Friday Friend Recipe #188 - Quiche Lorraine

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook!

What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 19 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?

Because  one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog"
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said,  "you'll never EVER do that."
Well,  maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!

Which brings me to recipe #188

Ashley's Quiche Lorraine

Sunday morning breakfast on the patio.

Quiche and a fruit salad and coffee.

Bacon, Swiss cheese and onions mingle in perfect harmony amidst the eggs and cream in this timeless classic.

This is Ashley and this is her 6th recipe in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown.

Check out all of her recipes here (just click)

click here

Before there was blogging--or before I learned about blogging anyway-- I would print out all the Friday Friend forum correspondence and put them in binders.  Years after we stopped doing this forum I have still have it all in notebooks

(I should probably toss them, but it is so fun at times like this). 

I would usually start a theme for the week or ask a question or two and then let the conversation begin. 

There were approximately 50 of my closest friends and family -- 15 of these were great answerers and 15 were occasional answerers.  The others were sporadic.

Ashley was one of those.

For instance, I looked thru 2 big notebooks this morning trying to find an answer or some dialog that Ashley contributed.

I came across this (after skimming the notebooks for 2 hours)

She what she says in the middle of the page --  Dr. Pepper is her 'soda' of choice.

That's it -- no story.

NO story!!

She likes Dr. Pepper.

And Winnie the Pooh.

She also started the Totally Lit Book Club that I'm in.  Of course it was just called book club 18 years ago -- we added the TOTALLY LIT, about 10 years ago.

( some of them below--organizing themselves as I make them get their picture taken  )

April and I are the only original members left, we've had people come and go, but they go because they move away.  Ashley and I share a good friend, Betty, who she invited to join the book club at the very beginning--18 years ago-- and she never did -- until last summer!  I'm so happy to have her!

We all ran into each other last summer at The Griddle and I whipped out my phone to take a picture--thank goodness, as I am running out of photos of her.

By the way, she didn't have Dr. Pepper in her glass....

And that my friends is FF Recipe #188--Ashley's Quiche Lorraine

Friday Friend Recipe #127 -- Chorizo and Eggs

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook!

What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 17 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?

Because  one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog"
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said,  "you'll never EVER do that."
Well,  maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!

Which brings me to recipe #127 The Handyman's Chorizo and Eggs

First of all, let me give you the recipe.....

A few things:

1. The 'soft' kind would be Mexican Chorizo.

2. The Handyman never gets this fancy, he just fries up the chorizo and adds the eggs, scrambles them altogether. (correction, he just told me he always adds milk to his eggs.)

3. And as our editor/publisher , Barbara Brown asks:  How did HE get in this book?

Chorizo?

is a type of pork sausage.  Traditionally, it uses natural casings made from intestines, a method used since Roman times.

Spanish and Basque Chorizo is firm like salami---you can slice it and serve with crackers and cheese or THE BEST way is to grill them and have them at your Weinerfest!  (which is a hot dog party I have ever summer)

But Mexican Chorizo---  the Mexican versions of chorizo are made from fatty pork, but beef, venison, chicken, kosher, turkey, and even tofu and vegan versions are made. The meat is usually ground (minced) rather than chopped, and different seasonings are used. This type is better known in Mexico and other parts of the Americas, including the border areas of the United States, and is not frequently found in Europe

(I am quoting Wikipedia)

This is what we use:

Chorizo con huevos is a popular breakfast dish in Mexico and areas of the USA with Mexican immigration. It is made by mixing fried chorizo with scrambled eggs

(again with the Wikipedia)

We like it very much---it's easy, kind of spicy and good.   And of course, anything the Handyman cooks is good, because I can just relax and not worry about doing the work!

It's always been a family favorite, but especially for our Grandson Eli.  Eli is very picky, but for some reason he LOVES chorizo and eggs.   Now--- get this--he doesn't like eggs.  Won't touch them.  In any way or form--except when his Granddad makes chorizo and eggs.  He requests it every time he visits us and has also helped crack the eggs into the pan.  But when asked if he wants an egg (scrambled, fried or hardboiled) he makes a gagging sound.

