Category Archives: Main Courses

ALMOND-CRUSTED BACON SPINACH QUICHE

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I found this vintage bell at an estate sale:

It was made in Taiwan by Lago in 1979:

The bell, as you might expect, inspired me to make something for St. Patrick’s Day.  Not being Irish, however, and having lost my taste for green beer several decades ago, I don’t get all Erin Go Bragh about St. Patrick’s Day.  If I did, I might make corned beef and cabbage, like Kroger was encouraging me to:

But I don’t.  Nevertheless, this March I am excited to celebrate green.  After last month’s unprecedented winter storm (and epic grid failure), Houston landscapes, which were just about ready to explode with spring color, turned brown.

Heartbreaking.  Houston gardeners are left wondering what will come back and what was lost to the hard freeze.  Pretty sure my two little citrus trees didn’t make it.  Still hoping for the spectacular gardenia tree that straddles my yard and my neighbor’s yard to show some sign of life.  Then I saw these little green leaves peeking out on some of my other trees, and I was happy.  Hopeful.

Inspired by the bell and all things green this St. Patrick’s Day, I made an almond-crusted bacon and spinach quiche — spinach is green, after all (work with me here).  Every other quiche I ever made started with a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, which explains why the crust was usually left behind on the plate.  I have a love/hate relationship with Pillsbury pie crusts — love how easy they are, hate how they taste.  Really need to make my own pie crusts.

This quiche has an almond flour crust, which we all really liked.  I go through a lot of almond flour these days.  I don’t favor any particular brand, but the name of this brand — Nut Up — is kinda hilarious to me (if you don’t understand why, check here):

I think if you served this quiche with a Guinness stout, there is a good chance you could get lucky this St. Patrick’s Day.

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ALMOND-CRUSTED BACON SPINACH QUICHE
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • For the crust
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ⅓ cup butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • For the filling
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 6 eggs
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar, divided use
  • 8 ounces cooked bacon, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
  2. Place crust ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together until a ball forms. Press crust evenly into pie plate. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden.
  3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet.  Add spinach and saute until wilted.  Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and almond milk.  Add spinach, bacon, ½ cup cheese, salt, and pepper, and stir until combined.  Pour into crust.  Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese over top, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until filling is set and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool before slicing.

Ready for the oven

Bee-yoo-ti-ful

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Oops — forgot to mention that the quiche was made with farm-fresh eggs from my fabulous neighbor’s ranch.  <3

 

 

PEPPERED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CHERRY SALSA

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Let’s face it — life is not exactly a bowl of cherries these days, thanks to “the virus.”  In fact, some days it’s just plain pit-iful.  But cooking is still a bright spot for me, and before the cherry season is completely over, I’ve cherry picked an easy and delicious recipe for you.

Peppered Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa is the cherry bomb.  The pork roasts in no time, and with the aid of a cherry pitter (if you don’t have one, fuggedaboutit), you can easily throw together the cherry salsa.  Don’t let Covid-19 get you down — eat, drink, and be cherry!

Pro tips:  (1) Have a Tide pen nearby when you pit and chop the cherries.  Trust me.       (2) Wear gloves when you seed and chop the jalapeño, or at least don’t rub your eyes.

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PEPPERED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CHERRY SALSA
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • For the pork tenderloin:
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • For the cherry salsa:
  • ½ pound dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced red onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced seeded fresh jalapeño
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Season the pork with salt and press the crushed peppercorns into ti. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, and brown pork on all sides. Transfer pork to a shallow baking dish and roast until done (no longer pink in middle, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees), about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing into slices about ½" thick.
  3. While pork is roasting, make the salsa. Place cherries, lime zest, lime juice, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a small bowl and stir together.
  4. Arrange sliced pork on a serving platter and serve with the salsa.

Sear that sucker

Roasted and ready to be sliced

Cherry salsa

Hi Ho Cherry-O!