Spring Quiche

Spring is in the air—finally! Despite the lack of snow (I guess Aimee’s official “first snow” pic will have to wait until next year), winter seemed to linger later than usual this year. But the temperatures finally seem to be rising (for good this time?) and I am ready for spring produce. One great way to use it is in a quiche. Quiche is a great weeknight meal, it doesn’t take that long to put together (particularly if you use a pre-made dough for the crust) and it always seems fresh. It is also open to endless flavor possibilities. Just mix in some sautéed veggies and a little cheese and you are good to go. I like to get it ready and stick it in the oven right before I start Aimee’s bedtime routine so it is ready to go once she is down for the night. Easy and delicious (and if you happen to use a tart pan, pretty to look at too!).

Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche

Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 prepared pie dough (Trader Joe’s has the best but any frozen/refrigerated pie dough will work)

1 bag of baby spinach

½ yellow or white onion, diced

1 whole roasted red pepper, cut into strips

½ cup of shredded cheese (I am partial to swiss or gruyere)

4 eggs

1/3 cup half and half

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 425. Press pie dough into 9-inch tart pan (or pie plate). Sautee onion in 2 TBL olive oil until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add in spinach, tossing until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Meanwhile beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in half and half and eggs until well mixed.

3. Spread onion/spinach mixture onto bottom of the dough. Top with roasted red peppers and cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over the top.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Ratatouille Tart

Wow-- my resolve to post every day this week didn't last long, did it?! I really need to find some motivation to do something other than watch HGTV when I get home from (what is usually a long day of) work.

Anyway.... a couple of weeks ago I made a ratatouille tart for dinner using a simple yet elegant recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Ratatouille is french dish typically made with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes (among other things). Smitten Kitchen's recipe deconstructs the ingredients and makes it into a sort of fancy pizza;  puff pastry (instead of the regular flour and yeast based dough) is topped with tomato puree (or sauce) and then thinly sliced vegetables with a healthy sprinkling of herbs and cheese at the end.

In general the meal is pretty easy to put together--once you've got the vegetables thinly sliced that is. Fortunately for me, on the day I made this for dinner Jason was home from work early and got things started by prepping the vegetables (using his favorite kitchen tool-- the mandoline). Once I got home all I had to do was put everything together and pop it in the oven.

All in all, a healthy, delicious and surprisingly elegant summer meal.

Ratatouille Tart
From Smitten Kitchen (recipe cut in half but other than that made as outlined on SK's website)


Ingredients:
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight
1/2 small eggplant
1/2 zuchinni
1/2 yellow squash
1 red pepper
1/4-1/3 cup of pureed tomato or tomato sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Dried or fresh thyme
Crumbled goat cheese


1. Heat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place puff pastry on the parchment paper and prick pastry all over with a fork.
2. Spread tomato sauce (in desired quantity) evenly over the pastry, leaving a one-inch border around the edges.
3. Slice vegetables thinly using a sharp knife or mandoline. Arrange slightly overlapped slices of vegetables in rows over the tomato sauce, alternating vegetables as you go.
4. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with fresh or dried herbs (all to taste).
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and veggies look soft. Sprinkle with goat cheese and cut into squares. Serve with a mixed green salad and enjoy.