Summer Vegetable Quiche

The hubs and I have been doing our very best to try and not go out to eat in the month of July. It both budget and wait friendly. So we have been getting creative in the kitchen, mixing up our favorites with new recipes, and perfecting our homemade pasta and pizza skills. This weekend was another episode of breakfast for dinner, in the form of this vegetable quiche. It made the perfect light dinner, paired with a glass of dry white wine, and then delicious leftovers the next morning topped with avocado and hot sauce. So grab every veggie in your fridge and get to cooking. Also, my brain is fried right now, so insert quiche pun here. 

Summer Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp. chilled bacon grease (can use butter instead)
• 1 tbsp. cold water
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 cup 1-inch chopped green beans
• 1 small red potato, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme (pulled from stem)
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, salt, butter, and bacon grease (if using) together until a coarse meal forms. Add in the water and pulse to combine. If the mixture is still too dry, add in a bit more water as needed.

Press the crust mixture into a tart pan or pie dish, coming up around the sides. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, just until set, but not quite browned yet.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the zucchini and green beans together until slightly softened. Seta side in a bowl. Add in the other tbsp. of oil and cook the potatoes and onion together until softened. Add to the bowl with the zucchini. Add in the fresh thyme leaves and mix well. 

Add the vegetables to the prepared crust and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Whisk together the eggs, almond milk, salt, and pepper, and pour over the vegetables. Bake in the oven until the eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Also makes for excellent leftovers!

Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese for 2

When I first met my husband, he had to moved from the east coast out to Phoenix for work, and being the newcomer to Arizona that he was, he would find his favorite meals from different places and just rotate them throughout each week. Sundays were usually pad thai, a rough day after work called for the "big-ass burger", and when he was craving comfort food in the form of Italian food, he always ordered his beloved pasta bolognese. Now I don't expect this to ever take the place of his favorite take-out spot, BUT I did try and re-create our own version made with slow-cooked short rib. And I have to say, it is pretty damn divine if you ask me. I think that the key ingredient was using freshly made fettuccine noodles, instead of the dried, but I;m not about to get all Ina Garten on you and tell you that you must spend your entire afternoon making homemade pasta noodles. Dried will be just fine if you prefer. Any way you serve it, it's going to be delicious. It's freakin' pasta!

 Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup wine
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• parsley or chives for garnish
• fettuccine noodles

In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Strain out the bacon and set aside, but leave the bacon grease in the hot pot.

Sear the short ribs in the bacon grease until browned on all sides, then place into a crockpot. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic to the bacon grease and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Then add in the vinegar, broth, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the ribs in the crockpot and add in the cooked bacon. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours until fork tender and shreds easily.

Once the meat is done, add in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Cook the fettuccine according to the boxed ingredients or use fresh-made if your market offers it (preferred). Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta and garnish with parsley and or chives. 

Shrimp, Potato & Bacon Chowder

I just had to make one last soup recipe before the weather gets too hot here in the southwest. Being in a landlocked state, I'm always a little hesitant about purchasing seafood at the supermarket (read: farm-raised crap), but I found wild caught Mexican shrimp at my local farmers market last week and knew it needed to make its way into a hearty soup. This soup. Creamy potatoes, fresh chopped shrimp, and crispy bacon all play a great role in this dinner/leftovers for lunch the next day. Feel free to use any type of potatoes you like, new potatoes, red potatoes, and russet are all great options!

Shrimp, Potato & Bacon Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cup half & half
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. wild caught raw shrimp, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 green onion, sliced

In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until browned. Remove the bacon with a slitted spoon and place onto a paper towel to drain. Place the pot back onto the stove and cook the onions in the bacon grease.

Once the onions have softened slightly, about 3 minutes, add in the potatoes, broth, half & half, wine, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Once the potatoes are soft, add in the hot sauce and the shrimp and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the shrimp is cooked and heated through.

Serve hot, garnish with green onions and bacon. 

Chipotle Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Cups

It's my final recipe of the week and with that I am sharing with you a recipe that can be made smaller as an appetizer (you know some big sports game is coming up in a few weeks), or made large enough to be a main course entrée for lunch or dinner! I love the combination of spicy and sweet. Probably because it reminds me of myself. I won't ramble on too much today because A) it's Friday, and B) you should be making these ASAP.

