Mini Spinach and Cheese Quiches

These mini spinach and cheese quiches are perfect for breakfast, lunch or brunch.  They are perfect for me to bring to work since they reheat well in the microwave.  I adapted this recipe from The Domestic Mama and The Village Cook's spinach and cheese baby quiches (original recipe here).  I made my spinach and cheese quiches in muffin pans, and used fresh spinach instead of frozen.   I will definitely be making these mini spinach and cheese quiches again and I would like to add some cooked bacon next time.   I am also freezing half the mini spinach and cheese quiches to see how they hold up.  I'll update this post when I find out.

Mini Spinach and Cheese Quiches

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ cups spinach (Cook two 9 ounce bags fresh spinach or use frozen spinach, thawed and drained)

12 ounce can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons flour

3 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon parsley, dried

¼ teaspoon garlic

1 ½ cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar jack blend.)

Optional (if cooking spinach)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a muffin pan.

In a large pan, over medium heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add in 1 bag of spinach and when wilted, add the second bag of spinach.  Stir and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes until spinach is completed wilted.  Allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine milk, eggs and flour.

Add spinach, salt, parsley, and garlic.

Stir in cheese.

Pour into greased muffin pan.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

Makes 12 mini quiches. 

Freeze extra quiches in freezer bag.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust

I made this chicken pot pie with cornbread crust on Sunday because it just felt like the perfect dish to make on a chilly, rainy Sunday.   I already had some shredded rotisserie chicken that was used for the creamy piquillo pepper and chickpea soup with chicken recipe. I also decided to add in mashed potatoes since I had some leftover mashed red potatoes (click here for mashed red potatoes recipe).  This chicken pot pie with cornbread crush was a comforting dish for a rainy fall day.   The cornbread is slightly sweet and provides a great texture to the creamy chicken pot pie filling.  This recipe gave me extra chicken pot pie filling that I made a couple of mini shepherd's pie too!  I plan to post that recipe next so check back here tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

½ onion, diced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup mashed potatoes (optional - recipe here)

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

For cornbread crust

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon parsley, dried

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together jiffy cornbread mix, egg, milk and parsley.  Set aside.

In a dutch oven or saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter.

Add onions.  Cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

Next, stir in chicken broth and milk.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened.

Add frozen vegetables, mashed potatoes, and chicken.

Stir in thyme, salt, and pepper.

Spoon into a 9x9 inch baking dish.  Top chicken mixture with cornbread batter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly.

Creamy Piquillo Pepper and Chickpea Soup with Chicken

I am super excited to be a part of The Bitten Word's Cover-to-Cover Challenge and I was placed on Team Food and Wine.  My assigned recipe was the Creamy Piquillo Pepper and Chickpea Soup with Chicken.  I didn't know what piquillo peppers were but I was able to find a jar of roasted piquillo peppers in the international section of my local grocery store.  They are sweet red peppers originally from Spain.  According to the recipe, the total time to make the soup should be 7 minutes.   This is a simple recipe if you have all the ingredients already.  Of course I end up taking more time than that since I actually made my own hummus (click here for the recipe).  Also, it took me an extra 10 minutes to shred the rotisserie chicken.  I really enjoyed this soup, it is flavorful and delicious.  If you like roasted red pepper hummus, then you will like this soup.  This soup will pair nicely with a side salad if you want a light lunch or dinner.  Enjoy!

Creamy Piquillo Pepper and Chickpea Soup with Chicken

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup drained piquillo peppers (reserve ¼ cup cut into thin strips)

¾ cup hummus

2 cups chicken stock (or beef stock)

½ cup cooked white rice

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon parsley, dried (or 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leave parsley)

olive oil and hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

In a food processor, combine the whole piquillos, hummus, and stock.  Puree until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, add soup, rice, and chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring soup to a boil.  

Garnish soup with parsley, sliced piquillos, olive oil and hot sauce if desired.

Serves 4.

Mashed Red Potatoes

These creamy mashed red potatoes are delicious and simple to make.  I got these small red-skinned potatoes from the farmers market last week.  Leaving the red skin on the potatoes gives these mashed potatoes a rustic look.  The best part is no peeling involved!  I really dislike peeling potatoes for some reason, and the only time I do it is when I make latkes or potato pancakes.  Enjoy these mashed red potatoes, they are great as a side dish.

 

Mashed Red Potatoes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ to 2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes

3 to 4 tablespoons butter

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon garlic, granulated

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon parsley, dried

Directions

Clean potatoes and cut each potato into quarters.

Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover.   Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook potatoes for about 30 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.

Drain potatoes and place them back into the pot.   

Mash potatoes with a fork (or if you have a potato masher).  

Mix in butter and milk.  Add in garlic, salt, pepper and parsley. 

Serves 4.

Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Lasagna can be an easy make ahead meal, especially if you make your tomato sauce ahead of time or use store bought sauce.  I actually like to use the no-boil lasagna noodles; it cuts the time in half and I don't notice any change in taste.  This time I made my own tomato sauce and added in sausage, but you could omit the meat if you want it to be vegetarian.  What I love about lasagna is how versatile it can be, you can add veggies, sometimes I add in mushrooms and/or spinach.  This recipe is a simple, traditional lasagna.  Enjoy!

Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can tomato sauce

6 ounce can tomato paste

16 ounce (1 package) hot pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean brand.)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, dried

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Lasagna

9 ounce (1 box) no-boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla brand.)

14 ounce ricotta cheese (I used whole milk ricotta.)

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup parmesan cheese

Directions for Tomato Sauce

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, cook sausage until browned.  Add in minced garlic.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, and tomato paste.  Add in parsely, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Allow to cool.

Directions for Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread about 2 cups of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish.

Arrange 4 lasagna noodles on top of tomato sauce, the noodles will overlap slightly.

Spread 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture over noodles.  Top with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles , remaining ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Last layer, 4 lasagna noodles, remaining tomato sauce, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered with foil for 40 to 50 minutes.  (Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray to prevent foil from sticking to the cheese.)

Uncover and continue baking for additional 5 to 7 minutes minutes until cheese is melted.

Let stand  and cool for 15 minutes before serving.