Basic Vegetable Quiche

From Swiss chard season (early summer) to winter squash season (late fall) this is always a hit at our pot-lucks. We have included two easy pastry recipes and have only tested this with homemade pastry in standard 9-inch glass or enamel pie plates. If you want to use commercial 9-inch frozen crusts, choose deep-dish and it will be just fine, but you may need to butter a custard cup or two to bake the excess filling because they are always smaller.
Makes 6 servings
Pastry for 9-inch single-crust pie, recipes follow
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped green or yellow onions
3 cups prepared vegetable, see Note
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Jarlsberg, Swiss, or your favorite cheese
Prepare pie crust. On a floured board, roll out pastry to make an 11-inch round; fit into a standard 9-inch pie plate. Fold edge over and flute.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in prepared vegetable and cook until hot through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, thyme, and black pepper. Beat eggs until frothy in a medium bowl; brush a little egg over the bottom of the pie crust. Beat the half-and-half into the remaining eggs. Layer half of the cheese, the vegetable mixture, and the remaining cheese into the pie crust. Pour the cream mixture over all.
Bake quiche until center appears set when pie plate is gently tapped, 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside 5 minutes before cutting.
Note: Almost any vegetable or mixture of vegetables can be used in a quiche. If you are using asparagus, broccoli, celery, eggplant, fresh corn, bell peppers, summer squash, mushrooms, or zucchini, they should be sliced, added to the skillet raw, and sautéed with the onions. Carrots, green or yellow beans, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or winter squash should be parboiled and drained thoroughly before adding. Greens such as arugula, beet greens, collards, kale, mustard, spinach, Swiss chard, or turnip greens should be steamed, simmered or stir-fried until wilted, thoroughly drained, and coarsely chopped before adding.

Curry Coconut Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. 
2. Place a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add red pepper flakes, zest, garlic, and curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
3. Add the coconut-milk mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 1/2 minutes. Add basil. Pour into a bowl.

Rosemary and Lavender Baby Taters

Level:Intermediate      Servings:4    Cook Time:20 min.  Ready in:1 hr. 15 min

Ingredients:

1 pound mixed baby potatoes (Red Bliss, Viking Purple, Yukon Gold or Fingerling)

1 tablespoon good quality fruity olive oil

2 drops culinary grade rosemary essential oil (or 3/4 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves)

3 drops culinary grade lavender essential oil

1 clove garlic

3/4 teaspoon sea salt for divided use

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash potatoes with cold water and dry on paper towels. Place on small baking sheet; set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, rosemary essential oil, and lavender essential oil; set aside.

Mince garlic well and sprinkle with a bit of the sea salt. Cream the garlic into a smooth paste by using the side of your chef's knife and pressing the garlic against the cutting board; the salt will act as an abrasive.

Scrape up garlic and stir into the oil. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the oil over the potatoes and season with remaining salt and pepper.

Toss potatoes on baking sheet until well coated. Roast in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Remove from oven and toss with the remaining teaspoon of oil and finely chopped parsley before serving.

Another great recipe: Lentil Soup

Sweet Beet Salad

Level:Easy Servings: 4 Cook Time:30 min.   Ready in:1 hr. 45 min.

Ingredients

5-6 beets

2 cups water

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into thin half moons

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Bring beets and water to a boil.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool.

Remove beet skins.

Cut beets in half and then into thin half moons.

Combine beets with red onion.

Mix dill, lemon, olive oil and sea salt. Coat beet salad and marinate for 45 minutes.

Transfer to a platter or bowl and serve.

Blueberry Protein Smoothie (Organic)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Cashew Milk (or half water/half milk if you want to reduce calories)

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP Agave

1 tsp chocolate Stevia

1 1/2 cup Blueberries

1 TBSP goji berries

1 scoop Protein Powder

1 TBSP Raw Cacao shavings

1 TBSP Golden Flax seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp Maca

1/2 cup Baked yam skins and all (or banana)

3/4 cup raw Spinach Leaves (here's your iron)

1 tsp hemp seeds

Add all ingredients in order without spinach leaves and hemp to blender

Blend for 5-10 seconds

Add spinach and blend until smooth

Pour into a glass and sprinkle hemp seeds on top for a crunchy topper!

