Perfect Quiche

My quiche always came out rubbery until I came across this recipe.  The diva that gave me this ran her own restaurant.  I was adding too many eggs and not enough cream.  This quiche is wonderful. 

4 eggs

2 cups half and half

1 cup shredded cheese ( cheddar, Swiss, or your favorite blend)

1- 1 1/2  cups of crumbled crispy bacon, cooked sausage, ham, broccoli (par cooked or frozen defrosted and drained) or whatever you like for filling ( mix them together)

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

9” unbaked pie crust (Use a frozen deep dish and let it defrost while assembling ingredients).

Sprinkle meat or vegetable filling in bottom of pie crust. 

Sprinkle cheese on top of filling.

In a pretty bowl slightly beat eggs, add in the half and half, salt and pepper 

Add other seasonings if you like.

Pour mixture into  pie crust.

Place in oven at 425 for 15 minutes. 

Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until knife inserted ½ way to center comes out clean.  

Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Baked Mini-Crab Cakes

The biggest problem with this recipe is that I only made one batch.  They disappeared faster than my kitten when the vacuum starts up.  So I'm told.  I'm not really sure where the vacuum is.  All right, truth is faster than I disappear when the vacuum starts up.

I didn't make the ones in the picture.  I don't have time for such pretty food.  I put a garlic aioli in my friend's mini-wine glass and served the cakes around it.  For that dipping sauce I just whisked together some light mayonnaise, a minced garlic clove, some lemon juice, and a splash of hot sauce.

You don't really need to chill the recipe for 30 minutes, but I like to make things ahead.  I did up to this step and brought it to my Fourth of July luxury BBQ (at Bob & Diana's, Coleen) and baked it there.  

Baked Mini-Crab Cakes

olive oil for sautéing

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 mild banana chili pepper, diced

1 Tbsp. capers

a few dashes Worcestershire sauce

a few pinches Old Bay

1 can crab

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 small spoonful Dijon mustard

some nice chives from the kitchen garden, chopped

1 egg

Sauté onion, pepper, capers, Worcestershire, and Old Bay until onions are soft.  

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a pretty bowl, toss the crab with the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, chives, and egg.

Add the cooled onion mixture to the crab mixture.

Cover and chill.

Scoop into greased mini-muffin tins.

Bake for 15 minutes until they start looking golden brown.

Make it a meal:  Serve ahead of you friend's marinated grilled chicken and pasta salad with side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.

Wine:  Chardonny all the way.

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

Theses darling meatloaves can be packed full of as many vegetables as you dare.  Throw them all in the mini-food processor or blender for less chunky pieces.  This part can even be done ahead of time and refrigerated.  I used half a red pepper, and an entire shallot.  Try green peppers and onions, sun-dried tomatoes and chives, or corn and green chilies. 

Another option is to serve them with a simple mushroom sauce:  1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 dollop of sour cream, 2 splashes of wine all mixed and heated.  Make it all fat free and low sodium if you don't want to be chubby.  Of course, after that wine is open for the recipe, you might as well have a splash yourself.

Any way you make 'em, they are the perfect portion size.  Have one for dinner if you're dieting or already thin.  I had three!

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat are nice)

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small dollop tomato paste (I freeze dollops, then put them in a baggie for just such uses.)

vegetables (see above)

1 dash Allspice

3 dashes chili powder

Mix all ingredients together.
Smoosh mixture into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35-45 minutes.

Make it a meal:  Serve with sauteed spinach and couscous. 

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I love the flavor of buffalo wings, but I hate gnawing at them in public. I also can't stand that they are basically skin and fat. This is a bit healthier version and a hundred times less messy than the original.

I hate touching raw meat, so my man did all the heavy rolling. The original recipe I saw made 16 meatballs out of 1 pound of meat. My man made big manly-sized balls out of it. There were only seven. Bless him.



Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 lb. ground chicken

3-4 cloves garlic

2-3 slices onion, chopped

a bit of Italian-style bread crumbs

some fresh chives from the garden

buffalo sauce (I use Texas Pete's)

a few pads of butter

Mix the chicken, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, and chives together.
Form into meatballs and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and put in a crock pot.
Cover the meatballs with the sauce and butter.
Cook on high for about 30 minutes.
Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Make it a meal: Serve with celery and carrots.

Wine: Beer

Another Shrimp Spread

Here's another easy one. I threw this together a few minutes before a golf outing followed by an outdoor luxury BBQ with finger buffet. For those who have more time, you can cook and chop fresh shrimp. Me? I have a tee time. (photo by GenBug)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)

a few plops shrimp cocktail sauce

1/2 shallot, chopped (a bit of onion is fine, too)

chives from the herb garden

2 squeezes of lemon juice

1 (6 oz. can tiny shrimp)

Mix well.
Serve with crackers or crudités.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Salmon Wellington (see recipe) and grilled squash and zucchini.

Wine: Chardonnay

BBQ Bacon and Bean Salad

Beans are so good for you. Here is another way to get that lean protein in a delicious way. Bring this to your next garden party and you'll be a hit.

