Chorizo Quiche

Quiche is usually mild-mannered and delicate.

Not this one!

This French dish has a Mexican accent with the addition of rich chorizo sausage and verdant cilantro.  This is so easy to put together for brunch or dinner with fruit or a green salad on the side.

1 sheet refrigerated pie crust dough, at room temperature
1 package Johnsonville brand Chorizo sausage links, casings removed, cooked according to package directions, crumbled, drained and cooled slightly
1 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Dash Tabasco hot pepper sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons Gourmet Garden Cilantro Herb Blend (pureed cilantro sold in 4 oz. refrigerated tubes in the produce department)
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning
3/4 cup 2% or whole milk
3/4 cup cream

Place the pie crust dough in a 9-inch pie place.  Press the dough down around the rim and dock it with a fork.  Blind bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 5-7 minutes or until it turns white and barely colored around the edges.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the crumbled sausage.  Spread it around the pie crust.  Sprinkle the cheese over it.  Whisk together the eggs and remaining ingredients.  Pour it over the sausage and cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden but still jiggly in the center.  Cover it with aluminum foil.  Bake for 10 more minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the quiche comes out clean.  Allow it to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta: Chicken Soft Tacos & Chile Cheese Rice

I made this for lunch today and it was SO delicious.

Chicken Soft Tacos

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons Williams-Sonoma Argentine Rub or fajita seasoning or a mixture of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Fajita-size flour tortillas, warmed

Cacique Crema Mexicana, creme fraiche or thinned sour cream

Shredded Monterey Jack or Colby Jack

In a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker, place the chicken breast in a single layer.  Rub both sides with Argentine Rub.  Pour the can of tomatoes over the chicken.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2-4 hours or until tender.  Shred with two forks.  Add cilantro.  Reduce the heat to LOW and cook for one more hour.

Spoon the chicken into the warmed tortillas and top with crema and cheese.  Sliced radishes and iceberg lettuce would also be wonderful additions.  

Marcela Valladolid's Chile Cheese Rice

Marcela is one of my favorite hosts on Food Network.  This rice dish of hers is fantastic!  Long-grain rice is cooked with onions, garlic and sweet corn and then tossed with roasted poblanos.  The mixture is then topped with crema and Monterey Jack and broiled until golden.  It's a little labor intensive but SO worth it!!!  It's creamy, cheesy, smoky, sweet, spicy and comforting.

I follow her recipe almost exactly.  I use broth instead of water to cook the rice and I add a little cumin, onion powder and garlic powder as well.

Also, I wear disposable gloves when I handle chiles.  I once managed to find a fiery poblano and chopped it up, sans gloves.  My fingers burned for days!  Lesson learned--the hard way.