Crustless Cottage Cheese and Spinach Quiche

                                                    

Crustless Cottage Cheese and Spinach Quiche

Light, fluffy, and loaded with protein — this low-carb, diabetic-friendly quiche makes the perfect breakfast or brunch!  

Read Blogger's Post at the end of directions!

Ingredients:
1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat or fat-free)
5 large eggs
1 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, drained)
½ cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar
¼ cup diced onions
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt (optional)
½ tsp garlic powder or Italian seasoning
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and cottage cheese until smooth.
Add spinach, cheese, onions, and seasonings — mix well.

Pour into the dish and bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and set.

Let it cool slightly before slicing.

High in protein, low in carbs, and blood sugar–friendly.

Blogger's opinion;  I would not waste the ingredients on this disappointment.  It sounded easy and quick.  But the result was flat tasting and was 1" or less not the tall and fluffy quick quiche pictured.  Not sure what happened to my photo that was taken down!.

Greek Spanakopita

 

Spanakopita

Golden, wafer-thin sheets of phyllo, a creamy spinach filling that's packed with tangy feta and fresh herbs… this classic Spanakopita (spinach pie) would make any Greek grandmother proud. Phyllo can be finicky, but this recipe makes it foolproof. Whole sheets are stacked in the baking dish and brushed with butter—no slicing or folding, and if a sheet tears, no one will know! Here's a genius trick for even squares that won't shatter when sliced: score the phyllo first, before baking, so the knife cuts cleanly through before serving. Serve as an appetizer at any dinner party, or cut into bigger squares for a truly satisfying dinner idea.
Ingredients:
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
6 oz. container crumbled feta
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped dill
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
16 9 X 13-inch sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed                                                     Directions:                                                                                                                               Place the spinach in a large dish towel or double layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Add the eggs, feta, cottage cheese, parsley, dill, salt, pepper and drained spinach to the onion mixture. Stir until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Melt the remaining 9 tablespoons butter in a small microwavable bowl in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish generously with butter. Place two sheets of phyllo dough in the bottom of the dish, layered on top of each other. Brush the top with butter. Repeat the process 3 more times, for a total of 8 phyllo sheets, brushing with butter every other layer. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the crust. Top with 2 phyllo sheets and brush the top with butter. Repeat with the remaining 6 phyllo sheets, brushing with butter every other layer. Drizzle any remaining butter evenly over top of the spanakopita.

5Score the top crust of phyllo sheets into 15 pieces using a paring knife. (This will make cutting after baking easier.) Bake the spanakopita until golden brown and flaky, 45 to 55 minutes. Serve hot.

Grilled Bread With Cottage Cheese Ranch And Hot Honey

                                                       

Grilled Bread With Cottage

Cheese Ranch and Hot Honey

Cottage cheese is having a moment, so we’ve transformed it into a smoky, creamy, ranch-like dip generously flecked with charred serranos and scallions. It’s drizzled with trendy hot honey and served with grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic, though you could also pair it with crackers or flatbreads.  Serves 6 with leftover dip

Ingredients:
1 bunch green onions, washed
1 serrano pepper, halved lengthwise
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil, plus more for drizzling on bread
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tub (500 g) 2% cottage cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) 2% Greek yogurt
1 tbsp + 2 tsp (15 mL + 10 mL) fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp (4 mL) onion powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried dill
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped parsley
6 thick slices hearty sourdough bread
1 clove garlic, halved lengthwise
Hot honey for drizzling

Directions:
Preheat grill to high, about 450°F (232°C).

Place green onions and serrano on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place onions and serrano on grill and cook until nicely charred and tender, 1 to 2 minutes per side—serrano will take slightly longer. Transfer to a cutting board. Scrape out serrano seeds, if you don’t want it too spicy. Roughly chop both and set aside.

Place cottage cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, onion and garlic powders, dill, parsley and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add green onion and serrano. Pulse until well combined and flecked with green. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Drizzle bread with olive oil. Grill until lightly charred, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Rub with cut sides of garlic then cut each piece in half. Drizzle hot honey over dip and serve immediately with small butter knives for spreading.

Refrigerate leftover dip in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Stir before serving. Serves 6 with leftover dip

Egg Bites ~ Instant Pot

Egg Bites ~ Instant Pot

Ingredients:
Six eggs, 
3/4 cup of 2% cottage cheese, 
1/4 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese 
About one cup of baby spinach, chopped. 

Directions:
Beat the six eggs.  Add the cottage cheese and mild cheddar cheese.  When well blended, add the chopped spinach.

