Caramelized Onion Chicken Spinach &Mushroom Quiche

I love Quiche ! One day I was wanting something outside the usual breakfast/ brunch quiche options I’m familiar with.  I searched online and found a chicken option and an onion option and many others And out of my brain popped this gem consisting of a mash up of many things I love.

This will yield 2 or 3 large quiche in pie plates or 2 large 9in round cake pans

I buy pre made pie crust 2 pk

Line pan with parchment paper and line the pan with the pie crust. Easy-peasy.

Cube and grill 2 chicken breasts cut into small bite sized pieces  I use butter but any preferred oils will work fine I sometimes skip seasoning the chicken as there is plenty of flavor in the egg mixture . But by all means  season chicken as desired. I recommend a garlic or salt & pepper

1 med sized sweet yellow onion sliced thinly grill on med heat with 2 tbsp butter once they start to golden and soften add 1 -2 tbsp of white or brown sugar to caramelize. Keep warm

Thinly slice 3 large white mushrooms

1.5 cups of spinach chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4cup of heavy cream

1-2 tables spoons of  minced garlic

Dash of dried parsley

Cajuns choice Blackened  seasoning - just shake a generous amount

Salt pepper - 3 or 4 good shakes

Dried minced onion about 1 tbsp

8- 10 large eggs, whipped -  I like to use my hand mixer and get it nice and frothy

I whip the eggs with the cream and add the garlic & seasonings

Then hand fold in the cheese and veggies ( not the onions yet ) add chicken

Pour in the mixture filling the pan 3/4 full

Add half the onions to the first quiche placing them evenly along the top submerging them slightly
 Use the remaining on the next quiche.

Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees  Cooking time may vary if cooking more than one quiche at a time.  Watch for a good rise in the pan and check with a finger for density to make sure your eggs are cooked. No giggle !!

* additional option this quiche is also great with a few pieces of Bacon
* Flavor tip if you grill your bacon with minced garlic it gives amazing flavor to the dish. You can also strain some out and add it in the egg mix.

Enjoy !!!

Chicken Mushroom Pasty (Kells)

Flaky creamy and Delicious

Chicken chop & grill my preferred seasoning is onion powder,  garlic and blackened
>Mushrooms
>Chopped spinach > sautéed in 1tbsp of butter and salt to taste
>Onion

Garlic Mashed Potatoes > cubed Yukon gold skin on. Boil and mash add fresh garlic butter and heavy cream & salt to desired taste

Puff Pastry > Thaw or refrigerator ready

Stuff chicken and veg mix into a pocket you may also use an oversized muffin tin.
Follow baking instructions per pastry package. Approx 425 for 15-20 min


 Layer mashed potatoes
Set pastry a top and drizzle Tarragon sauce you can buy a Baraniese packet

I make Brussel Sprouts as a side dish
Fresh green beans or grilled asparagus  also make a nice options

Mama's Zuppa Toscana

Paleo twist to an Iconic Classic

1 package of mild Italian sausage skin off
1-2 bunches of Kale chopped
1 head of cauliflower
About 1 lb of bacon cut in chunks
3-5 med size gold potatoes
32oz chicken broth I use a little more
2 c water (optional)
1 can lite Coconut milk

In large pot add chicken broth and water
Cube potatoes and cauliflower add to broth
bring to a boil till for tender
Cook sausage add to broth
Cook bacon with tbsp minced garlic strain as much grease and add bacon and garlic to broth
Simmer low
Add coconut milk
Add kale to hot broth and it will wilt
Salt and pepper to desired taste

Your ready to eat !

Seared Ahi Tuna

This was a very simple dish to make the only problem is I'm not good at steaming rice. I usually have a rice cooker but sadly mine is out of commission so I had a terrible mess. 

I pre heated my pan on med heat and used about a table spoon of coconut oil. I sprinkled blackening seasoning on each side of the tuna. You only need to cook the tuna for a min or two on each side for that great rare tuna, when I cook at home I tend to cook my tuna more than I would if I were ordering when dining out… I need to work through this anxiety of under cooking it . I Steamed the brussel sprouts and sprinkled a dash of sea salt and butter. I like sticky white rice so I use short or med grain. Add the green onions a little butter and soy you can also cook your rice in chicken broth and it gives extra yummy flavor. A pretty healthy meal and it was also done in less than 30 min I would say 20max.