Chipotle Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. raw chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 head romaine or butter lettuce
• 1 egg, scrambled and chopped
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 3 tbsp. chipotle in adobo sauce

In a pan over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel to soak up any excess grease.

Add chopped chicken, chipotle sauce, in the same pan and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.

Add bell pepper and fresh pineapple. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add in the cooked bacon, chopped egg and cilantro. Stir and serve in lettuce cups.

Paleo Eggs Benedict

Paleo week continues with a breakfast dish sure to please everyone! Coming up with new and fresh ideas for meals is a bit challenging at times, especially when you finally come up with one and the lighting is poor, limiting your photo capabilities. But nonetheless, I just HAD to share this recipe with you. It's my paleo take on my favorite breakfast meal; Eggs Benedict. Take a crispy latke made up of sweet potato as your bread, then replace the standard ham slice with some sugar-free bacon, and top with creamy avocado instead of hollandaise, and the best part, a runny poached egg. Oh and hot sauce! If you've got a stubborn bread-eater in your house, simply place an english muffin or slice of toast on the bottom to satisfy their needs. See, pleasing everyone! 

Paleo Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 3 green onions, green part only, sliced
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 tbsp. high-heat oil (such as avocado oil)
• 2 small avocado, pitted
• 4-6 slices, nitrate free bacon, baked or fried
• 4 eggs, poached
• salt and pepper to taste
• hot sauce for garnish

In a medium mixing bowl, add the shredded potato, green onions (save some for garnish if you would like), garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix together with your hands and form into patties.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp. of the oil in a large pan and cook the patties, 4 in each bach as not to crowd the pan. Cook until dark brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side, remove from skillet and keep warm while you cook the next batch. Repeat.

Meanwhile, mash the avocado in a small bowl seasoned with salt and pepper and poach the eggs.

To assemble, place 1 to 2 sweet potato patties on the plate. Top with bacon, then a dollop of the avocado smash and lastly, an poached egg. garnish with more green onions and hot sauce.

Roasted Butternut Squash Penne Pasta

If this is what 2016 will be feeding me, then count me in! For my first recipe of the year, I wanted to bring you all of my favorite things. Roasted squash, pasta, goat cheese, and bacon. I mean, c'mon can it get any better than that? With so many important meetings with wedding vendors, dress fittings, and our friends and family coming in to town to celebrate our wedding with us next month, it is important for us to stay well fed yet healthily, while not missing out on flavor or those ever-so-delicious carbs. 

 Roasted Butternut Squash Penne Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped sage
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss butternut squash and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven then add the sage and rosemary, toss to mix and place back into oven. Roast for 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to boxed directions, and drain, saving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add pasta noodles back into pot with reserved water. Add in the roasted veggies, crumbled goat cheese, and crumbled bacon. Toss and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot. 

Fig & Bacon Jam Pizza with Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto

Yesterday I showed you how to make this insanely grown-up gourmet version of jam using figs and bacon.  Now I am going to show you how to throw it on some pizza and call it dinner. While I know that this recipe is far from difficult, and you probably don't need me rambling on an on about how to throw a ball of flattened dough topped with minimal ingredients onto the grill and serve, but this pizza was just too good not to share with you. Sometimes less means more in terms of ingredients, allowing them all to shine. Small steps like shredding a ball of mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded/bagged cheese can make all the difference. 5 ingredients is all you need (assuming you already made the jam) to have dinner on the table on your family asking for seconds and thirds.

 Fig & Bacon Jam Pizza with Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 1 ball pizza dough
• 2-3 tbsp. cornmeal for dusting
• 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Fig & Bacon Jam
•  3-4 strips of prosciutto, torn into 2-inch pieces
• 3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• sliced basil for garnish (optional)

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Stretch your pizza dough out into a large circle. Sprinkle corn meal onto a pizza stone and place the dough on top.  Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella and place the stone with the pizza onto the grill. Cook for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the crust has begun to turn golden.

Using the back of a large spoon, spread the jam out to cover the entire pizza. Top with the torn prosciutto and crumbled goat cheese. Close the lid and cook for another 5-8 minutes until the pizza toppings are warmed through and the prosciutto is crispy.

Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before you slice and serve.

