Killer Quiche...

Some recipes are so good that if you share them with someone you might have to hunt them down and kill them if they sell it to Rachel Ray or Emeril Lagasse...but here goes....

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

9 inch Deep Pie Shell
5 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Half and Half
1 Pack of Frozen Spinach
2 Cartons of Sliced Baby Portobello Mushrooms
8 Ounce Package of Montery Jack Cheese-Grated
Pinch of NutMeg
1 Small Onion
4 of Butter
1 Package of Cream Cheese.
Salt to Taste.
Pie Guard (Optional)

Leave out Frozen Spinach overnight for thawing out or defront in microwave for recipe usage. When thawed ring all excess water from Spinach. Set Aside. Chop onion and dice 1 carton of sliced mushrooms. In saute pan cook mushrooms and onion in butter until fragrant and moisture is apparently gone. Remove mixture from pan then add remaining Tablespoons of butter to pan; then add sliced mushrooms. Again cook until fragrant and moisture is absorb.

Crack eggs into bowl and add half and half and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly until mixture is a bright milky yellow. Add salt to taste. In 9 inch shell pan; take cream cheese and press onto bottom of pie shell.

Mix grated Cheese and spinach into mushroom onion mixture. Mixture should be cool enought to blend cheese so that cheese doesn't melt. Combine throughly. Put mixture into shell. Pour egg mixture over veggie mixture. Pie should manipulated with the fingers for texture consistency.

Blend well and put into 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 for 30-35 minutes. Quiche should be golden brown on edges. Serve when pie is cooled..about twenty minutes...

Serve with Chips or Salad.

Dalish!

No More Bad Meals

Last year I heard Nora Ephron say duplicitously on the Oprah Show "No More Bad Meals." She didn't have to explain her statement cause it resonated with such truth. We all know we we're eating like crap and we all know when we need to stop. So yes...crap includes ding dongs, Barbecue flavored potato chips, Krasdale ice-cream, and anything out of the dollar store freezer.

Do yourself a favor and eat real food and cut your portions in half. You'll be a much happier person.

Curry Chicken Salad....

I may be a little late for the Summer Season menu...but a fresh eclectic spin on chicken salad had to be entered before September made it. Yes chicken salad! And not that icky, wet calorie pile, over priced at the deli, stuff your grandma used to make.

Curry Chicken Salad

Broiled or Grilled Cooked chicken breast
Small Box of Raisins (2 to 3 tablespoons)
Light Mayo or Regular
Whole Grain Sliced Bread
Honey
Curry Powder
Chicken Seasoning

Lettuce/Tomato for garnish.

Chop Chicken breast in 1 or 2 inch cubes. Mix chicken, 1/4 cup of honey, raisins, curry powder, and 1 teaspoon or season to taste with chicken seasoning....hell you can even add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Now here's the decision you have to make: whether to mayo your bread or just mix it in the darn chicken salad. It's your choice...either way...it'll work.

Remember good cooking is about improvising. That's the fun....

Oh yeah...chill the chicken salad mix for at least two hours...then slap it on the good for you "whole grain" bread with the
L &T and you have a winner.

Ten Minute Meals....

This is a Rachel Ray Recipe. And we loves Rachel Ray at Dalish!
She's our inspiration.

Use 1 lb.lean ground turkey. Season with Kosher salt, McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and anything else you want to toss in. Microwave some frozen chopped spinach (as much as you like) and squeeze out the water. Mix chopped spinach and feta cheese crumbles into ground turkey meat. Fry or grill burgers until desired level of rare or cooked completely. Add a bag salad and dinner is ready.

Greens...

There are many mean ways to cook greens. This recipe is a classic version of this soul food favorite.

A dash of Liquid Smoke
1 Smoke Turkey Tail or wing
4 pound of collards
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon of Salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crush red pepper flakes

Wash and rinse greens thoroughly.
Cut greens by removing stems and stacking them cutting into 1 inch ribbons.
Add clean greens to large point of at least 2 quarts of water. Add all ingredients
Bring to boil; then immediately lower to simmer.
Cover and cook for 2 and 1/2 hours.
Serves 6-8.

Who needs Jiffy?

Golden-Yellow Banana Cornbread

Butter for pan
2 overripe bananas
1 cup of yellow cornmeal
1 cup of sifted whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup raw sugar, such as turbinado
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of vegetable shortening
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Pre-heat oven to 375 Degrees. Butter a 9 inch square baking pan. Peel bananas, mash in large bowl; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the shortening, eggs, milk, and cream to the mashed bananas and combine. Add the dry ingredients with a few swift strokes.

Add the cinnamon and almond extract to the mixture with a few more strokes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1/2 hour. Serves 6-8 people.

It's a lot of damn work....but who needs Jiffy?!!!

Summer Salad

Summer's here so it's time to go a little light on the greasy. Salad's are a wonderful way to expand your veggies palate and helps keep the waistline and digestive system in check. Here's one of my favorites!

Organic Salad Mix (Try Olivia's Organics Spring Mix)
Dried Cranberries
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Sliced Pear
Toasted Pecans

Mix All Ingredients. To Add protein component...grilled tofu or chicken goes great with this salad. Dalish!

For dressing you could make a simple Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinagrete or if you want store bought there's nothing better than Brianna's Homestyle Blush Wine Vinagrette.