quiche lorraine
Posted: December 4, 2016 Filed under: appetizers, breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: bacon, cayenne pepper, cheddar cheese, cream, eggs, evaporated milk, gruyere cheese, half and half, ham, nutmeg, pie crust, salt, white pepper Leave a comment
Quiche Masterpiece
I love when I get a little history lesson along with a recipe. It’s like two treats in one! Found along with this recipe my Mom clipped from The San Antonio Express-News in 1970 the article tells an interesting story about this recipe’s creator, Ester MacMillan.
Ester helped introduce quiche to foodies near and far after it arrived at the 1968 World’s Fair dubbed “HemisFair” that was held in San Antonio. What a sight that must have been when the Tower of the Americas – an observation tower more than 600 feet tall complete with a spinning 360° top – debuted at the expo! You can read more about Ester and her story about the origin of quiche via the original recipe scan I scored from my Mom’s cookbook below. 
As a child I remember my Mom, “Betty,” talking about Quiche Lorraine and a few decades later (ahem, just a few) this was the first time I made it. I absolutely loved it! I found the recipe extremely forgiving, meaning you can adapt it to your liking by adjusting the ingredients you introduce into the custard.
Perfect for a brunch-time gathering or a couch-side treat this recipe scored a well-deserved spot in “The Best Of The Best Recipes” category (at right) … as well as my heart.
I’ve discovered more than one quiche recipe in Mom’s cookbook so I’ll be trying other versions soon and will share them here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
foodie tips
❤ “Blind baking.” I had never heard of it before until my friend and colleague Suzanne told me about it when I commented that I longed for a crispier quiche crust. Essentially all you do is pre-bake the crust a few minutes before filling it; doing so will help give it more “fluff.” I’ll give blind baking a try on the next making of this dish. And there will be a next time.
❤ I may have “accidentally” used a teeny bit more meat than the recipe suggests. In fact, Ester called for bacon or ham. A lover of both, I used bacon and ham. #Carnivore. This recipe presumes you will follow suit and use both. I scored some peppered ham at my local HEB and I loved the extra peppery kick.
❤ After reading the recipe below if you want to learn more about NIOSA and score some of the festival’s recipes, click this link and enjoy!
i. ingredients
9 inch | pie crust
¼ pound | bacon or ham (or both)
1 ½ cup | gruyere or aged cheddar, grated (I used gruyere)
5 | cage free eggs
1 cup | cream, half and half or undiluted evaporated milk
½ teaspoon | salt
dash | white pepper
dash | nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon | dried onion
dash | cayenne pepper
ii. what to do
0. Preheat your oven to 400°F. That was easy, right?
1. Line a 9-inch pie pan or fluted quiche pan with pie crust. If you choose, blind bake the doughy crust (per above) and set aside.
2. Cook until crisp the bacon – and or – lightly brown the ham. Set the dynamic duo aside to cool off a bit.
3. Place your grated cheese (yum, cheese!) in the bottom of your pastry-lined pie pan. Over that, sprinkle your meats.
4. In a medium-sized bowl beat the eggs. Add the cream and the four seasonings and beat a little longer until everything is well-mingled. Pour this egg mixture over the cheese-meat medley.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden and custard is set. Remove from oven and cool a bit to lukewarm and serve.
Yield: About 8 servings. Enjoy!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of Mom’s recipe for Quiche Lorraine. Click to read the interesting story!
Watch this interesting video series about HemisFair 1968! I learned much about my hometown city!
baked swiss cauliflower
Posted: August 28, 2014 Filed under: sides | Tags: bread crumbs, butter, cauliflower, egg yolks, half and half, nutmeg, pepper, salt, swiss cheese Leave a comment
Move Over, Green Bean Casserole…
…there’s a hot, new dish in town and it’s this Baked Swiss Cauliflower recipe!
Before reading the ingredients for this dish I had serious self doubt about how many spoonfuls of this stuff would make it past my proverbial piehole. One plate later and I was ready for a refill.
And s t r e t c h pants!
Beth Calkins of Nashville, Tennessee – I don’t know anything about your life outside this recipe but it must have been a kinder, gentler place where sweet, sweet swiss cauliflower rained from the heavens!
Lucky for me my Mom could read between the lines; she knew that anything with cheese and butter becomes a fast, fond feeding moment destined to be recreated.
Ding! Ding! Ding! This just in – come Thanksgiving 2014 this Baked Swiss Cauliflower recipe has secured a guaranteed place at our Thanksgiving table.
Foodie Tips ~
♥ New to Betty’s Cook Nook? “Butter” is shorthand for “Falfurrias Brand Butter.” It’s what my Grandmother “Nanny” loved near and dear, so it’s naturally the only butter allowed past the threshold.
♥ Don’t discard the 3 egg whites (below)! I made an egg white omelette the morning after I made this dish and I became a better person because of it. Whoops. Did I say better? I meant butter … and cheese! They both made my egg white omelette their new BFF, along with some chopped green onions. Just sayin’.
i. ingredients
1 | large head of cauliflower
½ cup | bread crumbs
2 ¾ cups | swiss cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups | half and half
3 | egg yolks, beaten
¼ teaspoon | ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon | salt
¼ teaspoon | fresh cracked pepper
¼ cup | melted falfurrias brand butter
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Wash the cauliflower and discard the green leaves. Break cauliflower into flowerets and place in a medium-sized pot.
