Oh dammit, I excell at quiche but I have to leave in 15 minutes for my Tuesday night standing engagement, which includes running home and packing things up to take with (I should probably already be off the 'puter by now). If you can wait 'til tomorrow, I'll bring my latest recipe in the morning. The last time I made it I wasn't paying attention and screwed it up, and it still got great comments and was all consumed in a trice.

How can you loathe quiche?

-O-

clearly she hasn't tried your quiche yet. I eagerly await your recipe, as it's one of my favorite foods.

I'm hoping to avoid baking this year, and might manage to do it. I haven't done pastry in over a year and don't want to deal with it now. The oven is in good use slow cooking stews and such

Quiche, to me, is a creepy, eggy, open-faced pie thing that reminds me of various and assorted vile things, including shepherd's pie. It makes me shudder deep inside.

I shall anxiously await your recipe, since I know not what a good quiche is.

I haven't done any baking in about a year, too, so I've been trying to eliminate the smell of garlic from my baking board. Someone decided to use it as a savory board and my pie crusts may never be the same.

Crimoney, have you never tasted a good one? You could even use the garlic board for the crust.

I hadn't made a quiche for years so I looked at several recipes, and none seemed quite right. I reconstructed the lot to come up with what I used to make. When I did the major screw-up, I used twice the half-n-half (thought I'd just bought a cup and used a pint; I was distracted by other humans). I realised halfway through baking what I'd done, but knew there were enough eggs for it to still set. It just took longer to cook. I didn't admit my error until people made encouraging comments. It turned out more light and fluffy than custardy. So if you like lighter and fluffier, use more half-n-half (you can use cream but it's already pretty rich and doesn't need it).

The thing about egg dishes I don't think everyone realises is that you don't want to eat them steaming hot, but nicely warm. I'd be put off by quiche too if I only tasted it steamy-at least half the flavor is lost. Egg things don't taste like anything if they're too hot.

No, I don't have the recipe on me; yes, I know where it is and will bring it tomorrow (later today, technically). I don't think anyone will be disappointed.

-O- (Dammit, now I want to make a quiche.)

Um, no. I may have said before I am not a baking person. Still not. I am making sour cream & chive mashed taters for Tbird day and some sort of appetizer, but everyone knows I don't bake.

I do love quiche though- when done right it can be wonderful!

OK, here we go:

9" unbaked pie crust
4 eggs
1 c half-n-half
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 c grated swiss cheese
1 can tiny cocktail shrimp (typical tuna can size)

Beat cream cheese with half-n-half until smooth. Add eggs and beat at low speed until well mixed but not frothy/foamy (frothy/foamy makes for a weird texture). Rinse and drain the shrimp and distribute evenly in pie shell. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over shrimp and pour in egg mixture to cover all. Bake in preheated 450f oven for 10 minutes to set crust. Reduce heat to 350f and continue baking for approx 20 minutes or until knife tip inserted in center comes out clean (you can also usually just poke at the center to determine if it's done). It should be fairly puffy when it comes out of the oven; let rest for 15 minutes and it will settle into more of a custard than a puff. Serve warm but not steaming hot.

I've done this one with salmon as well-very tasty. And of course the filling items can be pretty much whatever you want. Spinach and feta is good (reduce the grated cheese). The grated cheese can be varied too-cheddar is very good (that's what I used to always use).

When I did the half-n-half screw-up (made with salmon), one of my friends who has worked as a chef and is an excellent cook said it was at least the second best quiche he'd ever had (second only because he may have had a better one he wasn't remembering).

So there you have it. Easy to make and very yummy. And please make the crust from scratch; if you're going to buy a ready-made crust, just buy a ready-made quiche, easier but not nearly as good.

-O-

OK, O, making it, looks fabulous!
here's an easy pie crust recipe:

Here is a link that might be useful: pie crust

Claire - Sour cream mashed potatoes are really good, but if you want to make them even better use cream cheese instead or go all out and use sour cream, cream, and cream cheese. To go one step farther (or is it further - as I stare at these two words, neither looks correct - damn you Mr O) bake them after you make them.

I am a potato freak of nature.

Now I have quiche on my mind too. Would a store bought graham cracker crust work?

Dear Joachim,

Thanks so much for the detailed description and recipe. Now Johnny knows what you're talking about. Johnny has seen those little things in Ms. Julia's books, although Johnny rarely cooks out them anymore.

Sincerely,

JW

Love sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.

Mmmm, quiche and graham crackers.

I gave up premade pie crusts awhile ago. They're just too icky and homemade ones are too easy to make. As I said on the other thread, I have hope for your quiche recipe since it looks very different from most of the others I've seen. We've got a shrimp hater in the hizzle, so I'll have to experiment with that.

