Anatomy Of A Failed Quiche

Sometimes things fall apart.....like this quiche.  I had high hopes for this Swiss Chard Quiche but ambition got the best of me.  I tried making one of those high sided crusts and because I didn't use pie weights the thing literally fell apart.

My pathetic attempts to rescue the quiche failed, but my friend Sara ate it anyway. She said it was yummy.   I ended up having a bite, but because the custard leaked while baking (total disaster!) the swiss chard wasn't fully submerged and ended up crunchy at the top---not delicious crunchy, but inedible crunchy.

All was not lost since I managed to snap a few picks of the aftermath right before I tossed the whole thing in the trash.  My spirit might be bruised but I will not let the quiche win!  Tomorrow, I bake another.

Perfecting My Bloody Mary Recipe

For years now I've been the designated bloody mary maker at brunch and vacation weekends.  I've always used the Barefoot Contessa recipe as my base and have always freely amended it to my liking.  A dash of this, a sprinkling of that, and a couple of minutes later we would have a pitcher of the most divine bloody marys.

The problem with this of course, is that when I'm on vacation sometimes I want to, you know, rest.  But because I never wrote down all my additions to the recipe, no one could recreate it quite like I could.

This past holiday weekend I decided to write it all down and finally produce the very best bloody mary recipe.  This recipe is full of body and richness, a hearty brunch cocktail sure to please any bloody mary fan.

Ingredients
This recipe makes a large pitcher, about 8 - 10 cocktails

1 quart of tomato juice
2 1/2 cups vodka
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon horseradish
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon tabasco
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh onion

Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher and pour over ice in a cocktail glass.  Add a stick of celery, slice of jalapeno, and/or olives to garnish.