spinach – Page 5 – The Pajama Chef

Quiche is one of those dishes that I love but find difficult to make well at home. I don’t know what it is, but it always seems like my quiches burn, don’t cook through all the way, or are bland. Not this time though. I improvised off a recipe from a fun blog that I read regularly, The Runner’s Plate, and was oh-so-satisfied after this baby popped out of the oven on Monday evening for dinner.

The combination of spinach, tomatoes, and asiago cheese paired with eggs and cottage cheese and seasonings on a light tortilla shell crust was just right. Sometimes savory pie-type dishes with thick crusts are a little too much heavy, so I loved using whole wheat tortillas as the crust, and will definitely be replicating that technique again. The addition of asiago cheese was purely spontaneous, and a little goes a long way in making this dish utterly rich and decadent without being overwhelming. This Asiago Spinach Tomato Quiche was a filling dinner, but I could also see it being perfect for a special breakfast or holiday brunch. Yum!

Asiago Spinach Tomato Quiche [based from a recipe by The Runner’s Plate]

Ingredients:

3 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup Egg beaters [or 4 large eggs… I used Egg beaters because I had a free coupon]
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 – 14.5 ounce can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes, drained
heaping 1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon paprika
generous amount of freshly ground black pepper [maybe 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon?]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9″ deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. Line with tortillas. In a large bowl, stir together eggs, spinach, tomatoes, asiago cheese, cottage cheese, and paprika. Season with pepper as desired. Pour into tortilla “crust” and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. [If necessary: Cover with foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.] Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Click here for the printable version: Asiago Spinach Tomato Quiche

Need a quick, light dinner? Well, have I got the masterpiece for you then! This Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce served over spaghetti can be prepared in less than 30 minutes… and it’s not from Rachael Ray! I whipped up this pasta on a whim last Monday night after our other dinner plans were scrapped, and I absolutely cannot stop thinking about it. Spinach. Mushrooms. Sweet peppers. Italian seasonings. All melded together with a light cream sauce. I haven’t tried this, but I bet subbing some white wine for the cream would be fantastic. Not much else to say about this dinner because I know you’ll love it!

Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Ingredients:

8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
olive oil
salt
pepper
~1 cup heavy cream or half and half
~2 tablespoons Parmesan
~1 teaspoon oregano
~2 teaspoons garlic
1/3 cup roasted peppers, roughly chopped [I used roasted Piquillo peppers from Trader Joe’s–they are sweet, but if you wanted to use hot peppers that would work too!]
9 ounces frozen spinach, cooked [don’t drain]
1/2 pound spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat up a little olive oil in a skillet and then sautee the mushrooms over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste [for me, this is a teeny bit of salt with a lot of freshly ground pepper]. Stir in the cream, then add the Parmesan, oregano, and garlic. [I just eyeballed all the amounts.] Add the peppers and spinach, toss, and then simmer for about 5 minutes. When the spaghetti is cooked, return to pan and add sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Click here for the printable version: Spinach Mushroom Cream Sauce with Spaghetti

Question of the Day: Rachael Ray–yea or nay?