nice color and texture. Remove the bay leaf. Add the beans and heat through. Serve!

*Have you ever tried to blend hot things in a blender? It explodes! So let the soup cool down for a few before blending.

A note on the photo.... I have friends who will strangle me because I used a flash to take this photo, leaving the food very unnatural looking. I couldn't help it! It was nighttime and I had no other choice. Apologies to all the fabulous food photographers out there.