Mini-quiches

Last night I test-drove making mini-quiches from scratch. I've made them before, but it was when I weighed a lot more and everything was a huge energy-suck because I had to haul almost 100 more pounds around in everything I did. This time it was to test how long they take to make, how much they will cost us from a catering stand-point and if it's worth it versus buying them pre-made from Costco.

We have a client that is allergic to pork and I suspect that the company that makes the mini-quiches uses lard in the crust. Plus, I like the idea that we make things from scratch. I made about 20 mini-quiches and put about a dozen in the freezer and will bake them this morning for lunch or a snack to see how the freeze, reheat process went. To make the 20 mini-quiches it took me about 20 minutes including making the Pate Brisee from scratch. (I used my kitchen aid.)

Recipe:

Pate Brisee for 1 9 inch pie crust

2 eggs
2/3 c. heavy cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 c. grated Gruyere Cheese
Finely chopped green, red, and yellow peppers
Finely diced onions
Finely chopped fresh chives

Roll out the Pate Brisee and use Scalloped Bread Tube (Pampered Chef) to cut out mini-crusts. Using the shaping tool dipped in flour, press the crust into the mini-muffin pan wells. (Getting them centered is good - however, it turns out I'm somewhat challenged with that.)

Whisk eggs, cream and salt and pepper in bowl. (It's easiest if you do this into a bowl with a pouring spout.)

Put some cheese, peppers, and onions in each well, pour custard over the veggies being careful not to overfill (again, something I'm surprisingly bad at). Sprinkle chopped chives over top of each quiche.

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan for about 20 minutes.

To Freeze - place in single layer on sheet pan until frozen. I only froze a dozen, but I think you would want to store them in layers in a Tupperware with parchment or waxed paper in-between the layers.

To reheat - bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

More about Projects

Knitting has turned out to be such a joy for me. I find I can't sit still any longer and have to be working on something. I usually find myself knitting in those cases. I wish I could just cook all the time but until Alex builds up more clientele I have to find other things to do. I just finished a pair of slippers for Maegan and am working on a pair for her to take back to Janice. I'm still half way through my stripey socks, but probably won't finish them until after Christmas at this point.

I started my new job yesterday - so far it's somewhat anti-climatic but I know once things start happening I will be crazy busy. I should have my accounts sometime this afternoon so I can get started with my work. I'm really looking forward to it but it will cut back on my knitting and scrabble time.

I was invited to a scrabble clue in Boulder, I think I will try to go but will probably get my heinie whipped. It will be good for me. I've learned so much playing with better players online so am looking forward to gaining from a group of people that play all the time. Plus, the opportunity to meet some new people will be great.

I think I will stamp the rest of my Christmas cards tonight. I really want to get them done - and probably won't have time if I put it off any longer. The other project I need to finish this week is sewing the rest of Lucille's PJ's. They are so cute - I have Pink plaid with Monkey's and Green with Frogs for her. They both go with her purple and white slippers, or "Lippers" in Lucille-speak.

Snow is moving in - good time to cozy up and eat comfort food and work on projects. Shepherd's Pie for dinner tonight with Strawberries and Ice Cream for dessert.

Snow Day

It snowed most of the night and there is quite a bit of snow outside this morning. I spent the morning watching the movie "Love, Actually" which is one of my favorite Christmas movies. So sweet and makes me choke up every time. I turned on the "Seasonal Favorites" music channel on cable so now I"m really in the mood for Christmas. Think I will get out my Debbie Mumm Snow Angels dishes for us to start using tonight.

I'm trying to get laundry done, the house cleaned and my current client project finished along with making something interesting for dinner. I bought a bottle of wine yesterday just because and since I can almost never finish a bottle of wine anymore, I think I will use some of the leftovers to make some tomato sauce and we will have lasagna for dinner. I have everything I need except Ricotta - which I have everything I need to make it so think I will go for it. I'm in the mood to putter in the kitchen. Which of course allows me to procrastinate on my other projects.

I just started the ricotta - it only took 5 minutes so not much impact on my project time. Ok - no more. I just need to get down to it. I will post an update later today. I will work on my client project for two hours, then I will get started on the tomato sauce and get the lasagna put together for later. I'm in pantry clean-out mode so this dish will do nicely. I have two boxes of noodles, 8 cans of tomatoes, about 15 pounds of onions and lots of dried herbs to use up in the sauce along with the wine. (Which I will save a glass to have with the lasagna later - it's my current $10 favorite, Insatiable Cabernet Sauvignon.)

I had better get working, I think Alex and Lucille are getting up from their nap. I'm losing my productive window pretty quickly.

Exhaustion

I'm completely exhausted but am still sitting here writing. I just am not ready to shut my brain off yet.

My interview went very well yesterday. I had a final interview with the HR direction this morning and she indicated that I should be getting an offer early next week. I'm so excited! I am thrilled at the prospect of this job. It has everything I am looking for in terms of responsibilities, the salary and the opportunity to work from home with some occasional travel. I really like the management team.

