Monday, February 27, 2012

weekend review: the shortening saga

 Figure 1. Saturday night's dinner: crispy herbed shrimp with chive aioli, roasted asparagus and tomatoes, and rice pilaf. Fried shrimp are one of my favorite things in life. This lightened-up version paired with a creamy Greek yogurt-based tarter sauce substitute was amazing.

For the roasted asparagus and tomatoes (Cooking Light): Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 1 pound trimmed asparagus, 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, 1/3 cup sliced shallots, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. 

Figure 2. Sunday morning baking: cinnamon raisin bran muffins.

 Figure 3. In preparation: quiche crust for Sunday night's dinner. I rarely use shortening (right!?), but it was an essential ingredient in tonight's homemade quiche crust. Well, friends, here's a tip. If you can't remember buying that mysterious tub of shortening in the back of your pantry, and it is yellow, and has a funny odor to it that makes you slightly nauseated, don't make dough out of it. Only after I made the first batch of dough did I realize that shortening expired in 2006. Yikes. One new tub of (white and odorless) shortening later, and I had a beautiful quiche crust ready for filling.

 Figure 4. Out of the oven: summer squash, bacon, and mozzarella quiche.

Figure 5. Sunday night's dinner: summer squash, bacon, and mozzarella quiche with Dijon, thyme, and pine nut broccoli. And, just in case there was any confusion, I always go back for seconds.

22 comments:

  1. Ewww, expired shortening. Shortening always freaked me out. But your quiche with the fresh stuff looks DI-VINE.

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    1. I agree. Shortening freaks me out too. Like...what is that? But, I'll tell ya - it makes for a killer quiche crust.

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  2. oh so gross about the shortening!! Your quiche looks super yummy! I have that on my plans this week for dinner, now I am excited to make it cause yours looks so good.

    the muffins got starred also because I must make them asap!

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    1. I had a serious quiche craving - so I made some! And yes, these muffins are my favorite 'healthy' muffin option. They have about 120-150 calories and ~4 grams of both fiber and protein each. No oil and no sugar (just honey). Fantastic.

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  3. Hahaha that was some VERY old shortening. I didn't know that stuff could go bad!

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    1. Yeah, seriously. That is what I was thinking - that it wouldn't go back because it wasn't 'real'. Ha. I was wrong. Very wrong.

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  4. Your Saturday dinner looks so good. I love shrimp, and those asparagus spears look amazing. Mm.

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    1. Hey Lyn! Thanks - it really was a great dinner. I'm pretty sure I said 'mmmm' every time I took a bite of shrimp (and I took a lot of bites...)

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  5. Whoa!! I love quiche. That looks magnificent. Aaaaand now I want some for breakfast.

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  6. Wow, these meals look awesome. I'm going to have to make a few.

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  7. Yummy, that quiche looks delicious!

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  8. Hahaha that cracked me up about the shortening. But yeah, I remember that from cooking in school that shortening is ESSENTIAL in pastry. Who knew? lol

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  9. expired shortening? from '06! OMG that's incredibly nasty hahaha. your quiche turned out pretty incredible looking though! As did everything else...crispy shrimp is one of my faves as well! :)

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    1. yeah it is pretty nasty. i almost puked...seriously i don't know what i was thinking. but it all turned out okay in the end...

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  10. Love the look of the crusty herbed shrimp (or prawns in Aussie land) YUM!

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  11. LOL @ the shortening expiring in 2006. We recently found some saltines in our pantry that expired quite awhile ago. You'd think they'd still be good. I mean, they're sealed up, right? Nope. Gross!

    I'm glad you were able to get yourself a new tub o' lard and make that quiche. It looks like a perfect breakfast to me!

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  12. Shortening has always grossed me out SO much. I can remember when I was little and my grandma cooked with it- it reminded me of mayonnaise!
    Those muffins look amazing! Cinnamon muffins are my favorite. Actually, let's be honest, ANYTHING cinnamon is my favorite.

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    1. yeah, it kinda freaks me out too. but, i must say, it made for a lovely crust.

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  13. 2006??? Ewwwww! haha. oops. Shortening totally grosses me out even when it's not expired. My mom's dumplings have always been my favorite food. Then last year I asked her to teach me how to make them...which is when I realized she used crisco... I haven't had any since. But your dinner with the shrimp and asparagus looks pretty awesome. I wish I had some shrimp now.

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