I was going to make my taters the day before and keep them warm in the crock pot the day of- the crock keeps 'em warm and moist. I have heard that cream cheese thing before- should I use chive cream cheese or is that too chivey??

Elise Kirkwood

Elise,

I always use the regular stuff. Might be better to just add your own chives. Control is what it's all about.

John Holmes

How did you know that was my porn name??

All ready have the chives- I tried doing my shopping super early so I didn't have to rub elbows with the weirdos. But regular cream cheese I will try.

Polly Jean Harvey

As I said, the filling can be whatever. How 'bout pre-cooked chicken and chiles (cheddar is probably better with this one)? Mmmmmm. The classic Lorraine has some onion and crumbled bacon, with swiss.

Experiment away and let us know what you come up with. Just don't muck about too much with the custard, other than more half-n-half for a fluffier dish (extend the baking time if you do that).

-O-

That looks yummy! Now I'm craving quiche. My local store used to have a pre-prepared one that was fairly decent and ok in a pinch. They have since switched to one that is the texture of rubber, so I'll have to go back to making them.

But what is this salmon business? I grew up where all salmon was smoked - seems so wierd to see other incarnations of it.

Okay, so the quiche (in mini form) has passed the quiche taste tester. I may try the chicken (cooked in tequila with tomato bouillon), chili, and chedder tomorrow.

You've never had salmon cakes? As for smoked salmon, I could really dig some lox on a bagel, right now...

Yay! I've converted a quiche hater. My work here is done.

I think the cream cheese does a lot for this recipe. It gives some tang and a smoother consistency than some I've had, which can be a bit over-eggy and less custardy.

-O-

I am absolutely sure it is the cream cheese that makes the difference. I've made quite a few quiches using basically the traditional recipe and love them a lot.... But the cr.ch. is new to me and I'm quite excited to try it. But..., it's going to have to wait - busy moving my office this weekend. I'm only going down the hall, but all the office plants have to come home as I'm moving from a SE window to a NW one (I think I'm getting a raw deal). They will live in the kitchen until I somehow shove the balcony plants into the grow shelves and make room for the refugees.

On other news, anyone have a good recipe for a meat pastie?

Try smoked salmon in the quiche... it's wonderful for brunch, with a nice dry bubbly.

Smoked salmon quiche and champers...I'm dying over here.

I should never read these things without having eaten anything first.

-O-

I'm doing the salmon.. I order it from vital choice, fabulous stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: good salmon

I had this at lunch today at a neighbor's house; it was most delicious!

Date & Walnut stuffed baked BRIE with Peach Glaze

Brie:

1 (14-16 oz) wheel of brie
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 sheet (1/2 of 1 lb package) frozen puff pastry SHEETS, thawed
1 TBS sugar

Glaze:

1 cup peach preserves
2 TBS Amaretto

Sliced Gala or Fuji apples to serve with the baked brie

Serves 12-16

Brie: Do not remove rind from brie. Slice brie in half, horizontally. Place the two brie rounds side by side, cheese facing up. Combine together dates and walnuts. Divide evenly between cheese halves. Press dates and walnuts into cheese. Sandwich together the two halves of stuffed brie.

On a slightly floured surface, unfold the sheet of puff pastry. Roll to enlarge to a 13-14 inch square. Place stuffed brie in center of dough. Draw up dough over the sides of cheese and press the pastry together (to seal) over the top center of the cheese. Sprinkle with sugar.

You may make this up to 5 days before baking. Store in the refrigerator tightly wrapped in pastic food wrap before baking.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pastry wrapped brie in center of a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake until deep golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. While brie is baking prepare sauce.

Glaze:

Warm the peach preserves until the gel is almost liquid. Stir in the amaretto.

To serve: Carefully transfer the baked brie from baking sheet to a platter. Cut into the baked brie. Surround with the apple slices and drizzle with the peach glaze. Also delicious served with gingersnaps.

I tried meat pasties but the tassels kept scorching in the oven.

You's gots to keep them spinning, shady, or they'll do that.

I just made 200 mini quiche, and my thumb is numb. I'd make a sheet of them, and another recommendation for fillings would come in. I actually liked on variety, but it was more like a crusted omelet than what I consider a quiche. Bacon and sauteed mushrooms, mmmm. The chicken with tomato bouillon and tequila with cheddar and chilis came out pretty nicely. I should have added something to the crust, though.

I'm now going to have to go gorge on brie. I have a cycling obsession with the stuff.

Why didn't you invite me to visit before all this quiche baking?

To answer the question though, I have yet to check in with the menu wizard to see what I am supposed to bring to dinner. Yes, I'm very behind.

