Happy Anniversary Bon Appetit!

MUSHROOM-SHALLOT QUICHE

Wow, 50 years! It's hard to believe this magazine has been around longer than me - kinda hard to believe ANYTHING has been around longer than me lately but that's another blog!

I couldn't wait to get home when I bought my 50th Anniversary Issue. BA is on one my fav's and I knew there would be some really good stuff inside. Well, boy was I right, cheesecake, veal chops, baked rice and yes quiche. My mouth was absolutely watering just looking through.

I chose this little quiche because, well, it didn't look like a quiche, so demure and thin, but boy does it pack a ton of flavor! The only change I made - one that I always make with savory crusts - is to add a little black pepper to the crust. Other than that - I just followed the recipe to a very yummy end!

The flavor is big, but not over poweringly cheesey, the shrooms are - well - who doesn't love shrooms? I carefully caramelized the shallots so their flavor was deep and sweet. The whole thing came together pretty quickly and was well worth the effort. This one is a keeper!

Stay tuned I have several more recipes that I plan to try from this issue so I'll be sure to post the results.

Fall - Comfort Food

CINNAMON-APPLE CAKE

I have to admit I am not a big fan of fall. I mean sure, crisp sunny days, falling leaves (and who is going to rake them I might ask?!?!) yada yada yada, but in my book crisp means cold and cold means winter! Falling leaves? A huge mess and now my yard looks naked and sad.

But, that being said , I do love fall food. Apples, cranberries, squash, pumpkins; beautiful colors and beautiful flavors. Fall is the time in my house when serious comfort food starts making its appearance. Baking is just the thing for a cold, yucky, rainy day like today.

One of my favorite things to bake is cake, any kind of cake - cheesecake, chocolate cake - CAKE! Nothing like a big slab 'o cake to chase away the rainy day blahs. Fall means apples and for me, apple cake. Nope, not pie, not a huge fan of pie 'cause I like the dough to fruit ratio to be more even than the skimpy bit of dough you get with pie. I'm turning to my good pal Cooking Light once again, and the choice is a recipe I have had for 10 years and it hasn't failed me yet!

My day was pretty full so I made the cake with what I had on hand, which meant the original recipe was not light anymore. I didn't have fat free cream cheese (bad girl) and I never EVER use margarine, so I made a full fat version the cake. Full fat really didn't change the cake much except to make it a little more moist than the low fat, but that is definitely not a bad thing. I have made this following the directions exactly and been just pleased with the out come. So, to fat or not to fat is up to you.

When it comes to apple I am by no means an expert, mostly around here your get mac's, but since the recipe calls for Rome you may have to do a little detective work - trust me, skip the Granny Smith for this one, too tart. Mac's get too mushy and take your cake with them. Try to find a good eating apple that is not too juicy, no, Delicious won't do either. I've tried all these and it is best if you use the Rome, which are not so easy to find, or I use Braeburns because they are big, hold their shape when cooked and are pretty plenitful around here too.

This cake will fill your house with lovely cinnamon smells and the glistening sugar on top can only make you smile.