Christmas Quiche

Posted on December 23, 2013 by jacky grace

With Christmas only a few days away, dinners need to be fast, easy and light.

Whenever that’s the order of the day, I turn to quiche. Quiche doesn’t sound light, but if you take away the crust, you’re left with fresh veggies and eggs, both of which are good for you things that will keep you going during your marathon present wrapping session!

I know that the crust is the best part of most things. But with the amount of pies and cookies that we’re all going to consume in a few days, I think it’s okay to lose it for this dish.

You can use any vegetables you like in this. I’m going with spinach, tomatoes and some feta cheese for a bit of a Greek twist. Let me know the combos you come up with.

The basic quiche mix will be the same.

You will need 4 eggs and a few tablespoons of heavy cream. Okay I’m being a little naughty. You can use skim milk if you want to be totally virtuous.

Also, I bake my quiche in a lightly buttered pie dish. It makes for easy serving, easy clean up, and it looks really pretty. I usually don’t care about presentation, but with the holidays coming up, I send that to you as a little piece of advice in case you wind up with unexpected overnight guests. Baked eggs in a pie dish = elegant breakfast!

Okay, for my spinach, feta and tomato quiche, I started by preheating the oven to 400.

Drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and add heaping handfuls of baby spinach.

When the spinach starts to wilt a bit, add a few diced tomatoes (The other wonderful thing about quiche is that there’s no measuring necessary. Chop up leftover veggies, throw ’em in and you are good to go).

When the spinach and tomatoes are cooked, pour the mixture into the bottom of your greased pie plate.

You’ll notice I didn’t season these. I’m going to crumble feta over the veggies, so I don’t want to add extra salt.

And I season my eggs with pepper (I forgot to take a picture after adding pepper. Imagine little black specks floating amidst the cream and egg yolks!)

Beat the eggs and cream and pour over the veggies.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

This is great to bake the night before then warm up for a grab and go breakfast, too.

And look. It’s red and green. That’s a very festive quiche, if I do say so myself.

Good Old Fashioned Lasagna

Posted on December 13, 2013 by jacky grace

Oh the weather outside is frightful!

No snow as of yet, but I think a high of 25 degrees warrants the term frightful.

When it’s cold like this all I want to do is hang out in my warm kitchen and make something yummy, warming and comforting.

We started talking about some of the classic holiday episodes of shows when we were kids and the Garfield Christmas came up. Remember, John and Garfield and Odie pack up and leave the city for a good old fashioned Christmas down here on the farm? That’s the song I remember most from the show. If you don’t remember it, here it is in all it’s glory.

Anyway, where am I going with this?

When you think Garfield, what do you think of?

Yup.

Big trays of lasagna.

So that’s what’s for dinner tonight. It’s warm, it’s filling, it’s the perfect thing to curl up with, especially when you add some red wine and some Christmas music.

Lasagna is actually pretty easy to make. There are just a number of steps that make it seem like a process. But it’s relatively quick assembly and really basic ingredients.

You will need

Lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
mozzarella
parmesan
marinara (homemade or jarred)
1 egg

You’ll notice the absence of meat. I’m not a big fan of meat in my pasta. I’d much rather have a meatball on the side. So, sorry carnivores, this is a very cheesy but meat free lasagna.

Start by bringing a big pot of water to a boil and preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

When the water’s at a boil, drop in your lasagna noodles. I do three layers of noodles in a 9×13 pan so I boil 9 noodles. If you’re using a smaller pan or you want more layers, you will have to do some noodle math. Just figure out roughly how many noodles are needed to cover your pan width wise.

While the noodles cook, combine the ricotta, one egg, some parmesan and lots of black pepper to a bowl. If you want to multiply this recipe, just use one egg for every 15 oz container of ricotta

When the noodles are ready, drain and set aside to cool.

Get your pan and cover the bottom with a layer of marinara.

Then add a layer of noodles.

