Things I can't stop talking about: 3/11/19

Brunch—This may be one of my favorite meals. Photo by Rachel Cuthbert Photgraphy

Brunch—This may be one of my favorite meals. Photo by Rachel Cuthbert Photgraphy

Here’s a very “recipe heavy” list of things I can’t stop talking about. Clearly the end of winter, beginning of Lent is a good time for cooking.

One. Brunch with friends. I realize this is something I discuss often, but it’s because I believe that shared meals are a fundamental part of relationships—whether with friends or family. Recently I gathered with a few friends for a birthday celebration. I brought a crustless bacon, mushroom, and onion quiche.

REcipe & Photo from Epicurious, PHoto by Romulo Yanes. Delicious!

REcipe & Photo from Epicurious, PHoto by Romulo Yanes. Delicious!

I’ve been looking for a good crustless quiche recipe and was pleased when I happened upon this Epicurious recipe.  Like many comments suggested, I added a 5th egg.  Also, I did not have heavy cream on hand so I used whole milk and half/half.  I also added 3/4 cup of crumbled bacon & I used a mix of gruyere and cheddar cheese that I had in the fridge.  I love a recipe where I can improvise a bit.  

Two. Paczki: Ahh, Fat Tuesday, thank you for giving us an excuse to eat fried dough filled with creamy, sweet deliciousness. 

And for the first time ever, I made my own and I’m sold. I used this recipe (it made about 4 1/2 dozen small Paczki). It wasn’t difficult as much as time consuming. I started the dough around 3 p.m., and we were frying them by 8 p.m. at night. I also made dinner in between, so there was a time lapse. I suggest making it a family affair. My husband fried the donuts, I took them out and drained them, and my mom rolled them in powdered sugar and filled them. We made custard, lemon filling, and raspberry preserve Paczki.

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Three. This quick homemade mac-n-cheese recipe. You cook the pasta in the water & milk and then add cheese. Brilliant! And literally took less than 30 minutes. My husband shredded the cheese so that was a huge help. Also, the blogger recommends not using pre-shredded cheese because it’s coated to keep it from clumping in the bag. Totally agree. Finally, if you want to take it to the next level, I suggest using a quality cheddar. A family favorite is the white, extra sharp from Cabot cheese. You can buy it in large blocks at Walmart and Costco. I also added a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce based on a recommendation. Definitely adds to the flavor!

My old school system for filing recipes. Three ring binder, Masking Tape & Sharpie.

My old school system for filing recipes. Three ring binder, Masking Tape & Sharpie.

Four. This is a bit of rabbit trail, but… printing recipes. For longer than I would like to admit, our printer was broken. Seriously, why didn’t we replace it?  I was always looking up recipes online and cooking via my phone or computer. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of online recipes. They are amazingly convenient, and I find all the comments & feedback helpful.  

However, I do not love reading/cooking from them. My screen saver always turns on, then inevitably my screen gets dirty, and soon enough I forget where I found  my “favorite” recipe.  I also like writing cooking notes on my recipes. Needless to say, I was delighted when my MIL gifted me with a new printer.  I love quickly printing a recipe and adding it to my recipe binder.

Finally, here’s my very rudimentary system for storing recipes.  I don’t have the patience for label printers, so a sharpie and masking tape it is! 

I always love hearing favorite weeknight recipes and people organize recipes, so please share.