You must add the spiciness to the eggs for them to be any good!

It's true!  He is picky, but he loves spicy stuff.

I took these photos of Eli and his twin sister Emerson over a year ago...on New Year's day.  I had to document everyone's  First book of the year.  We had Chorizo and Eggs the same morning.

One of my most favorite Eli stories is this conversation between he and his mom --  she sent this:

Eli: I'm playing tic-tac-toe with the stars.

Me: Are you winning?

Eli: I won the first game.

I have no idea how one plays tic-tac-toe with the stars, but as we drove home in the dark night and Eli would occasionally shout "3 in a row" the sentiment seemed both innocent and poetic. May he always play with the stars.

I, too, hope he always plays with the stars!

Recipe #127 down,  171 to go!

Friday Friend Recipe #71 Family Occasion Quiche

Friday Friend Recipe #71: Family Occasion Quiche

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook: I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county). At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 15 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions, exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts, had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.

AND, we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

I was looking at the cookbook the other night and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman--who knows me better than I know myself (this happened to be a question on the Friday Friend forum once---does your spouse/partner know you better than you know yourself?)--said, "you'll never, EVER do that."
WELL---maybe I'll show him! Maybe I will.

Which brings me to this... recipe #71

Theda's

Family Occasion Quiche

When I make a dish for the countdown, I don't just do it for the countdown, I am usually having people over at the same time.

Sometimes---okay, most times----it's very difficult to entertain AND take pictures for a blog post.

And that is why my pictures are not the greatest.  They are not 'staged'.  They are set down in front of company and I whip out my camera and say "excuse me, I just need  little photo of this."

Most of my friends are used to this by now, but  once in a while, I will come across a friend---usually a husband of a friend, who  doesn't understand what I'm doing and  he will get a look of weird confusion on his face, as I am photographing the meatloaf, or quiche in this instance.

The reason I am pointing this out is because of the color design in the photos.  My red checked table cloth and my green and yellow polka-dot plate.

Great combination!

Oh...and burnt bacon.  If I staged, I would never have burnt bacon in the photo.

It actually wasn't really as burnt as it looks---it was a sweet bacon with a sprinkling of brown sugar on it, but it did get very, very brown.

Pretend you don't see it and just look at the quiche instead.

MMMMMMmmmm!

The reason I had people over for this was---that I had a BONUS book club.  I wanted to read and discuss "Station Eleven", and it wasn't my turn in ANY of my book clubs.

So, I invited them all to read this book and then to brunch.

I will post about that soon.

I served this delicious quiche from my friend Theda!

Are people snobby when it comes to quiche? Well if so, you can certainly be snobby about this one, because it's SO GOOD.

Everybody said so.  Even the Handyman, who gets the leftovers.



Family Occasion Quiche

FF Theda  Pansevisius

Tualatin, OR

crust:  1 cup flour

1 cube softened butter ( 1 stick, 1/2 cup)

1 softened 3 oz pkg cream cheese

Mix together and press into pie pan

quiche:  8oz grated jack cheese

8oz grated swiss cheese

8 slices bacon (crisped and crumbled)

1 bunch of sliced green onions

3/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs slightly beaten

Mix together and spoon evenly into crust.  Baked until completely brown on top, at 375F for about  30-35 minutes.

**you can add any of the following:

crab

shrimp

ham

cooked broccoli

aspargus

(why didn't I pull the plastic wrap off the brown sugar?)

(I told you---it's more about the friends than the food/blog/photos, right?)

And now, you get to meet Theda! Again!

This will be her 11th entry in the Friday Friend Cookbook (see all her recipes here), atho we haven't seen her since June 10th.

I wonder what she has been doing?

Oh...maybe camping?

At the coast?*

*on the west coast we say we are going to the beach or the coast.  We don't say shore.

