Christmas Quiche

This quiche, that I have named Christmas Quiche came about as a result of an online shopping error. I know that I am not the first person to confuse individual quantities with package quantities when grocery shopping online. That’s how I ended up with three packages of zucchini rather than simply three individual zucchini. These past weeks I have eaten more zucchini than I have eaten in a lifetime. In an effort to not waste, but successfully get rid of the last one that remained in a tasty way, this quiche was born.

I decided to call it Christmas Quiche because of the lovely red and green coloring of the vegetables. It would also make an excellent addition to either Christmas dinner or brunch because it is delicious enough for everyone to enjoy, a painless way to get in a serving of vegetables or two, and is vegetarian so as to please those in your crowd who don’t care to eat meat. Your guests are going to love you for this one.

Christmas Quiche

 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep-dish pie crust

1 T. olive oil

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa's shallots, sliced

4 large cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 medium organic zucchini, cubed

1 c. shredded Gruyere cheese

¼ c. chopped parsley

½ c. chopped Melissa’s Roasted Red Bell Peppers

3 large eggs, beaten

½ c. whole milk

½ t. Italian seasoning

½ t. salt

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

 Bake pie crust for 10 minutes; set aside to cool slightly.

 Reduce oven heat to 350°F.

 Heat olive oil in a 10” sauté pan over medium/high heat. Cook and stir mushrooms, zucchini, and shallots until soft and slightly seared, 6-8 minutes; set aside.

 Whisk eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl.

 Spread Gruyère cheese in the bottom of pie crust. Layer vegetable mixture over the cheese and top with the parsley and red peppers. Pour egg mixture over all. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top.

 Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until center tests done. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

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Sweet Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Bisque

This past week a friend and I had planned a little outing to historic Main Street in downtown Saint Charles, MO. It's always a fun day of shopping, wandering, sightseeing, and eating. We had planned on dining al fresco at a well-reviewed cafe that neither of us had patronized before, and we were both looking forward to it.Mother Nature had other ideas, and our pick day of the week turned misty and cold, so we ended up eating Mexican food elsewhere. No problem!  I can eat Mexican a couple of times a week, but I had been looking so forward to the signature, and highly praised Red Pepper Gouda Soup at the restaurant that was our original choice. Rummaging through the fridge, I decided that I had all of the ingredients to make a version my own. I have no idea how this compares to that offered by the restaurant, but I was plenty pleased.

 I found it equally good hot, warm, or cold.  It takes to many toppings such as croutons, additional grated Gouda, popcorn (yep!), or a swirl of pesto or sour cream. It also enhances a grilled cheese sandwich, strategically dipped. I think this may become my “go to” soup of the summer.

Sweet Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Bisque

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 jar Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers, drained and chopped

1-1/2 cups homemade chicken stock

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the butter and saute for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar and peppers, and heat through.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.  Return the mixture to the saucepan.  Stir in the heavy cream, black pepper, and cheese, and heat through until cheese melts, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

This post is linked to:

Mosaic Monday

Inspire Me Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Foodie Friday

Making Memories Mondays

Red Pepper Hummus from PW Pizza

My penchant for roasted red peppers is well known. I always have an open jar in the fridge (as you saw here) and an extra jar (or two) in the pantry. As I type this I have thin slices of seared strip steak in the crockpot along with sliced onions, tomatoes, and roasted red peppers yielding, I hope, a delicious dinner of pepper steak this evening, and a tasty filling for soft tacos tomorrow night. But I don't want to get ahead of myself.

I'm a fan of hummus, but not the plain garlic-tahini-and-chickpea variety. No, I like hummus with a sense of style. My two favorites are fresh basil hummus and roasted red pepper hummus (a lovely duo on the holiday sideboard, by the way). As a rule, hummus is very easy to make. Keeping some simple ingredients on hand will never leave you wanting when guests drop by, or you're invited on the spur of the moment and don't want to arrive empty handed.

This recipe is from PW Pizza in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of St. Louis, and was published recently in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It is easy to prepare and oh, so delicious. It's a great dip, but also makes an excellent sandwich spread, adds great taste to deviled eggs, and brightens up even the simplest of salads when stirred into Ranch dressing. I like mine extra smoky and with a lot of zing so doubled up on both cumin and lemon zest. Yummy!

Red Pepper Hummus from PW Pizza

Yield: 2 1/4 cups

8 ounces Melissa’s fire roasted red peppers, drained

2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (colored portion of peel)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Ground red (cayenne) pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Warm pita wedges or fresh vegetables, for serving

1. Cut a few strips of roasted red pepper to use for a garnish; set aside.

2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the remaining roasted red peppers, garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, cumin and a dash or two of cayenne. Pulse to chop and combine ingredients. With the motor running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube, processing just until combined. Stop the processor to scrape the sides as necessary.

3. To serve, mound hummus on a platter. Top with feta cheese and reserved red pepper strips, then surround with warm pita wedges or fresh vegetables.

Per 1/4 cup serving: 175 calories; 5g fat; 1g saturated fat; 2mg cholesterol; 6g protein; 26g carbohydrate; noa sugar; 4g fiber; 465mg sodium; 50mg calcium.

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday