by on April 25, 2018   •   10 Comments Bakeshop

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche: a tutorial

Practical. Versatile. Classic. These are all words I have scribbled in the margins of my handwritten quiche recipe.

I grew up on this savoury tart, and I am determined to sell you on the wonderful simplicity of a well-made quiche. It’s practical because it can be enjoyed at any temperature and it holds up well (even in the freezer). The adaptable fillings make it a versatile dinner option – just use up bits of leftover cooked vegetables and scraps of cheese.

And you already know this part – the quiche is a classic, beloved dish. It can make an appearance at an elegant brunch or show up in the basket of a rustic spring picnic. No matter where or when quiche is served, it’s always a welcome addition to a meal and home cooks should have a solid recipe in their repertoire. That’s where I come in today!

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by on May 2, 2016   •   13 Comments Quick Bites

Herbed Avocado Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

Originally, I thought I’d keep this post short and sweet. It’s egg salad, after all. How much could I say on the subject?

Quite a bit, as it turns out. As I was working with each ingredient, I thought about why I prepared them the way I did, and how the sum of their parts all add up to a sublime sandwich that has everything going for it: taste and texture, crunch and creaminess.

These Herbed Avocado Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches recently graced the tiered serving plates of an afternoon tea baby shower I had the pleasure of hosting. A few guests asked for the recipe, and since Mother’s Day is coming up soon, as well as picnics and other spring parties, I decided to share my method here.

We’ve also just picked up six spring chickens from a nearby farm and are already getting our first brown eggs from the pullets. Also, my chives are starting to take off in the garden. So you see, eggs and herbs are always the first harvest from our urban homestead, and these delicate tea sandwiches are a perfectly appropriate way to celebrate.

Let’s get cracking (pardon the pun) and see how they are made.

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by on February 8, 2016   •   15 Comments Quick Bites

Mexican Molletes (avocado, bean & cheese melts)

I wish I could spin a story about feasting on molletes during our trip to Mexico with the kids, but even though we ate like kings on the local fare, I can’t recall ever coming across the traditional dish of beans and cheese melted on bolillos.

I suppose molletes (pronounced: mo-YEH-tehs, alright?) are more of a comfort food in Northern Mexico, and we were in the state of Nayarit at the time. Nope, I didn’t grow up eating them either, unlike bolillos, instead, I discovered the idea on a wonderful little corner of the web written by Lisa of Homesick Texan.

Open-faced sandwiches? Piled high with refried beans and salsa, then topped with cheese and broiled? Everything about them sounded delicious – and I knew my burrito-loving children would likely echo my sentiments.

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by on June 26, 2014   •   29 Comments Kids in the Kitchen

42 simple summer lunch ideas kids can make

When I announced to my boys that they would be making their own lunches over the summer, they responded with an enthusiastic “Yaaaaaay!”, followed by an unconvincing “Awwwww”. Since cooking is technically work, they didn’t want to come across as overly excited, but I knew that they were jazzed.

It’s all part of my master plan to keep them busy and out of trouble. I’d given it some thought and realized that lunch was the best meal for them to take over. I’m not awake enough to supervise breakfast prep first thing in the morning (kids don’t sleep in, remember?) and by dinner time they are fading from a day in the sun. No, it had to be lunch.

My children tend to eat a big lunch, then pick at their dinners; I’ve grown used to it. I stuffed their lunch kits with a well-rounded mid-day meal all school-year long and my 6-year-old never failed to return his completely empty. So, we’re putting some attention into lunches this summer, but still keeping things simple enough for them to execute under my supervision.

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by on May 5, 2014   •   5 Comments Mother’s Day

Plan a Mother’s Day picnic with 5 do-ahead recipes

Last week I had the perfect Mother’s Day picnic all planned to share with you.

The menu was set, the shopping lists complete, and a good amount of prep work was crossed off. I even had a picturesque spot picked out: the low, flat rock wall edging my neighbour’s garden.

And then the weatherman predicated rain all day Saturday. We had guests invited for Sunday dinner (a regular practice, nowadays) so that day was out as Plan B. As things turned out, it continued to rain the rest of the weekend. C’est la vie. Instead of picnicking, I made a this coconut tres leches cake to share with family and we made the best of a bad weather situation.

Perhaps it is dry, sunny and warm where you are and your picnic plans are going strong. Here’s hoping that is the case and the recipes below from the Simple Bites archives provide inspiration for the menu. I can’t think of a better way to spend a day with family than out in nature on a spring day.

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