Breakfast: Herban Quiche

In our ever hectic day to day lives, it is easiest to forget to eat the, arguably, most important meal of the day - Breakfast. Breakfast food, and preparations vary from culture to culture - for instance you can find all sorts here. On the weekends we try to go out for breakfast/brunch, and during the week we try to take some fruit, or cereal (hot or cold), but wouldn't it be nice to have something warm, and comforting? (and at the same time, healthy?).

We decided to try something new this week - we are making a quiche from scratch and separating into portions for each morning. Esp. for me, it's nice to grab and go, and once i get to work have a nice plate of power foods to start the day. When i lived in Texas, i used to make quiche quite a bit, so the recipe wasn't foreign to me, but the ingredients would change slightly. Listed below is the recipe for my "Herban Quiche" - hope you enjoy!

Herban Quiche

ingredients

8 Med. Eggs (Organic)

1 Bunch Kale (Stems Removed and Chopped)

1 Clove Garlic (minced)

1 Leek (white & Lt. Green Parts Only, Chopped)

2 Handful's of Baby Bella Shroom's (chopped)

2 Slices Bacon (Pan Fried and Crumbled)

Black Pepper (pinch)

Sea Salt (pinch)

1 Cup Whole Milk

1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar

Cheese (Grated)

1 pie crust:

Pate Brisee (Martha Stewart of course)

Step 1: Prepare all ingredients

Step 2: Pre-Heat Oven to 350º

Step 3: Fry Bacon on Med-High Heat

Remove and Reserve Bacon Pieces for later use.

Step 4: Saute' Leeks, Shroom's, and Garlic in Bacon Grease.

when consistency is to your liking, add Kale and Saute' till Kale is cooked down.

Step 5: Roll your dough on a lightly floured surface

Step 6: Place in Pie Dish, and Bake for 10-12 Minutes before adding ingredients

Step 7: While Pie Crust is baking, whip eggs, Milk and Pepper in bowl

Step 8: Layer Cheese, Vegetables and Bacon before pouring egg mixture

Step 9: Add Egg Mixture

Step 10: Bake at 350º for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300º and bake for

55 minutes or until egg's are cooked through.

We let our's cool thoroughly and sliced into 8 slices - One for each morning.

Enjoy!

(*All ingredients used were certified Organic)

Main Course: Poached Lobster

When it comes to Valentines Day in NYC you can count on every chocolate shop from Godiva to Jacques Torres to have lines out the door - due to lack of creativity, over exposure to main stream media, or just old fashioned themes those gifts are very thoughtless, and normally don't make anyone feel to special (not that Jacques Torres isn't special, i LOVE his chocolate). This year, however, a friend of mine Matt made Poached Lobster for his wife and my good friend Amy - i remember seeing the photo he took after masterfully placing it on a cutting board and presenting it in all its rustic glory.

picking out lobsters can be exciting, but you have to pay attention to what you are choosing, or having chosen for you. when picking out a lobster there are a few rules to follow:

1. try to purchase your lobster from a reliable source, steer clear of supermarkets if at all possible. the best place receives them daily.

2. although it is tempting to purchase the largest you can find, try to get them in the 1 1/4 lb - 1 1/2 lb range - these have the most tender meat.

3. lobsters should be purchased live - when choosing, try to aim for a lively one. when it's picked up the tail should flap up and down - if the tail is dormant, don't purchase it.

4. Remember, lobster's are not red when alive, they are anything else. Color does not determine or affect the flavor.

Lobster always makes for a beautiful presentation - esp. when the sides are simple, and the table is set with the Lobster Crackers, and the Garlic Butter Sauce. i hope you enjoy my version of Poached Lobster, i know we sure did. Thanks to Matt for the wonderful idea!

Poached Lobster

Step 1: Ingredients: 2 cloves Garlic halved, 10 whole Peppercorns, 5 Bay Leaves, 2 Med. Carrots Chopped, 1 Yellow Onion Chopped, 5 Celery Stalks, & the stalks of one Fennel Bulb (chopped), 4 Quarts of water, and 2 (1 1/4 lb) Lobsters.

Step 2: in a large Dutch Oven/Cauldron bring 4 cups of water to a boil adding all vegetables.

you're creating a broth - let boil for about 15 minutes

Step 3: while Broth is cooking, place your live Lobsters in the freezer (15 min).

this will make them dormant, and easier to handle.

Step 4: Ease both Lobster's in pot and cover tightly w/ lid.

Step 5: Once red remove from broth w/ tongs and place on cutting board to cool.

remove rubber bands from claws.

Step 6: Enjoy!

*for tips on eating your lobster follow this link

Main Course: Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup

the weather in NYC can be harsh - the Summers are sticky, and Winter can stick around for a lifetime. this past week we went from the low 30's to the mid 60's and back down to 34º, all in a matter of a week. tonight the wind picked up to 60 mph, and gave a blistering sting when it hit your face. we went out to take photos of "Flat Stanley", and on our way home we decided to have some homemade tomato soup, and a sandwich on crusty bread.

i decided to make "Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup", it was perfect! it warms you up and goes down smooth. Hope you enjoy the recipe, and please stay out of the wind.

Step 1: You'll Need the following ingredients: 2.5 lbs of Tomato's (Cored, halved, & Seeded), 2 cloves of Garlic, 1 med. Fennel Bulb washed, cored, & Cubed, 1 med. Yellow Onion Chopped, 2 Cups of Chicken Stock, and 1/2 cup of Whole Milk.

