Cat Can Cook

On Saturday, a good friend and I got together and enjoyed some girl time cooking in the kitchen! We came up with this wonderful quiche recipe, just by adding and playing with it, til it was just right. Feel free to change is up to suit your tastes, by adding mushrooms, crab, different meats, or no meat to suit the vegetarian palette, different cheeses, or blends of cheeses, more or less of this and that…play with it. You really cannot go wrong.

In a nutshell (or pie-shell rather) har-har, here is the recipe we came up with!

Spinach, Bacon and Turkey Quiche

2 Frozen Pie Crusts (ie: Tenderflake)

1 tsp. Canola Oil

4 Eggs, beaten

4 Cloves of Garlic, pressed

1 Onion, chopped Fine

1 Package Frozen Spinach, thawed

6-8 Slices Bacon

1/2 Pound (or so) Cooked Turkey

1/2 Cup Gruyere, Swiss, Cheddar or firm cheese, shredded

Saute the garlic and onions in the oil. Add bacon, and fry until cooked through. Add spinach and cooked turkey. Remove from heat. Divide mixture between the 2 pie shells, spread with most of the shredded cheese, then pour eggs over top, and top with remaining cheese. Bake in 325 oven for 30-45 minutes. Just keep an eye on it so that it does not burn. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving

As a young child, my piano teacher Mrs. McAsh had the best recipe for an easy frozen treat. She gave my Mother this wonderful recipe, and she made it often! I remember it once feeding an entire audience at a church variety show. Now there’s a picture. I wonder how many pans of the dessert were needed to feed the crowd that evening!

At any rate, this is easy, and good. Try it, you’ll agree!

Mrs. McAsh’s Ice Cream Dessert

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter

3 Cups Cornflakes Cereal (whole, not crushed)

1 Cup Chopped Nuts such as Walnuts

1 Box Vanilla Ice Cream Slightly Softened (I use Chapman’s)

Combine all ingredients except ice cream and press half into a pan. Slice the ice cream about 1/2 inch thick into as many slices as you can get out of the carton and lay slices over the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining mixture over the ice cream as topping. Freeze.

Cut into uniform squares, and serve.

We recently adopted a new little bird from our local Freecycle here in Guelph. She was in need of a new home, and given that we have “experience” with budgies, my heart spoke to me and said “you must adopt this little bird!” She came to us with the name “Fluffers” and although it is a *cute* name, I have since changed it to Skye, as she is the most beautiful shade of blue mixed with white (the clouds) What a little beauty.

I will say though, that she is one odd duck, or Budgie rather. She has some strange habits, and I am not certain if these are her so-called tricks, performed for our benefit, or if she is just playing to amuse herself and pass the time. In any case, her latest spectacle this evening included poking her body in and out between the bars of her ladder, getting stuck mid way through (picture Winnie the Pooh) and making a very annoyed sound…then doing it again immediately following. This pattern was repeated at least six times that I witnessed. I know birds are not overly gifted with intellect, but this game seems rather ridiculous and maybe even a bit painful.

Skye has brought me so much joy in this first week, and I do treasure her very much already. It is amazing the fondness for an animal that seems almost instant. One week in, and she’s stolen my heart. It was this time last year, that our little Kiki passed away, and although Skye does not take her place, she sure has brought back some of the fun and antics I had missed in having two birds. Our resident geriatric bird, Toby, also seems quite taken with the new girl in town. While we have always made an effort to be especially attentive to our guy who will turn 9 this year, Skye has given him something new and interesting to look at!

A house full of animals, kids, plants, and the happiness and mess they all contribute to on a daily basis, but you know, I wouldn’t have it any other way.