I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles. - Audrey Hepburn

I love Audrey. I love that quote. That’s it J

Today I tried to go with a meatless dinner… key word tried lol. I have this thing that I need to use leftovers up. I have 1 tortilla, 1 spinach tortilla and 1 tomato tortilla in the fridge. I have some shredded rotisserie chicken from the chimichanga dinner the other night. I planned a mushroom and spinach quiche and a salad. However, I needed to use up these things, so decided on a kitchen sink Asian salad with the leftover chicken. There goes meatless but again… it had to be used. LOL

Mushroom Spinach Quiche

Adapted from Carina – Forum

CRUST

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup cold butter (cut into small cubes)

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

¾ cup cream cheese

1 tablespoon milk

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and pepper. In a food processor pulse the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the cream cheese and milk to bring mixture together. Keep the processor on

until it forms a nice dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch round tart pan, pressing dough into corners.

Transfer to freezer to chill for 20 minutes.

 

Crust after the freezer

Preheat oven to 375

FILLING

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 ½ cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

Salt, black pepper, nutmeg to taste

WASH it!!!

My Mom was telling me the other day that she read that prewashed bags of spinach are caked with feces… That is kind of gross. I have a new mantra. 

ALWAYS WASH PREBAGGED GREENS. 

Even when they say prewashed!

In a medium skillet melt butter. Sauté onion until translucent, about 1-2 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and cook stirring frequently, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add spinach, season with salt, nutmeg and pepper and cook, stirring a couple of times, for another 2 minutes. Take off from the heat and set aside.

 

Golden brown mushrooms

Take out the crust from the freezer.

In a small bowl whisk together milk and eggs.

Sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom of the crust. Spread filling mixture over the cheese and then top with remaining cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the filling.

Pile it in there

Soak it

Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until set.

Cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Flaky delicious crust

Full of flavor!

Check out more recipes like this at the Homemade Monday's Link Up Party on Being Frugal by Choice, Cheap by Necessity

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Green leaf lettuce
1/2 bag baby spinach, cleaned
1 cup leftover rotisserie chicken

For the chicken marinade:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the dressing:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Salad toppings:
1 navel orange, chopped
fried tortilla strips

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

½ red pepper, sliced into strips

 

Leftover flour tortillas

Fry them in canola oil 

Whisk together chicken marinade ingredients, and marinate chicken for 15 minutes. Reheat in microwave for 2 minutes.

Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat, then add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool. Combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients and mix.

Combine lettuce and spinach. Top with chicken, salad dressing, and toppings.

All the flavors mix together so well

This was a good meal. I love the crust. I would say it is easy just to throw together but really I never have cream cheese in the fridge. So, I would say with a little shopping ahead of time, this is an easy but flaky good crust. Better than a frozen Tenderflake with barely any work! The salad was light and refreshing, I really liked the dressing. Together it was a satisfying dinner!