Thayer in the Kitchen

  I used a frozen whole grain pie shell from the store to prepare this quiche. You could certainly use a homemade crust as well. Something I did this time was to let the crust defrost slightly and transfer the crust to my glass pie pan. It is a little larger than those aluminum pans. So often I find with the purchased crusts that they don't hold all of the filling. When you put the filling in your own pan you can stretch it out a bit. Then I prebaked it as the per the instructions on the frozen crust. Actually, I baked it a little less. Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup milk (or 1/2 & 1/2) 4 eggs 8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese (or another cheese of your choice) 4 cups fresh spinach (chopped if leaves are large) 1/2 t. Kosher salt 1/4 t. pepper 1 9" deep dish unbaked frozen pie shell Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add all the ingredients except for pie shell in a large bowl and combine well. Pour into pie crust. Cover lightly with foil and bake for 4...

Ingredients: Frozen pie crust shell (Whole Foods has them 2 in a package) 3 large eggs 1-1/2 cups heavy cream or half and half 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1-1/2 cups grated smoked Gouda cheese, divided* 2 cups fresh baby spinach, or large spinach leaves chopped up Instructions: Slightly defrost the pie crust. Then preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and remove parchment and pie weights. Allow to cool slightly. Beat the eggs, cream and salt together until well combined. Sprinkled half the cheese over the pie crust. Top with the spinach, pour the egg mixture into the crust and top with remaining cheese. Bake in the center of the oven until the edges are set about 30 to 40 minutes. Check to make sure the middle of pie isn't lidquidy. Remove and let set for 10 minutes before serving. *Note: other kinds of cheese can be used if th...

This is a delicious breakfast/brunch dish of baked eggs with fresh spinach. It also happens to be very easy to prepare., another plus in the morning or whenever you may be preparing your first meal of the day. Ingredients 1 slice of bread torn into rough crumbs 3 T. oil (I used sunflower oil) 1 t. thyme (2 t. fresh thyme if available) 2-3 cloves garlic 1 shallot 5-6 oz. baby spinach or large spinach torn into pieces (remove tough stems) 4 large eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 t. tarragon (! T. fresh tarragon if available) pinch of freshly grated nutmeg if available salt and pepper Instructions Set oven to 375 F Brown the bread crumbs in 1 T. of the oil for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper and thyme. Heat the remaining oil and sauté the garlic and shallot for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.. Put the spinach in the bottom of a gratin dish. Make four dips in the spinach for the eggs. Place an egg in each hollow. Pour the cream around the eggs. Top with the ...

This is a breakfast recipe using the lovely spinach that we got in our first box  from our new farm My Fine Homestead. I love easy recipes that incorporate vegetables in courses other than lunch (which we typically don't eat) or dinner. My husband, Arthur, is a big fan of polenta and will happily eat it for any meal. If you try this dish, I hope you will find it as satisfying a breakfast as we did. Ingredients Polenta: 5 cups water or stock (I used a combination) 1 cup polenta 2 Tbsp oil (or butter) 1 tsp salt Greens & Eggs: 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bunch of spinach, chopped (or other greens like Swiss chard or baby kale) 2 - 4 eggs 1 Tbsp butter or oil Salt and pepper to taste Freshly grated Parmesan  Directions To make the polenta, pour the water into a pot, add the salt and bring the water to a boil. Slowly pour in the polenta while whisking well. Bring the polenta to a simmer on low heat, stirring often, cooking gently for around 30 to 45 min...

I've tried a few recipes in the past to make creamed spinach and never been satisfied with any of them.  This one was very good.  There may be a better one, but this is the best so far.  The reason I've tried so many times is that my husband is a big fan of creamed spinach.  He thought this dish was delicious. 10 oz. of spinach (the original recipe called for baby spinach, but that isn't what I had from my CSA farm) 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter 2  tablespoons  finely chopped onion 2  teaspoons  minced garlic (a little more is OK) 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour 1  cup  half-and-half 1/2  cup  finely grated Parmesan cheese 1/4  teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg 1/2  teaspoon  dry mustard Pinch  of cayenne pepper 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper Instructions Cook the spinach:  Bring a 4-quart po...

