WEEK NIGHT WONDER - Jalapeño Popper Quiche

Just look at this glorious bowl of mixed hot peppers, fresh from the garden!  Oh, yum!  The POTENTIAL!

I love hot peppers... and making jalapeño poppers is one of my favorite snacks.

But it was a Thursday evening and we needed DINNER, and this recipe, "Jalapeño Popper Quiche",  from Closet Cooking began dancing in my head!  If you have seen my recipe for Reuben Casserole or Pepperoni Pizza Soup, then you know how I love to take favorite, familiar flavors, shake them up and turn them into something unusual.  THIS recipe, using all the ingredients of jalapeño poppers was right up my jalapeño-lovin' alley!

AAAAND... it was QUICK.  It was EASY.  It was DELICIOUS!  Because of all that, it earned a well-deserved post as a "Week Night Wonder"!

JALAPEÑO POPPER QUICHE

A cheesy quiche with all of the flavors of jalapeño poppers including cheddar cheese, cream cheese, jalapeños plus a crispy crust!

Servings: makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell, lightly pre-baked
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 jalapenos, diced (seed them if you prefer less heat)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• [I added 1/2 of an onion diced small and 2 cloves of garlic minced]
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated [I used more]

Directions

1. Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the pie crust and sprinkle on the diced jalapenos.
2. Heat the milk and cream [and onion and garlic] over medium heat until just before it boils, about 5 minutes and pour it into a large bowl.
3. Pour the eggs into the heated cream while stirring constantly.
4. Mix in the paprika and salt.
5. Pour the mixture into the pie plate and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, arrange the jalapeno slices on top, sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown, about 15 minutes

If you can take THE HEAT (LOL!), I totally recommend this recipe!
It's a definite *YUM!*

Do you have a week night wonder that YOU love?

WEEK NIGHT WONDER - SWEET POTATO CHICKEN CURRY

OK, so I have been holding out on your guys.  No, not reeeeeally!!!  But I have been a cookin' fool and have made some really good stuff lately (if I do say so m'self, and I do!) and decided it's past time to share some of it with you.

Here's my typical cooking gig.  I love to cook on the weekends, and if I'm gonna do something fancy-schmancy, that's when that's gonna get done.

But funny thing, we like to eat during the week too, LOL!  But week nights follow work days, and frankly, I am tired.  So my Monday - Friday recipes always need to be easy-peasy.  Healthy and delicious is a given.  "One-pot" is a bonus. 

So, shooting for once a week or so, I thought it would be fun to share a "week night wonder" that WE have made and enjoyed.  And if, in the process, you add a few new favorites to your own personal cooking repertoire... then SCORE!

SWEET POTATO CHICKEN CURRY

Elevate your chicken curry with the addition of sweet potato and by serving the mixture over steamed jasmine rice.

• YIELD: 7 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
• 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and bay leaf in a small bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bay leaf.

-- Cooking Light,  Nov 2009
Photo credit: HERE

MY NOTES:  I served ours over steamed basmati rice with toasted cashews and for total easy-peasy-ness, TJ's frozen naan bread.  But I will make this recipe again, and next time, I plan to make my own naan bread.   Like from THIS recipe, or THIS one.  *YUM!*