My friend in PA always says shore....they went to the shore.

I love regional differences.

Here is something I envy. ENVY.

Theda and John have gone camping with the same group of friends on the same weekend in August for well over 25 years.

They are now on the 3rd generation of campers.

The Handyman and I will do something for a few years and then for some reason, it fades away and we will reminisce about how much we liked that. Not so with Theda-- she makes that weekend happen!

I think they just have a standard reservation at their favorite campground and whoever can show up shows up.

I don't think they've missed a weekend in the past 25 years.

Here are a few pics of  a different camping trip---  a trip to the coast.

The Oregon coast.

The best coast in my humble opinion.

I don't know what she's making there in her trailer --- it could be this quiche!

Does it look like it?

It was a great quiche!

Friday Friend Recipe #39 and Book Club Brunch

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook:   I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county).  At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 15 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions,  exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts,  had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.

AND,  we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

Which brings me to this... recipe #39

Theda's

Eggs for a Gang

Lit Wits Book club, Saturday,  January 31st

Where I served up Eggs for a Gang, made by my good friend Theda.

I make this dish all the time.

It's good.  Even people who don't love egg dishes love this one.

read on.....

I love this napkin.

I have no idea how I ended up with these napkins, but I hosted book club on Saturday morning and when I opened my 'place-mat, napkin, coaster' drawer  they they were.

I don't remember purchasing them.

The Book Club Fairy must have come in the middle of the night.

In my 'Lit Wit's book club,  we really couldn't drink anyone under the table, we just get drunk with those scintillating book discussions!

Except of course, on those rare occasions, that happen about once a year --- it takes us by surprise and we get tipsy.

(see Hurricane Sisters)

(see Flight Behavior )

Anyway, everyone thought they were very funny.

Thank you book club fairy!!

Our book was "The Boston Girl" by Anita Diamant.

Lit Wits consensus?  The majority liked it with a couple dissenting opinions, who thought it was just okay.

I, myself, liked it.

On Goodreads I wrote this:

It's all about life! Looking back on a lifetime. It was just a really nice book.

It was--- Just a really nice book.

I loved the evolution of women during the course of the book.

The Lit Wits group is the one where we do a dinner also, or in this case a brunch.

I served:

Bloody Mary's and Mimosas

Cheesecake-Berry Parfits

Cinnamon Coffee cake

Oven-baked bacon  (not shown)

and

Eggs for a Gang

As I said above---even my friend  Robin said  "I'll try this. I don't usually care for egg dishes"

Then she said
"this is good. And I don't usually like eggs" 

(she had to repeat herself so I would KNOW how much she didn't usually like eggs, BUT did LIKE this dish, which just goes to show--

it is really good)

Eggs for a Gang

Theda Pansevicius

Tualatin, OR

1 dozen eggs

2 cans creamed corn

2 cans (4oz) diced green chilies

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix all together and put in a lightly greased 13x9 pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

And now, I will, introduce you to my oldest and bestest friend Theda!

I guess 'introduce' is not correct as I've done recipes by her before.

(to see them all click here)

Here is her picture and a story about her....or a fact about her.  

Hmmmm...

We both worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken (now known only as KFC) for a whole year while in high school.

We wore red polyester tops and pants and white nurses shoes, and red and white striped aprons.

And sadly-- we smelled like grease all the time.

Fat, deep fried, chicken grease.

Theda and the Handyman a couple years ago.

Brunch Puffs

Easter is coming up fast, and if you do a big Easter breakfast or brunch at your house, these eggs are  the  perfect thing!

It's  not so much that these scrambled eggs inside a cream puff are any more tasty than your own scrambled eggs, but presented inside a cream puff just makes them a little bit more special.  And together, everything tastes great. 
I even want to have company for breakfast!  And that's saying something, because I like my 'alone time' in the morning, but these are worth showing off.

I found this recipe in  The "Taste of Home"  Spring's Best magazine--found at a friendly grocery store near you--and bookmarked a bunch of recipes to try.  This was the first one, so we're off to a good start.

