Pie 'In the Sky' Day Friday

There won't be a pie today in this house.  My 'One Woman Decluttering Mission' is to blame.  More of that after the 'Pie' which is actually Quiche.  I made this last week.  It is a very simple and tasty 'Leek Quiche'.  Very few ingredients but a very tasty 'pie'.   Quiche is not appreciated by my brood but it is appreciated by my parents so I had half and they had half.
 
Leek Quiche:
Ingredients:
Shortcrust Pastry Base (blind baked)
Filling:
1 Leek finely chopped
1 Onion finely chopped
Butter for frying
150g strong Cheddar cheese, grated.
2 eggs (From your bestest Chickie Friends)
100ml milk

Method:
Gently fry the onion and leek gently in butter, until they are soft but not coloured.  Spread over the base of the quiche.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Beat the eggs with the milk.  Pour the eggs and milk over the quiche filling.  Cook in a medium/hot oven for 20-30 minutes until it golden brown on top.   Enjoy.

I feel I must take this opportunity to update you with my 'One Woman Mission' to Declutter the house.  It certainly cures your insomnia!  Not that I had insomnia, but I did have to have an early night, which has meant this morning I was awake before the Sun had put his hat on and before the birds!  Yesterday I achieved what I set out to do, declutter my room and make trips to the tip and the Charity Shop.

I made a list using a tally chart of what I manged to declutter.  There were 71 items for the chartity shop.

13 tops/shirts/jumpers
5 T shirts
3 pairs of children's trousers
3 Cardigans
25 books
14 magazines
1 Toiletry set
3 bottles of Body Lotion
2 preschool games
1 video
1 blank audio cassette

71 items to the Charity Shop!  I have a bit of a thing for round numbers...so today I may look for another 29 things, then that will make a nice round 100.  Which sounds fantastic.  I must have got rid of over 100 items but some of it went to the 'Tip' so sadly destined for landfill.  This included:

Very old clothes
2 Dead Vacuums (It is a long story!)
Old work files
Floppy Disks
A black sack of general junk

I also recycled a big box of paper.  I rediscovered parts of my bedroom carpet!  I have also found some lost treasures, including a favourite crochet hook and bookmark.  I actually found cash!  I also found coupons £15 and saving stamps £30 (of course you have to be disorganised enough in the first place to lose them)!  It was good to be reunited!  It was like finding a fiver in your old coat pocket!  All was going well and I was feeling rather smug.  Euan has been very complementary about my efforts and has been and had another look today and consolidated his praise!  Yes that's right all was going well....  I had three loads of washing to do last night.  I put the first load in my trusty old tumble dryer...it is older than my oldest son so that makes it about 17 years old...well its given up the ghost!  Hasta la vista Baby!  It will be destined for landfill ASAP!  I did not wish to declutter large electrical appliances!  Today I will have to go and find a new one.  It puts the stoppers on my 'One Woman Mission' to Declutter, it interferes with 'Pie Making' and it makes a mockery of delusions of imminent 'Tah Dah!' crochet moments.

'Soft fruit' Meringues and 'Gala Pie'

The Cultivated Blackberries in my garden have grown really well this year and a ripening beautifully.  I have been picking and freezing them.  I like my cultivated variety because the blackberries are huge, fat and juicy, but the real bonus is there are no thorns on the plant!  The other morning I had a chicken by my feet doing vertical jumps, trying to peck the bag of blackberries our of my hand.  They love the soft fruit and there is enough to go round.  When the chickens keep laying such fantastic eggs I can't begrudge them some fruit.  I do object to them scratching in my vegetable beds though and shoo them off a bit over enthusiastically.

Here is another tasty recipe including eggs.  It is great served hot or cold, it would be good for picnics with what is left of the UK Summer weather.

I have Linked this to Lavender and Loveage 'Herbs on Saturday' follow the link for your chance to win a copy of 'The Cooks Herb Garden'

Gala Pie
Ingredients
500g of shortcrust pastry to line a 2lb loaf tin
400g of sausage meat
150g of diced Pork loin (I used loin steaks and snipped them up)
150g of bacon, I used lardons.
1 onion very finely diced
2 tablespoons of Freshly chopped sage
4 large hard boiled Eggs Peeled (or six smaller ones)
Pepper to taste
Egg Yolk to glaze the pastry

Method
Line the loaf tin with shortcrust pastry, roll out a pastry lid for the pie and reserve...
Mix the sausage, pork and bacon together with the onion and sage.  Add pepper to your own taste.
Spoon half of the meat mixture into the pastry case.
Place the hard boiled eggs into the mixture.
Cover the eggs with the remaining half of the meat.
Place on the pastry lid.
Brush with Egg yolk to glaze.
Put in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes.
Cover with foil and cook in a medium oven for an hour.
Brush again with the egg yolk glaze and cook on high for a further 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

With some spare egg whites I whizzed up some meringues.  I don't have an electric whisk so Euan and I took turns until our muscles ached, but the reward was worth it.

Meringue, with Creme Fraiche and fresh berries (Blackberries and Raspberries) Delicious.

We love our chickens!

Edit:   If you do happen to find yourself with a glut of Blackberries this year (and I strongly suggest you do!)
'A Trifle Rushed' has a Fantastic Use for Them, Here:

Home made - Sage and Onion Quiche

There are going to be a few recipes on their way using...you guessed it, Eggs!  This was my first dish with 'home made' eggs.
Sage and Onion Quiche.  Very simple ingredients but very tasty.  It can be eaten hot or cold.  It keeps well for a couple of days and is great for picnics.
Ingredients
1 Packet of Shortcrust Pastry Mix - (I know pretty lazy but very quick and convenient, I try to always keep a pastry mix in my cupboard.)  Line a Quiche dish with the pastry and 'Blind' bake for 10 mins.
3 large onions finely sliced and fried in butter until soft and golden ( I used a mixture of red and white onions)
8-12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
4 medium eggs and a tablespoon of milk, beaten together.
200g of Grated Mature cheddar cheese.
Method
Mix the sage into the onions and place into the pastry case.  Sprinkle over the grated cheese.  Pour over the eggs and milk.  Bake in a hot oven until golden and set. (About 25 mins)

Lavender and Lovage 'Herbs on Saturday'