Cheese Quiche

This recipe is very easy and delicious. The mustard, nutmeg and cayenne add a nice kick.


ingredients
1 deep-dish frozen pie crust
150g of gruyere cheese, grated
3 eggs
200mL of creme fraiche or sour cream (not low-fat)
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 t Dijon mustard
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/160C forced air. Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes, or until the dough is firm to the touch. Remove the beads and the baking paper and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the centre starts to brown. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the grated gruyere over the crust. Beat the remaining ingredients together, and add salt and pepper if desired. Pour the mixture over the cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is firm and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let the tart cool for a few minutes before serving.

Curried Rice and Lentils

Mom sent me this recipe when I didn't know what to make for dinner and called it "Hindi um jedderah".

ingredients
1 T butter
1 C brown basmati rice
4 1/4 C water
1 C brown or French green lentils
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cinnamon stick
4 1/8"-thick slices of fresh ginger
1-2 t red curry paste or 1 T curry powder
1/2 t salt
4 scallions trimmed and sliced

method
Place rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350F (180C or 160C forced air).
Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof Dutch oven or medium saucepan. Add rice and cook, stirring until lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes. If using curry powder, add it now and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add water. Stir in lentils, garlic, cinnamon stick, ginger, curry paste (if using) and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve curry paste.
Cover the Dutch oven tightly with a lid or foil or transfer to an 8x8 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until the rice and lentils are tender and all the water is absorbed, about 50-55 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Remove cinnamon stick and ginger slices. Garnish with scallions.

notes
This is delicious with yogurt. I like to mix grated cucumber, lemon juice, sumac and mint into the yogurt to make a kind of cucumber-yogurt salad to go with it. YUM!

Three Cheese-Stufed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce

This is another Pioneer Woman recipe I tried while mom was here and we loved this one too!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, weight Jumbo Pasta Shells
• 30 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 8 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Divided
• ½ cups Grated Romano Cheese
• 1 whole Egg
• 12 leaves Basil, Chiffonade
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ½ pounds Italian Sausage
• ½ cups Red Wine
• 1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 whole 15-ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Pour in red wine and let it cook for a minute or two.

Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings; can add crushed red peppers if you like a little heat.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, half the Parmesan, Romano, egg, salt and pepper, basil, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir until combined.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down on the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with crusty French bread.