Taking on the Pioneer Woman
28 recipes down, 91 to go. 
@image Catherine Frederick

Cowgirl Quiche and Pie crust recipe The Pioneer Woman: Food From My Frontier Quiche page 34-36; Pie crust page 37

First, I have to tell you how in love I am with this pan from Williams Sonoma. I've used it many times and never have I been disappointed in it. Now on to the recipe.

I've never, ever, cooked a quiche. Sounds all fru-fru and like something I wouldn't eat. I love eggs, but not with all of that "stuff" in them- especially leeks- I didn't even know what the heck those were. Turns out they are pretty much like an onion.

This recipe takes a bit of prep since you make your own pie crust (super duper easy recipe follows), roast the mushrooms, shred the cheese and saute the leeks, but other than that, it's a cinch and let me tell you, in a word- DELICIOUS!!! Everyone loved it, including my 7-year-old and he does not even like eggs! 

PIE CRUST

Makes one 9", 2 crust pie (you'll only need half for the quiche)

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups all purpose or pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into chunks
¼ cup cold water

DIRECTIONS
You can mix this up in a food processor or in a mixing bowl by hand. I opted for the "by hand" method because I don't like to wash any more dishes than I have to. Combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and sugar your bowl of choice. 

Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, large fork or the food processor. The mixture should look like large crumbs and begin to cling together in clumps. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and mix lightly. DO NOT OVER MIX THIS FLOUR. It should coat the clumps. 

Sprinkle the cold water over the dough and mix it in the dough until it holds together. Now cut the dough into 2 sections. You can wrap one up for later use, it will keep for months in the freezer, a week in the fridge.

Roll out the dough on a mat or parchment paper and place into the pan of your choice.

QUICHE


See all of those yummy, wholesome ingredients? They're from our good friends at Ozark Natural Foods- get you some! (somehow I forgot to take a photo of the prosciutto- sorry!)

INGREDIENTS
12 oz white mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 leeks
2 tablespoons butter
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
8 thin slices prosciutto (or any yummy ham)
1 recipe pie crust

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushrooms on baking sheet and roast until golden brown- 15-20 minutes. Take out of oven and set aside. Now to the leeks. 

They're large and weird looking. Just rinse them, chop off the top and bottom then cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each half thinly and soak them in cold water for a few minutes to remove and dirt or other yuck. In a large pan, saute the leeks in the butter until brown and beginning to caramelize- about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. 

For the base of the quiche, add eggs and cream to a bowl. Whisk them together. Stir in the leeks, mushrooms, cheese, salt and pepper and prosciutto. The mixture should be thick. Pour into the prepared pie shell and cover loosely with a sheet of foil to keep from over browning. 

Bake for 45 minutes, remove foil, and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes to let the top brown. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. 

Trust me when I tell you this is not just for breakfast and it's delicious topped with a little salsa! Enjoy.

Taking on the Pioneer Woman
29 recipes down, 90 to go. 
@image Catherine Frederick

Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce recipe page 204-205 
The Pioneer Woman: Food From My Frontier 

It may not be the prettiest photo ever, I'll admit it. And I'll also admit that a good steak requires NO sauce. This is a delicious steak, from Ozark Natural Foods, but you HAVE to, you NEED to, cook up and smother it with this sauce. It's so good, so perfect with this steak, that you'll find yourself licking the plate clean. Oh wait, that was me. It could be you too.

Now, I know it's hot out, plus we were out of propane, we I cooked the steaks indoors, in my cast iron skillet- you do what you like. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Steaks (i used New York Strips but this would be delicious on a fillet) 
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt
Pepper
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Very Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Crumbled Blue Cheese

DIRECTIONS

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Add butter to pan or baste if grilling- with 2 tablespoons butter until medium rare (or if you like a little less moo- cook it longer).

Chop then saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks topped with a generous portion of sauce and a little more blue cheese crumbles if you love it like we do.

I served mine up with a ton of fried okra, fried squash and baked potatoes. Wish I would have had some fresh corn. Yum!