Speaking of pies, while sitting in traffic yesterday, I was listening to NPR's splendid table. What is this about mince pies not being English? What blasphemy, ho! Any thoughts of where to go for the equivalent Arabian(?) recipe?

And after everything, all I can say is: I miss lard.

O's quiche was a huge success.
I made the shrimp one exact to his recipe; it turned out GREAT!

2nd one I made with salmon:

bake crust @450 for 5 mins.
put flaked salmon in pastry.
sprinkle with lemon juice.
cook a few chopped onions in butter and put over salmon.
sprinkle with fresh parsley.
pour 6 beaten eggs and 12 oz. half & half in, seasoned salt & pepper,
350 degrees for 50 mins..

I forgot to put onions in my quiche....what a dope! Meg thought it was too eggy. The nice part about this one is that it is fluffier than some of the others I make which are more custardy.

Komi, do you still need a pastie recipe? I can give you my sisters which are supposed to be pretty good (she lived in the UP for about 20 years, and her husband's family is from up there and this is their family recipe, although they were Finns not Cousin Jacks...). Lemme know. Lis

Yes, I'm still looking, but I'm now too busy with pie to be able to do anything else for a while. Actually, I am mostly busy thanks to the loss of two growing areas combined with 2 or 3 plant orders. I really need to get new growing areas set up ASAP - the plants are getting frantic.

Not looking forward to grocery shopping this evening....

Pies I haven't even thought about. I did make casseroles last night, so I have progressed.

Maybe you should give the plants a valium or two, then take a couple before even thinking about going to the grocery store.

I have to go try and find a roaster that fits our turkey, today. Various stores were sold out last night, so it's not lookin' good.

Well, I still don't know if it'll be 5 or 10 people. I guess 2 pies - currently thinking about pecan with Jack Daniels in a tart shell (annual request - maybe this year I'll write down the amount of JD *and* get it right) and a tiramisu pie (also in a tart shell). The latter totally depends on whether I run into good mascarpone somewhere. Already this means 3 stops. I hate ingredient shopping.

I usually take pears poached in wine as an alternative, but I'm tired of it. Haven't figured out what to do instead....

Valium. Like I always say, what's good for me is good for the plants.

Has anyone used malt syrup to substitute for dark corn syrup? I wonder if sweetness and viscosity is about the same, or is it going to ruin the pie? Why does wholefoods carry everything but corn syrup and Jack Daniels? I had a choice of rice syrup, agave syrup, and malt syrup.

I doubt malt syrup would ruin it, but it'll give it an interesting flavor, I'd think.

I don't think Wholefoods has a full liquor license. They do have the cheapest capers in the area. That might make an interesting pie.

We FINALLY found a roasting pan big enough for our bird today. There was one left and it was hidden behind cookie sheets. Someone attempted to elude me, the finks.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my partner in crime currently has my plant closet smelling like bread. He wanted to start his own yeast culture, and the closet was the only place warm enough to get the yeasts going.

Some more plants to add to the fragrant orchid list.

I think people around here are not doing turkey - there is a huge excess of massive pans on the shelves.

I, of course, forgot cream cheese... (baking cream cheese pie crust) Also read up on the malt syrup and I figure it is not going to be sweet enough - this recipe isn't sweet to begin with, so it prob won't work. So now I'm trying to think of a place with a regular grocery store with self checkout, a Virginia State liquor store, and a massive parking lot.... Is it Friday yet?

Stacy, I made the Biscotti without the red & green sugar crystals (food coloring, hate it)..
It turned out just right, oh-so-good w/coffee~
You're right; hard to mess it up:)

It's officially Thursday, and I'm officially done with Thanksgiving. All I have to do tomorrow is yank the foil off of things, throw the casseroles in the oven with the turkey, and make gravy.

Eugh. At least the house is clean.

My husband makes the best pecan pie...and one of the reasons it is so good is that he reduces the amount of sugar in the recipies. While I make other pies, the pecan I leave to him.

Tell us, Komi, how did the pie turn out? Did you use malt syrup or no?

It turned out fine. I used about 1/3 malt syrup and 2/3 light karo syrup - didn't want to do another run to the store, so it was that or maple syrup. (I'm now thinking that maple syrup might be an interesting combo. Ditch the chocolate lacing on top, and make caramelized maple sugar or something. Hmmmm.....)

I'm sick of this pecan pie though. I mean, I don't like pecan pie much anyway, and although people love this one for the crisp crust and the relatively light filling, I am ready for a change.

I might do a test run of a chocolate pecan pie next week - after all, I have all the supplies including an excess of pecans. Or maybe a chocolate mousse topped with crunchy toffeed pecans.

Still wanna do the tiramisu tart but that's gonna take some work..... Maybe in a few weeks....

