Spring is here… or is it?

We took some time off in April after a very busy ski season.
It was lovely to get away to Barbados (our first time) and have someone else do all the cooking!
Although the house is quiet until the May long weekend, we always try to do our spring cleaning, both inside and out before the late spring/summer cohort of guests start arriving.
The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority had its annual Arbour Day last weekend in Utopia, just outside of Barrie. We made sure to get there early and pick up our batches of bare root saplings to plant around the edge of our lawns and in the fields. Our treasure trove included white pine, white cedar, nannyberry and wild sumac, 90 saplings in all. We were too late to pick up any sugar maples but there is always next year. Although we won’t necessarily be around to see them all grow to their full height and beauty, it’s a good feeling knowing that you are planting it forward!
Next on the list is creating our raised beds for both flowers and vegetables. It’s amazing how much wood we have found on the property that will be recycled into our beds, left over bits and pieces from when the house was built. We have our seedlings planted and set out in the basement, waiting for some warmer weather. Our plans are quite ambitious but I’m remaining optimistic we will have a good crop this year. Stay tuned for my green thumb reports…
This weekend is the opening of the Creemore Farmers’ Market and I can hardly wait. It is always lots of fun to see the market start up again each spring, as well as mix and mingle with friends I haven’t seen in a while. I hope to see all of you there!
My recipe this week incorporates a little bit of spring into an oven baked dish that is delicious served for breakfast or a spring lunch – if it ever warms up around here!
I have been experimenting of late with different quiche ingredients. Many of our B&B guests have enjoyed large family style quiches cut into portions table side as well as smaller individual tarts. This dish is a nice change for breakfast – you’ve got your eggs covered and can even throw in bacon or ham bits if you like. You can also make a great quiche with a variety of different seasonal vegetables you have on hand.
Just a quick note on the cream you can use. Depending on my mood and what’s in the fridge, I make my quiches extra rich and creamy by using 35 per cent whipping cream or I go with lighter 10 per cent cream. I’ve even made them with whole milk but wouldn’t go any lower on the fat scale or your finished dish will be rather watery.

Asparagus Cheese Quiche

1 pie crust (your favourite home made version or store bought)
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 2.5 inch pieces
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 teaspoon butter
3 large eggs
1 cup cream
2 cups grated Swiss or white cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out piecrust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Brush the pie crust with melted butter and set aside.
In a medium size frying pan heat EVOO and 1 teaspoon butter to medium. Add asparagus and sauté for about 5 minutes, tossing to coat evenly with the oil/butter mixture. The asparagus should be bright green but not fully cooked – it will continue cooking in the oven. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside. Toss shredded cheese with all purpose flour and set aside in another bowl.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and cream until well incorporated. You are now ready to assemble the quiche. Sprinkle a very small amount of the grated cheese mixture in the bottom of the pie crust, then place the sautéed asparagus pieces decoratively on top. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese evenly over top. Finish off by carefully pouring the egg mixture into the pie crust. Place quiche in the oven (be careful – the contents can slosh around) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 325°F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until the centre is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes then serve.

Feedback is great and I would love to hear from you. Just email me at elaine@avalonclearview.com. Until next time, eat well, live well…