Easter Brunch

My family is on the way down to Wilmington to see my new house and celebrate Easter.  This year, I thought instead of the usual brunch reservation, I'd invite Mike's family over and we can all have brunch at home.  This entire menu is make-ahead ready and can just be heated up for a quick brunch after church or early morning.

Menu: 

Mimosas

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Spinach, Tomato & Feta Quiche

Wild Rice Salad

Biscuits (store bought) 

 with Deli Ham, Swiss Cheese, Honey Mustard

Fresh Fruit with Vanilla Yogurt

Enjoy!

Happy Easter! 

Spinach, Tomato & Feta Quiche

In honor of my future in-laws coming to Easter brunch, I thought I'd whip up a Greek inspired quiche.  Spinach, tomato, and feta cheese are a classic and always tasty combination!

Ingredients:
* 6 eggs
* 2/3 c. heavy cream
* 1 prepared pie dough
* 1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
* 1 lb. fresh spinach
* 1 tbsp. olive oil
* 2 plum tomatos, seeded and chopped

Preheat the oven to 375.  Arrange the pie shell in a 12 inch pan.  Place a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and weight down with rice, beans or pie weights (this is called blind baking - it's a way to pre-bake the crust so it stays crisp; if you use beans or rice, just save them to reuse for this purpose, not to eat), and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.  While the shell is cooking, saute spinach in olive oil over medium low until it cooks down; set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and heavy cream until well combined.  Stir in spinach, tomatoes, and feta.  Pour egg mixture into pie shell and return to the oven, cooking for 40 minutes or until just set.  If you are making the quiche ahead of time, let it cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Reheat in the oven at 325 for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Wild Rice Salad

I can't even count how many times I've made this Wild Rice Salad.  It's great served cold or at room temperature, so it's perfect for making ahead or traveling to a pot luck.

Ingredient:
* 1 box Uncle Ben's original wild rice
* 1 naval orange, juiced
* 1 tbs. olive oil
* 1/4 c. dried cranberries
* 1/4 c. chopped pecans
* 1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
* salt, pepper

Prepare the rice according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, prepare the orange vinaigrette by whisking together the juice of one orange, olive oil, salt and pepper.  When the rice is done cooking, fluff it up with a fork and add the orange vinaigrette a bit at a time (just be careful not to overdress the rice).  Add the pecans, cranberries, and crumbled feta.  Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Broccoli and cheddar is probably one of the most popular quiche combinations.  If i'm making multiple quiches for a larger brunch, I like to make one that's a little less predictable, but always have a sure-fire crowd pleaser like broccoli cheddar to go along with it.

Ingredients:
* 6 eggs
* 2/3 c. heavy cream
* 1 prepared pie dough
* 4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated (half of a block)
* 1.5 c. cooked broccoli and cooled

Preheat the oven to 375.  Arrange the pie shell in a 12 inch pan.  Place a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and weight down with rice, beans or pie weights (this is called blind baking - it's a way to pre-bake the crust so it stays crisp; if you use beans or rice, just save them to reuse for this purpose, not to eat), and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and heavy cream until well combined.  Stir in broccoli and cheddar cheese with a spoon.  Pour egg mixture into pie shell and return to the oven, cooking for 40 minutes or until just set.  If you are making the quiche ahead of time, let it cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Reheat in the oven at 325 for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Turkey Bolognese

Here's a quick, reasonably healthy dinner for your weeknight cooking repertoire.  Bolognese is a hearty Italian classic, which I lightened by using ground turkey rather than the usual combination of ground chuck, veal, and pancetta. Carrots, celery, and onion are the classic veggie trifecta in Bolognese and without lending overhwelming flavor, they bulk up the sauce nicely.

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; many of these things you probably have on hand.  I used a fairly small amount of carrots and celery so I grabbed those from the salad bar.

Ingredients (serves 4):
* 1.3 lb. ground turkey or beef (the turkey I buy comes in this prepackaged size, but 1 lb. will work as well)
* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* 1/4 c. celery, minced
* 1/8 c. carrots, minced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
* 1 1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
* 1/4 c. red wine
* 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tsp. dried oregano

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot or skillet.  Add turkey or beef and brown, stirring often.  When it is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside.  If there is any excess liquid in the pan, drain it off.  Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and add carrots, onion and celery to the pan.  Saute until the vegetables are soft, then add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant (1 minute or so).  Add the wine to deglaze the pan, then add all remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.  Serve over whole wheat rigatoni.  Enjoy!