Add hemp seeds to the top

Cashew Milk

Ingredients:

2 c raw organic cashews

Water

3 Tbsp Agave

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup ice

Steps:

Add raw cashews in blender

Fill blender with water to cover cashews 2 inch higher than level of cashews

Add Agave, vanilla and blender slow to high for about 30 seconds

Add 1/2 cup of ice to chill the milk

Tortilla Soup

• 3 roma tomatoes, halved
• ½ large carrot, peeled
• ¼ ripe avocado, peeled
• 2 - ½" x ½" cubes jalapeño jack cheese or sharp cheddar, optional
• 2 layers of quartered onion, approx. 2 Tbsp
• 4 sprigs of cilantro
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 2 cups hot water
• Optional add-ins: Tortilla chips, black beans, corn or chicken

Add all ingredients except for chips, beans, corn and chicken to the WildSide or Basic pitcher in the order listed above and secure lid. Press "Soups". Add other optional ingredients press "Pulse" 3-5 times to blend in chips, beans, corn or chicken to create a chunky soup.

Chocolate Ice Cream

• 3/4 cup nondairy creamer
• 6 Tablespoons instant chocolate milk
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 24 ice cubes made of milk

Place all ingredients except ice cubs in blender jar in order listed. Secure lid on top. Press button #2 (cycle 10). When cycle is finished, add ice cubes and press button #3 (cycle 15). Note: add ice cubes 2 at a time until it reaches preferred consistency.

Margarita Punch

1 bottle corona beer
1 frozen can limeade
2 cans 7 up
1 cup tequila

Mix limeade and tequila well in the pampered chef quik-stir pitcher.
Add Corona and 7up
Plunge/mix a couple times and it will fizz up
Serve over ice.

A play on margaritas – very simple and refreshing!

Palak Paneer

Ingredients                        
2 lbs Frozen spinach
1 tbsp chana dal soaked in water for about an hour
1 onion diced
1 onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1 inch ginger
1 garlic clove
1 Green chili
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp Cumin
200 gms paneer cubed and shallow fried
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
Few drops of lime juice

1) In a pressure cooker add spinach, chana dal, diced onions,chili, tomatoes, ginger and garlic clove with little water. Cook it till 1 whistle. DO NOT OVER COOK.
2) Once cooled mash the mixture with hand mixer. Keep it aside.
3) In kadhai heat oil and temper it with cumin.
4) Add chopped onions. Saute till transparent.
5) Pour the palak mixture on heated oil and jeera.
6) Add garam masala and cook for another 2 min.
7) Add fried paneer and salt
8) Finish the recipe with adding heavy cream and chopped coriander
9) Once the flame is turned off sprinkle few drops of lime juice to give the extra touch

Chicken Biryani

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 lbs of chicken*
4 tbs biryani masala or Kachha Masala
11/2 cups Basmati Rice,washed
1/2tsp black cumin (shaha jeera)
1 inch cinnamon stick 3
2-3 green cardamoms
1/2 cup skim milk
few strands of saffron soaked in milk
Extra cashews to garnish
Deep fried onion chips
yellow food color
Raisins to garnish
Unsalted butter or ghee
2 thinly sliced onions

                     
*In india we use whole chicken, but you can substitute this with skinless, boneless chicken cut into big pieces
                                             
Homemade Marinate Ingredients
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
1 black cardamom
15-20 black pepper
tsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp shaha jeera
2 1/2tbsp grated ginger
garlic
coriander leaves
chopped green chilies paste
2/3 cup plain yougurt
2 Tbs tomato paste.
1 tsp chili powder (this you can adjust according to your spice level)


Chicken Recipe
1) Mix all the ingredients of marinate and marinate the chicken at least for 2 hours.
2) In pan add about 1 table spoon of butter or ghee and saute the marinated chicken for couple of min. Cover the pan and let the chicken cook on slow flame. The required consistencey of the chicken for this recipe is of curry not soupy.