I love sweet potato soup.  I wanted to try this recipe because I had spinach from the farmers market as well as a jar of harissa.  Harissa is also known as Tunisian chili paste. This spice mixture originated in Tunisia. It contains chilies, cumin, garlic, coriander, caraway seeds, cinnamon, olive oil and sometimes tomatoes.  The harissa that I have is quite hot.  The first time I used it, my husband said he couldn't eat the dish.  I didn't think it was quite that hot, but now I use less then the recipe calls for and add more after tasting.  This recipe originally called for 1 1/2 tablespoons of harissa.  I cut it in half and used 2 teaspoons.  Your harissa may not be as hot as mine or you may have a higher tolerance than Arthur. 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 3 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter (chunky is OK too) 2 teaspoons harissa paste (read...

I may have mentioned before when you have a full CSA share you need to expand your thinking on when to eat vegetables.  They're not just for dinner.  I try to think of ways to incorporate vegetables into our weekend breakfasts.  We got sweet potatoes in our last box.  I found this recipe and adapted it for one of our breakfasts. 1/2 cup of diced onion 1/2 cup of sweet peppers 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3-4 pork sausage breakfast links, cut into pieces 2 cups shredded sweet potatoes 2 cups of spinach or any other tender greens that are available.  I used the tops from our hakuri turnips. 3-4 eggs Salt and pepper to taste shredded cheese (whatever you have available) avocado to garnish, if available.  I didn't have any. The quantities are very flexible for this dish.  These are just guidelines.  You can also add mushrooms if you wish. Use a large skillet, heat and add about 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil (Driftless Organic...

If you belong to a CSA farm in Wisconsin, you can plan on getting garlic scapes in your spring boxes.  On a post in July 2010, I showed pictures and gave an explanation of garlic scapes.  You can either check it out or do a Google search if you're wondering what kind of very strange vegetable has come your way.  If you have been a CSA member before, you probably know all about them.  I think I got this recipe from Vermont Valley Community Farm, a very fine farm that we have belonged to.  This is one more excellent dish where you can serve vegetables for breakfast.  Frequently we only think of vegetables for lunch or dinner.  When you belong to a CSA farm and are receiving bountiful amounts of fresh produce, it's a good idea to have some veggies for breakfast/brunch as well. 3 tablespoons olive oil 10 eggs 2  cups finely chopped raw spinach (1/2 LB) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon chopped parsley o...

If you are ever fortunate enough to have leftover grilled salmon, this is the recipe for you.  We had a dinner party with a Pacific Northwest Cuisine as the theme.  One of the guests grilled wild salmon on cedar planks.  Fabulous!  There was some leftover and this the recipe I used it in. Ingredients 1/2 pound pasta (the original recipe called for whole wheat spaghetti which I didn't have--I substituted imported Italian rotini) 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2-1# cooked salmon (use the amount you have available) 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 3 tablespoons capers 1 lemon, zested 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a ...

This is a super easy recipe because its made with the no-boil lasagna noodles and raw spinach.  I was lucky enough to have a quart of my homemade tomato sauce from last summer in the freezer, but a jar of good commercial spaghetti sauce would also be fine.  1 lb bulk Italian sausage 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1 quart homemade tomato sauce or 1 32 oz jar pasta sauce 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups) 4 cups coarsey chopped fresh spinach 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large skillet or stock pot, brown and crumble sausage and onion; drain if necessary.  I used Italian sausage from Jordandal Farms which is very lean and there is no need to drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Simmer 10 minutes (to heat through), stirring occasionally. In medium bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, spinac...

