Spinach-Mushroom Quiche with "Chicken" and Waffles

This dish will be a little southern for many of you.

Chicken and waffles is a Georgia tradition. While some of you can't imagine putting the two together, until you've tried it, this is a case of something you can't deny.

Of course, we're not using real chicken, we're using the meat-substitute Quorn. As we've mentioned before, it is made from the roots of mushrooms.

If I'm a little inexact about the ingredients this week, my wife is trying out the Trader Joes that just opened up 2 blocks away, so I'm not sure what I'll be cooking with.

Spinach-Mushroom Quiche

For each quiche we need:

• Frozen Pie Crust
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 2 eggs
• 1pkg defrosted frozen spinach (or cooked down fresh spinach)
• 1 can mushrooms (or 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms cooked)
• 1/2 lb shredded swiss cheese

First turn on the oven to 350F. Crack all the eggs and pour the half and half into a cup. Beat vigorously.

Stir up the spinach and mushrooms, and put into the pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese on, and then pour enough of the egg/dairy mixture to come somewhat short of the top of the quiche.

Bake for 45 minutes (will be slightly jiggly, but solid), then let the quiche set for 15-25 minutes before serving. (Unless you like volcanically hot scrambled eggs that are runny, in that case, serve immediately).

Fried "Chicken"

Bread according to the method mentioned in this post. I use a mixture of panko and normal bread crumbs this time. I make sure and put salt and pepper in the flour I use for this one. Then I pan fry these or deep fry them, depending on time and quantity, usually at 20 degrees below the smoke point of the oil I'm using, which is usually safflower or vegetable oil. If you do this recipe with *real* chicken, I recommend using a good chicken finger cook time/temperature, more like 5 minutes on each side at 340F, to make sure you don't die of undercooked chicken.

Waffles

Almost straight out of I'm Just Here for More Food, I use the buttermilk waffle recipe, however I use 50/50 whole/white flower.

Serve with the "chicken" on top of the waffle, drizzled in syrup. The quiche goes on the side.

--Michael

Empanadas, Pinto Beans, and Tomato Lime Soup

Today we're making something a little Mexican/Caribbean.

We're making empanada filled with what we call, "El Pollo Chicken". Yes, I know, El Pollo means "The Chicken". However, that what it ended up being called over time in the house I grew up in. My mother makes this out of real chicken. We, out of Quorn. It is inspired by the chicken they serve at El Pollo Loco, however, not exactly the same, being more Caribbeanesque with the pineapple juice.


Marinade For "Meat":
1/3 cup Lemon juice
1/3 cup Pineapple Juice
1/3 cup Lime juice
1/2 cup Oil
1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper


With it we're serving spicy beans in cumin, stock and love:

Canned Pinto Beans (Rinsed Extremely Well)
Cumin (1.5 tbsp per can of beans)
Jalapeno Peppers (1 per can of beans, sliced into rings)
Can of Veggie Stock (1 per 3 cans of beans)

And a soup from the Sundays At Moosewood Resturant Cookbook called Sopa de Lima. It is a tomato based soup with limes, garlic and chiles, we well as some monterey jack and cilantro.

In addition we are serving a delicious rum punch from that same cookbook. I must share the mix with you:
1 oz Pomegrante Syrup (Aka Grenedine)
1 oz Lime Juice
8 oz Orange Juice
8 oz Pineapple Juice
6 oz Rum (The Darker The Better)

It reminds me quite a bit of the drink served on the way back from our snorkeling expedition on St Thomas during our honeymoon. At the time of writing this post, I've tasted several glasses full of our Pitcher, and will need to make more.

--Michael