BBQ Bacon and Bean Salad

4-5 strips of bacon, cut into 1-inch strips

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I like mine spicy)

1 can corn, drained

2 cans white beans, drained (I use Great Northern)

2 Tbsp. red wine or cider vinegar

salt & pepper

chives for garnish

Sauté bacon for a few minutes, then add the onions.
Sauté it all a bit more.
Remove the pan from the heat and drain a bit of the fat.
Stir in the paprika.
Empty the cans of beans and corn into a pretty bowl.
Add the bacon and onion mixture.
Add the BBQ sauce and vinegar and mix well.
Top with chives for color.

Make it a meal: Serve with whatever you're barbecuing tonight.

Wine: Rosé

Summertime Stuffed Zucchini for Two

This dish makes a gorgeous light meal, but is also an easy, elegant side dish.
Use anything in your garden to stuff this zucchini. I used my ripening cherry tomatoes (which are yellow ones this year) and chives. Which cheese to use is simply personal taste. I had cheddar on hand, but Gruyere, goat, or blue would also be nice. Adding chick peas would certainly bump us the nutritional value of this dish. Other ideas are to add some sautéed mushrooms, crab, or tiny shrimps.

Summertime Stuffed Zucchini for Two

1 medium zucchini cut lengthwise

A bit of onion, chopped

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 splashes white wine

3 Tbsp. bread crumbs

A few pinches of cheese

A bit of chives

A bit of Parmesan cheese

Scoop out the zucchini seeds into a bowl and chop it up.
Salt and pepper the scooped out skins and set aside.
Sauté the onion for a bit, then add the tomatoes.
Add the chopped zucchini.
Add the wine and sauté the mixture until liquid is absorbed.
Transfer it all to a bowl and mix in breadcrumbs, cheese, and chives.
Stuff zucchini skins with entire mixture and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Pinch a bit of Parmesan on top and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve by itself with crusty French bread or serve it as a side dish with Potato & Garlic Soup (see recipe).

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Herb Goat Cheese Stuffed Endives

Busy divas, you will love this one. Despite its long name, this one is easy to make and delicious! It will disappear in moments. After you cream the goat cheese and herbs, you can set it aside for hours until you are ready to serve. For herbs, I grow my own basil, oregano, thyme, and chives. I used a bit of them all in this. (photo by Walt Hubis)

Herb Goat Cheese Stuffed Endives

1-2 heads of endives

1/3 cup goat cheese

2 Tbsp. cream (I used half and half)

whatever herbs you like

paprika

Separate and wash the endive leaves.
Using the back of a small spoon, cream (smoosh) the cheese, cream, and herbs.
If the mixture seems too thick, add more cream.
Stuff the endives with the goat cheese mixture.
I found using a knife worked best for this.
Sprinkle paprika on to make it pretty.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Jamaican Jerk Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

If you love stuffed potatoes, you will find this version for sweet potatoes absolutely divine. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients. They should be a part of your regular diet. Take one to work for lunch. Have a half with dinner. Divas just may eat them for breakfast.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

2-4 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

a tad bit of milk

paprika

bacon bits

sour cream (I like reduced fat)

chives for garnish

Slather the potatoes in olive oil and bake at 450 degrees for 40-45 minutes until done.
Keep the oven on.
Remove potatoes from oven, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out most of the pulp leaving the skin intact.
Mix the sweet potato with salt, pepper, milk, paprika and sour cream.
Stuff the mixture back into the potato skins.
Top with the bacon bits.
Reheat for a few more minutes.

Make it a meal: It is a stand-alone breakfast, but for dinner serve with Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce (see recipe) and steamed broccoli.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Pasta Weesie

A nearby restaurant, Carrabba's Italian Grill, makes this dish. I love it so much, but only order it once a year, because I am sure there is loads of butter in it. Here is my version. I use light ingredients and small amounts of butter. Unless I'm feeling decadent. Then I load it in.

Pasta Weesie

8-10 large shrimp, cooked, tails off (I've never understood keeping the tails on--I hate reaching into my food to tear off tails)

½ cup sautéed mushrooms (I used baby Bella)

½ cup of white wine

butter

1 garlic clove, minced

squeeze of lemon

chives, chopped

½ jar of Alfredo Sauce (I used Ragu Light)

½ box whole wheat fettuccine, cooked

Romano or Parmesan cheese

pepper


Sauté mushrooms in wine with a bit of butter, the garlic, and lemon.
Add the Alfredo Sauce and chives.
Put the cooked pasta in a pretty, shallow bowl.
Top with the Alfredo mix and a bit of Romano cheese and fresh pepper.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (see recipe) and side salad.

Wine: Chardonnay

Baked Potato Salad

For your next get-together make this ahead of time, then pop in the oven when you are about ready. Dieters beware! Make sure to use light mayo and sour cream to counteract the cheese and bacon. As you can see from my picture, I have a little trouble crumbling bacon.

The horseradish and Dijon mustard give this potato salad zip. Divas know all about zip...and unzip. Especially unzip!

Baked Potato Salad

4 large potatoes, diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tbsp. horseradish

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

salt & pepper to taste

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

a sprinkling of chives

Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and horseradish.
When potatoes are done, stir in mayonnaise mix.
Stir in cheese and chives.
Transfer it all into a 9 X 11 baking dish.
Top with bacon.
When ready, heat at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with burgers and dogs.

