Saturday, July 30, 2011

Vegetable Quiche

So quiche is very simple and super versatile you can customize it however you want! 

So using the pie crusts we prepared yesterday I rolled it out and put it in the pie dish.
I docked the dough and put it in the oven (not necessary i just like crispy crust)

While the crust par cooked in the oven I cut up some veggies

We used, mushrooms, onion, broccoli and spinach and saute the vegetables 


Now in a separate bowl mix up some eggs and milk

I was lazy and didn't do anything fancy with my crust (this is all before i brewed coffee haha)
Put the vegetables in then add the egg mixture (we also added cheese)
and bake! 


Bake until the filling is set

It's ugly but it tastes sooo good!!! 
Not being a morning person I should have made this the night before but oh well. Next time

Friday, July 29, 2011

Basic White Bread

:Basic White Bread:
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 T dry yeast (active)
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c veg oil
6 c bread flour

Combine water yeast and sugar, mix well (I use my finger, it makes a slurry of sorts)
let proof 

mix flour and salt in separate bowl

Add veg oil to proofed yeast mixture

Combine flour mixture 1/2 cup or so at a time to the yeast mixture. Continue to add flour until dough forms.

Knead dough until gluten develops. The dough will become smooth.
When the dough has been kneaded enough cover in oil and place in the bowl you took it out of.
Cover with dishcloth

Let rise until doubled in size

Once risen "punch down" flip and let rise again 

Once risen the second time shape bread and let dough rise again

Bake at 350 (depending on your oven) 
Time depends on the loaf of your bread, if you tap on the bread and it sounds hollow it is done.

Flaky Pie Crust

Good morning!

We ended up going grocery shopping last night so I have a bunch of goodies for you all today!
The first on the list being my Flaky Pie Crust recipe 
*Note: I use vegetable shortening because it's more forgiving than butter but feel free to use butter if you're feeling courageous!! I usually save the butter crusts for winter when I know the butter wont melt as much.*


Flaky Pie Crust
Yield: 2 Shells

2 Cups pastry or all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar 
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
6-7 tablespoons ice cold water (I use about 6 1/2)

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or fingertips until the pieces are the size of small peas.
         -At this point, if you wish, you may make what is called a "mealy" crust. In bakeries, mealy pie crust is used for the bottom crust in fruit pies. It is also used for custard or "soft" type pies. To make a mealy (fine) textured crust, cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of coarse corn meal.

3. Make a well in the dry mixture, pour in the ice cold water and toss gently with a fork to form "baseball size" lumps of pie dough. Be careful to wet all dough, but do not over-work. Remove the ball of dough and set aside;  continue making balls of dough, using more ice water if necessary.

4. Wrap dough individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 20minutes. Each dough should be enough to make one shell layer.



This morning I made a double batch of this recipe. 
I am going to make a chicken pot pie tonight and a quiche at some point this weekend.
I try to make pie crust at least a few hours in advance I find that working with well chilled dough is the best.
And later this afternoon i'll get to use my new rolling pin for the first time <3 Hooray!! 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

This weeks List

So this is the weeks grocery list, going grocery shopping tomorrow. Out of this list I have 7-8 meals I can make and with the lunches I do variations on all of them depending on what I have on hand. 
I will provide a new recipe every day starting tomorrow evening! 
 :-)
Grocery List

*Dry ingredients:
Rice
Canned chicken
Bread Flour
Whole Wheat flour
Tomatoe Paste
Vegetable Broth
Chicken gravy 

*Produce & Deli:
Carrots
Cucumbers
Broccoli 
Mushrooms
Salad greens
Red Potatoes 
Sandwich stuff
Mozzerella 
Parm
ranch dip
Mandarin Oranges

*Frozen Food
Corn
Mixed Veg

Other:
Pie pan

:::Things I can make from this list:::

Chicken salad
Quiche-breakfast quiche
Rice & Veg dinner
Veg pot pie
Irish Soup
Sandwiches for lunch
Salads for lunch
Veggies and Dip


I think breaking up the grocery list like this is extremely helpful, I do it by where things are found in our local grocery store basically. And having a specific detailed list I believe helps minimize buying things that aren't on the list that are usually junk food. IE: the cookies we bought last week...

Welcome Foodies!!!

Welcome!
This is the second blog I have going. My first being Buttons&YarnOHMY. In which I blog mostly about my crafty side of life, and life in general, but mostly things i'm doing with my Etsy shop.

Last night James and I were talking about eating healthy which is something we've been talking about forever and never do anything about or sometimes we will get on a good healthy kick for a week or so, but fall quickly into old habits. So with this blog my plan is to share recipes and coupons maybe if i can find them. 
I want to eat healthy without spending a fortune on healthy food because lets face it, pasta (main staple in our diet) is a lot less expensive than organic fruits and veg. Plus time.... but I have all the time in the world now so let us begin.
First with organization and a plan
dun dun dun 
This is usually my downfall ... laziness and hopefully by posting daily we can avoid that.

Since going to school for Culinary Arts and working in bookstores I have an abundance of cookbook, plus the lovely internet. 
*I have all of her books, I LOVE them and they are by far my most used*

In the next few days i'll be going through my books and trolling the internet and writing out recipes on recipe cards (eventually making a book) 
*Not this exact box but you get the idea*

To save money I want to find recipes where the ingredients are common enough that I can use the leftover ingredients for a different recipe. 

.............................................................................
So today I'm making a grocery list, based on recipes with similar ingredients,
 for tomorrow nights shopping trip.