This Mother’s Day weekend is going to be different from our usual celebration. For the first time in his 24 years of life, I won’t be seeing Andrew in person. Even when he was away at school, it has always worked out that I got to see him around Mother’s Day. But I know we will talk, hopefully Skype, and definitely be thinking of each other this weekend.

The good news is that Kelly & Gilbert will be here. And, along my two sisters, we will all get to spend this Mother’s Day with my mother! It will be an event-filled weekend with my extended family. It goes without saying that there will be lots of cooking and food tasting happening. There will be craziness associated with the houseful of guests, but I am looking forward to experimenting on my family and trying out some new recipes. The requests for what my extended family would like us to make together while they are here have been coming in for weeks, not all of which we can actually make or eat in the limited space of a weekend, but we’ll get to as much as possible and have fun doing it!

Eric & I tried this recipe out already, so we know it is a great one. I think the rest of the family will agree when we serve it this weekend.

Mushroom, Spinach & Gruyère Quiche  (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Serves 6,  Total Time Required: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (5.6 ounces)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 3 bacon slices
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups packed baby spinach
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Preparation:

Combine the flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the baking powder in a food processor. Pulse it 2 times to combine. Combine the oil and ice water, and with the processor on, slowly add the oil mixture through the food chute. Process the dough until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it for 1 minute, then press it into a 5-inch disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill it for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Line the dough with foil then arrange pie weights, dried beans or another slightly smaller pie plate on the foil. Bake the crust at 425°F for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove the weight and the foil, then bake the crust for an additional 2 minutes. Cool it on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the drippings. Crumble the bacon and set it aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the drippings in the pan and sauté them for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook it all for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.

Place the milk, half-and-half, eggs, egg white, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and the thyme in a large bowl and whisk it together until it is smooth.

Arrange half of the cheese over the bottom of the crust. Top it with the spinach mixture, then with the remaining half of the cheese.

Carefully pour the milk mixture over the cheese.

Sprinkle the bacon over the filling.

Bake the quiche at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the filling is set. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then cut it into slices and serve.

Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms everywhere!  ~Linda

Mushroom, Spinach & Gruyère Quiche  (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Serves 6,  Total Time Required: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (5.6 ounces)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 3 bacon slices
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups packed baby spinach
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Preparation:

Combine the flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the baking powder in a food processor. Pulse it 2 times to combine. Combine the oil and ice water, and with the processor on, slowly add the oil mixture through the food chute. Process the dough until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it for 1 minute, then press it into a 5-inch disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill it for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Line the dough with foil then arrange pie weights, dried beans or another slightly smaller pie plate on the foil. Bake the crust at 425°F for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove the weight and the foil, then bake the crust for an additional 2 minutes. Cool it on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the drippings. Crumble the bacon and set it aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the drippings in the pan and sauté them for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook it all for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.

Place the milk, half-and-half, eggs, egg white, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and the thyme in a large bowl and whisk it until it is smooth.

Arrange half of the cheese over the bottom of the crust. Top it with the spinach mixture, then the remaining half of the cheese. Carefully pour the milk mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the bacon over it all. Bake the quiche at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the filling is set. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then cut it into slices and serve.