"Everything tastes good in puff pastry" quiches - Guest Post by Isabella

Hooray! Here is a post by my Aussie friend Isabella. And take it from me- Sydneysiders know how to cook! I haven't tried this but I am certain my kids will love it. I love how easy and tasty it looks.

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When Christina started her blog I was thrilled. Even though we live on the other side of the world from each other, and when she is making dinner I am generally making breakfast, it is reassuring to know that another mother suffers from the same dinner issues!  I am blessed with two children - an almost 4 year old who will try pretty much anything and will eat most things and an 18 month old, who defines the words 'fussy eater'.  If she was my first child, she would have sent me to the brink...as she is my second I merely serve up meals and then stand waiting with the dustpan and broom to sweep said dinner up from the floor.

I do have one failsafe meal however, that is also the easiest thing ever.  I am sure most other mums do a variation on this, but here is my version. 

"Everything tastes good in puff pastry" quiches.  Makes 4 (2 for each child).

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.  *(note from Christina- that's 350 F for us Yanks)

Take out a sheet of puff pastry and let defrost for recommended time.

Once defrosted, cut out four circles - I use a small ramekin to make the shape. 

Find a 12 hole muffin tray - and spray four holes with a cooking oil spray - I use a healthy olive oil version.

If making 4 quiches, crack two eggs in a bowl, whisk with some milk and season with salt and pepper.  Put aside.

Put each circle of puff pastry into the holes - press down.  The sides may bunch up a bit but that's OK.

I generally then add ham to each, and a little grated cheese. You can also add a slice of tomato on top - I have also added broccoli (finely chopped) which was OK, as I had put in a LOT of ham so wasn't noticed by the fussy eater!  Really, you can use whatever your child will eat!

Then take spoonfuls of the egg mixture and pour over the ham/cheese.  Fill till it's even with the sides of the pastry.

Pop in oven for about 20 minutes.  Remove, cool slightly and serve with a side salad.

Generally all I have to do after is sweep up the side salad from the floor....

A grown up version I do for brunches is to cook some bacon and onion, add this to each pastry and then top with egg mixture (which I also add chopped up chives to) - delicious bacon and egg pies!

Roasted Chicken Leftovers

One of the main weapons in my arsenal is rotisserie chicken. How awesome is rotisserie chicken? Relatively healthy, easy and comforting. If, one day, you are lucky enough to have at least a half a chicken left, you can try this. The following recipe was originally inspired by my ambitious, glossy and mouthwatering Williams Sonoma slow cooker recipe book. However, it took on a life of it's own as I realized I did not have 3 hours for simmering. I had maybe 30 minutes before someone took me out if dinner wasn't ready. So, as my two year old threw herself repeatedly against my leg screaming, "I want MILK!", I managed to concoct this little dish. I couldn't believe it- but it was scarfed down by my husband and kids. I ate it daintily.

Ingredient list:
Leftover roasted chicken- at least a half chicken is best
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 carrot
1  stalk of celery
1 small yellow onion
1 cup of white wine for the recipe, 2 cups for drinking
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp of dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
1 lb dried pappardelle
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
lemon zest (optional)


Here's what you do:
Heat up a big sauce pan with about 1 tblsp of olive oil.
Chop up 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, and one small yellow onion as fast as you can without cutting any children or fingers.
Throw into pan and let aromas invade the room as you saute for 5 minutes or so, and stir.
Add 1 cup of white wine and 1 cup of chicken broth. Stir and let come to a boil, then reduce the heat.
Chop up remaining chicken into little pieces. Throw into pan.
Add about 1 tsp or more to taste of tarragon, to taste. Add one bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, hopefully for about 30 minutes. This allow the mixture to reduce and soak into the chicken.
In the meantime, bring a large pot to boil, salt it, and cook 1 lb of pappardelle, which is a thick, ribbon like pasta that I love (although linguine works too).
Now, add 3/4 cup of heavy cream to the sauce and let it simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken it.  Add salt and pepper.  If you are ambitious, add the zest of one lemon. If you are tired, skip it. Drain the pasta, incorporate the sauce, and add Parmesan cheese to taste. YUM!
P.S. I know this has the dreaded heavy cream in it. My firm belief is that whatever else they would eat in a restaurant would be way worse. Seriously.