MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - QUICHE FLORENTINE

Today's recipe came from Living Lou, hosted by Lou.  I have shared a few of her recipes before. I enjoyed it very much and made a few changes, which I have added below.

Quiche Florentine 

1 9" deep dish frozen pie crust

For the filling:

1 tablespoon salted butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

4 cups spinach (mature or baby spinach), roughly choped

3/4 cup cheddar cheese (Gruyere or Swiss will also work)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup 2% milk

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place pie crust on a baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Blind bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make spinach filling. 

Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the spinach and 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes until spinach is wilted.

Transfer spinach mixture into a sieve, using the back of a spatula, push and stir the mixture to draw out excess liquid. I do this about 6 to 8 times, or until barely any liquid comes out.

Spread evenly in the bottom of the crust and sprinkle cheese evenly over the spinach.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs with remaining salt and pepper. Pour over the spinach and cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated 375 deg. F. oven until quiche is golden brown and still slightly jiggly.

Lou's freezing instructions:

After baking, allow to cool completely before wrapping in aluminum foil and freezing. The quiche will last for three months in the freezer.

When ready to bake, unwrap and bake in a 375 degrees F. oven for about 50 to 60 minutes.

Louisa's notes:

You can also use your own favorite pie crust recipe.

This recipe can be easily doubled to make two quiches.

Changes I made or would make in the future"

I didn't buy or make a crust for this quiche today. Simply because I wanted something easy and nourishing to put together.  I made the filling ingredients and poured those in my pie plate that had been coated with avocado oil spray. I didn't miss the crust at all. It was very tasty. 

I added four cloves of chopped garlic, put them in for about a minute, stirring, after I had sauteed the shallots.

I'm sure you can add any of your own favorite veggies here. I thought I would add mushrooms next time and even some halved cherry tomatoes.

I used Cheddar cheese.

I also didn't use the heavy cream or 2% mixture, but in the fridge I had a carton of whole milk used in a baking recipe. There was just enough left in there to make the 1 cup.

I used Lowry's seasoned salt and pepper instead of regular. 

Next time I will use the 9" pie plate as I had a larger one handy, and the quiche came out thinner than normal. It did not detract from the taste though. 

My dear other half was out of town for a few days, so I made this for myself. Next time I will cut into single portions and freeze individually.

I served it with a simple mixed veggie salad of crispy lettuce, sliced radishes, diced sweet red pepper and a couple of sliced mushrooms. No dressing as I didn't grow up with salads and to this day, still prefer my salads without.

That's about it. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section. 

Here is the full address of the recipe, just in case you prefer to copy and paste instead of using the link above.

https://www.livinglou.com/quiche-florentine-fresh-spinach/

Thanks for looking. I hope you all have a great week and Bon Appétit.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - HOPE

“Never deprive someone of hope, it might be all they have.”

~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.~

and

A golden moon upon the tide,  

Its glow reflected far and wide.  

Twinkling stars in velvet sky,  

Whispering dreams as waves drift by.  

A lighthouse stands with steadfast grace,  

Its beacon guiding through the space.  

While on the sea, with sails unfurled,  

A crimson yacht explores the world.  

Upon its sail, a dove takes flight,  

Clutching hope in wings so light.  

An olive branch in gentle hold,  

A promise cast in moonlight’s gold

Through mist that dances soft and white,   

Hope sail’s on, a guiding light.  

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER - WELL, NOT REALLY...DUCKIES GO FOR A DRIVE

 

"Oh how kind! You are a hero to me Freddy, to all of us. Thank you!" And off Freddy went back to the rescue station with the rest of the heroes. 

Here's a big shout out to all the people who work on our roads, keeping them in good shape and keeping us safe. Heroes for sure!

The duckies were getting a little restless.

They had been watching the skies in the distance and saw that they were getting very dark. It wasn't long before there was a torrential downpour that they thought would never quit.

And those windshield wipers were getting quite a workout. Some of the duckies had never set eyes on one before.