As I said, you can very well use your own scrambled egg recipe if you want to, but add some cheese or something.  Ham, bacon, sausage?
You could really use whatever you want.

Here's what they suggest:

Brunch Puffs
Judy Gochenour, Logan UT via Taste of Home

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil.  Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms.  Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  Beat until mixture is smooth and shiny.
I 'beat' by hand---doesn't everyone when making cream puffs?

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack.   Split puffs open and discard the tops.   Set aside.

1/2 cup green pepper (or red, or both) chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used purple)
1 T. butter
8 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup chopped fully cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, saute peppers and onion in butter until tender.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper.  Add to skillet, stirring over medium heat until almost done.  Add ham and cheese, stir until eggs are set.
Spoon into puffs.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy your Easter!

Mexican Scrambled Eggs (for the day after)

If you partied a little too hardy yesterday   If your Cinco de Mayo party lasted long into the night, and you woke with a little headache?   If you are feeling just a tad bit 'off',  then you should really try these  Mexican Scrambled Eggs.

You might be asking yourself right now, Hmmmm, Debbie, why do you say that?
Well, it isn't just because I'm participating  In  I Heart Cooking Clubs, featuring  Rick Bayless, who does  Mexican excelente.  No, it is because I know first hand.  Or second hand....they're just good for what ails you.  After you finish reading this to the very end, go check out   I Heart Cooking Clubs to see everyone's  Cinco de Mayo, feasts.  But you have to read all the way to the end first.   Go check them out....just don't go now.  Have a bit of patience, will ya.
Read mine first.

I first had these eggs at my son's house on the morning after my granddaughter's 2nd birthday  (just last fall).  My daughter-in-law woke up and said she didn't feel so hot (nothing serious, just  a headache ), so she was going to make some eggs. She asked if we wanted any.  At first I said no, but when she began chopping and dicing and heating tortillas...then they pulled out the Tapito, I KNEW I had to have some.
They tasted so good.  SO GOOD.  And they're nothing fancy.  Just a little bit of an ethnic twist on home cooking.

WHICH brings me back to Rick Bayless and the cookbook I own  (the only one),  Mexican Everyday.      I guess this cookbook  must really be what he touts it to be....every day kind of cooking!    In it, I found the recipe for the eggs.  He says  that his book is " a book of simple foundation recipes from the Mexican kitchen."  He goes on to say that "no doubt all of you, at one time or another, have enjoyed a big forkful of scrambled eggs shot through with Mexican Spirit!"
He's got that right!
So in the Mexican Spirit,  I present Mexican Scrambled eggs.  

Oh..but.....
Eggs. Scrambled.  They don't lend themselves to great photographs.   They're all..... scrambly.

Oh well, they taste good!

Mexican Scrambled Egg Tacos

or

Tacos de Huevos Revueltos a la Mexican

adapted from Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday

3 garlic cloves

Fresh hot green chilies to taste  (Rick uses 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno.  I used the jalapeno),  stemmed and seeded, if you wish (I did wish) and cut into 3 or 4 pieces.  (I diced them)  (I also added some chopped red bell pepper)

1 medium white onion  (I used half a purple onion)

2 T vegetable or olive oil, fresh pork lard or bacon or chorizo drippings (I used oil and butter)

1 pound (2 med tomatoes), cored and cut into cubes

8 eggs

salt

cilantro

avocado

corn tortillas

hot sauce for serving

 Chop veggies chilies and onion and garlic, saute in oil for a few minutes, add tomatoes and cook until liquid is absorbed--about  4 minutes.  Add eggs and scramble slowly, until they are as done as you'd like.

Scoop into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the cilantro and avocado.

Serve with warm tortillas and hot sauce.

*******************************************

Thank to my beautiful daughter-in-law, Mara!

They're great eggs!!  I am totally in love with them.

And one of the cutest mouses ever!!  My granddaughter, Cassie.