culinary review
   
   
Homemade Granola
Bloody Mary Cocktail Homemade Bisquits How To Make Scrambled Eggs
Buttermilk Waffles How To Boil An Egg How To Brew Tea Basic Scones
Fried Egg Sandwich Homemade Coffee Mocha Crispy Hashbrown with Fried Eggs Perfect Crepes

Quiche

Last Modified: 12/27/15
First Published: 12/27/15
Views: 1461
Views: 1461

We got inspired to make this quiche after watching the movie "The Waitress". Even though we had mixed feelings about the movie, the pies in it looked fabulous, and we particularly got interested in this one, which the lead character named "I Don't Want Earl's Baby Pie." She laid soft Brie cheese and smoked ham in a dough-covered dish and poured over the egg batter in a sunny kitchen and even though we didn't get to see the end-result, the idea of Brie and smoked ham quiche stuck, and here we are.

The result was very good. The cheese and the ham gave nice body and flavor, we made a flaky crust and a very rich batter (don't try to calculate the amount of calories, just enjoy it...) and it all came together wonderfully. Our pie dish was a little too small so we placed the rest of the batter in some individual ramekins and cooked with some Brie and ham as well. To go with this brunch-like dinner we drank mimosas and served fresh fruit on the side.

Ingredients:

  • Nice chunk of Brie cut in about 10 slices
  • Smoked ham, about 1 cup diced
  • 1/4 onion, chopped

Egg batter:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 pint of heavy cream
  • Salt, pepper, and nutmeg
  • 1 batch of pie dough (listed below)

Method:

Roll the pie dough out and place in a pie dish. Blind bake the dough in a 425 degree oven for 1o min, preferably with some uncooked beans in it to push it down. Sautee the onion and the ham. Take the pie dough out of the oven, and place the Brie slices on top, add the ham and onions, pour the batter over. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 min. Let it cool down for about 20 min before cutting it open.

 

One batch of pie dough:

  • 6 tablespoons butter, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons Crisco, chilled
  • 6 ounces (approximately 1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 cup ice water, or less

Method:

Cut butter and Crisco into small cubes and chill for 10 minutes or so. In the food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add butter and Crisco and pulse 10 times. Remove lid of food processor and add ice water. Replace lid and pulse a few times until it holds together. Place the dough in a zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.


Honey Vanilla Granola with Seeds, Nuts & Fruit

Last Modified: 01/04/12
First Published: 01/04/12
Views: 643
Views: 643

click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 36
Total Cost: $7.29
Cost Per Serving: $0.20
Total Calories: 5,749
Calories/Serving: 160
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Oats, Old Fashioned 3 Cups 240.00 Grams $0.98 900
Sunflower Seeds, Hulled 1 Cup 151.52 Grams $0.51 1,000
Pumpkin Seeds 1/2 Cup 80.00 Grams $0.44 456
Flax Seeds 1/4 Cup 36.00 Grams $0.04 187
Almonds, Whole 1 1/2 Cup 213.00 Grams $1.88 1,232
Honey 1/3 Cup 110.88 Grams $0.99 317
Vegetable Oil 1/2 Cup 112.00 Grams $0.25 960
Extract, Vanilla Pure 2 Teaspoons 8.67 Grams $0.42 25
Water 1/4 Cup 56.75 Grams $0.00 0
Salt, Table 1 Teaspoon 6.00 Grams $0.01 0
Raisins, Seedless 1 Cup 165.00 Grams $0.79 493
Cranberries 1 Cup 56.00 Grams $1.00 180
Making homemade granola is so simple to do and the result is beyond tasty; there really is no reason at all to buy store-bought granola ever again! This recipe features lots of seeds, nuts, raisins and cranberries and is sweetened and flavored by honey and vanilla.

All in all, this is a lovely recipe that isn't super sweet or too strongly flavored, instead it strikes a delicate and crunchy balance and is great to eat everyday with yogurt or milk.

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups of old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds (not roasted)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed
  • 1 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup cranberries
Method:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed and almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, vegetable oil, water, vanilla and salt. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir well to incorporate evenly. Distribute the mix on a sheet pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Take out several times and stir to evenly brown, especially at the end be careful and stir so you don't end up burning the edges.

Take out, let cool and mix with the raisins and cranberries. Store in an airtight container.