Camera lady had fun trying to take photos between the wiper blades (the rain was so heavy she told the duckies it would have been dangerous to shut them off). It was challenging but she managed this one photo and, my goodness, they were all in sharp focus. They gave her a well-done and told her how pleased they were as they knew that would make Camera lady happy.

It wasn't too long after that they drove out of the rain and the skies got a little brighter.

And then...

no matter how long or short the journey, it is always good to get home.

And that's how it goes on a 

Saturday Morning at the Bird Feeder.

Hugs to all!

I was going to try and write down the dialog in the photos for our international blogging friends to translate, but as I went on longer in this one, I ran out of time and energy. It is very late for me and I find myself having a hard time keeping awake. I will try to make an addition in the next day or so.

Why am I using the duckies? My birds have been very quiet lately and are thumbing their nose at me for not feeding them until the colder months, something I have mentioned before. They have been scarce. I will look through my old bird photos this week.

(A big thank you to my sister-and-brother-in-law for the loan of the jeep and her collection of duckies. They have been a lot of fun having them around for a while.)

I WAS OUT AND ABOUT YESTERDAY...

 at one of my favorite ponds. The Swamp rose was blooming and I thought I would make a post about them today. Its botanical name is Rosa palustris. 'Rosa' is latin for rose and 'palustris' translates to 'of the marsh’. It is very hardy and can be found in swampy, wetland areas. It flourishes in these conditions and has a robust root system that allows it to thrive in standing water, which you won't see in many flowering plants.

The Swamp rose is non-toxic to humans and pets and supports a variety of wildlife with its fruits. Its dense and thorny habitat provides excellent shelter and nesting sites for small animals. Its bright red hips serve as a critical food source in the fall and winter when food is scarce. Many bird species, including thrushes and waxwings, rely on these fruits. You will find plenty of bees and butterflies frequenting this pretty rose, as well as other pollinators.

Traditionally the Swamp rose has been used for medicinal purposes; treating colds and boosting immune systems with its Vitamin C-rich hips, which are also eaten and spread by birds.

The Swamp rose is native to the eastern United States and eastern Canada, ranging from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. It likes full sun and those pink blooms are very fragrant, lasting for six to eight weeks in midseason, generally June and July. 

That's a little bit of info about this pretty flower. I loved seeing it again and is one of my many favorites around this time of the year.

Thanks for looking and have a great Friday!

BRING BACK THE DAYS…

 

Bring Back The Days

~Tamara Hillman~

Bring back the days

With play an' laughter,

no worry or strife.

Let me Swing so high

In the old apple tree,

Like monkeys in a jungle 

screaming with glee.

I want to chase chickens

Back into their pen,

An' ride the young heifers

'Cross the land again.

Run in the sunshine,

Play in the field,

Hide in the sweet corn,

Eat Apples, unpeeled.

Rope-swing into haylofts,

Ride horses on roads,

Wade Ponds by the dozen

Searching out toads.....

Those were the days!

 

CANADA GOOSE CROSSING 6-17-25

 

We decided to go to Wendy's yesterday for lunch and ordered the same thing, a baked potato with chives and sour cream and a container of chili. We don't go here that often, but both felt like a change. The food always arrives hot - I'm a stickler for hot. Gregg had his coca-cola and the first thing I do before I leave the house is fill my reusuable bottle of water. I don't like sodas very much, not even the diet ones. Yes, I am rambling and blathering. Enough of that! 

On exiting Wendy's parking lot, we came across the Goose Crew walking across the road. It's been said that raccoons are the Canada Geese of the bird world. They are feisty and I love them for it.

I noticed four adults and the rest were very young, and hadn't even developed their adult coloring, though were close to it. I was thinking parents and children but when I saw the fourth adult, Gregg said perhaps two were hatched last year but hadn't left the family yet. It made sense and I will investigate further. Perhaps those of you out there who know of such things can give an anwser? 

