from humble to decadent
Whether as elegant as a quiche or as homey as pot pie, these baked delights are the best choice for party buffets, re-heated leftovers, and pre-prepped dinners. Although many of these recipes include multiple steps, much, if not all the dish, can be prepared the day before, refrigerated, and baked the next day.
Fajita veggies are 100% quiche-able! For a milder pie, choose cubanelles or bell peppers, add some poblanos or banana peppers for medium heat, and sprinkle in jalepenos or habaneros for truly spicy fare.
Give your holiday leftovers a makeover! Chunks of random cheese? Small rations of veggies? A couple of sprigs of tarragon ordinarily destined to die a slow death? Even that carton of cream can have a new purpose. Quiche it! Just pull out the scale and load it up with varying bits of cheddar, swiss, and gouda until you have about 4 oz for your pie. Substitute the broccoli for whatever veggies you have from your feast- any combination of cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, and such will do. With leftover veggies, you can toss them right in and skip the steaming. And feel free to use half-n-half instead of the milk or replace half of the milk with cream. Bake it up and avert leftover ennui!
The the mushrooms’ earthiness collaborates with the toasted flour and brown butter to deliver a deeply flavored bourguigon without the beef. This recipe requires a few steps, especially if you’re making your own crust… But consider making big batches of the filling and freezing it using the method for freezing soup. When ready, thaw the filling, assemble, and bake!
This pie takes full advantage of spring's bounty- a lot of asparagus and a little fresh sage! With its combination of milk, eggs, and cheese, quiche is calorie rich yet nutritious. Make it a little lighter by using skim milk or rush into decadence and replace half the milk with cream. And don't forget to serve with a side salad.
A quick and easy red sauce to pair with your favorite Mexican inspired dishes. Try on poblanos, enchiladas, or with enchilada casseroles!
Employing a more nutritionally balanced approach to stuffed poblanos, these chilies are filled with polenta & beans and baked instead of fried. Top with cheese if you'd like, or skip it for lighter fare. For convenience, prepare and refrigerate the filling and sauce the night before.
Unripened green tomatoes are a pragmatic substitute for tomatillos in green enchilada sauces and salsas. Because green tomatoes are more readily available here in the Northeast, I use green tomatoes almost exclusively. Come fall, instead of composting those seemingly hopeless unripe tomatoes, use them as a tomatillo substitute. Or can them, like red tomatoes, for later use.
Smoked mozzarella, fennel seed, and mixed mushrooms impart a "meaty" flavor otherwise absent in vegetarian lasagnas. Because this dish is a guest favorite, it's often featured at my Game of Thrones watch parties.
I love shiitakes in this recipe, but mix and match mushrooms as you see fit. If you have the time, try making the pasta and/or the ricotta cheese. Because fresh pasta readily absorbs the sauce, dried pasta really is dull by comparison. The casserole can be made in advance and freezes beautifully.
Fresh ricotta is ridiculously simple to make, and the result is a delicately creamy flavor with which its store bought counterpart cannot compare. For almost every application, you're going to want to use vinegar as the acid. If you're pairing your ricotta with a cream based sauce or dessert, however, using lemon juice may be appropriate.
Declaring this a light dish, would certainly be a misnomer, but compared to most macaroni and cheese or alfredo dishes, it’s undoubtedly lighter. Using a combination of buttermilk and sharp cheeses, imparts a lot of tangy flavor with a little less fat.And of course, including the brassicas not only lightens the calories but also adds contrasting flavor and texture. Butter can certainly be subbed for the olive oil for a more purist mac and cheese experience, but I like the depth of flavor that I get from olive oil.