Settings for Instant Pot:
Low pressure for 10 minutes, 
then 5 minute natural release.
Yield: 12 egg bites.

Cheese Blintz

Golden brown and delicate, the blintzes from JBF America's Classics Award–winning restaurant Barney Greengrass are filled with lightly sweetened farmer cheese, a pot cheese with a soft but crumbly consistency that’s often used in eastern European cooking. If you can’t find farmer cheese in a store, you can make your own by pressing cottage cheese in cheesecloth overnight to remove the moisture. Ricotta or fromage blanc can also be substituted. Both the crêpes and the filled blintzes can be made ahead of time; just cover and chill overnight or freeze for up to one month. If frying the blintzes from frozen, do not thaw before cooking.

Ingredients

Crêpes:
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, for frying

Filling:
1 pound farmer cheese
½ cup sugar
1 extra-large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sour cream, for serving (optional)
Fruit preserves, for serving (optional)

Method

To make the crêpes: Combine the eggs, flour, ½ cup water, the milk, and the salt in a medium bowl and whisk until foamy. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator and let rest for 6 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before using to bring to room temperature.

Heat an 8-inch crêpe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly brush with some of the melted butter. (Reserve the remaining melted butter for frying the blintzes.) Pour ¼ cup of the egg mixture into the pan, swirling it around to coat the bottom evenly and pouring off any excess to leave a thin layer.

Cook for 30 to 45 seconds to let the crêpe batter set and begin to brown. Use a spatula to loosen the crêpe from the pan and flip it (you may need to use your fingers to flip the crêpe; take care when doing so to avoid burning yourself). Allow the crêpe to cook on the other side for 15 seconds more. Remove immediately and transfer to a plate. The crêpes should be lightly browned but still soft and pliable.

Repeat until all the batter is used, stacking the crêpes as you go and covering the stack of crêpes with a towel to prevent them from drying out. There should be about a dozen crêpes. If not using the crêpes right away, keep wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, stir together the cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla.

To assemble the blintzes: Place a crêpe on a work surface. Place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese filling in the center and fold the bottom edge up to cover the filling. Fold each of the sides in toward the center, enclosing the filling, then roll the crêpe up and over, tucking the edges in, to form a blintz, leaving the seam side down. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, brush the skillet liberally with the remaining melted butter and cook the blintzes until brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Serve with sour cream or fruit preserves.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

This soft, almost soufflé-like breakfast dish is kind of a casserole, kind of a cake — and definitely tasty! This one-bowl treat is simplicity itself to throw together first thing in the morning.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

heaping 1/2 cup sugar 

6 tablespoons melted butter 

1 cup small-curd cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta 

1 cup sour cream (low-fat is fine) 

1/2 teaspoon Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 

1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 

cinnamon-sugar, for topping

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan that's at least 2" deep. If your 8" round pan is shallower than 2", use an 8" square pan, or 9" round pan. 

Beat together the eggs and sugar until smooth.
Add the butter, cottage cheese or ricotta, sour cream, and flavor/extract, beating until well combined. 

Add the flour, salt, and baking powder, stirring or beating gently to combine.

Pour the batter into the pan, and scatter the berries evenly over the top.
Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Remove the casserole/cake from the oven, and sprinkle the top heavily with cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, to firm. 

Serve warm, in wedges, squares, or rounds cut with a biscuit cutter.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Jerusalem Kodafa Cake

Jerusalem Kodafa Cake

Serves 6
Ingredients

2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups honey, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup pistachios or almonds, chopped
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 pinches saffron threads (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
Set 2 1/4 cups of water to boil.

Place couscous in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the top.

Stir well and let soak until water is completely absorbed and couscous is cooked. About 30 minutes.

Using a fork (or your fingers), fluff the couscous to break up any lumps and stir in cubed butter. Then add beaten egg and salt.

Preheat oven to 400º F and spread 1/2 cooked couscous mixture into a 10-inch springform pan or baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together ricotta and cottage cheeses, then pour in 1/4 cup honey and stir well.
Gently spread cheese mixture over the couscous and even out the top. Spread remaining couscous over the cheese and pat down carefully.

Place pan in oven and bake for 12 minutes.
While baking, combine remaining honey, water and saffron threads in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cook for around 6 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Remove kodafa from oven and turn on broiler. Cook for 1-3 minutes, or until golden brown crust has formed.

Sprinkle chopped nuts over the top of the cake and top immediately with honey syrup.

Cut into slices and serve warm.