Spinach & Ham Quiche with an Olive Oil Crust

I have said this before and I'll say it again: the beauty of making a quiche is that it's a great place to use up random bits of leftovers. You know that last tablespoon of capers you can't seem to use up? Or that little hunk of blue cheese you keep meaning to use? Or the mashed potatoes you made too much of? Yeah, you can throw pretty much anything into an olive oil crust, whisk in some eggs, and bake it for a wonderful brunch or set yourself up for quick breakfasts for the week. I have even mixed in beef and broccoli from Chinese takeout leftovers

This recipe came from just that, leftovers. I slow cooked a ham hock earlier in the week for Pig Pie, and I had about a cup of chopped ham leftover. I keep frozen spinach on hand at all times as it's a great add-in for meals that are lacking in color (add it to the rice as it cooks, swirled into a plain broth, into the pot of noodles boiling, etc.).  I also had a few odds and ends of cheeses that I couldn't seem to get rid of, so I shredded the cheeses and added them to the mix as well.

That is also something wonderful about a quiche - it can be as complex or plain as you like!

Ingredients:
Olive Oil Crust: 

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Filling:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozza, parmesan, blue, gouda)
• 1 cup chopped ham (you can substitute this for leftover chicken, turkey, or sausage)
• 1/3 cup cooked spinach (thawed and drained)
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

 Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. 
2. Mix all crust ingredients in a medium bowl, using your hands or a large spoon to mix the dough together until smooth. This should come together fairly quick, dough will be soft but not sticky, just oily. Press the dough into a pie plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill the crust in the refrigerator while you assemble the filling. This is not a very firm dough, so expect it to look more rustic that perfect.
3. In a large bowl whisk the eggs lightly then stir in all of the remaining ingredients.  
4.  Remove the crust from the fridge and discard the wrap. Pour the filling into the crust (use a spoon to gently even out the filling if needed). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crust is golden and the filling has set. 

Serve warm or chilled along with condiments such as salsa, sweet chilli, sriracha, and/or Dijon. 

Slow-cooker Chicken and Asparagus with Cream Spinach

I'm moving this weekend, so for a while now I've been avoiding the grocery store and trying to make use of the random food supplies I have on hand. This started out as a way to use up a bunch of asparagus and ended up becoming a delicious dish that I am going to make again soon, because it's basic ingredients that I have on hand more often than not, and it required like 10 minutes of work. Who doesn't love that?


Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into 3 strips each
• 4 frozen spinach portions (or 1 cup thawed and drained)
• 8-10 stalks of asparagus, halved with tough ends trimmed off
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• Salt/Pepper/Cayenne to taste

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker over low heat and cook for 5-7 hours, until chicken is cooked through and cream sauce has thickened. Serve hot! It's yummy over fettuccine or spiral pasta, spooned on a bowl of steamed rice, or even in a bun!

Spanakopita

This is a really delicious recipe that is perfect for parties. I have a hard time resisting these delicate triangles, so I always make extra to keep frozen for when I have a hankerin' for them!

Yes, this is a tedious recipe, it takes time and a bit of planning on your part, but once you bite into the crispy phyllo and your mouth fills with the tangy goodness of spinach and feta, trust me, you'll be glad you made them with love.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen spinach
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 1 cup feta
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• Dried dill, pepper, cumin, and parlsey, to taste
• Phyllo dough, thawed
•  Oil for brushing

 Directions:

1. The key to this recipe is organization: prepare your work stations properly! First, finely chop the onion and garlic, set aside with the frozen spinach. Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to a shallow bowl and set it next to a large cutting board, on which you will assemble the spanakopita (now is when you should find your brush for the dough! I use an unused paintbrush). Mix the feta and cream cheese in a medium bowl, seasoning to taste with the suggested spices, set it next to the brushing oil you just prepared. 
2. Heat a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add a splash of oil and the garlic and onion. Sweat the veggies until they are translucent. Add the spinach, turn the heat to medium and cover. Let it cook for 5 minutes, then stir it and cover again. Cook 5 more minutes, then turn the heat to medium high and let it cook uncovered so the water from the spinach cooks off. 
3. Remove the spinach from the heat and add it to the cheese you prepared earlier. Mix well to combine, and add spices to taste. 
4. Unroll the phyllo dough and leave it stacked. Cut the phyllo into 2 long 3" wide stacks. Roll the uncut phyllo up and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and put it back in it's box. Leave it on the side in case you need to cut more strips of dough. Place the stacks on top of each other, then top them with a lightly damp paper towel (make sure it is thoroughly squeezed out or your dough will get soggy).
5. Working with one strip of dough at a time, begin to assemble the spanakopita. Place a strip across your cutting board or work surface horizontally and get going (hint: see the illustrations below for how to assemble these!)
1.  Lightly brush the right half of the strip with oil (you are doing this to basically seal the triangles as you finish folding them). 
2. Place a generous teaspoon of the spinach mix at the left-hand end of the strip. 
3. Take the bottom left corner and bring it up to the top of the strip to form a triangle.
4. Take the top left corner(the new point to your triangle) and fold it over to the right. Repeat folding (like a flag!!) until you have a little triangle! Repeat until you're out of spinach mix.
5. Bake at 375 F in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool a few minutes before serving because they're piping hot!