quiche for 2 & stew.

slow mornings call for nourishing breakfasts..

using a bit of what we have along with a bit of extra time
in prep awarded us a morning comfort meal.. 

this little 7 inch springform pan gets a work-out

in our kitchen. pies, cakes, quiche.

it's the perfect size for a smallish household. 

half pie crust recipe mixed 

then quick roll out then in the pan. 

three jUmbo eggs & 1/2 cup half n half

seasonings (salt, pepper, dried parsley)

mix the ingredients above then pour into shell

add the bacon pieces* then

1+ cup grated cheese (I used jack)

i always put a piece of foil under the pan

just in case of leakage. nothing worse! 

375 for about 40 minutes or until the middle is 

for sure w/o a doubt absolutely done...……….!

no soggy runnies at haven haus.

let it rest about 5 minutes before releasing

the spring and cuff then 10 more minutes before devouring.

and that's it in a nutshell - - or a pie shell - - of sorts.

*bacon: we bake then drain then portion then freeze

so that when the mood hits we can take a bit out

for whatever dish required or floats your boat.
and I save the bacon grease in a jar marked *oink*.

the side turned out a little wonky but

details like that don't change the flavor.

but I made sure he got that piece

anyway. ha! no... not really.

but it's funny, hm?

sliced cutie orange and baby size apple

rounded out the meal ..

and coffee. always coffee.

the hubs made the coffee and it turned out great!

think i'll keep that guy for like, ever!

.          .          .

tonight we're having leftovers.

i'm not really a "leftovers" kinda gal but choosing

to cook every two nights rather than every night

means I now eat leftovers. one night leftovers mind you...

beyond that it goes in the freezer or in the hubs tum.

tonight's leftovers?

beef stew

alongside a slice of cornbread which was a 

new-to-me recipe i'll not use again.

looks good. ho-hum-oh-so-bland.

wasn't a fan so into the circular it goes.

{it's a basic recipe * no frills}

Coddiwomple Stew

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1.5 pounds stew meat {1/2 inch cubes}

4 large celery stalks {1/2 inch on diagonal}

4 large carrots {1/2 inch on diagonal}

1 large brown onion {1/2 inch chunks}

2 garlic cloves {smashed and sliced thin}

bay leaf

1 teaspoon smoke paprika

salt & pepper {to taste}

6 new potatoes the size of eggs 

{rough sliced, cover with H2o then drain}

1/2 cup white flour

32 ounces good beef stock

15oz can cut green beans {drained}

15oz can fire roasted tomatoes {drained}

ensure everything is sliced, diced, drained before cooking.

begin by heating the olive oil in your favorite large'ish pan.

add the stew meat and brown over medium heat.

once browned, add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic,

smoked paprika, salt and pepper .. 

toss and cook for about 10 minutes.

sprinkle the flour over the mixture and toss,

cooking about 2 minutes more.

add the rough sliced potatoes .. 

toss and cook another couple minutes.

..have your crockpot ready to go on high..

pour the pan mixture into the crock pot.

add the beef stock then the green beans and tomatoes.

finally, add the bay leaf.

..stir..

put the lid on and let it go for 2 hours then reduce

the heat to low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

to consider ::: if you're using weak beef stock

put a good tablespoon of  beef better than bouillon 

in the mixture and stir, in the crock pot.

it'll help the anemic quality of some stock.

.          .         .

a gal who works at our teensie tiny market

doesn't make bread for herself

because as she said, "it's just me."

.no dear heart.

it isn't "just you." it's "you!"

so I made her a small whole wheat

ciabatta, ladled some stew into a jar,

wrapped everything up and took it to 

the market. she works hard

and deserves a hot meal once home.

In the past I brought her desserts ..

 she's my personal guinea pig.

it's the little things

that have become the big things in life.

maybe it's always been that way

and i simply lost sight... 

i know they (whoever they are) say,

"don't sweat the small stuff.."

but in present day life?

and in a slightly different gist..

the seemingly small stuff

necessitates gratitude.

.. two hour rise ..

whole wheat dough

...

after the rise it goes in the fridge for up to 2 weeks,

taking out just what you need when you need it. 

shaping then allowing it to rest then bake. 

no kneading, folks.

none.

zilch.

nada.

zip.

I find this method

makes for great baguettes,

ciabatta, pizza dough, buns.

a time saver and taste bud thriller.

The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

.whole wheat ciabatta.

oh and did you notice the casserole style crock pot?

it's a deep interior 9x13 that can go from the fridge

to the oven to the crock pot holder 

to keep foods toasty warm. 

or use it for its intended main purpose as a crock pot!

because of its size and varied uses I was able

to downsize my baking pan collection.

that's a win win in my book.

less is more. for us it works well.

I chose the dark gray crock ..

there's also plum and navy blue.

click below for the amazon link..

casserole style crock pot

I kept my 8 quart crock pot for making

stocks .. chicken or beef.

.          .          .

love you .. be kind .. be gracious

{ensure you stretch your body, your food, & your TP}

..wink..

.sherry.