I like pecan pie but only without the nuts. I don't mind crushed, toffeed pecans, but that's probably because I'll eat toffee any way I can get it.

Tiramisu, on the other hand...I am now craving it.

I've heard pecans are going to be dirt cheap this year because of the Georgia drought. I guess it really kept the critter problem to a minimum and hence - more pecans.

I have a wonderful recipe for a Pumpkin Praline Pie. I should have made that for T Day, but I ran out of time.

I just remembered I haven't made pecan puff cookies in years. If I have all the ingredients, I think I'll do that instead of another pie.

Are those the same as Russian Tea Cakes? The recipes for both look similar, but some of the recipes for the Russian things call for walnuts.

Just found this to add to my muffin mania:

Rhubarb-Pecan Muffins

Ingredients

2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1 ts salt
3/4 c chopped pecans
1 ea egg, large
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 ts grated orange peel
3/4 c orange juice
1 1/4 c rhubarb, fresh fine chopped

Instructions

Combine all dry ingredients. Beat egg and oil; add orange juice. Add
to flour mix. Add rhubarb. Bake 350F 25-30 min.

I dunno. It can be made with either walnuts or pecans. My recipe for pecan puffs is from my friend's italian grandmother, but I don't know where she got the recipe. The measurements are american, so it's probably from here someplace. It's just your basic flour butter nut concoction.

I heard the same about pecans. Too bad I don't like them all that much.

Pecan Puffs

1 cube butter (4 oz)
2 T sugar
1 C flour
1 C pecans/walnuts, chopped fine (or processed)
1 t vanilla
fine sugar for dusting/coating

Cream butter and sugar. Add chopped nuts and flour. Roll into small balls, bake at 325F for 40 mins. Roll in sugar after removiing from oven.

I prefer the nuts hand chopped rather than processed, but it adds significantly to the prep time.

While I'm at it:

Tea Chiffon Cake

3 tea bags (or 3 bags worth of tea leaves, ground/chopped fine)
5 egg yolks
7 egg whites
salt
70 cc (2.35 fl oz) vegetable oil (anything that doesn't smell)
100 cc tea (3.4 fl oz)
140 g (5 oz) sugar
120 g (4.25 oz) flour and 1 t baking powder, sieved together

Beat egg yolks, salt and half the sugar until white.
Add tea and tea leaves.
Gradually mix in the vegetable oil.
Mix in the flour.
In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in the remaining sugar 1/3 at a time.
Fold the yolk mixture into the whites, 1/3 at a time. Pour into a tube pan.
Bake for 40 mins at 170C/340F.

Hmmm... That doesn't look like enough for a 16 C pan. I bet those are Japanese size eggs too. Might be easier to find a US recipe and add the tea.

One of these days I will start eating rhubarb again. It still brings back memories of the rhubarb crumble with watery custard that my catholic school in the UK served for lunch.

What is a Japanese size egg? Jigunga sized, or little pullet sized??????

I remember them being smaller than "large", which is the smallest size I see around here.

Like a medium egg?

Love rhubarb, but it stains terribly.

Mmmmmmm...rhubarb. But in November? Do you get it fresh or frozen or canned or...?

Last night while digging around the cupboard, fridge and freezer for ideas for dinner I came across a bag of raspberries I froze for a pie this winter. I don't know how long I can wait.

Turkey leftovers day five: Indian food! (not Native American food) I whipped up a turkey jalfrezi. Not overly spicy but the rich drumstick meat could have easily stood up to more pepper heat.

I freeze lots of rhubarb during the warm months. It really works well for me. The only tricky thing is to figure out if you should use it frozen or defrosted and drained depending on the recipe. Generally, frozen seems to work the best.

I covet your raspberries, but I have a few boxes of frozen strawberries picked during the peak of strawberry season. I have to think long and hard before I break into that stash.

Does anyone have a good recipe for a baked item using maple syrup? I guess any recipe using a syrup as the sweet ingredient will work. I'm looking for a maple-lovers' baked delight. I'm assuming a italian meringue type frosting should be doable, but.....

I have maple sugar too, but it's like 3 years old. How long does that stuff keep? (in the fridge)

I also found mince meat (of the fruit variety) in the back corner of the fridge (as I have no larder) that is about 5 years old. I believe in the UK that would be considered young meat, but I'm not so sure.... after all, it's not just dried fruit that goes in it but raw apples and such.

I want mince pie! and Christmas pudd! and scotch eggs and sausage rolls!

I was traumatized by mince through my youth.

I think the fruit stuff lasts forever, unless the fat goes rancid. The meat/fruit stuff does, as long as it's wellpackaged.

There were some maple meringue cookie things that I had once that were really good. I can't remember anything else about them, sadly.