A note first - a proper country quiche lorraine is generally made with a simple flour/butter base (pâte brisée) and a 2-3 cm base of filling. It's not the deep-dish quiche you expect but more a large, flat presentation; a thinner base cooks more evenly and quickly and makes a better platform for the bits in the filling. You can, of course, change the recipe to suit your needs but consider this the place to start.

We'll make everything from scratch (it'll only take an hour from egg-crack to serving). This serves 6-8 dinner-sized portions; you can add a nice vinaigrette salad or soup to complete it.

You'll need -
* A large mixing bowl
* Cling film (plastic wrap)
* Baking paper (NOT waxed paper nor silplat - just plain, old baking paper)
* A quiche baking dish, for example:
< http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90029886 > (30cm - 11.3/4 inch)

Crust:
* 250 g flour
* 125 g butter
* 80-100 ml water
* Decent pinch of salt
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Filling:
* 3 medium eggs
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 200 g Crème fraîche (light cream)
* 100 ml whole milk
* Pinch nutmeg

* 50 g slowly-cooked bacon bits
*:1/2 yellow onion

* OPTIONAL: 150 g grated cheese (gruyere, emmental, young gouda)
* OPTIONAL: a handful of finely broken-up broccoli florets

Okay - this is really easy and fast. Here we go -

In the bowl, combine the flour and salt. Break up the butter and, with just your finger, mix it into the flour. The goal is to have a grainy, almost sandy mix. When the butter is combined, add the oil, combine further and then add the water. Work it with your hand until it easily forms a ball. You want it firm and not slimy, but also not grainy (too little water will make the pâte brisée sandy when it's baked. Blah.)

Roll it into a ball and wrap it in the plastic film. Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to rest.

Now - let's make the filling. Clean the bowl and then into it put the crème fraîche, eggs, milk, nutmeg salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside (refrigerate if needed).

Chop your bacon up into small pieces and s-l-o-w-l-y cook it, rendering the fat but not crisping the bacon up too much. A slight brown on the edges is enough. Cut your onion in half and then slice across the diameter so that you have thin arcs of onion. You don't want chunks, but thin arcs.

If you want it, grate your cheese and chop your broccoli. Put everything aside until the crust is ready.

Get your oven ready - 200C (400F)

After 30-60 minutes, pull out your pâte brisée from the fridge. Take a sheet of baking paper that covers the diameter of the quiche pan and roll the crust dough out to about a 1-1.5 (1/4-1/2") thickness, so that it is large enough to round the dish.

Here's the real trick: With your crust rolled out, place the paper and dough into the dish, pressing the edges down into the pan. The paper will allow the quiche to bake and then slip out of the tart pan. Very cool, eh?

Now, pour the filling into the crust, and then sprinkle the bacon bits on top, followed by the onion (and, if be, the broccoli and finally cheese).

Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is dotted with browned spots. A sharp knife should be able to come out clean at this point. Let it cool 20-30 minutes in the dish and serve. It can also be pulled-out from the dish via the baking paper, sliced-up and frozen.

Bon appétit!

> 6. Remove the cap from the vanilla extract

??? That's a step?

A lazy day here too - gym in the morning, then house cleaning, rewiring the cable tv, ironing shirts for the week and making some food for the next few days: baking a huge quiche & an apple tart, grilling some sausages and making german-style soft pretzels for a party tomorrow. Mark me as an overachiever.

Damn domestic - One day I'll make a some woman a great wife.

I really find it interesting that the women more-often than not approve of the one-nighters, whilst the men tend to consider it a mistake waiting to happen...

Here's a tip - get a grip. Turn off the computer and live in the real world. If she loves you, and you love her, FOCUS on her and nothing else. Attention, care and love wins - compliments are a dime a dozen. Get real (and I mean that in a nice way)

Carrot cake too - it's certainly not healthy any more, but it's sooooo nice.

Last night I made a dense chocolate cake with a 65% dark ganache. I served it sliced in 1/2" thick slices with a light drizzle of chocolate sauce, and dollops of orange and lemon marmalade, thinly-sliced candied lemon, fresh red lingonberries and a tablespoon of whipped cream on the side. Hmmm - made my dinner guests very happy...

If you had that on the menu - I'd still take the carrot cake. ;)

Women change a lot over the years - give it time. Right now for you I bet they're feeling free and not ready for anything long-term (especially in New Jersey). Just relax, don't look for ANYTHING and have fun.

When you're out tonight, ask the first girl you see to dance, and if that doesn't work, ask the girl behind her. Just tell them you just want to dance, that's all, and the fun ones will come forward.

Peace!

Woot! 5-1 on the Diamondbacks!!

Hi again FreshMountainAir - I'm a graphic designer and user interface developer, and I'm starting my own company doing web design. I moved out here back in '98, just because I wanted a different lifestyle. Well, it seemed like a good idea a the time - England might have been a better choice, but I'm established here now (my own condo, car, big tv, etc..) so I'm sticking.

What keeps you in Boise?

You'll need a texas drawl for this one - say it loud.

If yer 'merican goin' in the bathroom and 'Merican comin' outta the bathroom, what are while yer in the bathroom?








get ready...






You're-O-peein'!

In Amsterdam, it's not so usual - the weather here is lovely, (mostly) bright and sunny today. Generally it's cold and damp and sucks beans.

Almost finished with work - lord, I need this weekend. Enjoy your morning coffee morningfate & Becca, I'm heading off for a fresh pint of guiness...

Tirol - cool area. I hope you get more snow this year...how's the weather there now?

It's actually a really lovely afternoon here in Amsterdam - I'm tempted to leave early and find a terrace for some sun...

You never know what's going to happen. One night could lead to more, to a lifetime as some here tell. Alot of it is what you hope to get out of it - are you a pessimist and are happy with that one shag, or an optimist and and hope it's the beginning of a be-yoo-tee-ful relationship? Does it matter? At least you're trying.

F***buddies - yeah, tough call here. Living here alone, thousands of miles from home, can make for depressing holidays and lonely weekends. I'm guilty - I once had a friend and, when times got tough, we relied on each other for comfort and love. I don't know -- history tells me it's neigh impossible to be intimate and expect to remain just friends, so you'd better prepare one day for her to look at you square in the eyes and ask where it's all going.

And then you've got a choice to make.

Look like we're havin' one of them down-home, old country epiphanannys...

They Cam Upon a Midnight Clear...In my pants.

I'm not wading through 38 pages of this -

Forbidden Penis
The Day the Penis Stood still
Attack of the 50' Penis
Invasion of the Penis Snatchers
The Incredible Shrinking Penis
The Creature from the Black Penis
It Came From Outer Space (subtle...)
Donovan's Penis
Penis in Year Zero
When Penises Collide (ew..)
Das Ding (even more subtle...)

And finally,
Dr. Strangelove, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penis

You haven't seen me in action - Knees of steel...

Weird - cut off my post in mid sentence. One more time...

I take it he was the original lurch. I"m sorry for your family's loss, and I appreciate all that the good people in our armed forces are doing to protect the people at home. You're right to wear that hat proudly!

I take it he was the original lurch. I"m sorry for your family's loss, and I appreciate all that the good people in our

I used to live in Lakewood - and Wheat Ridge too.

Damn, I miss the Wynkoop and Rockies baseball...