Fig & Bacon Jam

I am a lover of all things fig. And bacon. So I thought, why not put those two loves of mine together to make one totally awesome spread. And it tastes, well, for lack of better words, totally awesome! This jam is the perfect addition to any chef's board, or a grown-up grilled cheese, or my personal favorite, pizza! I used about half of the jar and spread it on a pizza in place of classic marinara sauce. I've gotta say, it's gonna be hard to beat that from here on out.

Fig & Bacon Jam

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 lb. whole figs, stems removed, then halved
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee
• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. chile powder

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and allow to drain on a paper towel. Discard all of the bacon fat from the pot except for about 1 tbsp.

Add the onion and garlic to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. After the onions are cooked, add in the remaining ingredients. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool slightly before transferring to a food processor. Pulse until combined and you come to your desired texture (I like my jam to have a little texture).

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Bacon, Leek, and Corn Galette

I'm going to be honest with you right now. These pictures are quite hideous. Not everything in the blog world looks as good as it tastes, and this is one of those times. But it's just so damn good, that I couldn't NOT share it with you. In fact, it's so good that I had it for dinner, 3 nights in a row. This was my first time making a galette, and it was both extremely simple and versatile to make. I basically took everything that I had in my fridge already, cooked it up and then baked it inside of a delicious homemade crust. Serve this with a little white wine of crisp beer and cheers to summer!

Bacon, Leek, and Corn Galette

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 1/2 sticks of cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. vinegar
• 1/4 cup cold water

 Filling:

• 1 1/2 tbsp. avocado oil, separated
• 1 large leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced, white parts only
• kernels from 1 corn on the cob
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 oz. freshly grated smoked gouda cheese
• 2-3 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
• flaky sea salt for garnish

To make the crust, sift the flour into a medium bowl, then whisk in the sugar and parmesan. Add to a food processor with the butter. Pulse until only fine crumbs remain, about the size of peas. Whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar, and water, then slowly pour into the food processor in a steady stream, turning on until a dough ball forms. Remove from the processor, form the dough into a ball, then wrap in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add in the leeks, corn, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Once the mixture begins to caramelize, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat, place the mixture into a bowl, and place into the fridge to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Once the dough has completely chilled, roll out onto a large sheet of parchment paper or silicone mat, forming a large rustic circle, about 12-14 -inches round. Remove the filling from the fridge and mix 3/4 of the cheese into the mixture. Pour the filling into the center of the dough and spread around, leaving about 2 inches around the crust. Top with the remaining cheese and crumbled bacon.

Take the sides of the crust, and fold over onto the filling, one 2-inch section at a time, until all of the sides of the crust are folded over, creating a rustic looking pie. Place the galette and the parchment paper or silicon mat onto a large baking sheet, brush the remaining oil on the crust and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.  Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.

Slice and serve warm.

Grilled Cheese with Bacon

Sometimes nothing is more comforting than a simple grilled cheese sandwich. Whether you had a hard day, it's raining outside, or you just aren't sure what to make for dinner. Grilled cheese pretty much cures all. Andrew recently decided to make grilled cheeses for dinner while I tied up some loose ends with the blog and schoolwork. After he finished toasting up these beauties, I just had to snap a few photos and share it with you all here. See, even the simplest of recipes, with only 2- or 3 ingredients, can be just as delicious as something that takes hours. It's all in the quality of your ingredients!

Grilled Cheese with Bacon

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bread of your choice
• 3/4 cup freshly shredded smoked mozzarella
• 3/4 cup freshly shredded smoked gouda
• 3 slices applewood-smoked thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
• 2 tbsp. butter

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Place the first slice of bread down and top with 1/2 of the mozzarella, sprinkle with half of the chopped bacon, half of the gouda, and then the top piece of bread. Press down firmly with the back of a spatula. After the first side has turned golden brown, or closer to burnt if you are like me, flip it over to the second side and continue to cook until all of the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted, about 5-6 minutes in total. 

Repeat with the remaining bread, cheese, and bacon. Serve immediately. 