Step 2: Place Tomato's on a rimmed baking dish, coat with Olive Oil and Broil for 8-10 minutes

(until Skin is blackened). Remove, Let cool for 2 minutes and remove, and discard skins.

Step 3: Saute Onion, Fennel, and Garlic in Olive Oil over med. Heat till Onions are tender.

Step 4: Add Stock, Tomato's, and a Pinch of Salt and let simmer till tomato's are cooked.

Transfer to a Blender in batch's and Puree' - Return to pot, and add Milk. Let thicken and Serve.

i chose to serve mine in Mugs w/ Swiss, Sharp Cheddar, & Avocado on Toasted Ciabatta.

*All ingredients used were Organic

Main Course: Shrimp Stir-Fry

when you tell someone you're moving to NYC the first thing you hear is, "it's VERY expensive.." - if not the first, it's the second, or soon to come up in the conversation. me and my partner agree that if you are not in the young social set or come from old money then you are part of the chic middle class that watches their money, like most Americans. one thing we try to do in our house is keep our grocery list to a minimum, as mentioned in an earlier post, by using our weekly menu and budgeting day by day.

one of our favorite meals to prepare is stir-fry - not only is it cheap to load up on veggies, but it's wonderful for locking in the vitamins, fresh flavors, and crisp! the trick is to make sure you are using your Wok correctly - cooking with a wok can be a tricky process, but one that i will walk you through.

the number one piece of advice i can give you, above all else, is to make sure you wash and prepare all vegetables up front. Wash the veggies, cut/cube the meat, or in this case, prepare the seafood and allow them to sit and drain. Damp food can cause splatters while you cook, and splatters will either make a mess, or cause a burn - the other thing damp food will do, is cause your food to steam instead of stir-fry. after your food is properly prepared you will want to heat the wok for at least 30 seconds before you add the oil - letting the oil heat with the wok will cause the food to stick, but adding it after the wok is heated will allow your food to fry, and cook quickly.

when adding the food, try not to overload the wok - start with your flavors first (i.e. garlic, onion, ginger etc.), then add the veggies that are a little more dense (carrots, green beans, etc), finally add your seafood and greens. it's important to make sure you are moving the food over the heat - the reason the wok is has high walls is to allow the food to go from heat to a cooler surface, allowing the food to retain its crisp. you should be cooking, and stiring for about 7 minutes. your final step is to add the sauce - make sure when adding, you are allowing the sauce to ooze down the side of the pan so it's cooking with the food, and not directly ON the food.

so without further adieu here is the recipe:

Shrimp Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 Tbs Canola or Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, Sliced

Fresh Ginger, Sliced

1/4 Red Onion quartered

3 Scallions, Roughly Chopped

1 Lg Carrot, Roughly Chopped

3 Lg Leaves of Swiss Chard, Roughly Chopped

1/2 Can Baby Corn, Rinsed & Drained

Handful of Green Beans, Washed & Trimmed

10 Shrimps, Washed & Prepared

1/2 Cup Sauce (Sesame Teriyaki)

Once ingredients are prepared and dry - Pre-Heat wok over Med. High flame (30 seconds). Place hand hovering over inside of wok, once you feel the heat add oil. Start with garlic, ginger, and onion making sure to keep food moving - about 1 minute. Add your Carrots, Scallions, Corn, Green Beans making sure to briskly move the food up the sides of the Wok, allowing it to roll back down to the heat - about 1 minute. Finally, add your Swiss Chard and Shrimps while keeping all food moving - about 3 minutes. Once Greens are heated through add your sauce down the side of Wok, allowing it to run into the heat and coat as your stir the veggies. Once shrimps are cooked transfer to plate (as seen above).

ENJOY!

all ingredients used were Certified Organic

Megan: Homemade Granola

happy february!

while our white northeastern winter is here to stay, i have devoted my spare minutes to cozy nooks, comfort food, hot cups of tea and good books. this month, I have been consuming green tea (with a drop of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon) by the gallon while pouring over my new gifted copy of julia child's my life in france. julia child is simply adorable. i can't help but fall a little more in love with mrs. child with each page turned. while my new food heroine captures my heart, i also can't help the growls that erupt from my stomach as i read in great detail of her journey to concoct the perfect hollandaise sauce, her discovery of the best method to cook the most succulent coq au vin and her hunt for aged cheese wheels to accompany her fresh strawberries. o, julia...

well, needless to say, reading can make you hungry. the perfect cozy-nook-tea-in-hand-whilst-reading-snack? sweet, crunchy, fiber-filled and packed with protein - granola! one of my favorite personal creations is a very simple, tried-and-true granola recipe (i mentioned i was from oregon, right?) this time, i tweaked it slightly, adding dark chocolate, dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds to make it valentine's day ready.

i hope you enjoy it. stay warm, well-read and cozy this month!

ingredients:

2 tbl olive oil

2 cups rolled oats

1/3 butter

2 tbl honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup salted and roasted cashews

1 cup dried fruit (i chose to use a cranberry and pomegranate mix).

1 cup dark chocolate chips

heat oven to 350.

heat oil on medium heat in large deep skillet. add rolled oats and almonds stir (about 5 minutes) until oats and almonds are toasted and starting to brown. empty into deep baking dish and set aside.

melt the butter on medium heat, add the honey and brown sugar. stirring constantly for 5 minutes, until bubbling.

mix oats and almonds and cashews into the butter mixture and stir well. add fruit.

empty contents into the baking dish and bake for 8 minutes. remove from oven and let cool. once cool, add chocolate chips and mix well.

happy snacking!