Cheese Souffle - Cheese Pouf

Last Modified: 06/17/11
First Published: 01/16/09
Views: 968
Views: 968

Cheese Souffle - Cheese Pouf

click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 8
Total Cost: $4.13
Cost Per Serving: $0.52
Total Calories: 2,538
Calories/Serving: 317
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Bread, White (8 - 10 slices) * 8.00 Ounces $0.57 454
Cheddar Cheese * 8.00 Ounces $1.76 914
Butter, Unsalted (melted) 1/4 Cup 56.00 Grams $0.25 400
Eggs, Chicken (6 eggs) * 300.00 Grams $1.00 468
Milk, Whole 2 Cups 480.00 Grams $0.48 300
Black Pepper, Ground 1/2 Teaspoon 1.07 Grams $0.01 3
Mustard Powder 3/4 Teaspoons 1.20 Grams $0.05 0
Salt, Kosher 1 Teaspoon 4.80 Grams $0.01 0

This dish has a very interesting texture, like a savory bread pudding. Usually we have this for special occassions like brunch or sometimes for dinner. Serve with sparkling wine and orange juice in a cocktail glass.

I like to beat the eggs and milk with salt, pepper and mustard first. Then I layer cheese & bread in a 3 qt casserole dish . This recipe also works if you make it the day before and cook it in the morning. Perfect to have it all prepared when you wake up! This recipe makes a nice addition for a brunch, perhaps served with bacon or sasuage. source

Ingredients:

  • 8 slices white bread - no crusts
  • 8 oz cheese (cheddar)
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 6 eggs beaten
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 3/4 tsp dry mustard
  • 2 cups milk

Method:

Beat the eggs and milk with salt, pepper and mustard. Layer bread and cheese in a 3 qt casserole dish and pour the egg mixture over.

Bake in a 350 F degree oven for 30 minutes covered with foil. After that period, remove the foil and cook for another 30 minutes uncovered.

Update: I used both whole-grain white & whole wheat bread, cheddar cheese & I increased the temperature to 375F for the last 30 minutes.

How To Make Perfect French Toast (Poor Knights)

Last Modified: 02/12/11
First Published: 11/27/07
Views: 5253
Views: 5253
French toast is perfect to serve for breakfast, brunch or a light lunch. This recipe is quitefrench_toast nice and produces a crisp outside and custardy inside. It is best to use day-old bread since it has some resistance and won’t get too soggy. There are several types of bread one can use, however country loaf, brioche and challah are especially nice.

If you coat the French toast (after they’re cooked) in cinnamon sugar, then you have “Poor Knights”. Other common additions to French toast include maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh fruit.
click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 4
Total Cost: $2.87
Cost Per Serving: $0.72
Total Calories: 1,422
Calories/Serving: 355
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Eggs, Chicken 2/3 Cups 95.11 Grams $0.32 148
Cream, Light, Half & Half 1 Cup 242.00 Grams $1.30 315
Extract, Vanilla Pure 2 Teaspoons 8.67 Grams $0.42 25
Salt, Kosher 1/4 Teaspoon 1.20 Grams $0.00 0
Sugar, White Granulated 2 Tablespoons 25.00 Grams $0.03 97
Flour, White Unbleached All Purpose 2 Tablespoons 0.53 Ounce $0.02 57
Bread, White 8 Cups 240.00 Grams $0.60 480
Butter, Unsalted 3 Tablespoons 42.00 Grams $0.19 300

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of half-and-half (or milk in a pinch)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 8 thick slices of day-old stale bread (country loaf, brioche or challah bread)
  • butter

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, sugar and flour until smooth. Pour the mixture in a pie pan. Dip each bread slice into the mixture and let soak for about 30 seconds.

In a skillet (either cast iron or non-stick) melt about 1 tablespoon butter and cook the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Place in a 375 degree oven for about 5 minutes, while you cook the rest of the bread. Serve immediately.



Poached Eggs on Yogurt Biscuits

Last Modified: 11/24/10
First Published: 11/22/10
Views: 623
Views: 623

Making biscuits with milk, or butter milk is traditional, but this time we had some plain yogurt around and wanted to use it up. So we completely replaced the milk with yogurt. Right away the texture we different, light and fluffy, like it had been whipped.

The result was very good. It tasted very similar, but the texture was very different. The dough did not rise nearly as much as with milk, and it was very light and airy.

The end result was that it was not so much a traditional biscuit as a platform for the egg to go on. You could not really pick it up but the lightness showed off the egg well. 