We had stopped to let them cross as they were definitely not paying attention to us, all except one older goose coming up behind. He wouldn't cross in front of us. Maybe he was making sure his family were over first. It felt like he wasn't going to move until we got out of the way, so we slowly drove by and caught up with the others just as they were about to cross the main road. Fortunately, no traffic was coming either way at the time, but I have seen drivers stop before. I always find them a charming sight.

I adore the Canada Goose, not everyone does but I have always loved being around them and haven't had an opportunity to see them lately, so this was a real treat. The following is a short video I took.

Have a great day and thanks 

for stopping by.

MERRIFIELD GARDEN CENTER - 6-13-25

Our latest trip to the garden center. I have added this link that will take you to all the other times visited. It will include today’s post, but if you keep scrolling you will see the others. Quite lengthy as it is a favorite place to wander around. My photos taken are to make a record, so that I can go back and buy a few things, when I have to think about them for a while.

Sometimes they are still there. Other times I 'snoozed', as in 'you snooze, you lose' just a bit too long. But, doesn't happen very often and though I don't visit as often as I would like, there is always something else that takes my fancy when I go back, if whatever I looked at is gone.

One of the staff was watering the plants and she stopped when she saw that I was interested in them. I can't say enough nice things about those who take care of everything, as they are consistently pleasant. I hesitated about crowding her and told her I didn't want to get in her way. She turned and smiled and started one of those conversational interactions that I find so pleasant when visiting these places. She couldn't have been more helpful. 

I told her what I was interested in, which were two green pots and the addition of the Lantana inside them. They only had one of the size I wanted, and my symmetrical brain had already found the exact spot where I was going to put two, and I wanted identical pots. They would be on each side of the bench on the deck, along with the Lantana. She offered to go into their storage area to find its partner. I had also asked where their succulent plants were, as I had another pot at home, and it has been a long time since I bought cacti. She told me they were in the greenhouse, and she would bring the pots to me as soon as she had found them. So, off she went...off I went...and Gregg joined me soon after as he had been parking the car. I had my eye on those toadstools, not to buy as I couldn't figure how they would fit in and besides, wasn't looking for toadstools to take home with me. They were fun to take a picture of though, as well as other things. Same thing, enjoyed looking at them but wasn't going to buy.

I really loved the yellow Lantana, so sunny and cheerful, and this is the green pot I had my eye on.

I passed by this delightful bird bath.

and the Yarro...

and then found myself heading inside. 

The greenhouse is on the right and I saw these pretty fucia almost immediately...

near this old beauty. I wondered about it as it used to be in the front of the building, but it has a new home. 

I shared it once before at this link in case you need a refresher. I see many of my blogging friends had left a comment there. I checked online at the time and identified it as a 1930 Ford Model A Pickup. 

I never did get as far as the succulents, but I spotted these big pots...

and no I didn't buy as I had committed to the green and had already purchased those, or at least Gregg did. He was putting them and the plants in the car. 

I was searching for a bench to sit on and my eyes wondered to this little creature...

and then I found these, and my whimsical side appeared. My impulse purchases of the day (below).

I resisted the fairies but am still determined to make my own fairy garden, and every now and again I add to it. 

Anyhow, no fairies but the turtle and the rabbit are joining the fairy family today.

They have quite a nice selection that I will be checking out later.

I am still heading to the bench to wait for Gregg, but saw these lovely orchids.

These looked interesting too...

and I stopped myself from looking at every one of these items on the long display bench, top and bottom.

I resisted any further temptations, took one last look...

and headed to the cashier's desk with my impulse buys. Gregg came back to see where I was (I am moving extra slowly lately). He had put all the other purchases in our vehicle. A good job too as I had forgotten that I had given him my wallet (didn't want to bring a purse and wasn't wearing anything with pockets). I would not have been able to buy rabbit or turtle and we all (not Gregg) breathed a sigh of relief (not really but whimsy occasionally takes hold).

Lastly, I had fun playing with my collage app to which I added photos in today’s post.

It was fun and good to get out for a bit. I went home, put my feet up, put my slippers on and had a cup of tea, and maybe a nap, not necessarily in that order.

Thanks for looking! I hope you have a great week ahead.