A Round Up of sorts...and a quiche and a salsa

I have been meaning to do a couple of retrospective posts to update you on what Thermie has been up to the past few weeks.  Instead, I'll just do a bit of a summary here and then provide a quiche recipe from earlier this week.

Each week, I have been making a loaf of bread (we try not to eat too much bread here), baby food (although this is getting less and less as Sam is able to eat more and more family food), a couple of batches of fresh orange juice, and porridge most mornings.  I love being able to make great tasting flavoured porridge using normal (and very cheap) rolled oats and then adding some frozen blueberries or an apple or whatever fruit is at hand.  I normally drizzle on some raw honey for a little sweetness.  I've also made focaccia, cheesy breadsticks and Anzac biscuits.

As my Facebook followers would know, I've made a couple of batches of choux pastry for chocolate eclairs.  I've never made choux pastry before and so hadn't been aware of the difficulties faced when making it the conventional way.  I know now!  But Thermie makes it oh so easy, and chocolate eclairs or profiteroles will probably be my go to dessert when something a little special is required.  In fact, I'm inspired to attempt a croquembouche one day!

I've made mini lemon tarts, a pineapple and coconut cake, and some stewed fruit.

Main meals have included pumpkin soup, Sausage & Celery Casserole (I may post the recipe here soon as it's a really simple and delicious meal with an ordinary sounding name!), Spiced Chicken & Sweet Potato with rice, Moussaka, Savoury Toast, Chicken Stroganoff (EDC), Mushroom & Bacon creamy pasta sauce, KFC Chicken, coleslaw, potato salad (mayonnaise & steamed potatoes), and Spinach, Bacon & Parmesan Quiche.  Recipe (as requested by lovely Facebook follower, Julianne) is below.

Spinach, Bacon & Parmesan Quiche

Source: Based on a recipe found on Taste.com.au.

Ingredients

1 qty sour cream pastry
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, halved
100 grams rindless bacon, in short, thin strips
125 grams spinach (if frozen, then thawed and drained)
4 eggs
185 grams cream (or milk)
125 grams milk
50 grams cheddar cheese, grated
50 grams parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Make the pastry as per directions and blind bake for 12-15 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Grate the cheeses (separately) and set aside.

2. Place onion (and bacon if preferred, I prefer to chop by hand) in TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 5. Add oil and spinach and cook for 5 minutes at 100ºC, speed 1. Remove from bowl and drain if necessary. Add eggs, milk & cream to TM bowl and mix for 8 seconds on speed 4.

3. When pastry has been blind baked, place the grated cheddar cheese in a layer over the bottom of the quiche, then spread over the bacon & spinach mixture. Pour in the egg mixture and use a fork to swirl through the spinach, lifting it up into the egg mixture. Sprinkle over the parmesan cheese and some smoked paprika if desired.

4. Place the quiche back into the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until just set.

Last night we had nachos using organic corn chips, tomato salsa, grated cheese and sour cream.  This is such a quick and easy meal, but normally full of additives and other nasties.  I chose a brand of plain corn chips to reduce the nasties that are generally in the flavoured versions and I made my own salsa rather than buying a jar.  This was so easy to make - never will The Opies buy another jar of salsa!  I used this recipe but made some modifications (next time I might add a red and/or green capsicum as well).

Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

750 grams raw tomatoes
1 medium red onion
20 grams red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon homemade sweet chilli sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder

Directions

1. Chop the onion for 5 seconds on speed five, then add the tomatoes and process for an additional 5 seconds on speed 5.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 30 mins, Varoma temp , reverse + speed 1. Leave the MC off but place the steaming basket on top to prevent splatter.    Hopefully next week I will get back on my horse and continue with "proper" weekly round ups.  Until then folks...happy days!!

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