Whether or not you like it, the holidays are fast approaching. It's time to start thinking about what you'll bring to the table, a new recipe you've been wanting to try or a spin on a traditional favorite. I happen to be old school, I like Thanksgiving to be exactly what I was used to growing up. That means cornbread stuffing, pecan pie, and cranberry sauce from a can. Anytime I try to mix things up it has a tendency to go wrong, like last year when I decided to make an Italian bread stuffing, it was dry and tasted like cardboard. When you cook for a living and write a food blog people expect to be wowed but alas, that doesn't always happen.
The most important thing about Thanksgiving is being with people you love and care about. Sometimes the pressures of family and dramas of past events can make us dread the annual get together, but imagine what life would be like without those crazy people in our lives… Very lonely and empty. Because no matter how crazy your family is they are there when things go right and when things go wrong and we all need a support system when things in our lives don't go according to plan. And lets be honest, things rarely go according to plan.
Recent events in my life have made me value kindness and generosity in a new light. Practicing kindness and generosity early and often is the kind of person I would like to become. Living in a big city it's easy to become calloused and hostile. "Excuse me" and "thank you" are hard to choke out when so many people seem oblivious to their surroundings. It's easy to forget your manners when you know you'll never see that person again and even if you do you would never remember the face of that pregnant woman you didn't give up your seat for on the bus.
Why is it that only when faced with the loss of something we realize its value? I come to expect most people in the city to ignore me so when someone holds open a door and waits for me I feel touched. When someone asks if I need help when I look lost without me having to ask it makes me have a renewed faith in human kind. We are all in this together and we can't go it alone.
This is my first post without any accompanying pictures but circumstances have prevented me from writing this post without my usual cadre of supplies. So I will share a recipe with you that you will just have to make yourself to see how delicious it looks and tastes.
I have made many pie crusts in my time and I am always dissatisfied with the outcome. It always takes too much time and energy for something that rarely comes out right because baking is just not my forte. This recipe for a quiche with a homemade crust has reinvented homemade pie crusts for me. It's super simple and turns out great every time. It's inherently better than a store bought crust and once you try it I bet you'll never go back. The fillings I like best are simple vegetables like broccoli and leeks, but you could certainly add bacon, chicken, tomatoes, the possibilities are really endless. Just make sure that when filling up your pie crust with the filling that you don't over do it and add too much so that it spills over in the oven. If you have liquid left over, just discard it. Your oven will thank you later.
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Chrystal
Quiche Crust
Makes two 9 inch pie crusts
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup cold water
Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl mix flour and salt. In a small bowl whisk oil and water together. Pour the liquid into the dry mixture and mix with a fork until a dough ball is formed.
Divide the dough ball in half and using your fingers press into a 9 inch pie dish. Prick with a fork and pre-bake for 5 minutes. Add quiche filling and continue to bake.
Quiche Filling
2 T oil
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cups cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard, red pepper flakes
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and stir until translucent. Add broccoli and cook until it turns a vibrant green and still retains its shape.
In a medium bowl add eggs, milk, and spices and whisk until incorporated.
If there is any liquid in your veggie mixture make sure you drain it well. Add veggies to your pre baked pie crust. Pour egg mixture on top and sprinkle the top with cheese.
Bake for 40 minutes or until its set in the middle. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
