because that's how mondays go sometimes

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Something motivated me to make quiche yesterday.

Little individual broccoli, red pepper and gruyere quiches made in large muffin tins. I was excited to make the spinach crumb crust like my cousin, Stacie, makes. I really enjoy that crumb crust. So buttery. I especially love how it looks kind of wild and jagged with flecks of green spinach.

That Stacie, she makes a mean quiche.

Off to a good start.

Looking good!

Beautiful. A slice of  tomato on top with a little sprig of thyme.

These were going to be great.

But alas, I got sidetracked feeding Miss Clementine and these beauties cooked a little too long turning their crusts a deep brown and that lovely green spinach was charred and crispy.

That's just how things go sometimes as a mom on a monday.

Edible but not photographable.

Imagine that they were great.

french toast with heart

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This morning my husband wanted to make heart shaped french toast.

Yes, he's a festive guy. I'm a lucky lady.

Somehow our heart-shaped french toast evolved into french toast with hearts cut out of them and filled with pink scrambled egg whites. Of course we griddled up those little heart cut outs as well.

What a fun breakfast!

Apple Pie Ball

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pie-ballAhh, apple season. We were craving the yummy apple dumplings from Brookfield Orchards but, unfortunately couldn't make a day trip to Massachusetts. So, we tried to make our own. I was feeling a bit lazy and decided to use pre made pie crusts. I know, I know...but the reality is they are flaky, tasty and already made so why not use them! I rolled out the EZ dough and cut it into four sections. Peeled four apples and cored them. Placed one apple on one dough section. Put a little cinnamon sugar mixture in the core as well as a little pad of butter and folded up the dough around the apple. Then I brushed an eggwhite water mixture over the dough so it browns up nicely. I put all four apples close together in a small baking dish.

Many of the dumpling recipes call for a syrup that you make and bake them in. The ones that we had back on the east coast didn't come that way and again, I was looking for the easiest, fastest way to have a sweet treat so in the oven at 375 degrees they went. You know they are done when they turn golden and flaky and make your house smell all homey and delicious!

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Sure, they were warm and yummy but they didn't taste like the dumplings we remembered. My husband said it was like eating a pie ball. I agreed, and for some reason that name makes me laugh. So, if your looking for a fall apple treat maybe you should whip up some easy bake pie balls!

Orange Watermelon?

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As I walked around the farmer's market I spotted something I just had to try. An orange watermelon?

I guess I wasn't that shocked. I've had yellow watermelon in the past. Now to try the orange variety.

orange-watermelonLooks like a regular watermelon from the outside...

watermelon4but the inside is juicy orange sweetness.

It makes me want to put together a tri-color watermelon salad.

Any excuse to use the melon baller.

Pink, yellow, and orange watermelon polka dots in a bowl.

Sounds like a party.

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In Pictures: Horseradish salt crusted beets

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Beets. Glorious Beets. Golden like sunshine and deep red to stain your fingers and your lips.

This process is a bit entailed but it's fun to do. The flavors from the salt and horseradish are subtle but definitely there. I combined two recipes and just kind of went with it. The main difference was one used an egg white in the salt mixture. I found this helped the salt adhere to the beet and make a nice crust. Check out one recipe at epicurious. Definitely make the horseradish creme fraiche. Have your sliced beets over a nice butter lettuce salad drizzled with the dressing. Yum!