Entertaining at lunchtime can be relaxing and informal for the host. If you have friends that are on special diets, a lunchtime menu can be an easy way to meet their needs and guests, not on a special diet will be happy with your menu, Here are two recipes that work well for everyone.
Bacon Swiss Quiche (Gluten-Free and Low Carb)
Press in the Pie Pan Crust
1 ½ cups almond flour
1 teaspoon sweetener (sugar substitute such as monk fruit)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter, melted
Filling
5 slices bacon
2 scallions, finely chopped
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
Directions
For the pie crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, and salt. Stir in melted butter until dough comes together and resembles coarse crumbs.
Turn out into a glass or ceramic 9-inch pie plate. Press firmly with fingers into the bottom and up the side of the pie pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to even out the bottom.
To prebake the unfilled crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and bake the crust 10 minutes. Cool slightly before filling.
To prepare the filling:
Turn the oven up to 375 degrees F.
Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy and remove to a paper towel to drain. Break into small pieces.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet. Add the chopped scallions to the skillet and cook until softened about 2 minutes.
Beat the eggs and cream together in a large measuring cup or a bowl.
Place 1 cup of the shredded cheese on the prebaked pie crust. Top with the crumbled bacon and cooked scallions. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet.
Add the egg mixture and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf in the oven and bake the quiche for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before cutting.
No-Fuss Butternut Squash Soup
6-8 servings
Ingredients
4-12 oz packages frozen pureed butternut squash or 4-15 oz cans organic butternut squash
32 oz container vegetable broth
4 oz container unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
Herbs for garnish, such as sage
Directions
Put all the ingredients in a Dutch Oven except the cream. Bring to a boil, stir well, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the cream and serve garnished with fresh herbs.
The market was full of lovely produce this week and, therefore, very difficult to decide what to purchase. I settled on several baskets of beautiful tomatoes and bright green Swiss chard. Redfish is in season here and it is a fish we like a lot, so this recipe was made with redfish. You can use any white fish fillets that you like. You may also add rice if you want another side. The parsley butter adds a lot of flavor and it can also be used on other meats. It is even a good on vegetables. The muffins make a good addition to this dinner. This dinner is also gluten-free and would work perfectly if you had a family member or guests that needed this special diet. On the other hand, this dinner is delicious for anyone.
Fish Fillets With Parsley Butter and Roasted Tomatoes
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb white fish fillets of choice
1 tablespoon Parsley Butter, per fish fillet
Roasted Tomatoes, recipe below
Kalamata Olives, pitted
Spice Rub
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
Parsley Butter
1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature (If you use unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of salt)
1/4 cup fresh, finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 teaspoons grated garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
For the Parsley Butter:
Be sure the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to mash with a fork.
In a small bowl mash the butter and add the remaining ingredients. Mix very well, cover and chill until it is time to cook the fish.
For the Spice Rub:
In small bowl, combine the black pepper, paprika, onion powder and seasoning salt.
To cook the fish:
Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the Spice Rub on both sides of the fish fillets.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium. Cook the fillets about 4 minutes on one side.
Remove the fish to a serving plate and place 1 tablespoon of Parsley Butter on each piece of fish.
In the same pan place the roasted tomatoes and olives. Heat until warm and spoon next to the fish on the serving plate.
Note: The Parsley Butter will keep at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Roasted Tomatoes
Make this recipe early in the day or even the day before and refrigerate them in a covered container.
Ingredients
2 pints miniature mixed heirloom tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Combine all the ingredients in a single layer in a baking pan.
Roast for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are caramelized and have released their liquid. Pour into a serving bowl.
Use as a side dish, as an ingredient in a main dish or on pizza. Drizzle some of the thickened balsamic sauce on each serving.
Sautéed Swiss Chard
Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion finely chopped
2 bunches of swiss chard, washed in several changes of water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Directions
Drain the washed chard very well. With a knife, remove and discard the chard’s stems that run up the middle of each leaf.
Cut the leaves into smaller pieces.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic and black pepper.
Heat, covered, for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender.
Add the chard leaves and cook, covered, another 3-5 minutes until the leaves are wilted and brightly colored.
Add a tablespoon of water to the pan if it seems like the leaves are getting too dry.
Add salt to taste and serve.
Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
12-15 muffins depending on the size of your muffin tin
Ingredients
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup coconut flour
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup salted butter, melted
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cupcake holders
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray to make for easier removal.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, coconut flour, poppy seeds and baking powder.
In a large measuring cup or medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, almond milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups filling them ¾ of the way and bake 25 to 35 minutes, until tops are just golden brown and the muffins are set. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
Renaissance Italians dined on mixtures of beef, raisins and spices baked in a crust. Sixteenth-century Brits created the first fruit “pasties,” that found their way to America when settlers brought their recipes to the colonies. By the time the Pennsylvania Dutch perfected the art in the early 18th century, pies had become an American tradition.
A homemade pie has become the mark of a great baker and a popular dessert for the end of a meal. Yet, pie baking does not need to be intimidating. The secret is in fresh, seasonal ingredients and in following a few simple tips:
First, start with a reduced-fat crust to trim calories and fat.
Fill the crust with an assortment of healthy fruits: apples, pears, figs and cranberries and heart-healthy nuts.
