CCPB Cookie-Perfection and A Wonderful Summer Quiche

I don't know how I did it, But somehow I managed. I probably ate about 4 cookies-worth of this dough, but who could blame me, really? It's just SO darn tasty! Of course I didn't just eat the finished cookie dough, nope. I had to test it every step along the way. Every. Single. Step. But boy, was it worth it. :-) The moral of this story? Don't make these alone!

So here I impart you with photos of absolutely perfect chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, from my friend Danielle's recipe. Sorry, the recipe is not mine to share! But gaze on at the magnificence, won't you? ;-)
I will however share a recipe for a vegetable quiche I made last night! Yes, my first real foray into savory baking- if you don't count bread (which I don't). This quiche was the perfect amount of work and reward- totally worth the 25 minutes of prep work and only 30 minutes of baking time, but it will depend on the crust you choose. I have always been a firm believer in real, old-fashioned crust- no matter how you make it, as long as you do! So using this Trader Joe's frozen crust irked me a little bit, but the recipe turned out so perfectly, and the rest of the quiche took a bit of work on it's own before baking, so time-wise it worked really well and my tummy is much too satisfied to complain. :)

(So much so that I completely forgot to take any pictures! I guess I'll just have to make it again!)

Asparagus and Spinach Quiche
(adapted from Closet Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 sweet yellow onions, chopped
• 2 cups spinach
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 1 cup gruyere (grated) + extra for topping
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pie crust

Directions:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan, on medium-high heat.
2. Add the asparagus to the pan and saute until just tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and sweet onions and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the spinach and cook it until it wilts.
5. Roll out pastry dough to package's instructions and place in greased pie pan.
6. Mix the eggs, milk, cheese in a medium bowl, and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Drain the excess liquid from the vegetables, and then add the milk/egg/cheese mixture.
8. Pour vegetable mixture into pie pan, and top with a few extra tablespoonfuls of grated gruyere.
9. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven until golden brown and set in the center, about 33 minutes (in my oven).

Happy Baking!
Jessica