Here is the recipe for traditional biscuits. The only difference is that we substituted yogurt for milk. 



Bowl of Raisin Bran with whole Milk

Last Modified: 10/21/10
First Published: 02/23/08
Views: 1404
Views: 1404
click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 1
Total Cost: $0.66
Cost Per Serving: $0.66
Total Calories: 263
Calories/Serving: 263
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Raisin Bran 1 Cup 59.00 Grams $0.54 188
Milk, Whole 1/2 Cup 120.00 Grams $0.12 75
The price of a simple breakfast.

Breakfast French Toast

Last Modified: 06/18/10
First Published: 06/18/10
Views: 562
Views: 562

Always delicious for breakfast or brunch with warm maple syrup, bacon or sausage. Adding sliced bananas, strawberries or blueberries and juice or a Bloody Mary completes  a lovely breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoons light or heavy cream
  • 3-4 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 8 slices thick bread
  • 1/3 cup butter

Method

Mix eggs, cream, sugar and cinnamon with a whisk in a wide, shallow bowl. Add bread one slice at a time, soaking and draining excess.

Melt half the butter in a fry pan til sizzling. Cook bread 1-2 pieces at a time until golden in batches. Keep in a warm oven until complete and serve warm with confectionery sugar.



Basic Fruit Salad

Last Modified: 06/01/10
First Published: 02/26/08
Views: 1644
Views: 1644

Fruit salad is easy to vary depending on what you have on hand and stays nice in the fridge for at least 2 days. Here is a very basic combination of apple, orange, kiwi and pear.

 

click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 4
Total Cost: $2.14
Cost Per Serving: $0.54
Total Calories: 326
Calories/Serving: 81
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Apples, Granny Smith (1 apple) * 212.00 Grams $0.71 110
Oranges (1 orange) * 140.00 Grams $0.46 69
Kiwi (1 kiwi) * 76.00 Grams $0.43 46
Pears, Bartlett (1 pear) * 166.00 Grams $0.54 100
Dice all the fruit in uniform pieces. Mix well and serve.

Bowl of Rice Krispies with whole Milk

Last Modified: 11/16/09
First Published: 02/23/08
Views: 1267
Views: 1267
click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 1
Total Cost: $0.53
Cost Per Serving: $0.53
Total Calories: 170
Calories/Serving: 170
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Rice Krispies 1 Cup 26.40 Grams $0.41 95
Milk, Whole 1/2 Cup 120.00 Grams $0.12 75
A bowl of Rice Krispies with whole milk - the price of a simple breakfast for one person.

Banana Pancakes

Last Modified: 12/31/08
First Published: 12/30/08
Views: 722
Views: 722
banana pancakes
click on any ingredient
for more information, including
measurement conversions
Measurements
|
General Info
Servings: 2
Total Cost: $1.47
Cost Per Serving: $0.74
Total Calories: 1,100
Calories/Serving: 550
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Flour, White Unbleached All Purpose 1 Cup 4.25 Ounces $0.14 455
Butter, Unsalted 1 Tablespoon 14.00 Grams $0.06 100
Eggs, Chicken (1 egg) * 50.00 Grams $0.17 78
Milk, Whole 3/4 Cups 180.00 Grams $0.18 113
Brown Sugar, Packed 2 Tablespoons 27.50 Grams $0.08 104
Extract, Vanilla Imitation 1 Teaspoon 4.66 Grams $0.42 0
Baking Powder, Clabber Girl 3/4 Teaspoons 3.60 Grams $0.03 0
Salt, Table 1/2 Teaspoon 3.00 Grams $0.00 0
Bananas, Whole (1 banana) * 136.00 Grams $0.25 121
Syrup, Maple 2 Tablespoons 30.00 Grams $0.09 100
Whipped Light Cream Sweetened 3 Tablespoons 10.50 Grams $0.05 30

Banana Pancakes are easy to make and great to have as a late night snack or breakfast. There is really no time that is not perfect for pancakes.

makes about 9 small or 3 large pancakesbanana pancake batter

Method

Add all the ingredients to work bowl, except the banana and fold together. Do not stir too much. Let the batter sit for a few minutes while you slice the banana in thin slices or wedges.

Add the banana slices to the batter and fold in.

Heat up a non-stick pan on medium heat with about a 1/2 tablespoon of butter and either make three small pancakes or one larger one.

Cook about 1-2 minutes on each side and serve. Add butter, syrup and cream.