Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

After all the wonderfully delicious food over thanksgiving, I wanted something different.  I convinced my Guinea Pig to skip meat for one night and let me do a dish that's on the healthier side.

I liked this recipe, because it had something unique - a rice crust.  Of course, I couldn't make it do without changes.  I used basmati rice instead of brown.  I also used all finely shredded cheddar (we had some in the fridge) and saved about a quarter cup from the full cup that was supposed to go in the mix to put on top.  I think it gave it a nice cheese top.  I used a glass square pyrex dish instead of a pie dish.

The quiche came out tasty.  The only complaint I had was that the rice on the sides came out a bit too dry.  Next time I'll add more filling or maybe not spread the rice quite that high.

I had about half a broccoli head left.  I foresee a peanut chicken dinner in our near future.  Yes, that recipe is just that good.

Peanut Chicken

Peanut Chicken

Both Guinea Pig and I are fans of peanut butter.  I figured this recipe was something we would either love or hate.  Turned out that we loved it and will be making it again very soon.

I had to shrink it down by a quarter, so some proportions were shifted.  I'd like to think that they shifted for the better since it tasted great.  I used a tablespoon of peanut butter, a few tablespoons of soy sauce (enough to get the stir fry coated), half a head of broccoli (florets only), no vinegar (duh!), only one chicken breast, three green onion stalks, and a third of a red bell pepper.  All fried until the sauce formed a  nice, thick coat and served over quinoa.

From the first bite, we knew we hit gold!  We made enough for dinner and to have leftovers for lunch the next day.  After finishing up his first plate, Guinea Pig happily munched on would-be-leftovers.

I have to give credit to Guinea Pig; he prepped the chicken and cooked this delicious meal.  A job well done!

Pear Galette

Pear Galette

A while ago I tried making an apple galette that turned out delicious.  If it works with apples why not try it with pears?  So, I found this recipe and went to town.

Well, when I say went to town, I mean that the pears sat in the fridge for a few weeks as I kept trying to find the time to make the dish.  I finally forced myself to make the time.  There's no way I was going to let the pears be wasted because of my lazy self.

I pretty much stuck to the recipe on this one.  I tried to leave out the butter topping, but Guinea Pig convinced me otherwise.  It was totally unnecessary and next time I get to leave it out.  The dough was refrigerated for a few hours, which helped out a lot.  I had to have the broiler on a little longer than the recipe stated, but that could be because Guinea Pig had me stick the galette in right away instead of letting the broiler heat up as the recipe suggests.

End result was still a delicious pastry that given the time I would make again.  Half the galette was eaten as soon as it cooled.  Another quarter was gone later that night.  Last two pieces were saved for next day's dessert.

Mushroom and Cheese Quiche

Mushroom and Cheese Quiche

I LOVE mushrooms!  When I came across this quiche recipe, I knew I had to try it.

For the mushrooms:  I used half a package of white button mushrooms, 2 king oyster mushrooms, and a handful of shiitake mushrooms.  Instead of fontina, I had a package of gruyere cheese that worked out great.

The recipe was a bit time consuming, but worth it in the end.  The most difficult part was waiting for it to set.

Korean Beef

Korean Beef

After success with making Mongolian beef, I decided to try Korean beef when this recipe crossed my way.  It  was faster and easier to make and tasted very good.

For my own spin on the recipe:  I left out the ginger, changed the red pepper flakes to garlic chili paste, and chopped up a green onion as garnish for each of the Guinea Pig and my dish.  It turned out a nice combination of sweet and spicy.  I did not add any salt or pepper as the other flavors were enough for me.

This one is definitely a recipe that will be made again.  It's just as quick to make as a meal in a box and so much more delicious.  I'm thinking of next time trying it out with ground turkey instead of beef to make it a bit healthier.