Brussels Sprout Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs

Is there anything that Brussels Sprouts aren't good in? If there is, I have yet to find it, and even then I would probably find them delicious. I just can't seem to get enough of them, and have been sneaking them into as many things as I can before Andrew calls a Brussels timeout. I made this breakfast for us last weekend, which happened to be our first weekend off together in a month. I wanted to make something that was no fuss, that we could just enjoy together while we sipped our coffee at the table together and talked about weekend things like, where we were going to dinner that night with friends, what we should watch while we lounged on the couch, and only a couple of wedding details. The nice thing is, that if you don't like Brussels Sprouts (what is wrong with you?), that you won't even notice that they are there. Because they are sliced so thin, they don't have an overbearing flavor and you can all enjoy breakfast together!!

Brussels Sprout Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil (can substitute bacon fat, or combination of both)
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 lb. brussels spouts, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
• 4 farm fresh eggs
• salt and pepper taste
• hot sauce for serving

Heat the bacon fat or olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or cast-iron pan. Once the oil is hot add in the sweet potato and the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally for 6-7 minutes until beginning to soften. Add in the thinly sliced brussels and toss well. Add in more oil at this point if you think you might need it. Cook, tossing occasionally, for another 5 minutes. 

Add in the bacon and toss well. Create 4 wells in the pan and crack an egg into each one. Lower the heat to medium-low, careful not to leave it on too high or the bottom might burn. Cook until the eggs are set to your liking. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with coffee and hot sauce.

Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Egg Bake with Goat Cheese

Doesn't breakfast for dinner remind you of your childhood? It was like breaking the rules, but in the best way possible. It wasn't often, but when my little brother and I would ask for breakfast for dinner, mom and dad would make a huge serving of hash browns, eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Complete with lots of butter and a large bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup. This breakfast for dinner is slightly more grown up and a lot more spicy than when I was a kid being shuffled back and forth from dance practice and play dates. For my birthday this year, some friend's of ours bought me this amazing quiche dish  and I have been just dying to make something like this in it. You can make the recipe as large or as small as you like, or even bake it in individual serving ramekins if you want, it's extremely versatile. But one thing is for sure. Breakfast for dinner rules!

Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Egg Bake with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 2 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
• 1 large jalapeño, sliced
• 2-3 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a round baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cheddar, scallions, bacon, salt and pepper.

Pour egg mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the sliced jalapeños and goat cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until set. 

The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

While I may not always love working on weekends, I love being able to have weekdays off to make my fiance a hearty breakfast. Sometimes I take requests, and other times I just full on surprise him. This breakfast sandwich was one of my finer AM creations, leaving no possible topping left unturned in my kitchen. Runny egg + sriracha + bacon = LIFE. 

The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bread
• 1 tbsp. mayo
• 1 tsp. sriracha
• 2-3 slices tomato
• handful of spring mix greens
• 2 slices turkey
• 1 large egg
• 1 slice white american cheese
• 2 slices applewood smoked bacon

Cook bacon, whether you fry is or bake it; this should be done first. Once the bacon is almost done cooking, poach your egg. I just got these amazing egg poachers from Crate & Barrel from my matron of honor, and they are life changing. 

Remove cooked bacon and poached egg from heat. Toast the bread until golden. Spread the mayo and sriacha on one slice of bread. Place the cheese on the other slice. Pile the tomato, lettuce, turkey, bacon and egg on top of the cheese. Close the sandwich with the mayo spread side. Cut in half and serve.

Holiday Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Goat Cheese

 

With Christmas just one week away, I couldn't wait to share this festive holiday side dish with you all! The perfect red, green, and white combination that even Santa would approve of! Yep! I still believe in Santa (wink wink!). My mom says that as long as you believe, Santa will keep bringing you presents. At 27 years old I still receive gifts from Santa under the tree. Not a bad deal if you ask me. Anyways, these sweet and creamy sprouts are then drizzled with a little bit of balsamic vinegar, which adds a little acidity to the dish and really makes the flavors pop!

Holiday Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, stemmed, outside leaves removed, and then halved
• 1 tbsp. bacon fat (or oil)
• 2/3 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup pecan halves
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat bacon fat over medium heat and add in the brussels. Cook, turning occasionally for 5 minutes. Add in the cranberries and cook for another 3 minutes, until the brussels have softened and the cranberries are beginning to burst.

Add in the pecan halves and the balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 minute more, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, top with the crumbled goat cheese.