SPINACH QUICHE

Frozen Deep-Dish Pie Crust (We had a Marie Callender)
4 Large eggs, slightly beaten
Box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeeze dry in a towel
1 1/4 cup Half and half
8-10 oz Swiss cheese
Tablespoon flour
Seasoning blend

Heat the oven to 350 degrees
Combine Half and half, Eggs and seasoning and Mix
Gradually add the Spinach
Toss the cheese and flour and add to the mixture
Pour into Pie shell
Bake about an Hour(+) until golden brown.....ENJOY !

Hi Doug,

Thank you for posting the all time favorite recipes! Everybody enjoyed them and I wanted to find out who made the spinach quiche that everybody was raving about it, now I know and will try to make the two recipes at home. You are a good cook!

Here are some of the recipes that we made (copy and paste the links to get the recipe):

Potato, Green Beans, & Zucchini Salad:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salad-of-potatoes-green-beans-zucchini-and-herbs

Brandy-Glazed Zucchini Bread:
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1575835-Brandy-Glazed-Zucchini-Bread

Zucchini Brownies:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/zucchini-brownies/Detail.aspx

Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (for the brownies):
* Melt 1/2 cup (3oz) of any chopped chocolate in the microwave and let cool.
* Beat 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter with 1/8 tsp salt in food processor.
* Add 2 cups confectioner's sugar and beat again.
* Add 2 tsp vanilla and 3 tbsp milk or cream and beat again.
* Add the melted chocolate and beat again.
* Add 2-3 cups more of confectioners sugar and 2-3 tbsp more of milk adjusting until the desired consistency you like on your frosting.

Zucchini Squares:
* 1-1/2 cup biscuit mix
* 3/4-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley
* 2 tsp dried oregano
* 2 tsp dried basil
* Fresh chives
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 eggs
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 green onion from the garden, chopped
* 3 medium zucchini, grated (4 cups grated approximately)

Preparation:
In a bowl, combine the biscuit mix, Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, basil, chives and salt.
Combine eggs, oil, onion and zucchini.
Stir into dry ingredients just until combined.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cut into squares.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chili Recipe

I can't decide what I liked better, zucchini brownies or squares. Or Doug's potatoes. Or any number of other yummy things I got to eat. I think Florida Gardeners are also darn good cooks.

Classic Sangria
Ingredients:

* 1 orange, sliced
* 1 lemon, sliced
* 1 lime, sliced
* 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
* 1 bottle spanish red wine
* 1/2 cup cognac
* 1/4 cup orange liqueur
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 cup chilled seltzer water

Directions:

Wash and slice fruit. Dissolve sugar in cognac and orange luqueur. Add sugar, cognac and orange liqueur and fruit to a pither or punch bowl. Pour in wine. Stir to mix in fruit.

Chill overnight or for at least eight hours before serving.

When ready to serve add in seltzer water to give the sangria some fizz. Serve with ice cubes if desired.

I modified the recipe somewhat. It will be more of a fruit punch with a kick of red wine. Sangria is essentially a lemon/lime base with seasonal fresh fruit, red wine, and sparkling water or sparkling white wine. So .... my recipe ...

I'm using repurposed juice jugs - 59 oz. In each, 1 cup cheap red wine, 1 cup orange/mango juice, 1/2 cup Rose's Sweetened Lime. Some shaved fresh ginger. Fresh fruit: pineapple, strawberry, apple, orange, meyers lemon, lime. I'm letting all this soak and marinate overnight. Taking along bottles of sparkling water with me to mix at the party.

Fresh Mexican Pico de Gallo

Ingredients -

1 white onion, finely chopped
4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
2 or 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon limejuice
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for an hour.

(Makes 2 cups)

I made the pretzel snacks. They are very easy, but also very labor intensive! Unwrapping 3 bags of Rollo's takes some time. Do it while watching TV, or on a conference call like I did

Pretzels (I like the square ones you can only find at Publix. I think they are Snyders)
Rollo's
Nuts (you can use any kind of nuts)

Place the pretzels on a cookie sheet. Put a rollo on top. Pop into oven at 350 for about 3-4 minutes. Take a nut and push down on the rollo. If it squishes you are ready to take out of the oven. Then quickly squish nuts onto all of them pretzel/rollo's. Put into the fridge to harden. I keep these in the fridge so they don't get sticky.

You can do this with Kisses, and M&M's on the top too. Like for Christmas I use the red and green M&M's. Makes a pretty snack.

Norm - quiche recipe question: I found the seasoning blend in the grocery store. How much should be added? 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp?

Christine.......we don't measure !.....a couple shakes ?

doug and pam

Doug, I hope that Pam is doing well, especially after the incident with the car.
And you are a cook like my father, he never measure anything or even had a book or a recipe and yet he was a great cook just like you.
Next party, we will be honored to sample your cooking! Say hello to Pam and my best wishes!

Silvia

Thank-You...We're honored....we're all OK

I meant to add a favorite variation: Green beans (cooked tender) make a great additional ingredient to the potato salad leftovers....

And Silvia .....what was the beautiful curly leafed veg next-to the giant squash and abundant avacado

And Pam agrees with Dottie.....We need to plant more flowers in our veg garden!

Our first Twinkle eggplant is showing it's red-striped fruit today.....YAY !
dougandpam

Doug, the curly leaf veg I think you refer to is kale, Silvia's is the blue kale, here is the 'red russian' kale. Next fall I'm going to try redbor kale. At any rate, we like kale alot.

~dianne

Hi Doug

I am glad that you and Pam are okay, and yes Pam is right it is very easy and economical to add flowers to the garden, most of mine are from seeds and some reseed themselves. Gets the garden in a happy mood. I am waiting to see how the vine on the trellis turn out flowers wise, it is very vigorous and will give shade to the peppers once the cucumbers are gone.

And I think Dianne is right and you are referring to the kale. It is a wonderful veggie because I have been cutting for months giving away and using for soups, saute and even chips. And also takes the heat better than other greens. I have about 5 different types and I like them all. The tall one is a curled blue, sometimes you find them as transplants in the big box stores.

Here it is one side with other variety of kale, I have Squire, Dwarf Blue Curled, a plain red and a Red Chidori which is very ornamental and good tasting like all the others.

The other side with Green Glaze collards

When is cold they look prettier, the colors are more vivid.

Silvia

Nothing like the combo of Pretty and Tasty That's why your garden is so attractive! The curly leaves and purple color are lovely.

Thank you Tina - Yesterday when watering the dwarf tomatoes in the porch, look what I found! The tiger tomatoes are ready and they are good tomato flavor.
Elizabeth, you can tell I did a good job on the chocolate.:)

Silvia

Those recipes sound soooo yummy!! Gardengimp, When your making the sangria, will any type of red wine work or do you use the "sangria" wine? (I always see them at the grocery store, and wonder if theyre just 1 component of actual sangria)

Katie

Katie,

I use cheap red wine for the "sangria". I like to do the fruit a day ahead and let it marinate in the frig in the cheap red wine. Then add the orange juice. For serving, add more red wine along with sparkling white wine or sparkling water. You can adjust the amount of wine for the amount of 'punch' - ha-ha - I made a pun.

~dianne

Lol Dianne!, More punch can never hurt, right? :) It sounds delish and i'm looking forward to making a pitcher, or two :D

Katie