2. Cook, covered, 10 minutes in a small amount of boiling salted water. Drain.
3. Place the cooked cauliflower in a buttered 1 ½-quart shallow baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients – except the butter – and pour over the cauliflower. Drizzle the melter butter over top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Yields about 6 servings.
Here’s a scan of Mom’s original recipe!
pecan rolls
Posted: November 20, 2013 Filed under: desserts | Tags: butter, flour, nutmeg, pecans, powdered sugar, vanilla Leave a comment
10 Out Of 10 Elves Agree . . .
These Pecan Rolls rock! Actually they roll, too, because they are, er, pecan rolls.
Rock and roll aside, these have a similar taste of Keebler Pecan Sandies which made regular appearances in our family’s pantry.
Growing up at 2927 Trailend we had a pecan tree in the back yard. It was a big tree and oddly I don’t remember picking up its pecans – probably because it was surrounded by bushes and a large bed of ivy that kinda creeped me out.
What I do remember are the mesquite trees we had – one in the front yard and one in the back yard. The front mesquite tree was precisely decorated with white lights each Christmas and our house was known for its white light signature tree every year at holidaytime.
The mesquite trees. I love to tell the story about how I was “ripped off” by my parents as I was paid a mere 25 cents PER BOX for picking up the mesquite tree beans that would fall off into the grass. The lawn mower couldn’t pick the beans up very well but small children who didn’t know better could!
Beans aside, pecans were a family treat growing up so I hope you enjoy this recipe featuring our nutty fall nut favorite partnered with vanilla and nutmeg – perfect for the holidays!
foodie tips ~
♥ If you like consistency, form the dough into balls using a cookie scoop. Scoop the dough onto a flat surface and cut it in half, then roll by hand.
♥ If you like round bally things coated in powdered sugar, you have to give these rum balls a whirl. They’re outstanding. And they’re made *with rum*, yum rum yum.
i. ingredients
9 tablespoons | powdered sugar
½ pound | falfurrias brand butter (per my grandmother Nanny)
2 cups | flour, sifted
2 ½ cups | ground pecans
1 ½ teaspoons | vanilla
½ teaspoon | nutmeg
1 teaspoon | salt
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 325°F.
1. Mix sugar and butter. Gradually add sifted flour. Stir in pecans, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.
2. Shape dough into the size of pecans in the palm of your hands.
3. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 20 minutes and do not brown.
4. Remove from oven and cool. Then roll in powdered sugar.
Yields: 60 pecan balls. Yee Haw!
swedish meatballs
Posted: October 3, 2012 Filed under: meats poultry and fish, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: allspice, beef broth, bread crumbs, butter, cardamom, cream, dill weed, eggs, flour, ground chuck, ground pork, milk, nutmeg, onion Leave a comment
A Swedish Dish
“A piece of bread in your pocket is better than a feather in your hat.”
~ Swedish proverb
I’ll need larger pockets, as I’m a foodie through and through. And I do love my bread! Feathers aside, this dish is one of my Top 10 “mom favorites.”
One of my earliest experiences with international food came in the form of these meatballs and the Swedish Chef making special appearances on The Muppet Show (no kidding).
Thanks goodness mom was able to bring a bit of international tastebud travel to our tummies, compliments of this recipe and some of the Tex Mex favorites you’ll find here on “The Nook.” I can remember well mom’s electric skillet bursting with steam carrying the sensational and savory smells of swedish meatballs; where hearty meets happy. No wonder I wore Husky jeans growing up!
Yeah, I know… “more to love.”
Let’s Make a’ Meatballs
(said with an Italian-Swedish accent)
i. ingredients
2 | cage free eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup | milk
½ cup | dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons | falfurrias brand butter (per Nanny)
½ cup | finely chopped onion
1 pound | ground chuck
¼ pound | ground pork
1-¾ teaspoons | salt
¾ teaspoon | dill weed
¼ teaspoon | allspice
⅛ teaspoon | nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon | cardamom
3 tablespoons | flour
⅛ teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper
10-½ ounce can | beef broth
½ cup | light cream
ii. what to do
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk and dry bread crumbs.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Lift the onions out of the skillet with a slotted spoon; add to the bread crumb mixture, the ground chuck, ground pork, 1-½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon dill weed, the allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom.
3. With a wooden spoon or your hands, mix well to combine.
4. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F.
6. Take the meat mixture from the fridge and shape it into meatballs, each about 1″ in diameter.
7. In remaining hot butter, divide the meatballs into groups of 2 or 3 and sauté them until they are browned all over.
8. Transfer the meatballs into a 2-quart casserole, after they are browned.
9. Remove the skillet from heat. Pour off the drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons (add more butter if necessary).
10. Pour the dripping back into the skillet and add flour, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper, stirring together to make a smooth slurry over medium heat.
11. Gradually stir-in the beef broth, bringing the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the cream and remaining ½ teaspoon dill weed. Pour sauce over meatballs in casserole dish.
12. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Garnish top of meatballs with fresh dill sprigs, if desired.
Makes: 6 servings.
Foodie Tips ~
♥ Serve the meatballs atop some wide, wavy egg noodles.
♥ I love the sauce and will double it on my next “go” of this recipe.
♥ While a salt lover, I found this recipe a little salty for me so I’ll decrease the sodium shakes on my next Swedish adventure.