                                                 
Rice Recipe
1) Wash rice with water, rinse and keep aside for 2 hours.
2) Heat oil or ghee in the pan.
3) Add bayleaf,cumin,cinamon stick,cardamoms and rice.
4) Add 3 cups of hot water and enough salt to the rice.
5) once all the water is evaporated from the rice turn the flame off
6) Split the rice in two parts in two diffrent plates.
7) In one part add the mix of milk saffron and yellow color and gently mix the rice
                       
How to layer the Biryani
1) In the heavy bottom container add oil adnd layers of onions.
2) Add the layer of white rice on the top
3) The second layer will be of chicken
4) Arrange top layer of yellow saffron flavored rice
5) Layer of deep fried onions,cashews and raisins.
6) Make little holes in the layered rice and pour ghee or butter in it..
7) Cover and steam

Vegatable Cutlets

Ingredients:
1) 1/2 cup green peas boiled and mashed
2) 1/4 cup grated carrot
3) 1/4 cup grated cabbage
4) 1/4 cup finely chopped green beans
5) 6-7 medium sized potatoes boiled and mashed
6) 1/4 cup grated beet root ( optional)
7) 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger and garlic and 1 tsp of chopped green chilies
8) 1 tbsp Pav bhaji masala or 1/2 tbsp of Garam masala
9) 1 tsp Chaat masala
10) 2 tsp lemon/lime juice
11) Handful of chopped coriander
12) 1 Tbsp corn starch
13) Samolina or bread crumbs for coating
14) Oil for shallow frying


Recipe :
1) In pan heat 1tbsp oil and saute chopped garlic, ginger and green chilies
2) Saute all the veggies except potatoes starting with carrot and cabbage since it takes longer to cook.
3) Add all the dry masalas and let it cook for a min.
4) Add constarch 
5) Add salt and mashed potatoes.
6) Turn off the heat and then add lemon juice.
7) Once the stuffing is cooled down make cutlets in any shape you like, most popular is 'HEART'
8) Coat each cutlet with either semolina or breadcrumbs and shallow fry till golden brown.
9) Garnish with salad leaves and onion rings and serve with Green chutney or tomato ketchup.
You can add any other veggies of your choice like grated zuccini,spinach, even arugula.

Amritsari Aloo

A curried dish of potatoes from Northen part of India

Serves 2-4

Ingredients :

1) 10 to 12 Baby potatoes
2) 8oz can of crushed tomatoes
3) 1 tsp Fennel seeds ( Saunf)
4) 1/2 tsp Onion seeds ( Kalonji)
5) 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds ( Methi seeds)
6) 1 tsp Red chilli powder
7) 1 tsp Paprika
8) 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
9) 1/2 tsp Coriander powder ( optional)
10) 1/2 cup chopped corainder
11) 8-10 Curry leaves
) 1/4 cup chopped onion
13) 4 tbsp oil
14) Salt to taste

Instructions:
1) Boil the potatoes. If using 12 potatoes, keep 8 potatoes whole and mash the remaining four.
2) In sauce pan heat oil and add saunf,methi seeds, curry leaves, kalonji. Do not burn the spices.
3) Add the onions and saute the onions till golden brown.
4) Add rest of the spices except salt and corinder leaves.
5) stir fry for a min and then add crushed tomatoes.
6) Once the gravy gets little dry add potatoes and about 2-3 cups of water. Bring it to a boil
7) Add salt and chopped coriander and let it boil for another 5 to 10 min.

Vermicilli Khir

An indian dessert with roasted noodles

Ingredients :
1) 1 cup store bought roasted vermicilli ( Bambino brand)
2) 3 cups whole milk ( half and half for thicker version of the recipe)
3) 1 tsp Ghee ( clarified butter)
4) 1/2 tsp cardamom powder or 5 to 6 cardamom pods deseeded and crushed
5) 1 tbsp sliced almonds
6) 1 tbsp golden raisins
7) 1/2 tsp Saffron

Recipe :
1) Heat the milk in the microwave for about 10 min.
2) While the milk is boiling in the heavy bottom pan add 1 tsp of ghee and roast the vermicillis just less then a min.                    
DO NOT OVER ROAST SINCE THEY ARE ALREADY ROASTED. Over roasting of vermicills will change their color and  will taste bitter.
3) Pour the milk with saffron on the vermicills and stir.
4) When the milk starts boiling, lower the heat and add sugar. Be careful while adding the sugar since the milk will splatter.
5) Once all the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat.
6) Add almonds and cardamom powder once the Khir cools down.