Quiche

Quiche is one of those remarkably adaptable recipes - you can add almost anything in varying amounts and it will always taste good. This one is a basic Quiche Lorraine (Although I've just discovered that with the addition of onions it is technically called "Quiche Alsacienne" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiche

But, after the basic cream/egg mixture, everything else is optional - so my quiches are rarely the same.




1 Pie Crust

8 slices of bacon, cooked crisply

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup diced swiss cheese (most recipes call for grated cheese, but cubed is better)

2 cups half and half or 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream

4 large eggs

salt & pepper (about 1/2 tsp of each)

Sautee the onions slowly in a bit of the bacon fat until they are almost carmelized.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Beat eggs, cream, salt and pepper together.

Sprinkle crumbled bacon, cheese and onions into pie crust.

Pour cream mixture over pie.

Bake 15 minutes, then lower heat to 300F and bake about 20 minutes - until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Freezer Jam

It should be obvious that I've done it again - the same thing thing I do every late June/early July -I've over bought cherries - I have no resistance at all ...





I decided to try a lower sugar version - the set was a bit softer than regular jam - all the better to use over ice cream or in a trifly-type dessert - but still thick enough to be used on English muffins or biscuits or for PBJ. Freezer jams are better tasting than regular cooked jams - they really do taste like the fruit from which they come - and so very easy to make.

This is the recipe I used - but the recipes on the pectin inserts are all fine to try - the basic method is the same for all freezer jams and jellies.

2.25 lbs. Cherries ( 3 cups chopped )

1 cup water

1 cup Pineapple Orange juice ( actually about 0.75 c juice and 0.25 lemon juice)

1 cup water

1.5 cups sugar

1 box Pectin

Combine chopped fruit with juice

Add sugar, mix and let stand 10 minutes

Gradually add pectin to 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, boil hard for 1 minute while stirring ( hard boil means that even when you stir the mixture, it keeps on boiling).

Add the pectin mixture to the fruit and keep stirring for 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into freezer containers (any sort will do - about 8 ounce size is good - too large and the jam may not set well). Make sure you've run the containers through the dishwasher beforehand so they are really clean - it's the least you can do considering all the processing you are avoiding by making freezer rather than the old fashioned sort of jam.

Let stand at room temperature until set - no more than 24 hours. Jam should last for at least a year in the freezer, and if you don't eat it all - 3 weeks in the fridge.

Cherry Clafouti

Claufouti - I think I like making these just because I like the way the word sounds - but it is also really good too. There are soo many versions - but I like this one - it is nice and solidly custardy - and I do like cherries. Some call for more flour, enough to produce a sort of popover batter, but I think it is better as a baked custard type dessert, served cold. You could make it with any stone fruit - peaches, nectarines, plums - there are recipes for exotic style clafoutis - pumpkin, banana - but of course some people will eat anything ...


1.25 cups whole milk

1 Tablespoon + 0.5 cups sugar

8 ounces Cherries, pitted and halved (about 1 cup is probably enough)

3 large eggs, room temperature

Pinch of salt

0.25 cups flour

0.5 Teaspoons almond extract - you could also use vanilla

Powdered sugar - if you want


Preheat oven to 350F. Butter pie pan, then sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar. Scatter the cherries over the bottom of the pan.

Beat eggs, almond extract, salt, and sugar until well blended. ( I don't know why recipes say things like "using an electric mixer" "in medium bowl" - personally, I don't care if you use a spoon, fork, mixer, whisk - or if you do it in a large bowl, medium bowl, pot or an old tin pail ).

Add milk and beat again.

Sift flour over the top and beat until smooth. Pour mixture over cherries and bake until set and knife comes clean in the center - about 30 minutes or maybe up to 45 minutes.

Sift some powdered sugar over the top.