This week’s French Fridays with Dorie was for a very interesting quiche — Apple & Gorgonzola. And, as is my way, I changed it quite a bit. I actually feel a little bad, it seems like I’m always fiddlin’ with these Around My French Table recipes, which I know would be very good great made exactly as written. I just…can’t help myself.

Actually, I usually make changes based on what I have at home or what I maybe don’t like. Take for instance Gorgonzola shudder. I am just not a fan of the blue cheeses, so I swapped that out for some feta and a little cheddar.

Here’s what else I changed this week (and some notes):

1. We went out to dinner Tuesday night and last night, and I just couldn’t make a (delicious!) butter-laden crust in good conscious. So, I made this Whole Wheat Olive . . . → Read More: FFwD: Apple, Feta & Baby Kale Quiche]]>

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie was for a very interesting quiche — Apple & Gorgonzola. And, as is my way, I changed it quite a bit. I actually feel a little bad, it seems like I’m always fiddlin’ with these Around My French Table recipes, which I know would be very good great made exactly as written. I just…can’t help myself.

Actually, I usually make changes based on what I have at home or what I maybe don’t like. Take for instance Gorgonzola shudder. I am just not a fan of the blue cheeses, so I swapped that out for some feta and a little cheddar.

Here’s what else I changed this week (and some notes):

1. We went out to dinner Tuesday night and last night, and I just couldn’t make a (delicious!) butter-laden crust in good conscious. So, I made this Whole Wheat Olive Oil Crust from Chocolate & Zucchini. I thought it worked really well with this quiche and was even pretty great tasting! I used a combination of about 6 oz wheat flour and 2.8 oz AP flour and 1/2 tsp of herbes de Provence. And the best part? It was ready to roll out right away. I just had to chill it on the fridge for about 30 minutes before filling it up.
2. I added some greens to the sauteed onions. Baby kale to be precise, but spinach would probably work well too.
3. Speaking of the onions, instead of sauteing them in butter, I used about a tsp of bacon fat. (Hey! Whole Wheat Olive Oil Crust…so it’s okay!)
4. I used half and half instead of heavy cream.
5. I completely misread the recipe and did not par bake my crust first. Doh! So, I gave the quiche 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, then turned it down to 375 and gave it about 20 more minutes. The crust was perfectly done and so was the custard. Whew!

Here are my pictures and here’s a link to everyone’s fabulous quiches.

Placing the crust in the tart pan. The whole wheat crust was a little harder to roll out too, so I got a mini arm workout!

Crust ready for the filling.

1/2 a large, leftover red onion, sauteing.

Onions and kale at the bottom of the quiche.

Half a diced, peeled green apple.

Some feta, grated cheddar and custard added. Ready to go into the oven.

Out of the oven and ready to eat.

I am somewhat obsessed with rosemary. I will put it in anything. Exhibit A: these waffles here. Add rosemary? Why not. It actually went really well with the maple syrup and crisp prosciutto (exactly what I was hoping for). And as an added bonus, it came together very quickly on a chilly Sunday morning.

As long as you have buttermilk (or can make a substitute with milk and lemon or vinegar), you should have everything to throw these waffles together. Especially if you have a 4-foot rosemary plant growing steps from your front door like we do. Okay, yes, you would also have to have a waffle iron, smarty.

Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine. Vegetable-oil cooking spray 1 cup AP flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp Melted butter + 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1 . . . → Read More: Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto]]>

I am somewhat obsessed with rosemary. I will put it in anything. Exhibit A: these waffles here. Add rosemary? Why not. It actually went really well with the maple syrup and crisp prosciutto (exactly what I was hoping for). And as an added bonus, it came together very quickly on a chilly Sunday morning.

As long as you have buttermilk (or can make a substitute with milk and lemon or vinegar), you should have everything to throw these waffles together. Especially if you have a 4-foot rosemary plant growing steps from your front door like we do. Okay, yes, you would also have to have a waffle iron, smarty.

Rosemary Buttermilk Waffles with Crisp Prosciutto
Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine.
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Melted butter + 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tsp (heaping) chopped rosemary leaves (plus a couple of small sprigs for garnish)
1 large egg
1 tsp olive oil
4 thin slices prosciutto
Maple Syrup for serving

Preheat oven to 250°F. Spray an unheated nonstick waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat iron.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chopped rosemary and mix to combine. Whisk the melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl with the buttermilk and egg until combined. Stir the egg mixture into flour mixture briefly but until fairly smooth (batter may be thick).

Spoon batter into waffle iron, using 1/2 cup batter for four waffles and spreading evenly, cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions. When done, transfer waffles to a baking sheet and keep warm, uncovered, in middle of oven. Make more waffles in same manner (do not respray iron).

In a large heavy skillet heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over moderate heat and cook prosciutto slices until crisp and golden, about 1 minute on each side.

Drain on paper towels briefly and serve waffles with prosciutto, and maple syrup. Garnish with small sprigs of rosemary.

The original recipe says this serves two, but I got 4 almost-plate-sized waffles out of the recipe. If you had fruit and a few other things in a brunch-type situation, you could probably serve 3-4 with this recipe.

Wow, these are so good. In fact, I think they are my most favorite muffins that I have ever made. Seriously. And, I made them quite a bit healthier than the original. That recipe had 12 tablespoons of melted butter, which is kind of insane, imho. I used 4 tablespoons instead, subbing in some low-fat yogurt for the rest. I also added some whole wheat flour and some flaxseed meal. You wouldn’t even know they were kind of healthy if I wasn’t telling you. So go ahead and make some and be amazed! They are super moist and very buttery tasting.

