Just like those cheesy radio ads for ‘bama night clubs on the late-night R&B stations, this menu is for the “grown and sexy…” *giggle* Actually, kidding aside, it’s for anyone looking for a romantic meal with a heavy wow factor and very little actual labor involved. The kind of dinner you want to throw together when your anniversary falls on a weeknight and you can’t jet your loved one off to Paris mid-week. Or if you’re looking to treat a foodie friend to something impressive, but are a little nervous wielding a knife in front of them. This menu is as confident as you’ll be puttering around the kitchen, attending to perfectly seasoned dishes for the steamiest of affairs. And it’s up to you whether you choose to play Coltrane or Chaka Khan in the background – that’s for you and your date du jour to figure out. Continue reading Bistro Menu for Beginners
Tag Archives: quiche
Green and Gold Quiche (Quiche Florentine with Mushrooms)
I tend to hold on to recipes that have a “more the merrier” quality – this is certainly one of them. If mushroom quiche is delicioso, and Quiche Florentine is equally lovely, what happens when you put the two together. This recipe is based on one of my favorite omlettes, Elephant and Castle’s Green and Gold. It combines gently cooked eggs with spinach and sharp white cheddar – I let my eggs cook delicately in the oven and add mushrooms for a little more veggie action. It’s so delicious and so very easy, and you don’t have to stand over a pan to cook it.
All cheddars aren’t created equal, and in this recipe, you want as sharp as you can get it. Sharp cheeses are good in that you can use less cheese to impart flavor, saving you calories in the process. I use a good artisinal cheddar, but in a pinch, you could grab some Cracker Barrel Vermont Sharp White Cheddar and go from there. Continue reading Green and Gold Quiche (Quiche Florentine with Mushrooms)
Quiche Lorraine
Real men don’t eat quiche? Garbage. Since when do men not like bacon, eggs and cheese in portable form? Quiche Lorraine is the ultimate symbol of breakfast majesty – it’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night trips to the fridge when you want a bite of a little something savory. I’m all for serving this quiche with a plate of mixed greens (maybe in some Tarragon Lemon dressing?) but in actuality, I end up eating it still in the kitchen over the pan after it’s cooled to room temperature. I’ll pass on standing on ceremony – if it’s good, I’m tucking in.
This quiche recipe is incredibly versatile – if you’re so inclined, replace the 1 1/2 c. of ham with whatever filling you’d like. For you vegetarian lovelies out there, try mushrooms, spinach, swiss chard, shallots – anything you put in an omlette can go in a quiche. In fact, for a vegetarian delight, try my Green and Gold Quiche, a tasty blend of mushrooms, spinach, shallots and sharp white cheddar. It’s not at all traditional, but equally grubworthy as this Quiche Lorraine. Continue reading Quiche Lorraine