Smoked Gouda and Swiss Chard Quiche - Mother's Day Brunch

It has become somewhat of a Mother's Day tradition for Dave and I to host a brunch for our mom's. I love planning a brunch menu - so many tasty and easy options. For mother's day I don't have to consider the tastes of any meat loving men, but only the tastes of my mom and mom-in-law, which happen to align very much with my own. This year I made a quiche, and replicated a recipe that I came up with for our family friend Ashli's baby shower. Ashli was a huge fan of the smoked gouda, egg and pastry combo, not really a huge surprise there though.

I haven't really given my mom full credit for her cooking abilities. I like to poke fun of her for her lack of passion in the kitchen - but I've realized that she does have a number of signature recipes that she puts her heart and soul into. One of them is Quiche Lorraine. She always makes the crust from scratch. This recipe largely uses the same ratios as the one she goes by, from her old Betty Crocker cookbook. Like my mom, I use the pastry recipe on the Tenderflake box and it has never failed me. There's no need to pre cook the curst for this one, a huge bonus in my opinion.

LOTW Lodge Lemon Squares

My mother will be the first to admit that my love of cooking and baking did not develop under her tutelage, but largely in the kitchens of two different fishing lodge owners, Ruth and Jenny. During university I spent two summer's working as a cabin cleaner/server/cook on Lake of the Woods and Pipestone Lake in the wilds of Northwestern Ontario. It was there that I really developed my love of cooking from scratch, and became addicted to the wonderful feeling that results when you feed hungry people hand made meals. 

As with many of my most treasured recipes, this one comes from the weekly rotation of items we'd make for the fishermen. I can't say where this recipe came from originally (comment please if you recognize it), but Ruth provided it to me when I left Lake of the Woods Lodge in the fall of 2004. For a period of time I actually lost the recipe and tried out a few different variations floating around, but none compared to the intense lemon flavour and perfect ratio of crust to curd that this one produces.

You know a recipe is good when it's requested by someone each time you bring it to a shower or celebration. Lindsay - I'm writing this post largely so I can refer you to this link when you semiannually ask for the recipe. I don't normally buy organic, but apparently when using the rind of a fruit, it's wise to buy organic to avoid the pesticides in the rind. For this I bought organic lemons. To each his own, as it could just be one of those internet urban legends that is not backed up by science in any way. I would recommend good, fresh eggs though, as they make up a large part of the square. 

Spinach and Eggs en Cocotte

We just returned from an extravagant and fun filled week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. After an overnight flight home, it was slim pickings in the fridge when we woke up early Easter Sunday morning. Thank goodness for eggs, rye and a chunk of leftover pecorino.

It wasn't exactly grilled langostino on a private yacht (shameless braggy trip photos below)... but these baked eggs made a great comforting post-all-inclusive breakfast. Dave and I generally go to church two times a year - Easter and Christmas - after spending the past two Easters sitting in the pew with a growling stomach aching for breakfast - this year I made sure to go in full.

Eggs en Cocotte are essentially eggs baked and served in a heat proof dish. I have an obsession with  recipes made in individual servings. Any ramekin or heat proof container will work. If you've had the baked eggs at Stella's you already know the comforting heaven that is two eggs slowly baked with cheese. I use this recipe at least once a month when I have totally random things in the fridge. You can use any cheese, and any other additions (I've previously used smoked gouda, goat cheese, sliced tomatoes, leftover carmalized onions, avocado).

Soft Boiled Egg with Soldiers

I realize this post is in no way a "recipe". And you probably don't need a how-to guide for boiling water and buttering toast. I post it only in hope of inspiring you to try this old method again, as it is one of my most favourite morning pleasures. I post the step by step pictures and directions not to patronize you or question your basic living skills, but because the ritual is so dear to my heart. Because it takes only 10 mins start to finish, it's great for upping the ante on week day breakfasts.

The top three reasons I love Winnipeg: Family, Friends, and Rye Bread. How can anyone pick sides if asked to choose between the chewy, cracked rye bread that City Bread and KUB Bakery produce here in the city. Mornings can never be bad when started with a healthy pat of butter melting on a well toasted slice of rye. Butter used to be my guilty pleasure, until I started rationally thinking about it, now it's just a pleasure. 

Again, my Point counting voice will chime in at times with the "just have the toast dry - butter is so unhealthy." I've learned to stop listening. Counting calories is something I try not to do anymore, but for all those worried about the occasional buttered piece of toast or egg yolk, this breakfast of: one egg, two slices of rye, 2 teaspoons of butter, and half a grapefruit is approximately 360 calories. A Tim Horton "Egg" White and Turkey Sausage Sandwich is 330 calories. For a negligible 30 extra calories I would much prefer sitting around the breakfast table enjoying some real food, the ingredients of which I can pronounce. Admittedly, I fall prey to those horrible convenience foods too often, but by putting these thoughts in writing I hope to forget them less. Sorry - rant over.

I already spoke to my new found love of eggs here, but one of my favourite parts of being a new egg lover is the excuse to collect all kinds of egg eating paraphernalia (much to Dave's enjoyment as you can well imagine). Finding the perfect egg cups is a fun outing in itself. The antique mall at The Old House Revival Company has many great finds. If you don't have cute egg cups - I made do with shot glasses for the first years of making soft boiled eggs. The only soft boiled egg tool I'm still on the hunt for is an ornate silver spoon. Once I find the perfect one, my Sunday morning breakfast table ritual of making believe I'm Mary from Downton Abby will be that much more realistic.