Then add a layer of the ricotta mix

Followed by another layer of noodles, cheese, noodles. Top the final layer of noodles with more marinara and some shredded mozzarella.

An extra sprinkle of parmesan never hurt either.

Bake for about 30 minutes. The cheese will be bubbly and some of the edges of the pasta will be a little browned.

And you will have three glorious layers of lasagna to eat your way through

as you try and get “Good old fashioned Christmas” out of your head

Split Pea Soup

Posted on November 25, 2013 by jacky grace

When the temperature hits 19 degrees, it’s soup weather.

Actually, it’s soup weather once it drops below 45.

And actually, when the temperature hits 19 degrees, it’s call out sick and wrap up in blankets weather. Or as my co-worker in London calls it, a duvet day.

Split pea soup has such a warming quality to it. I think it’s the thickness of the soup combined with the earthy smell of thyme.

This is an incredibly easy recipe, and one that’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand should the mood, or a cold front, strike.

You will need

2 cups split peas
2 carrots
4 ribs of celery
1 small white onion
olive oil
salt
pepper
thyme
water

In a heavy pot, pour four cups of water, 2 cups of split peas and a few sprigs of thyme. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and let cook, covered, for about 30 minutes. You want the split peas to soften, but not dissolve.

Add the chopped carrots, celery, onion and a drizzle of olive oil. Bring the soup back to a boil, and the reduce to a simmer again, letting cook for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the thyme and, using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup.

Get out the fuzzy slippers and the flannels and watch the wind blow while you are safely warm and happy and full.

Pesto

Posted on September 27, 2013 by poulosc

Pesto is something that should be in your itty bitty city kitchen arsenal.

It’s a super simple sauce to whip up to toss over pasta or to use as a sandwich spread. Hello tomato, mozzarella and pesto for lunch!

It’s even great to set out in a bowl with some crostini for a cocktail party.

I’ve posted before about parsley pesto, but I haven’t made the traditional basil one yet.

You can make pesto out of any leafy thing really. I’ve done spinach, parsley, mint, and various combinations. On my to try list is a mushroom pesto I saw in a cook book.

I think one of the points of debate when it comes to pesto is nuts. Do you put them in at all? And what kinds do you use? The traditional approach is to add pine nuts. But I’ve also seen a lot of people use walnuts. I used pistachios in my parsley post.

I don’t really like pine nuts, so I leave them out of my basil pesto.

I love basil and I love the clean crisp taste it has, so I like to do as little to it as possible.

Basically, add a bunch of basil, two garlic cloves and some olive oil into the food processor and buzz away.

Look at that color!

Sprinkle in some parmesan and give it another quick whir and you are in business.

Boil up some water and toss in your pasta of choice. I like bow ties with pesto because the sauce can get stuck in all the little folds.

A little trick: if your pesto is too thick, add a spoonful or two of pasta water to thin it out. The starch in the water will prevent the sauce from getting too runny.

Shakshuka – Or peppers and tomatoes and fried eggs, oh my!

Posted on September 19, 2013 by poulosc

This is another dish coming to you from my kitchen courtesy of Cooking Light magazine.

Seriously the latest issue was packed with brilliant ideas and quick fix meals.

We have a fondness of eggs for dinner, so any dish that gives us a new twist on runny yolks on dinner plates is usually a winner in our book.

This one is super simple and super yummy.

You will need

1/2 a white onion, chopped,
2 green peppers, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 large can of diced tomatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
paprika
eggs

Drizzle olive oil in a large pot and toss in the onions, peppers, garlic and celery. If you look up the recipe on Cooking Light you’ll note that celery isn’t listed. Neither is tomatoes. Well, they say to use marinara. I’m making my own marinara as I go rather use store bought. Remember, it’s all about adjusting recipes to suit you.

Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and simmer over medium until the vegetables have softened.

Pour in the can of diced tomatoes and add a few sprinkles of smoked paprika. Stir and let the mixture bubble and the flavors meld for about 10 minutes.