If you don’t have any ground flaxseed meal, you can just use 2/3 cup of whole wheat flour. But you really should get some — it’s very good for you and pretty easy to incorporate into baked goods. Okay, so go make some…I’ll . . . → Read More: I Can’t Believe They’re Kind of Healthy Muffins!]]>

Wow, these are so good. In fact, I think they are my most favorite muffins that I have ever made. Seriously. And, I made them quite a bit healthier than the original. That recipe had 12 tablespoons of melted butter, which is kind of insane, imho. I used 4 tablespoons instead, subbing in some low-fat yogurt for the rest. I also added some whole wheat flour and some flaxseed meal. You wouldn’t even know they were kind of healthy if I wasn’t telling you. So go ahead and make some and be amazed! They are super moist and very buttery tasting.

If you don’t have any ground flaxseed meal, you can just use 2/3 cup of whole wheat flour. But you really should get some — it’s very good for you and pretty easy to incorporate into baked goods. Okay, so go make some…I’ll wait.

(I Can’t Believe They’re Kind of Healthy Muffins): Banana Nut Muffins
Recipe adapted (quite a bit) from one by Tyler Florence
1-1/3 cup AP flour
2 Tbsp ground Flaxseed Meal + enough Whole Wheat Flour to make 2/3 Cup
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground Ginger
3 super ripe Bananas
1 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp melted Butter
3/4 cup low-fat plain Yogurt
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted (don’t skip the toasting — I just threw mine in the toaster oven for about 3-1/2 minutes)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly spray a jumbo 6 muffin tin with non-stick spray. You can also use a 12 muffin tin. If you use the jumbo, be ready to accommodate a little overflow. I ended up using two ramekins.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, ground flaxseed meal, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture.

With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining banana and brown sugar together on high speed for about 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 24-28 minutes for jumbo muffins and 18 to 20 minutes for small muffins.

Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

These are so good. Make sure to eat one while it’s still warm. If you are using a regular-sized muffin tin, you will probably want to eat two.

Ah, Oregon! Where it’s pancake weather until at least mid-June! This was a very nice brunch after our return from vacation and it was honestly very awesome to cook in my own kitchen again. Sigh. I missed you kitchen!

These pancakes are very light and flavorful, with just a hint of nutmeg and a good, lemony flavor. This recipe will make 2-3 servings (okay, maybe one serving if you really like pancakes).

They also go really well with mimosas. I’m just saying.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries & Toasted Walnuts Adapted from a recipe by Bobby Flay 3/4 cup AP flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp salt 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 eggs 2/3 cup fat free or low fat milk 1 lemon, zested and juiced Butter, for pan or griddle 1/2 pint fresh blueberries, washed 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, broken up into pieces Maple Syrup

Preheat a nonstick griddle or large . . . → Read More: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries & Toasted Walnuts]]>

Ah, Oregon! Where it’s pancake weather until at least mid-June! This was a very nice brunch after our return from vacation and it was honestly very awesome to cook in my own kitchen again. Sigh. I missed you kitchen!

These pancakes are very light and flavorful, with just a hint of nutmeg and a good, lemony flavor. This recipe will make 2-3 servings (okay, maybe one serving if you really like pancakes).

They also go really well with mimosas. I’m just saying.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries & Toasted Walnuts
Adapted from a recipe by Bobby Flay
3/4 cup AP flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2/3 cup fat free or low fat milk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Butter, for pan or griddle
1/2 pint fresh blueberries, washed
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, broken up into pieces
Maple Syrup

Preheat a nonstick griddle or large skillet.

Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl.

Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Melt a little butter into onto your heated cooking surface.

For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle/pan surface and cook on both sides until light golden brown.

Repeat until no batter remains, reapplying a little butter to the as needed. I got about 9 small-to-medium-sized pancakes.

Plate and serve with the blueberries and walnuts on top and the maple syrup.

Oh, this French Fridays with Dorie is so late! I knew we would be on vacation when it was due but my plan was to post about it while on vacation. Yeah…didn’t do that. So here it is, 2 weeks later. I guess better late than never?

A link to everyone’s quiches. And here are my notes below:

1. I made the tart crust as written in the book, but I subbed 1 tbsp of the flour for 1 tbsp parmesan cheese. 2. I added sauteed mushrooms to my quiche, so good! 3. Oh yeah, this was funny. I didn’t have quite enough cream for the quiche so I used marscapone cheese for the missing amount of cream (I think it was about half). Hey…I was cleaning out my fridge before vacation 4. This was delicious! We had ot for brunch the day before we . . . → Read More: Really Late FFwD: Bacon, Mushroom & Spinach Quiche]]>

Oh, this French Fridays with Dorie is so late! I knew we would be on vacation when it was due but my plan was to post about it while on vacation. Yeah…didn’t do that. So here it is, 2 weeks later. I guess better late than never?

A link to everyone’s quiches. And here are my notes below:

1. I made the tart crust as written in the book, but I subbed 1 tbsp of the flour for 1 tbsp parmesan cheese.
2. I added sauteed mushrooms to my quiche, so good!
3. Oh yeah, this was funny. I didn’t have quite enough cream for the quiche so I used marscapone cheese for the missing amount of cream (I think it was about half). Hey…I was cleaning out my fridge before vacation
4. This was delicious! We had ot for brunch the day before we left for our road trip.
5. Roadtrip was from Portland, OR to Moab, UT (Arches National Park), Flagstaff, AZ (where I used to live), Bryce Canyon National Park and then home. There are some pictures posted below if interested.
6. The quiche is good with a mimosa (or two).