Crustless Spinach and Red Pepper Quiche

Easy and delicious and not too strong on flavours for those early morning tummies!
This recipe is from a delightful calendar that so many Canadians look forward to receiving every January- the "Milk Calendar" which is delivered in one of our large newspapers. They always have delicious recipes for each month and I try to make as many as I can during the year.

1 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup (I used more) of roasted red pepper strips
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp each, salt and dried oregano
Pepper
3/4 cup crumbled feta (well drained)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 10" pie pan (I used 9.5" and it was just fine); dust bottom and sides with the bread crumbs. Place pie pan on a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large frying pan and add the sliced green onions. Cook about a minute. Add the spinach and stir until very wilted (2 minutes or so).
3. Spoon spinach mixture into the pie plate. Place red pepper strips on paper towels and squeeze out the oil as well as possible.  Place strips of red pepper on top of spinach like spokes on a wheel.
4. In a large bowl, whisk milk with eggs, cornstarch, salt, oregano, and pepper until well blended. Pour over spinach mixture. Arrange feta over top (it will sink a bit).
5. Bake about 35 minutes or until egg mixture is just set in middle. (For me this was too short-- I added about 10 minutes).
6. Remove from oven, let stand about 10 minutes. To serve, cut into wedges. Like pie, the first wedge may not be perfect.

Variation: You could try different combinations, like sundried tomatoes and dill.

(I forgot to take finished photos so these last two are photos of the recipe on the calendar where I found the recipe. This is the 2017 Milk Calendar from the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Next time I will take photos and replace these!)

Buttermilk-Glazed Mini Fig Cakes

These turned out really well and I received several compliments and requests for the recipe. I overfilled the muffin tins so my cakes ended up with rounded tops which when turned upside down (to look more like little cakes) meant they wouldn't sit flat. So I had to right them and they look like muffins. So that's a good lesson. I would have preferred more of a cake look. Nonetheless they are delicious!

Cakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup fig preserves (I used fig jam)

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Gradually add oil, beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended. Add buttermilk and vanilla, beating until blended. Fold in preserves and pecans.

2. Spoon batter into 2 (12-cup) lightly greased (with cooking spray) muffin pans, filling 20 muffin cups about 3/4 full.

3. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks. Cool completely about 45 minutes.

4. Drizzle cakes with Buttermilk glaze. Cool 10 minutes. Pipe vanilla Hard Sauce onto warm cakes, and serve.

Buttermilk Glaze

Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 4 Tbsp butter, 2 tsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp baking soda to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Immediately remove mixture from heat, and cool 10 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. (Makes about 3/4 cup)

Vanilla Hard Sauce

Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape seeds into a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups 

powdered sugar. Beat 1 cup softened butter into sugar mixture at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)

From one of my favourite baking books- Southern Living's The Southern Cake Book

Summer Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar

This is a delightfully fresh way to serve really delicious summer fruits. Our guests always love it!

 1 ¼ lb sweet cherries, pitted and halved

~ I LOVE my cherry pitter as it is not a pleasant task to pit them without it

3-4 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and cut into bite size pieces.

½ lb seedless green grapes, cut in half.

Pulse ¼ c fresh mint and 3 tbsp sugar in a food processor until finely ground.

Sprinkle mint sugar over the fruit in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Serves 4-6

My Favourite Time of the Day...

The moment just before the real work starts...

Cheesy Quiche

This quiche is easy to make though the ingredient list might seem daunting. It's quick to whip together once you have the cheeses all grated.

3/4 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup veg. broth
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 c 18% cream
6 lg eggs, beaten
1/2 c green onions, finely chopped
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 c red pepper, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp parsley, fresh or dried, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

1 c white cheddar, grated
1 c Havarti, grated
1/4 c crumbled Feta
1/2 c Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350F/180C
Spray a 9x5" loaf pan (really well or this will stick!) with Pam and place on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients up to the cheese. When it's nicely mixed then add the cheeses and stir well. Pour into the pan and sprinkle with a little paprika and Parmesan cheese.

Bake until firm, about 45-55 minutes. I prefer mine a little more cooked so I almost always leave it for 55 minutes.

Cool for 2-3 minutes then turn over on a cutting board and slice.

Chocolate Caramel Bars

This is one of the old recipes that I used to make when my family was young (and I had lots of help eating it!). Now I'd have to say that it makes an awful lot and we just don't eat like we used to!

14 oz (400 gm) or about 64 individually wrapped caramels
1 cup (250 ml) evaporated milk
2 cups (500 ml) all purpose flour
2 cups (500 ml) oats
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups or 1 pkg (300 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (250 ml) walnuts, chopped

Melt caramels and evaporated milk  on low heat, stirring until smooth.
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in large mixing bowl.
Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
Press half of mixture into 15" x 10" pan or 2 9" square pans.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts evenly over baked crust.
Pour caramel mixture on top.
Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.
Bake 15- 20 minutes longer or until golden.
cool and cut into bars

Venafro, Italy

Several years ago (I can hardly believe it but it's been 5 years!), we made a driving holiday through much of Italy, including a few days in the historical Molise region. Nestled at the foot of the Santa Croce mountains north of Naples and south of Rome, we found the charming town of Venafro. Being mid-November the mornings were cool and misty but quickly cleared up once the sun peeked over the rocky hills. 

We stayed at a delightful B&B and I think perhaps that the wonderful memories of this fabulous place are what inspired us to buy our own this summer. Our hostess (I call her The Countess though I'm sure she's not) made us feel like long lost friends and did all that she could to make us welcome and comfortable in her beautiful family home. Constructed around 15th century buildings, and reconstructed around 1860, the B&B reminded me of an Italian palace. I adored the crumbling frescoes, the enormous palms in the garden, the magnificent staircase, 

and especially our bedroom, complete with burning fireplace.

I truly hope that we will make our guests feel as welcome as we felt here.

Dimora delPrete di Belmonte