Salmon Quiche

This Easter, I tested out this new recipe. At a recent tea with Mom at Pinecone Cottage, these delicious individual salmon quiches were on the menu. I thought that they would make a great addition to the Easter buffet. I was right. These individual salmon quiches were a big hit with the family on Easter as there were only a few leftover.

This recipe makes 24 individual quiches, which is great for a party. Also, the mini quiches freeze well. When I made this recipe, I seasoned the quiches with dill, but other seasonings could be used. And, the recipe could easily swap out the salmon for other fillings. Also, I made the quiches ahead and just reheated them for the party, which made it easier on the day of the party.

Salmon Quiche 

• pie dough for 3 crusts
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds salmon, cooked
• dill or other seasoning

Make the pie dough. Roll out the dough and use a four-inch round cutter. Spray two standard 12-muffin tins with cooking spray. Press the cut dough into each muffin cup. Refrigerate muffin tins until ready to fill.

Bake the salmon. Once cooled, flake the salmon and half fill each muffin cup with flaked salmon. In a bowl, beat eggs with milk, melted butter, salt, pepper, and any seasonings. Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup, leaving 1/4 inch room at the top. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minute or until centers set and the edges are starting to brown. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Tuna Green Pea Pie with Herbed Bread Topping

During lent when we were kids and weren't allowed to eat meat on Fridays, Mom often made various tuna casseroles. The classic Tuna Noodle Casserole was very popular, possibly because it was topped with potato chips. This Tuna Green Pea Pie recipe is another excellent casserole. While many casseroles just involve dumping all the ingredients into a pan and baking the casserole, this recipe does require some additional preparation before going into the oven. But it is worth it.

When I made this recipe, I used a bit more onion and bell pepper than the recipe called for, with good results. Rather than canned tuna, I used the no drain packets, so I substituted 4 packages that were each 2.5 ounces each. 

Tuna Green Pea Pie with Herbed Bread Topping 

• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cans (7 oz.) tuna, drained
• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen green peas
• 4 slices bread, cubed
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp. oregano

Saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add flour, basil, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce, cook until slightly thickened. Cook slowly, uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add tuna and green peas; mix well. Turn into dish. Top with bread cubes. Sprinkle with parsley and oregano. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Charred Broccoli Salad

On our recent trip to New Orleans, we had so much good food. This recipe is inspired by a delicious special side dish that we enjoyed at Cochon Butcher. The sandwiches at Cochon Butcher are so amazing that I am not sure that I could properly replicate them at home. Charred Broccoli Salad has a nice blend of flavors and can be made ahead so that the flavors blend more over time.

For this recipe, I learned a new skill of segmenting citrus, which is easier than I thought it would be. It is as simple as cutting off the peel with a knife, then removing the segments one at a time. Cochon Butcher use satsuma oranges, which are grown locally in Louisiana. I just used standard mandarin oranges available near me. 

Charred Broccoli Salad 

• 1 pound broccoli
• 6-12 garlic cloves
• Avocado oil
• salt and pepper, optional
• 1/2 cup segmented mandarins
• 1/2 cup segmented grapefruit
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary

Cut the broccoli into equal-sized pieces. Toss broccoli and garlic cloves with avocado oil and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast in oven set at 400 for about 20 minutes,  turning occasionally until charred. Mix the charred broccoli with the segmented citrus in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing by whisking the lemon juice, olive oil, and rosemary. Toss the broccoli and citrus with the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Gumbo Ya-Ya

On our recent trip to New Orleans, we were lucky to get to enjoy Gumbo Ya-Ya at Mr. B's Bistro. The gumbo was amazing and the experience was one-of-a-kind. The day we stopped in for lunch, the temperature was around 80, so MDS was wearing a tank top. Little did we realize that Mr. B's Bistro had a dress code that prohibited sleeveless tops on men. In order to dine there, MDS was lent a Mr. B's chef's coat, which seems to me a reason to ignore the dress code to get the opportunity to dress as a chef in an amazing restaurant. And the dress code faux pas may have contributed to our being seated in a back corner of the restaurant next to the plaque indicating the Ronald Reagan had also dined in that corner.

This Gumbo Ya-Ya recipe is adapted from a recipe published by Mr. B's Bistro. It is a somewhat time-consuming recipe, but very worth it. The most challenging part is making the dark roux that requires constant stirring for about an hour. After that, the various ingredients are added in and allowed to simmer for about an hour

Gumbo Ya-Ya 

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 tsp. paprika 
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 pounds roasted chicken
• cooked rice

In a large stock pot, melt butter over low heat. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, and cook for one minute. Add 1/2 cup flour, stiffing for one minute. Add remaining flour. Stir constantly and cook roux until it is the color of dark mahogany, about 45-60 minutes.

Add the bell pepper and stir for one minute. Add onion and celery and stir for one minute. Gradually add stock to roux, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add andouille sausage and all seasonings. Bring to a boil. Simmer gumbo, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Skim off fat as needed. Add chicken and simmer for 15 minutes. Either add rice or serve gumbo over rice. Enjoy!

Grandma's Corn Bread

This recipe is a basic corn bread recipe written in Grandma's handwriting. The ingredient proportions result in a nice crumbly bread. I am not sure where Grandma got the recipe or that she made cornbread often. But it is nice to see Grandma's handwriting again.

Grandma's recipe has instructions for making this recipe as bread or muffins. When I made it, I made classic corn bread in a 9x9 pan. The recipe calls for melted fat or oil. When I made this recipe, I used olive oil. I am sure the recipe would be delicious with melted butter.

Corn Bread or Muffins 

• 1 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup oil

Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix milk, egg, and oil; add to cornmeal mixture. Stir only enough to mix. Fill greased baking pan half full. Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown. For muffins, grease pan or use paper liners and bake at 425 for about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Dessert Nut Cups

This recipe might be better called Mini Pecan Pies. The immediate review from our neighbor is that these treats are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The crust is delicious and rich. The filling is sweet and nutty. And the single-serving size makes this a perfect package. These Dessert Nut Cups make a delicious dessert that can be easily be made ahead for any occasion.  

The recipe calls for using a mini-muffin pan to make 24  pies. I do not have mini-muffin pans, so I just used a standard muffin pan making 12 pies. I think that the change worked out just fine. I did use paper muffin liners so that the pies would not come apart when removing from the pan. 

Dessert Nut Cups 

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 8 ounce softened cream cheese
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the softened butter, cream cheese, and flour. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Divide the dough into 24 balls (for a mini-muffin pan) or 12 balls (for standard muffin pan). Press each ball into muffin cup. Mix the remaining ingredients and spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle a few more pecans on top of filling. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 250 and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Saucepan Brownies

Sometimes, there is nothing like a good brownie. This brownie recipe is a nice cake-like brownie that makes a small batch for when you just need a few brownies. Brownies are often categorized as cake-like or fudge-like. Some people only like one type or the other. I like all brownies. If you like cake-like brownies, this recipe is for you.

These brownies are mixed together in a saucepan and are quite easy to make. These brownies are just as easy as using a boxed brownie mix. I made this recipe without nuts. When I was a kid, I did not like nuts. Now, I love nuts in most baked goods. But for me, the best brownies are brownies without nuts. 

Saucepan Brownies 

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 6 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1.4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and water. Over medium heat, bring to just a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips until melted smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. If using nuts, stir in half the nuts. Spread the batter in a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Enjoy!