I found this interesting sounding soup recipe that called for sorrel. We really liked it and I'll be making it again the next time I get sorrel in my CSA box. Ingredients 2 lbs sorrel, I used a combination of sorrel and spinach--2 bunches 2 1/4 quarts beef stock 2 onions, peeled and chopped 1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 potatoes, cubed 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1 tablespoon scallion, chopped 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 eggs, hard boiled and sliced 1/4 cup sour cream Directions Bring the beef stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, salt and potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Then add the sorrel and/or spinach. Cook briefly. Remove from heat and stir in the cream; add the dill. Serve and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of minced scallion and slices of egg. Adapted from recipezaar.com

This is a very flexible as well as quick recipe. Amounts aren't very important. Other ingredients can be added if you wish. I have frozen homemade pesto that I made with my basil last summer and wanted to use. I brought the spinach at the first farmers' market of the season and decided to add to the recipe. The original one didn't call for it. 1 1/2 packages of 1# rolls of polenta, cut in 1/4 inch slices Bottled pasta sauce, I used Muir Glen Italian Herb Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) 1/4 cup pesto 2-3 cups shredded or torn raw spinach (optional) 1/4 cup pine nuts 1-2 cup shredded mozzarella or other milk melty cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick spray. Arrange a single layer of polenta in the bottom of the pan. Spread a thin layer of pesto over the polenta slices. Top with shredded raw spinach if using. Then spoon half the sauce over the spinach. Next top with another layer of polenta and sauce. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Turn on the ...

For those of us who live in Wisconsin there aren't a lot of fresh locally grown vegetables available at the farmers' market in February and March. One vegetable that is available however is lovely frost sweetened spinach. So what is frost-sweetened spinach you ask? According to Bill Warner of Snug Haven Farms, "Because the winter spinach is continually freezing and thawing, the sugar content in the spinach increases and the spinach becomes incredibly sweet." This spinach is available at the Dane County winter farmers market from Snug Haven Farms as well as a few other farmers. Its great for spinach salad. This recipe has a nicely tart citrus dressing. 1 ts Finely shredded orange peel 1/4 c Orange juice 1/4 c rice vinegar 1 T. sunflower oil 1/3 c Dried cranberries 1 large Firm-ripe pear or a couple of smaller ones 1 small thinly sliced red onion 1/2 lb spinach leaves, torn in bite-sized pieces 1/4 cup toasted walnuts Salt & pepper if needed Combine orange peel, ...

I wasn't allowed to put any weight at all on my left leg for 10 weeks which is a very long time. The work that the surgeon did was successful and now I'm starting to get around my condo with the aid of a walker. I've also started to do some cooking while hanging onto counters, etc. Last night I made a very simple supper but the salad was excellent and the pasta dish quite good as well. Apple Spinach Salad 4 cups baby spinach 1 medium apple, sliced (I also peeled mine because I don't like apple peels) 1/2 small red onion cut into thin wedges 2 tablespoon roughly chopped dried tart cherries 1/4 cup pecan pieces 1/2 cup blue cheese (about 2 ounces) or you could substitute feta Thyme-Dijon Vinaigrette 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt Put ingredients for dressing in jar and shake well. Use the amount you want on the salad. Adapted from a recipe from Hear...

This is another good recipe to use some greens. The original recipe called for frozen spinach, but fresh works well. No need to cook it first. 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 1-2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 HVF bag of spinach (probably about 4 ounces) 1 whole wheat pizza crust (such as Boboli) 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained 2/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) grated sharp provolone or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or more if you prefer (I had some goat cheese feta and that worked very well) you can also add a few slices of turkey pepperoni if you wish Preheat oven to 450°. Chop the spinach finely. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in spinach. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread spinach mixture over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with artichokes, cheese and pepperoni if using. Bake at 450° for 13 minutes or until cheese melts. Yum! Good...

Amaranth Leaves are very similar to spinach in flavor and use. They're beautiful to look at. Its tempting to just keep the bunch as a decorative bouquet. This time I decided to use mine in Chinese Spinach Curry. This is not a perfected recipe, but I would make it again so I thought it was worth posting. Thotakura Palakura Tomato Kura 1 tablespoon peanut oil or other mild oil ¼ teaspoon each--cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves (I think the quantity of these spices should be doubled) 1 big onion - finely sliced, about one cup 2 tomatoes - finely chopped, about one cup 5 green chillies--finely chopped (I used 1 Serrano, which I seeded--5 seemed excessive for our tastes but it needed either more than 1 pepper or to leave in some of the seeds. In other words it lacked heat) 1 teaspoon - ginger garlic paste ½ tsp each- turmeric and salt 1 bunch fresh amaranth (leaves and tender stems) - finely chopped, about 5 cups 1 bunch fresh spinach - finely chopped, about 5 cups 1 can of chick...