Wine: Chianti

Goat Cheese, Lemon, & Chive Turnovers

These turnovers look tough to put together, but they are really not. Assemble them a few hours ahead of time then refrigerate. When the girls come over for book club, pop them in and watch them get devoured. I ate five of them for dinner last night.

Goat Cheese, Lemon, & Chive Turnovers

4 oz. goat cheese

a small bunch chives, sliced (I use my kitchen scissors)

a few squirts of lemon juice

pepper to taste

flour for dusting

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Mash the goat cheese with the chives, lemon, and pepper.
Flour your surface (for me, that’s my gorgeous granite counter top).
Unfold the pastry sheet and dust a bit more flour on.
Cut the dough into 9 squares.
Put equal amounts of goat cheese mix on each square.
Dip your finger in water and wet the edges of each square.
Fold the pastry over to form a triangle.
Press the edges closed with a fork.
Arrange the turnovers on a lightly greased baking sheet (I use Pam).
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until puffed and golden.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Champagne or Sauvignon Blanc

Horseradish Spread for Burgers

Do you get bored with ketchup on your burgers? My man never tires of it, but I am always looking for new flavors. Whisk these few ingredients together for a zesty, grown-up burger.

Horseradish Spread for Burgers

sour cream

2 dashes horseradish

parsley

dill weed

chives

lots of pepper

Whisk it all together and slather atop your favorite burger.

Make it a meal: Add tomato and lettuce to the burger and serve with Brave Potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon

Boiled Blue Potatoes

Vary the amounts depending on how many you are serving. I saw one version of this that called for 50 lbs. of potatoes. That’s one big cocktail party! The chives come from my own small garden. Small is all I can handle. I limit the amount of cheese, since my man is not crazy about blue cheese. In addition, I sprinkle bacon bits on his serving.

Boiled Blue Potatoes

3-4 red potatoes, diced

salt & pepper

chives, chopped

blue cheese, crumbled

margarine or butter

Boil the potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes.
Mix in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

Make it a meal: Serve with pot roast with red wine (see recipe minus the potatoes) and green beans.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Pasta with Salmon & Capers

Serve your salmon-loving friends this elegant and easy dish. For those of you not watching your pennies, substitute caviar for capers. I envy you. We should get together sometime.

Pasta with Salmon & Capers

1/2 lb. pasta (I used orecchiette)

1 cup cream (half and half works fine)

2 slices red onion, chopped

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp. parsley

6 oz. smoked salmon pieces, cut into strips

handful of capers

knob of butter (optional for non-dieting divas)

Cook pasta until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
Combine cream and onion in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
Simmer 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Gently stir in remaining ingredients and serve over pasta.

Options: substitute caviar for capers; chives work well, too

Make it a meal: Serve with side salad or roasted broccoli (see recipe)

Wine: Pinot Noir or Chardonnay

Tortilla Pizza

These are easy and have incredible variety. Kids love them and they are fewer calories, for dieting divas, than traditional pizza crust. Some of my suggested toppings are below, but the variations are endless. (photo by Carol329)

Tortilla Pizza

4 8-inch tortillas

toppings (see below)

olive oil

salt & pepper

Place 4 8-inch tortillas on a baking sheet. Lightly oil if you wish.
Load toppings on top (again see below).
Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees until toppings are heated and tortillas are crisp.

Toppings:
BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese,leftover cooked chicken, and onion
red roasted peppers and Gouda cheese
red sauce, chopped spinach, garlic, and feta cheese
hummus, sliced tomatoes, and chives
cooked hamburg, mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms
Cooked shrimp, butter, garlic, with or without red sauce
mushroom, spinach, and feta cheese

Make it a meal: Serve with a side salad

Wine: This depends on your toppings, but if you can't decide, Chardonnay is always good. Always.

Potato & Chive Crusted Salmon

The recipe is easy and quick. Hardly any ingredients. This is wonderful on one of those autumn nights when the weather is just turning a bit cold, you’re bored with BBQ-ing, and want to be cozy in the kitchen with your man. Divas often find their men love helping with the tedious task of getting potatoes paper thin. Divas make it a challenge for them, and they can’t resist. (photo by Crystl)

Potato & Chive Crusted Salmon

1 baking potato, sliced paper thin

a few glugs of olive oil

1 lb. salmon

a few tablespoons of chives, chopped

Drizzle the potatoes with a glug of olive oil and mix.
Place the salmon in a baking dish that has been oiled.
Sprinkle the salmon with chives, salt, and pepper.
Cover the entire fish with potato slices, overlapping is fine.
Bake at 450 degrees until the salmon is opaque, 18-23 minutes.
Do not over bake.

Options: Substitute chives with scallions; add Parmesan cheese to potatoes

Make it a meal: Serve salmon with steamed broccoli. It already has enough starch, especially if, like me, you added extra sliced potatoes around the fish as well as on it.

Wine: Pinot Noir is quite nice, but a buttery Chardonnay will match the potatoes well.