Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

As cooks in Bethany Guest House, we love to spend time whenever possible, coming up with new creative recipes. We’re also finding that more and more of our guests are trying to eat healthier or have dietary restrictions. This adds to the challenge but also to the fun. Sometimes we work with inspiring gourmet type recipes– and often we find that some of the time honored meals of past years can also be very satisfying and delicious.

Today​, I was preparing a light lunch for one of our guests who is a vegetarian​. After a little hunting around for something new and different– I thought — ​”​Wait! ​W​hat about a ​Mushroom​ and ​​S​pinach Quiche​?”​ It was a big hit​!​

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Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Quiche
SERVINGS
2servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
40mins
PREP TIME
15mins
READY IN
55mins

Ingredients

Instructions

Pie Crust
  1. Cut the Crisco into the flour mixture until it is small and crumbly.
  2. Sprinkle the water in, lightly tossing / mixing it into the flour mixture. Toss in enough water, just until the mixture starts to hold together—no more water than what is necessary.
  3. Take 1/3 of the mixture, form into a ball, and gently roll out, lining a 6” pyrex pie plate (or the entire mixture for a 9” pie plate)
Quiche
  1. Lightly sauté onion until soft, then brown the sliced mushrooms. Set aside.
  2. Whisk the eggs with cream, salt and seasonings. Add the grated cheese, mushrooms and spinach. Gently mix, pour into pie shell and lay tomato slice on top.
  3. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes; when checking for doneness, it should be firm when jiggled a little and a dinner knife should come clean when tested.

* For a regular 9” pie plate, use all of the pie crust dough and double the recipe for the quiche

If not making a vegetarian quiche, add bits of cooked bacon or pieces of ham

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Ginger Bisque

As we finished harvesting all of our winter squash for the season, it only felt appropriate to take a few inside and enjoy a lovely, warm bisque that has all the flavors of fall. By roasting the squash along with all the spices and sugar in this recipe, you’ll bring alive the essential oils buried in them and caramelizing the squash at the same time—achieving a depth of flavor you can’t get by starting this on the stove top.

We are busy bustling around and getting ready for our Arts in Celebration weekend, but remembering how important it is to balance our life with the simple pleasures that God gives us. We do hope you will consider joining us over this next week to experience beauty and the arts, as we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Ginger Bisque
SERVINGS
16cups (8 servings)
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
cups (8 servings)
COOK TIME
45mins
PREP TIME
15mins
READY IN
1hr

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Prepare butternut squash and toss in a bowl with 6 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp Kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and brown sugar
  3. Spread squash on two parchment or foil lined baking trays and roast in oven for 30 - 35 min. or until tender when pierced with a fork (stirring occasionally).
  4. While the squash is roasting, prepare your leeks and pears. Place the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water to remove any excess dirt, then remove.
  5. Heat a large dutch oven with the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Saute leeks over medium heat until golden and soft. Add pears and then the roasted butternut squash, scraping all the goodness off the pan.
  6. Add the broth and bring to a simmer, cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 min.
  7. Remove from heat, and puree with an immersion blender, until completely smooth.
  8. Adjust seasonings (add additional 1 tsp. salt) and cream, milk (or additional stock) to the consistency you prefer.
  9. Serve warm, enjoying the flavors of fall!

Butternut, Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

As we enjoy these cool crisp days, my taste buds long for a creamy soup to warm my body. This soup is a treasure. The smell of it is a potpourri to scent your entire house! It has become our favorite soup for the season. Recently, we served this as the first course to the luncheon we hosted pre-performance for Elements Theater Company’s performance of “All My Sons”. We received so many recipe requests, we thought we should share it. We are filled with gratitude for each of you. Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Advent!

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Butternut, Sweet Potato and Apple Soup
SERVINGS
6-8
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
45minutes
PREP TIME
30minutes
READY IN
1 1/4hours

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
  2. Add the butternut squash, sweet potatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper to pot. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes or more.
  3. Turn off the heat. Add the diced apple and purée the soup with a handheld immersion blender until very smooth and creamy. Pour the blended soup into a clean pot.
  4. Add the honey, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and heavy cream and stir. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If you like a sweeter soup, add more honey.

Note: This soup thickens as it cools. If necessary, add a bit of cream to thin it back to desired consistency.

With thanks to Once Upon a Chef for inspiration of this recipe!

butternut-sweet-potato-soup-3

Cape Cod Clam Chowder

Spring on the Cape is at its peak this week, with trees budding, boats going back into the water, gardens being cultivated, summer cottages being opened and the pungent smell of salt water filling the air.  Clamming licenses are being renewed, and fishermen are painting and repairing their boats – it’s an exciting time to live on Cape Cod!

The beauty and stillness that I found as I walked along the harbor boardwalk  yesterday was palpable.  “It’s time to make chowder”, I thought to myself.  A visit to Cape Cod just isn’t complete without a steaming bowl of chowder.  If you can’t get to the beach this summer, try this recipe to bring the beach to you!

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Cape Cod Clam Chowder
SERVINGS
8
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
30minutes
PREP TIME
15minutes
READY IN
1hour

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place the salt pork or bacon in a heavy 5 quart sauce pan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is brown and crisp (don’t burn!). Remove the bacon bits w/ a slotted spoon and reserve.
  2. Add the onion, celery, bay leaf and thyme to the drippings and sauté until they are wilted and golden.
  3. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute, then add the potatoes and clam juice (both the bottle juice and the liquid reserved from the clams). Set the kettle over medium high heat and bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 min until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cream and heat, uncovered, without allowing the mixture to boil.
  5. When the mixture is hot, add the clams and the bacon bits and cook for another 5 minutes without boiling. Season with kosher salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Serve immediately, putting a pat of butter on the top of each bowl of chowder w/ a small piece of bacon and a sprinkling of paprika to garnish. Don’t forget the chowder crackers! Enjoy!

African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

The other night, we made this tasty soup at the Convent in the form of a stew, with pieces of chicken thighs cooked into it, and chunks of sweet potato left intact. We loved the flavor so much that we thought we’d create our own recipe in a meatless rendition, something to relish during Lent. The result was wonderful! You can taste each subtle flavor: roasted peanuts, sweet potatoes, coriander, ginger, and tomato – a very odd collection! But when put together, a velvety and beautiful soup is born.

It’s very simple to throw together and with a little bread, cheese, and salad, you have a complete meal. Enjoy!

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African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
SERVINGS
4-6people
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
people
COOK TIME
20-30minutes
PREP TIME
20minutes
READY IN
1hr

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Over medium heat, sauté the leeks or onions in butter until soft and translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.
  2. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts and coriander and stir well to combine.

 

 

Calypso Dips

‘Tis the season for gift giving! Here is a fun little cookie called a Calypso dip that we have used for many Bethany retreatants, teas and to include in gift baskets. Much of its appeal comes from its novel shape and unexpected flavors, just a little different from the usual cookie. Give it a try and you might decide to add it to your own collection of Holiday goodies.

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Calypso Dips
SERVINGS
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
12-15minutes
PREP TIME
READY IN
1hour

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blend in dry ingredients.Chill dough for at least 1 hour.Shape into sticks 3”x ½ “ long.Bake in oven 375 ˚ degrees on un-greased cookie sheets, 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Dip one end into frosting then into ¾ cup chopped nuts. Frosting: Melt ½ cup chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 2 Tablespoons water and ½ teaspoon rum flavoring in the top of a double boiler over boiling water.

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