In case you're wondering what to do with baby turnips and their greens, the following is a very good salad with interesting flavor contrasts. Baby White Turnip Salad With Toasted Pecans And Bacon 4 small white turnips with their greens attached (or 1 bunch of baby white turnips) 1/4 c. pecan halves or pieces 3 oz. bacon 1 green garlic stalk and 1 green onion, sliced on the bias (a garlic scape is also a nice addition if you happen to have them available) salt and pepper, to taste 1-2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil Toast pecan pieces. I usually do mine in the microwave. It take 1-2 minutes. Otherwise toast them in a 350 degree oven. Make sure they don't burn. Remove the greens from the turnips. Tear the leaves with your hands into medium to large pieces and set aside. Slice turnips as thin as possible. I used my food processor using the thin slicing disk. Put into a bowl of iced water. In a non-stick pan, saute the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and crumble, ...

When you're getting lots of vegetables in your CSA box, you need to think creatively as in--vegetables for breakfast. Creamed Eggs with Spinach CREAMED EGGS 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 2 ounces smoked baby Swiss (or any cheese that you like) 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped Salt & pepper to taste Spinach: About 4 inches of well-salted water 1 pound fresh spinach, washed very well, stems removed Eggs: In a saucepan, melt the butter until shimmery. Add the onion and cook until just soft. Stir in the flour and let cook a minute. Add the milk slowly -- a tablespoon at a time at first, stirring in each new spoonful before adding the next. Add the cheese and let melt. Stir in the eggs and let warm through. Season with salt and pepper. Spinach: Bring the water to a boil. Add the spinach, a handful at a time if necessary. Let cook until done, just a couple of minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain. Chop roughly after draining. Arrange the co...

Saturday, May 9 we got our first CSA delivery of the season. I love most of the veggies and a couple I could live without. We got spinach, overwintered parsnips (very sweet), rhubarb, sunchokes, ramps (I LOVE RAMPS), sorrel, chives, winter black radishes and burdock. The last two items I wouldn't miss. I usually plan what I'm going to do with my bounty right away but Saturday was a meeting of our gourmet group for dinner at our place. It was a wonderful meal, so I guess I'll digress and talk about our Taste of New England dinner. Appetizer: Lemon Crumb-Broiled Sea Scallops (Lora) Soup: New England Clam Chowder (Lora) Salad: Cucumber Salad with Shaker Buttermilk Herb Dressing (Victoria) Breads: Classic Parker House Rolls (Lora) Steamed Brown Bread with Raisins (Edith) Durgin Park Cornbread (Jim) Main Dishes: Vermont Chicken & Leek Pie with Biscuit Crust (Edith) Yankee Cafe Fresh Fish Cakes and Down East Crab Cakes (Victoria) Shaker Roast Pork Loin with Cider-Sage Gravy ...

Last night a friend and I met at Swagat Indian Restaurant for dinner and then went to the public library for a planning session. We're planning a Mardi Gras dinner for the Madison Herb Society in March. We met to coordinate the menu which I really enjoy. It should be a great dinner. Arthur was on his own for dinner. For dinner on Wednesday I made Cheddar Polenta with Sauteed Greens and Garlic-Roasted Portabello Mushrooms which was a recipe in the cheese newsletter from Harmony Valley Farm. 4 medium portobello mushrooms 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 4 cups water 1 teaspoons salt 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) (other cheeses can be used) 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs cut away, leaves cut in 3x1-inch strips (other greens can be substituted) I used some brussels sprouts leaves that came in one of my boxes--I didn't even know you could eat t...