Crust Free Mini Quiche!

I love quiche!

I've blogged about quiche more than once.

One can be found here and another can be found here!

I've never blogged about mini quiche or crust free quiche,

but today you're getting to hear about both in one recipe!!!

I had asparagus leftover from another recipe,

and chorizo in my fridge for something else yummy,

so on the whim one day I decided to make quiche.

BUT I didn't want to do a normal sized one.

Nope, I was going to do mini ones and omit the crust!

Let me show you how to make these babies!!

The Goods:

Eggs

Milk

Asparagus

Green Onions

Chorizo

Monterey Jack Cheese

In a large skillet, cook up 6 ounces of chorizo.

And in a large pot cook 1/2 inch pieces of asparagus until tender.

Grease your jumbo muffin pans.

Add a spoonful of the cooked chorizo to each.

And follow up with a spoonful of cooked asparagus in each too.

Scramble your eggs with 1/2 cup of milk.

Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Pour egg mixture into each muffin pan until you've used it all up.

Top with sliced green onions.

And finally some shredded monterey jack cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes - until eggs are fully cooked.

Let cool in the pans for a few minutes.

Then remove and let cool a little on wire rack.

Who am I kidding?

Dig in and devour one as soon as you won't burn your mouth!!!

Asparagus and Chorizo 

Crust Free Mini Quiche

6 Ounces Chorizo

4 Ounces Monterey Jack Cheese - Shredded

12 to 15 Asparagus - Cut into 1/2 Pieces

2 Green Onions - Sliced

1/2 Cup Milk

8 Eggs

Salt and Pepper To Taste

1. In a large skillet, cook up 6 ounces of chorizo.
2. And in a large pot cook 1/2 inch pieces of asparagus until tender.
3. Grease your jumbo muffin pans, add a spoonful of cooked chorizo and a spoonful of cooked asparagus.
4. Scramble your eggs with 1/2 cup of milk. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
5. Pour egg mixture into each muffin pan until you've used it all up.
6. Top with sliced green onions and shredded monterey jack cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes - until eggs are fully cooked.
8. Let cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove to wire rack.

Five Favorite Vegetables

This was supposed to be posted yesterday,
but somehow my day just got away from me.
WHOOPS

Anyway...

I'm back today for another Friday Link Up (but a day late)!

This week, I'm linking up with THREE different groups.
Make sure to check them all out at the bottom of this post!

I'm a really big fan of eating vegetables.

I'm not picky and like pretty much all vegetables,

and since this is mostly a food blog I thought today I'd share my 

FIVE FAVORITE VEGETABLE TO EAT!!!

These are in no particular order because I honestly love eating them all,

but my favorite changes depending on the time of year

Lucky for me though because living in California,

means I can get them all pretty much year round!

Enough yapping outta me, let's get to the vegetables!

Asparagus

My favorite way to eat asparagus is to roast it.

I drizzle a little olive oil and then sprinkle salt and pepper on top

before roasting at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Broccoli

I can't decide if I like roasted or steamed broccoli more.

I prepare my roasted broccoli the same way I do the asparagus,

but I sometimes add a little fresh Parmesan at the very end. 

Brussels Sprouts

I didn't know how much I loved brussels sprouts until I was an adult.

And since I discovered how much I love eating them,

I haven't found a single way of preparing them that I don't like!

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is the most recent vegetable I've realized I love to eat.

Again, I think the method of preparing it I like the most is to roast it.

Adding a lemon juice and zest gives it a little extra flavor too!

Corn on the Cob

Fresh, sweet corn on the cob roasted or grilled in the husk is AMAZING!

I've been known to make extra to have as leftover too.

Can't wait for Summer to get here because that means fresh corn!

Now for more Friday Link Up Fun, check out the blogs below!

Andrea and Erika's blogs from Friday Favorites.

April and Christina's blogs from 5 on Friday.

Karli and Amy's blogs from oh hey friday!

Spring Quinoa Salad

I'm a BIG fan of quinoa and recipes that use the super grain.

By far, my favorite way to eat it is salad form.

You can see past recipes I've shared here, here and here!

Quite often I bring some version of quinoa salad to work for lunch.

In fact, my coworkers have caught on to my love of quinoa salad

and one even shared a link with me that she thought I'd like.

While browsing the link the next day,

I quickly realized I already had one of the links bookmarked!

I already had plans to make it and had forgotten!

Because of my awesome coworker, I was reminded of this recipe!

I found my Asian Quinoa Salad Recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod,

so I had a feeling I'd really enjoy another recipe from them too!

The Goods:

Cooked Quinoa

Asparagus

Peas

Avocado

Olive Oil

Honey

Lemon Juice

Basil

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

First step - make your lemon basil dressing.