Ladle onto plates and top with fried eggs.

Tomatoey goodness, runny yolk? Screaming for crusty bread to mop it all up.

Veggie Chili

Posted on September 12, 2013 by poulosc

The best friend of the itty bitty city kitchen is the one pot meal.

Chop everything up, throw it in a pot and let it cook away while you take a hot shower or hit the treadmill or throw things in frustration.

Hey, I don’t judge.

Soups and chilis are great, because you can throw together any old ingredients and usually come out with a pretty good meal.

That’s what I did.

I used 2 green bell peppers, 3 roma tomatoes, 1/2 a white onion, one can black beans and one can red kidney beans rinsed and drained, 1 pablano pepper, olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika.

Chop all the ingredients up so they are relatively similar in size. Drizzle olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot and toss in the peppers and onion. I wanted these to have some time to cook and soften before everything else went in.

When the onions start to brown, toss in the tomatoes and stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Last, dump in the beans and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Let this bubble away on the stove on low for twenty minutes or so.

Dish up into bowls and top with grated cheddar cheese.

A big hearty bowl of veggies to make up for the candy bar you ate earlier.

Butternut Squash Soup

Posted on September 10, 2013 by poulosc

See that. That right there is Fall.

Corn on the cob roasting on a grill, the smell wafting down 3rd avenue as you stroll down the street, checking out the jewelry, food and weird stuff on display at a street fair.

I love New York Street Fairs. Great people watching, great fun finds, and, of course, great food smells. Sausage and peppers, kettle corn, gyros, and that tinge of fall in the air. Here’s a schedule of street fairs.

Walking the street fair on Saturday and feeling that tinge of a chill when the sun started to set had me thinking fall.

And when I think fall, I think butternut squash.

This time, in soup form.

Soup itself is such a fall food. Making a soup out of such a great fall vegetable just has me ready for scarves and sweaters and tights! I’m a sucker for tights and boots.

This is a ridiculously easy recipe and it’s a great make ahead too.

You will need 1 butternut squash, 1/2 a white onion, 2 cloves of garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and vegetable stock.

Start by roasting the squash like we did when we made the pasta sauce.

Let the squash cool completely, then scoop out the flesh into a large pot. Add the onion, chopped roughly, and two cloves of garlic peeled and halved. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring so that the onions and garlic brown a bit.

Add enough vegetable broth to cover the vegetables and simmer covered until everything has softened. You can use chicken broth, too, but I wanted to keep this vegetarian.

Puree the soup with a blender or immersion blender. For a little bit of that je ne sais quoi that will have people wondering what you could have possibly put in this soup, add a sprinkle of all spice. It adds a nice complexity of flavors and a touch of warmth that is perfect for cooler fall nights.

Ladle up big bowls and top with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

This has me wanting pumpkin spice candles and cinnamon cookies.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad

Posted on September 9, 2013 by poulosc

Whenever my fiance is away for the night, I take advantage of his absence and cook the things he can’t stand. Usually it’s zucchini. Tonight it’s Brussels Sprouts!

I love brussels sprouts. I always have actually. I was that weird child who enjoyed vegetables.

So I decided to roast some up, toss them with some baby greens and top it off with two fried eggs.

A yummy, light salad, so I could snack without guilt during the Giants game.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Trim the bottoms of the brussels sprouts and remove any yellowed leaves. Toss them in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast them for about 45 minutes until the leaves are crispy and the centers and tender.

Plate up some baby greens and top with the brussels sprouts.

Add two fried eggs, yolks still runny, to the top. The olive oil and the fatty yolk will act like a dressing for the salad.

He happened to come home while I was eating. I made him try a brussels sprout. And guess what? Not bad, he said!!

So if you have any picky eaters who aren’ts fans of certain vegetables, try roasting them. It brings out the sweetness in some and gives a smokiness to others.

Posted on September 5, 2013 by poulosc

Eggplant, Tomatoes, peppers, chickpeas.

I cook with these ingredients a lot.

Sometimes all together. Sometimes in different combinations with some other vegetables thrown in. But they’re pretty standard occupiers of my fridge.

We all go to the market and we all find ourselves coming back with the same things over and over again.

There’s not an infinite number of vegetables in the world. And there’s not an infinite number of foods to be tried.

BUT!

There are infinite possibilities when it comes to flavors.

Recently I’ve been exploring an aisle in the store I usually shied away from. Instead of picking up the usual salt, pepper and dried basil, I’ve been venturing out with things like coriander and ground ginger.

Mixing spices lets you transform your vegetables. Spices can take eggplant from Italy to Morocco and to your dinner table.

And that’s what I did with this dish. I took my usual suspects of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and chickpeas and tossed them with some new spices. The result? The smoky and complex flavors of the dishes I’ve had in Moroccan restaurants.

For this dish you will need

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
olive oil
salt
pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander

Drizzle olive oil in a large pot and toss in the eggplant, seasoning with salt and pepper. Let the eggplant cook on its own for a few minutes until it starts to brown. Eggplant is like a sponge, so add more oil if it soak it all up.

Add the peppers and stir, letting them soften a bit.

Next add in the tomatoes. This is a one pot dinner that’s all about layering the flavors. The vegetables cook at different times, so by adding them in throughout the cooking process, each gets the chance to cook through without turning to mush.

Last, add in the chickpeas and the spices. Give the pot a big stir, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. This is a great dish if your significant other is going to be late because it can just hang on the stove over low heat until everyone is home.

Dish up heaping bowls and top with a scoop of tzatziki.

The noise of the city fades as the spices transport you to a far off village…

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Posted on September 4, 2013 by poulosc

I’m not one for diets and deprivation, but I’m going to be trying on a wedding dress in a few weeks, I don’t want to have a break down on the pedestal.

I want to be crying because I’m going to marry the man of my dreams in my dream dress, not because I’m a fluffy cake-topper and need to order a size up.

But still, deprived is not a word in my dictionary.

I always try to eat healthy – eating the rainbow, lots of yogurt and veggies and fruits, limiting foods from a package – but if I want a Buttercup Cupcake, I will get it.

So it’s not about giving up. It’s about eating a little smarter.

With dishes like this. A slimmed down broccoli cheddar soup.

The killer in traditional broccoli cheddar soup is the heavy cream and the cheese that’s piled on.

So when I saw this lightened up version in Cooking Light Magazine, I was stoked. Heavier on the veggies, with just a swirl of half and half to keep things creamy. I can’t do low fat cheese, so I stuck with full fat cheddar. And as always, I made a few tweaks to make it mine.

You will need

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 a white onion, chopped
1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
1 carton vegetable stock
olive oil
salt
pepper
half and half
grated cheddar

Drizzle a heavy bottomed pot with olive oil and toss in the carrot, celery and onion. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften a little. Season with salt and pepper.

Add in the broccoli.

Give the pot a big stir then add the vegetable stock. You can use chicken stock, but I wanted to keep this vegetarian.

Put a lid on the pot and let the vegetables and the stock cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the broccoli is soft.

Use an immersion blender, blender or food processor to puree the soup. Stir in a few tablespoons of half and half to give the soup a bit of a creamy hint.

Ladle big bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

There are so many vegetables in this light and healthy soup that you won’t feel the least bit guilty having a brownie later.

Itty Bitty City Kitchen

tiny kitchen, BIG CULINARY ASPIRATIONS

Tag Archives: vegetarian dinner

Christmas Quiche

Good Old Fashioned Lasagna

Split Pea Soup

Pesto

Shakshuka – Or peppers and tomatoes and fried eggs, oh my!

Veggie Chili

Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad

Broccoli Cheddar Soup