Now if it just doesn't interfere with my projects and scrabble playing. I'm sure I can figure it out.

It's snowing like crazy today which of course means I'm freezing my hind-end off. Not that I couldn't use some hind-end reduction, just wish I didn't have to be cold to get it. At least I didn't have to do any yard work today. I was too exhausted to think about it, but at least I didn't feel guilty about it.

Ok - I'm really off to bed now. I can 't believe I stayed up this late - especially when I know that Alex won't be home in the morning and I will be on grandma duty with Lucille.

UP

I just watched the movie UP for the first time. What a lovely movie! It was the sweetest movie I have seen in a long time. I don't know if it was the anxiety I have around this job interview that made me so emotional over it, or if it was just really that touching but I teared up several times.

I'm flying out to Chicago in the morning (VERY EARLY) for a 10:30 am Central Time interview. I'm very excited and nervous about it - I really really really want this job. Partly because I need a job, but mostly because this job is the job I would create for myself. The responsibilities, the location, the money are all pluses.

I have my new interview outfit washed and ironed and ready to go. I got my hair cut (new cut - liking it it a lot - I will try to get a picture posted) and my eyebrows waxed. I'm going to practice my makeup later since I haven't worn make-up in over three months, I'm not sure I remember how.

Just got the itinerary. Six am flight - means leaving for the airport no later than 4:15 and preferably by 4:00. I guess I can sleep on the way home.

Lazy Veteran's Day

This morning Alex and I checked out a newer restaurant in town, Lennie's - basically a more down-to-earth and relaxed version of Lucile's. Great food, a bit cheaper, and a really homey atmosphere. I highly recommend it. Plus, a huge point in their favor, being Veteran's day, they donated 15% of all ticket sales to three different programs in Boulder County that serve Vets.

While we were eating, Ann called to see if we wanted to join her and Haley at the Veteran's day parade. We headed up town and watched the parade with the girls. It was great - the turnout was terrific and the parade was pretty good! I was really happy to see it. I wish I had had my camera though.

The rest of the day has been spent on working on a project for a client and making puffs for Amanda's anniversary party. According to my pastry chef daughter, my piping technique has really improved. I'm pretty happy with that praise as she is an exacting judge of all things baked. For Amanda's party, we will be filling some with smoked salmon mousse, some with chicken curry salad, and some with a vegetarian option yet to be defined.

I also made some cookies to ship off to Ft. Knox to my favorite Vet (Jeremy of course) in honor of today. I didn't grow up being terribly patriotic, however having a family member that is a vet has made me much more aware of the military and the honor we owe them. I'm happy I was able to go to the parade and scream loudly "101st! Air Assault" whenever I saw a Screaming Eagle patch with Alex and Lucille.

Picture is the start of my striped socks (after I re-knit what I had to rip out). I'm loving this yarn as it stripes itself while knitting. I think I will see if I can get some black and white yarn so I can make Bethany Wicked Witch of the West socks for next Halloween.

Long Absences and Projects

It always takes me forever to come up with a topic to write about and it has finally dawned on me that I don't need to put up pithy, well-thought out posts in the classic five paragraph essay style I learned in school. This is my blog for my thoughts and day-to-day living - so here goes. A new evolution for my blog. Maybe I'll get really crazy and misspell a few words. Although that creates havoc with my OCD.

As anyone who would probably read this blog knows, I'm unemployed so I have lots of time right now to work on projects, although I don't seem to be getting a lot done. Currently, working on getting invitations done for my dear friend Amanda's 25th anniversary party. I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out, although Amanda is such a creative person and fabulous at the execution that I don't feel like they are quite measuring up. I hope she likes them....

I'm also working on several knitting projects. Currently, working on finishing a sweater for Lucille. It's purple and hooded and just needs the pockets to be finished and the lining put in. I love this sweater pattern. It's fast and easy and turns out great. I made one for Haley, Charles and Amber's little girl earlier in red with Lady Bug buttons. It's totally adorable. I also have a hat for Alex almost done and socks that I started over the weekend. I was almost half done with the first one when I realized I had dropped a stitch so far back that the only way to rescue it was to rip it out. So - now I'm about a third done with that sock. Oh well.

I'm also sewing again for the first time in years. I finally figured out that the reason I wasn't sewing was because of the state of my sewing machine. It bunched up and tangled the bobbin thread everytime I tried to make something. I finally got it serviced last spring and it works beautifully. I made Lucille a pair of Purple Jammies with butterflies with matching white slippers with purple soles and cuff (knitted of course). They are SO adorable - I want to make them for every kid in my life.

The last project I have right now is to get my Christmas Cards done in a timely manner. I didn't send them out for years and over the past four years have managed to get further on the path. The first year I got cards out just to my immediate family. Last year I got them out to more extended family and a couple of friends. This year I'm going for broke and aiming for my extended family as well as my complete circle of friends. Maybe being unemployed will help me with that goal.