My first car!

I did it.  I bought a car.  It's like I'm a real grownup or something.  Here is a cell phone picture of us still at the dealership with the keys in my hand!

Quee-chee!

Sorry for the long break between posts.  I have been working on some stuff over here and it hasn't left much time or energy to be cooking, let alone posting about it.  However!  This is one of the easiest meals you'll ever make so you (I) really have no excuse.  Also perfect because you can customize it to whatever you/your family likes to eat.  Let's be honest - you can customize it to whatever you have in the fridge.  You don't need a specific type of cheese, or a certain vegetable/meat.  Just throw in whatever you want and it will taste delicious!

QUICHE

Recipe from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

1 pie crust

2 c. +/- cheese

veggies, meat, herbs

3 eggs

1 c. milk

1.  Spread out crust in bottom of pie pan and prep ingredients.  Veggies can be raw or cooked.  (*Meat needs to be cooked before you put it in the quiche though*)

2.  Layer bottom with cheese.

3.  Add all of your toppings.  (Sorry, bad picture - it was all a little steamy still)

4.  Mix together eggs and milk.  Pour over top.

5.  Bake at 375° for ~45 minutes.  Knife test.

"Easy as Pie" Pie

Sometimes do you wonder where the phrase "easy as pie" came from?  Peeling and coring fruit, mixing, baking, checking to make sure the filling doesn't explode or flow over the crust onto the bottom of the oven and set the house on fire.  That doesn't sound that easy.  This pie is where that phrase came from.  This is easy.  Any way you slice it!  (Haha, pardon my pun!) 

An added bonus is that you can pretend that it's still summer.  Here in DC, we're not really having to stretch the imagination too far.  This is probably the easiest pie you will ever make and it tastes just like pure summer!  It's especially easy if you cheat on the crust like I did.  If you have a great crust recipe, make that one.  I'm sure it's better anyway.  Better yet, share the recipe with me.  You can make this pie in any flavor that pudding comes in and the hardest part is waiting for your pie to set in the fridge!

Vegetable Pizza

Happy Labor Day!  I've really grown to like Labor Day.  Before I always thought it was just a stupid holiday like Flag Day or Columbus Day, but now I really like it!  You know why?  It's the only holiday out there that's just for you.  For you, the hardworking, under-appreciated working man/woman.  So go out and celebrate it!  Enjoy the great outdoors, have a cookout, build a fire, and eat some of the last fresh, summer vegetables that you'll get until next year.

This recipe is very "midwestern."  Which is not mutually exclusive of "delicious."  Yes, it has mayonnaise.  Yes, it has ranch dressing.  Yes, it has unsophisticated yellow cheese.  It's not made with créme fraiche or a vinaigrette or some fancy cheese that comes from a goat.  This is an american dish for an american worker!