 Now I am off to scrub the nasty from my stove. Someone is rice cooker shopping tomorrow. We like our rice without the mess  

Coconut Basil Tiger Prawns

This one was so easy and simple. Now you can do this a couple ways. You can throw in a table spoon of butter or coconut oil and brown the shrimp or add it all in together in a large sauté pan till the shrimp is cooked and the sauce has thickened. I threw it all in.

1 decent package of large tiger prawns or shrimp from Costco or where ever, I love the Costco prawns. After I shelled them; I patted them dry so they were not wet.
1 can of lite coconut milk I prefer trader joes brand
A dash of flour helps the milk thicken
2 sprigs of fresh basil and fresh minced garlic
A couple dashes of lemon pepper to taste preference of course, on all the items listed.
I used medium heat and stirred frequently till the sauce was a nice smooth not watery consistency. Preheating your pan is truly the key to not ruining your dishes. Higher heat may cook it faster
but also ruin the consistency or flavor. Who wants burned sauce NOT Me
I think this dish would also be really great with lime and server a variety of ways; over rice veggies or even noodles. I wish the photo would have turned out better my shadow is a little in the way.

This is definitely a less than 30 min start it finish meal. Time will vary if you need to peel the prawns. Or pause to refill the wine glass a few times. Enjoy

Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

Yummy lunch I threw together yesterday. Thai Peanut Chicken Salad. 
To give you an idea of quantity for this dishes measurements as described; I used 3 large breasts and a bag of cut romaine hearts, 1 avocado and 1/2 can of mandarins it fed 4 adults.
Chicken:  mix peanut butter about 1/4 c 1tbsp of coconut oil, about 2tbsp of sesame oil and soy, chili garlic paste, splash in lime juice, soy and worstschire. 2 tbsp of hoisin sauce, A few dashes of ground mustard powder and curry and a sprig of fresh basil(all ingredient to to taste and desired consistency).Mix in a bowl with chicken cut into strips ( optional then skewer) bake between 350 and 375 for about 20-30min. If you have a rack this will let the drippings fall and the bottom won't be as wet it will be more glazed. I actually used the sauce from the bottom of the pan I didn't have my rack available to re coat and keep the extra chicken from drying out.

 Salad dressing: 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, dash paprika and lemon pepper, lime juice, 1tbsp hoisin, 1/2 to 1 tbsp of ground ginger, dash of mustard, 4 tbsp of honey, 1tbsp chili garlic paste, 1 tbsp sesame oil, a couple splashes of soy and rice vinegar Whisk I use romaine lettuce and slivered almonds with mandarin oranges, green onions and avocado. When I create my marinades and sauces I add to taste of what I like. this basic list will help you know what you need to accomplish the dish and make it your own.

A little about Me

 I call this blog  The "Stir-Crazy-Mom" Chef because I spend a LOT of time at home and get a bit stir crazy. My husband works as a firefighter and I am a professional family and wedding photographer and work a lot from home. We have 3 beautiful children who I love with all my heart but that doesn't mean I don't go nuts being home for sometimes days on end. I love to cook. At times I even find it therapeutic, however, somedays I am so tired of the endless meals and clean up that come with a large family. Laundry can wait but feeding the kids not so much. There are many days where nuggets or MacN Cheese are the delicacy for the evening. However other days I have the opportunity to break free and experiment.  I love to look up recipes from a few different sources and mash them together to make it my own. If you read my posts you will find I don't exactly measure I usually guestimate on measurements for tbsp and cup etc. A lot of my method is a few shakes of this and that, a splash here and there and maybe a bit more if it needs it. I think the key to a good dish that will fit many families since we all have our preference is to get the basic list of ingredients an idea of what to do and add more or less of what you like or don't like. Especially when it comes to saltiness or consistency; like oily or creamy etc. I worked several years in restaurants and I will be adding my recreations of recipes from those dishes and other places I have dined that made an impression. My posts won't be for you if you don't have a basic idea on how to throw a meal together. Im not much for needing appliances I use fork hand whisks and occasionally an electric mixer.  I have darn near every basic spice you can think of in my pantry and sometimes use fresh herbs. I just hate having to run to the store for recipes that call for some strange expensive spice like saffron  I may use once a year. So I try to keep it good but simple. Who says you can't make a great dish with just garlic and onion. Each time I make something I usually will change it too like substituting mayo for sour cream or adding coconut milk whatever the dish can take to give it a twist so its not always exactly the same as the 10th time I've made it.
I love it when people enjoying eating something I have made. It makes me feel so good. Im a pretty humble gal but I will admit at times its an ego boost when I get a complement from someone especially someone whom I have never cooked for before. Also  I'm no expert on grammar, but I try ;)