Chicken Mascarpone Quiche

Hello Again,

I'm back with my first recipe for discerning tastes on a budget. As stated in my first post, I'm an Iowa girl which means I'm privy to really good beef, corn and eggs to just name a few. One recipe idea that comes to mind and is relatively inexpensive and one that is so flexible with its ingredients, is quiche. The mixture of ingredients can be unlimited which also provides boundless creativity in the kitchen. Also, quiche is good on the wallet and the price per serving can be really low. Listed below is my recipe for a great quiche.

1 package of frozen pie crusts

8 eggs

1 Cup of Whole Milk, Heavy Cream or 1/2 & 1/2 (depending how health conscious you are).

     *****Now this is where the fun comes in*****
3 Shallots

10 oz. of Mascarpone Cheese

1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese

2 Large Chicken Breasts

1 Med Green Zucchini

1 Medium Yellow Zucchini

1/2 Cup of Sweet Sherry

2 TBSP Butter

Salt to taste

You can make you're own crust if you want but using pre-made is faster and more economical. The typical price is around $2.50 for two pie crusts which is a bargain if you factor in time and money.

Step 1 Preheat oven to 350.

Step 2 Take your frozen pie crust, seperate them and put them aside.

Step 3 in a heated pan sauté your chicken breasts with several tablespoons of butter on a medium heat.

Step 4 While your chicken is cooking place the mascarpone in a small pan and put it on simmer. You do not want to have this get really hot. We just want to melt it enough to blend in the sherry.

Step 5 Julianne your zucchini into small pieces.

Step 6 Cut shallots.

Step 7 Take your chicken out of the pan and set it aside.

Step 8 Sauté zucchini and shallots.

Step 9 In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs and 1/2 & 1/2 together.

Step 10 Slowly start to incorporate the sweet sherry into the mascarpone. Mix it completely and add salt to taste.  When done, put aside.

Step 11 Take your pie crusts and use a fork to poke holes on the bottom and put them into the oven for 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 12 Cut your chicken into small pieces.

Step 13 Mix all the ingredients together. Add the chicken, shallots, zucchini, mozzarella, mascarpone and the egg and 1/2 & 1/2 mixture and glen them all together.

Step 14 Take your pie crusts out of the oven and evenly pour the mixture into both crusts.

Step 15 Place in the oven and cook 30 to 45 minutes.

When finished, you will have twelve servings. You can eat this for any meal of the day. If you don't want to eat the second one right away, quiche freezes well. Also, the best part is that each serving cost just $0.92. Wow!

Cheers!
Christine

Gourmet Taste on a Budget

Hello Everyone!

This is my first official blog of the New Year. I was born and raised in Iowa. I have been an Iowa Girl my whole life. I'm proud of this fact because I believe Iowans are good people with good values and a flair for really good food. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandmother Phyllis and my great-grandmother Frieda. Between the two, I learned many great tricks to cooking and baking which also filled my head with endless recipes.

Spending time in the kitchen with my grandmother's created many special memories. Interestingly enough, my mother didn't really catch on to her mother's cooking skills and my sister thinks microwave meals and toasting bread meets the status quo. I believe everyone can cook; however, I don't think everyone can cook well. I'm not trying to knock these people down but everyone has a certain skill set, which will vary from one person to another. I just happen to have a panache for really good food, specifically, gourmet cooking. 

This blog will be designated to learn how to make gourmet meals on a budget. The economy has pushed us to be more resourceful and for those of us who don't want to give up taste but have limited means, it means we need to push ourselves to think creatively on achieving what satisfies the palate. 

Cheers!

Christine