Very Veggie-ful

Is it Winter? I'm confused! It's been almost 60 degrees every day and my little flowers are popping up everywhere outside. What's going on? WHO STOLE WINTER??? I keep thinking it's Spring already. That's ok, since the sooner Spring gets here, the sooner I can wear my new white skinny jeans and all my cute sandals! YAY! :) So since Spring will be here before we know it, here is a nice colorful quiche to put you in the mood for all the bright and beautiful colors of Spring! You can basically use any type of vegetable in this recipe. What ever you have on hand will work. This recipe makes 2 so invite some friends over and share nicely! 

Fresh Vegetable Quiche


Ingredients:


8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small zucchinis, diced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pie crusts
12 large eggs
1/2 cup half-n-half
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crusts in 2 pie plates and poke the bottoms with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes until just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent and tender. Stir in garlic and zucchini and olive oil. Cook until zucchini begins to soften, but is not completely tender. 

3. Next, stir in broccoli and cook until it turns a bright green color. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and stir until mushrooms are just starting to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (None of the veggies need to completely cook at this point. They will finish cooking as the quiche bakes in the oven.)

4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and half-n-half. Add half the veggie mixture to each pie crust.

5. Pour half the egg mixture evenly over the veggies in each pie crust.

6. Top each quiche with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until set and cheese is melted. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Faux Tso's

Chinese food isn't always my friend.....or my stomach's friend. Plus I'm so "anti-MSG" that I usually won't eat it unless the restaurant menu says "NO MSG" on the front. (Don't even get me started on MSG. Just Google it and find our for yourself why I hate it so much!) I never thought I'd be able to make General Tso's chicken at home and have it taste the same. This recipe gets pretty close and it's really tasty. It even looks like the real deal! So here's a good one for next time you're needing a Chinese take-out fix! Minus the take-out.

Faux Tso's Chicken


Ingredients:


2 large chicken breasts
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper (sprinkle of each)
1/2 cup vegetable oil


For the Sauce:


3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Tenderize and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place cornstarch and egg on separate plates or breading trays. Mix salt and pepper into egg.
3. Place chicken pieces into cornstarch and toss to coat. Roll chicken in egg wash. (I know this seems backwards. I was skeptical at first too, but it works.)

4. Place chicken pieces into hot oil. Work in two batches so you don't overcrowd the pan, causing the temperature of the oil to drop. Cook until browned and crispy on all sides. 

5. Transfer chicken to 8x8 inch baking dish. 

6. To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients. 

7. Pour sauce over chicken and toss to coat all pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Sauce will gradually thicken as it bakes. Remove from oven and serve alone or over rice. 

Even Chester liked the sticky leftover sauce on my plate! 

Peanut Butter Pup

Usually when I am cooking or baking in "The Pink Kitchen", my little buddy, Chester, is right beside me begging for little morsels of whatever he can get. I guess it's because he likes peanut butter so much, but for some reason he was begging more than usual when I was baking these peanut butter cookies. I've made him homemade dog treats before, so maybe he was confused! I was throwing him little pieces of dough and he just could not get enough! Then, every time we opened the container of cookies, he'd come running. What a piggy! I think it's safe to say that this might be Chester's favorite Pink Kitchen recipe yet!

Peanut Butter Cookies (recipe courtesy Brown Eyed Baker)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat if using aluminum cookie sheets. (I used my trusty stoneware!)
2. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add the egg and beat just until blended. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients until combined.

4. Put granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop a tablespoon amount of dough and roll into a ball with your hands. Roll dough in sugar and place on baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Using a fork, make a crisscross pattern on the cookie, flattening them slightly.

5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Store in airtight container for up to one week or freeze in freezer bags up to 3 months. Just thaw and eat!

My little peanut butter piggy!