Sweeten the mix with honey, date sugar, maple syrup or unrefined cane sugar instead of empty-calorie white sugar.
Top off your creation with low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Easy, You-Can-Do-It Pie Crust
This easy crust with only four ingredients stirs together in minutes and it rolls out perfectly every time. That’s because it’s made with oil instead of butter—also reducing the saturated fat content. This recipe makes one pie shell; double the recipe, if you need both a bottom and a top crust.
1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. In a glass measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil and 2 1/2 tablespoons ice water. Whisk them together until creamy. Immediately pour all at once into the flour and toss with a fork. Form into a ball. Dough will be moist.
3. Wipe your counter with a wet cloth and place a 12-inch square of waxed paper on top. (The wetness keeps the paper from sliding around.) Place the dough ball on top and cover with a second 12-inch piece of waxed paper. Roll out the dough between the waxed papers into a circle slightly bigger than your pie plate.
4. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and invert dough over the pie pan; peel off the bottom paper. If you’re pre-baking the crust, prick the entire surface with a fork.
If you’ve doubled the recipe and are rolling out a second crust for the top of the pie, use new sheets of waxed paper.
Proceed with the rest of your pie recipe.
Gluten Free All Nut Crumb Crust
Makes one 9-inch pie shell
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups finely ground blanched almonds or walnuts or pecans or hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 1/4 cup melted butter or butter alternative
Directions
Thoroughly mix together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Using fingers, press dough into a 9-inch pie plate, evenly pressing up the sides. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet (helps to keep the bottom from burning)
For pies that call for a pre-baked shell, bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool and then fill with desired pie filling.
For baking pies directly in this crust, keep oven temperatures down to 325 to 350°F to prevent burning and adjust cooking times as needed.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
1 pre-baked nut pie crust, recipe above
Filling
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons gluten-free pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Follow instructions above for making the gluten free prebaked nut crust.
Mix together all the filling ingredients.
Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Keep the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 50 minutes. The center of the pie should be fairly firm and only jiggle a tiny bit if you shake the pan.
Let the pie cool completely before cutting it.
Apple-Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pounds peeled baking apples, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
- 2 Easy, You Can Do It Pie Crusts, unbaked (recipe above)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl combine apple slices, brown sugar, cranberries and lemon juice. Toss to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Let rest while you prepare the pastry.
Follow directions for making the Easy Pie Crust recipe at the top of this post. Using wax paper roll out one pastry disk to make a 12-inch round. Fit into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate, leaving an overhang. Spoon apple mixture into shell. Top with the diced butter.
Roll the second pastry into a thin, 10-inch round and, with a fluted pastry wheel, cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Carefully weave dough strips in a lattice pattern over the pie.
Bring dough overhang from bottom pastry up over the lattice edges and crimp decoratively. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake pie in the middle of the oven on a cookie sheet for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly. Cool on a rack and serve warm.
Pear Pie with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
Pie Filling
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 6 peeled Anjou pears, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 Easy, You Can Do It Pie Crust, unbaked (recipe above)
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Position oven rack in the lowest third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
To prepare pie filling:
Combine 1 cup water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Add cranberries, fresh ginger slices and orange zest; return to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat; discard ginger slices. Cool.
Combine orange juice and pears in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Combine flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to pear mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cooled cranberry mixture.
Follow directions for making the Easy Pie Crust recipe at the top of this post. Using wax paper roll out one pastry disk to make an 11-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold edges under and flute. Spoon pear mixture into prepared crust.
To prepare topping:
Combine butter and orange juice in a bowl, stirring well. Add flour, oats and remaining ingredients; toss. Sprinkle oat mixture over pear mixture. Place pie plate on a baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until browned. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour.
Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
1 Easy, You Can Do It Pie Crust, unbaked (recipe above)
Filling
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Follow directions for making the Easy Pie Crust recipe at the top of this post. Using wax paper roll out one pastry disk to make a 11-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold edges under and flute. Place pie plate on a baking sheet.
To make filling:
Whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk together eggs in another bowl until frothy. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla. Gradually whisk the liquids into the dry ingredients. Pour into the crust and grate nutmeg over the top.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then in the refrigerator until completely cool, about 2 hours. Serve with fresh seasonal fruit.
Apple-Pear Pie
Ingredients
2 Easy, You Can Do It Pie Crusts, unbaked (recipe above)
Fruit Filling
- 4 large baking apples , peeled, cored and sliced
- 4 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut up
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling:
In a large bowl, toss together apples, pears, brown sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and cinnamon until evenly coated. Let filling sit for at least 5 minutes before assembling pie.
For the pastry:
Follow directions for making the Easy Pie Crust recipe at the top of this post. Roll out one pastry disk into an 11-inch round on wax paper, as directed above. Fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, leaving an overhang. Spoon apple mixture into shell. Top with the diced butter.
Roll second pastry into a thin, 9-inch round and invert over the filling. Seal and flute the pie edges.
Cover edges of the pie loosely with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30-35 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Related articles
- Oatmeal Cookie Pie Crust (greenlivingash.wordpress.com)
- Pear Pie–Luscious and Gluten-free (blogher.com)
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/06/22/how-to-make-healthy-summer-pies/
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/07/26/italian-tortasavory-pies/