In a deep bowl or jar, combine the following:

olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.

Whisk or shake to combine.

Next wash and cut your asparagus into 1-inch pieces.

Heat olive oil to medium, then add the asparagus and lemon juice.

Cook for about 5 minutes - until asparagus is tender.

Add your peas, stir and cook an additional 2 minutes.

While the asparagus and peas are cooking, chop up your basil.

Now the fun begins - adding and mixing everything together!

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, asparagus and peas, then toss.

Now add the dressing and basil, then mix again until well coated.

The original recipe called for adding the avocado before tossing,

but since I was going to be enjoying this for the next few days,

I decided to add diced avocado right before eating!

Now the only thing left is to dig in and enjoy!!!

Spring Quinoa Salad

Adapted from Two Peas & The Pod's Recipe!

For the dressing:
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Honey
1 Clove Garlic - Minced
1 Tablespoon Basil - Chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the salad:
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Quinoa
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
15 Spears Asparagus - cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Cup Frozen Peas
1 to 2 Avocados
1/4 Cup Basil - Chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cook your quinoa according to package directions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. In a deep bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine.
3. Heat olive oil to medium, then add the asparagus and lemon juice. Cook for about 5 minutes - until asparagus is tender.
4. Add your peas, stir and cook an additional 2 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, asparagus and peas, then toss.
6. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture, add the chopped basil and then mix again until well coated.
7. Right before serving/eating, add fresh chopped avocado.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. 

He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 

Mark 16:6

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter, Passover, Spring, whatever you were celebrating. I had a wonderful day and I hope you all did too whether it was with family, friends or both!

When I'm not home with family, I still like to have a nice Easter dinner even if it's just for myself and one or two others. 

I started the night with some delicious homemade deviled eggs. I love them and they really couldn't be easier to make!

Hard Boiled Eggs

Decorated for Easter DUH!!!

Plus a lil mayo, mustard and some relish.

Cut eggs in half.

Take out yolk, mix with mayo, mustard and relish.

 Portion back into egg whites and sprinkle with Paprika. 

I didn't do the usual Easter Ham this year - instead I roasted a Pork Tenderloin, but I decided to brine it first since my Brined Turkey Breast was so amazing last Fall.  

For sides I went with Scalloped Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus. I'd seen numerous recipes for scalloped potatoes, so I finally decided I HAD to make them. And asparagus is so tasty - especially this time of year, so I couldn't think of a better vegetable to serve.

Dinner was AMAZING and I'm really looking forward to having leftovers of it for lunch tomorrow. Mmm Mmm Mmmm!

Pasta Salad Like Mom's

When I was growing up, my mom made a pasta salad that was so amazing, yet so simple. I loved it then and I'm sure I'd love it now. No matter how many times I've tried to recreate it, it's never come out exactly the same. Since I'm not able to recreate her recipe exactly - I've modified it a bit and made it my own.

Every time I make MY pasta salad, it comes out a bit different. It really depends on what I have and trying to use up, or what I'm craving at the time. The one thing that is constant is the fact that I use spiral, usually Rotini, pasta. More recently, I've started using the whole wheat kinds and like it just as much as the regular not so great for you pasta. :)

Here's a look at how I made my most recent batch of pasta salad. Note: this makes a VERY large batch, so be prepared to share or eat it for days! 

The Goods:

Rotini, Asparagus, Green Pepper, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Red Onion, 

Green Olives, Black Olives, Feta, Lemon Juice, Italian Dressing, Salt and Pepper

(This can be modified very easily. Use whatever vegetables you want, 

but blanch raw ones that would be too hard like Asparagus and Broccoli)

Cut Up Veggies!

Veggies covered in cooked, cooled pasta!

With a little bit of Feta thrown on top.

Lemon squeezed on top, followed by Italian Dressing and then mixed!

Ready for consumption. Oh yum! 

Sunday Night Dinner: Take 12!

And another quick post, but this time - not really because I feel bad, but because the dinner I made tonight was SOOOOO good I wanted to share! 

I knew I wanted to make asparagus because I hadn't made it in awhile.  I ended up making what's probably my favorite asparagus recipe, which is super easy - Roasted Asparagus. I add garlic, shallots, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parmesan cheese.  I then roast it at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes. Mmm mmm mmm!

In addition to the asparagus, I made homemade Scalloped Potatoes! I love baked dishes like this in the Fall. They're so tasty and perfect for the crisp nights. I switched some things up from the original recipe, but I'm looking forward to trying it the original way too.  

Last but certainly NOT least, I made Chicken with a Dijon Cream Sauce. Holy WOW! This recipe is so tasty and I will absolutely without a doubt be making it again!!!

So put alllllllll those things above together and you end up with a mighty tasty dinner that looks something like this: