.... And Cue May.
Just like that you get back from Italy and barely settled back into life and then it's May and life spins away from you.  Not two weeks ago I hadn't dreamed of signing up for coaching track and field (Let's just fill in some blanks here.  I didn't exactly know what I was signing up for.  I've only recently learned that I will be on the track at 7:15 a.m. on Monday morning.  People will pay for that one... they don't know it yet but they will pay), after school choir rehearsals hadn't started and the after school cooking club that I volunteer with was still on 'Italy Tour' hiatus.  Now all of that has changed... AND it's May.  May brings with it spring concert season.  The first one starts tomorrow for me (yes - I'm doing a concert people - this is not a choir) and the last one is at the beginning of June.  May is still dwarfed by Christmas for concerts but just barely and when you consider that there is a Mother's Day and an anniversary or two thrown in there that tips the balance ever so slightly.
The silver lining to all of this is that it's now bearable to be outside in Toronto.  I had two lunches outside this week - count 'em... TWO.  I was outside in short sleeves and I don't have to wear a jacket in morning when I ride to work.  It feels like summer vacation is around the corner even thought it's really not.  Sitting outside eating lunch, watching the world walk by and taking maybe about 10 minutes longer than you should is proof that summer vacation mode it hitting hard.  Walking a little bit further for that morning coffee is further proof.
There is a kind of nervous energy that takes me over at this time of year.  It's hard to explain but it's almost a compulsion.  I can go and go.  I don't need to sleep as much.  Eating doesn't seem as important as going unless it involves a patio and a beer.  I just want to be moving and/or outside.  However, we need to eat.  I can't spend every day on a patio and my kids will certainly not get well fed on patio food though it would be fun to see how far we could run with it.  I managed to settle myself enough and eek out enough time to make this quiche which I'd been eyeing for a while.


Quiche is weird.  It is satisfying in a odd way but leaves me wanting more often than not.  I can't figure out why that is.  I don't know if any of us truly love it around here but at the very least there were no outright protests.  Kid #2 did not indulge but we didn't press it either.  The sweet potato crust added something new and exciting [!] to the quiche repertoire but at the end of the day it's still quiche.  If quiche is your thing then you're gonna love this stuff.  If you are interested in adding more sweet potato to your diet for some reason (Health I'm guessing) then this might be just the thing to jazz your weekend cooking.  If none of this has quickened your heartbeat at all then hard luck - I'll make something else and hang it up here and you can see what you think.  


Sweet Potato Crust Quiche adapted from FarmGirl Gourmet
makes 1 quiche

3 cups (a little more is ok too) sweet potato, pealed and shredded
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 egg
salt and pepper

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp dijon
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 cups cheddar shredded

4 cups veggies(cooked ones work well)/ham mix (I used roasted leeks, roasted red peppers, roasted tomatoes and ham)

Preheat the oven to 450°F
Butter a 9 inch springform pan.
Place the shredded sweet potato into a large square of cheese cloth (you could use an old dish cloth too but don't expect it to get clean again) and squeeze out a significant amount of liquid - not sure how much to tell you but the sweet potato should feel a lot drier than it did before you started.
Place the sweet potato in a bowl and add the flour.  Mix until everything is coated with flour.  In a small bowl whisk the egg and salt and pepper together.  Add to the sweet potato and mix until coated.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared pan and press in until it's running up the sides evenly and is uniform in thickness.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until it's just becoming firm to the touch.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and milk until fully combined and just becoming slightly frothy.
Add in the salt, nutmeg, paprika, dijon and cayenne and mix well.
Add in the cheddar.
Place the veggies and meat onto the crust.  Pour the egg/cheese mixture over the top of everything.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Reduce the oven to 350° F and bake for another 30 minutes or until the centre is firm and not liquidy anymore.  Crust should be nicely browned at the top.