Gluten Free Quiche

I still love baking and cooking, but I just have to be a bit more creative and have some forethought when doing it.  Max requested quiche for dinner this week and I searched everywhere for a gluten free pie crust.

Now, I don't typically eat any grains, but quiche sounded so good and the crust is small compared to the egg portion.

I was very unsuccessful with my attempts to find a gluten free pie crust until after I made the quiche...of course. I decided to bite the bullet and attempt baking something with the gluten free flour I was given for Christmas.

I found a recipe from King Arthur Flour and it was awesome.  It turned out flaky and tasty, even though I didn't even follow proper pie crust making techniques.  I hope you try this and enjoy!

• Gluten Free Pie Crust
• adapted from King Arthur Flour
• 1 1/4 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar

Directions

1) Lightly grease a 9" pie pan.

2) Whisk together the flour or flour blend, xanthan gum, and salt.

3) Cut the cold butter into pats, then work the pats into the flour mixture till it's crumbly, with some larger, pea-sized chunks of butter remaining.

4) Whisk the egg and vinegar or lemon juice together till very foamy. Mix into the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture holds together, adding 1 to 3 additional tablespoons cold water if necessary.

5) Shape into a ball and chill for an hour, or up to overnight.

6) Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.

7) Roll out on a piece of plastic wrap, on a silicone rolling mat, or in a pie bag that's been heavily sprinkled with gluten-free flour or flour blend. Invert the crust into the prepared pie pan.

8) Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yield: crust for one 9" single-crust pie. Quiche Filling 8 large eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 6oz ham steak (I like Jones because its yummy and gluten free), chopped into small pieces 4oz Cabot Monterey Jack, sliced or shredded 1 frozen package of spinach, thawed and with water squeezed out 1) Whisk the 8 eggs.  Whisk in heavy cream.  Stir in the diced ham, cheese, and spinach.  Make sure the spinach doesn't clump together. 2) Pour the egg mixture into the slightly baked pie crust.  Make sure it only fills the crust to slightly below the top, you don't want the filling to overflow. 3) Bake for about 40 minutes at 350.  The quiche is done baking when the center of the eggs no longer wiggle and are completely set. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

After the 6 day vacation I got (but didn't necessarily want) I managed to bake quite a bit.  I made brownies, pita, and this amazing Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie.

Brittani had a Super Bowl party yesterday and I volunteered to bring the dessert.  I had this pie bookmarked on my tastespotting favorites forever and finally decided it was time to try it (the 8lbs of chocolate my dad sent me also influenced my decision!).  The ingredient list is short and simple, but I had to go to 2 stores to get everything because all the supermarkets around here were out of everything (eggs, milk, cream cheese, butter)!!  This pie is indulgent, rich, and tastes like a giant peanut butter cup!  Enjoy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

adapted from: The Nesting Project

Ingredients

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup for whipping cream

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extracted

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips (or 1/2 a cup for drizzling which is what I did)

1 chocolate cracker (or graham cracker) crust

Procedure

1. Combine the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and cream cheese until smooth and combined.
2. Transfer to a bowl and then with a clean beater - whip up heavy cream and the rest of the sugar. *Hint: use a really cold bowl and it will whip up faster.
3. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture and add into the pie shell.
4. Melt the choc chips in the microwave for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (You may want to do this in 20 second intervals so you don't over microwave it) and either drizzle on top or cover the entire top.

Pumpkin Cream Pie

I love this time of year and all of the pumpkin goodies.  Me and my friend Hope cooked almost all of Thanksgiving dinner on our own (Max put some butter on the turkey).  Instead of the traditional pumpkin pie, I made this pumpkin cream pie that I found on the Pioneer Woman's website.  I love her and her food always looks amazing!  I missed her when she came and visited OU :(

Ree's recipe called for a homemade graham cracker crust, but I already had so much today that I used a shortbread crust that I got at Target.  They had run out of graham cracker crusts already!  I probably shouldn't have done my shopping the day before Thanksgiving!  Also, I didn't use the whiskey that is optional.

Pumpkin Cream Pie
from: The Pioneer Woman 

Ingredients

• FOR THE CRUST:
• 1-½ package Graham Crackers (about 15 Cookie Sheets)
• ½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 stick Butter, Melted
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 1 box (3 Oz. Box) Vanilla Pudding (Cook And Serve Variety)
• 1 cup Half-and-half
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Pinch Of Cinnamon
• Pinch Of Nutmeg
• Pinch Of Ground Cloves
• 2 Tablespoons Whiskey (optional)
• ½ cups (plus 3 Tablespoons) Pumpkin Puree
• ½ cups (additional) Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• Extra Graham Cracker Crumbs, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Grind graham crackers in a food processor (or, if you don’t have a food processor, place them in a large ziploc and pound ‘em with a rolling pin.) Add powdered sugar and melted butter and process until totally combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until nice and firm. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm and “set.” Remove from oven and allow crust to cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, mix dry pudding mix with half-and-half and cream. Add spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey, if using. Add pumpkin and stir to combine. Place lid on pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough, place pot in the fridge to cool completely.
When mixture is cool, remove from the fridge. In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and brown sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust.
Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham crackers crumbled on top.