Pi Day! March 14th is "Pi Day" in honor of the number pi (3.14.... get it?)

Pi Day is a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 (or 3-14 in month-day date format), since 3, 1 and 4 are the first three digits of π in the decimal form.

Many schools and universities celebrate Pi π Day - including my kids high school - to celebrate math, prove that math is fun, and to promote math awareness!  If you've forgotten your high school classes already, π represents the relationship between a circle’s diameter (its width) and its circumference (the distance around the circle).

A physicist at the San Francisco Exploratorim, Larry Shaw created Pi Day in 1988.  The idea grew and spread to campuses around the world and in the United States, on March 12, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution recognizing March 14, 2009, as National Pi Day.

This is a re-post of my sons favorite "Pi" creation from a few years ago.

His class gets to choose their own individual dessert or edible creation to celebrate and while most students are planning to bring in pies, he always thinks outside the box so he wanted a Pi Cake.
And he decided this the night before it was due.
At 6:pm.
So, we set off to the store to purchase a pre-made cake as we would not have had time to bake and cool one.
Here is my son's creation for his High School celebration of National Pi Day.

My sons creation for National Pi Day

Cutting the cake into the shape of Pi

Frost the edges and then use frosting to start placing the numbers of pi
to the farthest degree that fits on the cake.

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Shrimp Quiche (or any Seafood Quiche)

Some recipes instantly bring a memory to mind when you hear them mentioned or see them in your recipe files.  This is one of them.  A simple seafood quiche.  This is a recipe I first made in the early 1990's and for a few years when the children were young, it was a standard in our house.

When I see this recipe in my files I am instantly back at the beach circa 1996.  We had a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a tiny little newborn on our annual family trip to the beach.  (This is overwhelmingly my favorite 'ages' of the kids and the time in my life I would choose live out forever if I had a choice;  when all three kids were under 5.)  Our hotel room had a full kitchen and this was one of the meals I made that week.  Although we had it perhaps a hundred other times, the memory I love best is eating this 'at the beach' with the ocean waves crashing in the background.


I always made this with tiny baby shrimp - probably because they were the most affordable option.  But you can use shrimp or crab and even a mixture if you wish.  


Seafood Quiche

9" pie shell
1 c shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 c diced green onion
1 c baby shrimp or crab
4 eggs
2 c heavy whipping cream
1/2 t salt
white pepper

Heat your oven 425. Sprinkle the shrimp, cheese and onion on the bottom of the pie shell. Beat the eggs. Beat the salt with the whipping cream until thickened but not holding it's shape. 30 seconds is enough. Beat in the eggs and pepper. Pour into the shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 and then reduce heat to 300. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand at least 10 minutes to set up as the texture gets better the longer it sets.


*UPDATING TO ADD*

CYNDEE:  Thanks so much for the comment and YES I did actually make this sans crust the last time we were doing the low-carb, no sugar cycle. I haven't made this particular quiche in muffin tins but I have made many traditional ham and/or  spinach quiche in tins and I have to say I love the idea of making this one into muffin tins because it's so easy to do portion control that way!  Awesome idea for this recipe!  Thanks!!! 







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Carne Asada Marinade for Thin Sliced Steaks on the Grill

Just thrown on the grill and not cooked yet but oh, they smell amazing.

Carne Asada means 'grilled meat' which would encompass a variety of recipes.  But in America Carne Asada typically comes to mean a very thin sliced steak that is marinated and grilled.  And, there are a kazillion different versions.

 "In Mexican cuisine, carne asada is made from thin marinated beef steak. 

The meat is marinated by rubbing with salt or with spice rubs such as lemon and pepper 

or garlic salt and lime before being cooked on a grill."

I marinated this, grilled it, and sliced it against the grain and served it in soft shell tacos.  Having it again this week!


Carne Asada Marinade

1/2 c soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T vinegar
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1/3 c lime juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 t either chipotle seasoning or cayenne
1 T (scant) chili powder, cumin and paprika
3/4 t dried oregano
1/4 c fresh parsley (you can use cilantro)
1/2 c oil (preferably olive oil)
pepper (about 1/2 t) but not salt as the soy sauce is very salty

Place all in a ziploc baggy (double bag) or in a ceramic or glass container, and add about 2 pounds thin steaks or other meat.  Let marinade overnight.  Grill until done, slice across the grain and serve.  I opted to serve with tortillas, salsa, sour cream, cheese, avocados and lettuce.  

Bacon and Feta Dip for Crackers... oh my!

This is a re-post of a recipe I first posted the afternoon I made it up and was snacking on it back in March of 2007.  I typed it out as I was eating them...  and made is MANY times after that.  It's actually very good spread on a low carb tortilla or a flatbread that you have baked or put into a counter top grill to crisp a bit as well on almost any cracker.  If you love bacon and feta, this is amazing.  I have also added some diced black olives to it as well as chopped spinach.  Just play with it...  and yes, it's probably going to be made in this household today.  My mouth waters just thinking about it.


Bacon and Feta Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c mayonnaise
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic salt
1/4 t dried oregano

Blend together and if you prefer to add bacon at this point, add 1/4 c of cooked, crumbled and cooled bacon.
Chill at least 2 hours if you have time to blend the flavors. Serve with crusty bread, tiny toasts, crackers, flatbread or crispy wontons.





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Restaurant Style Salsa (It's SO good and SO EASY!)

Years ago I stopped buying salsa after I started to make my own homemade version from garden produce and can it for long term storage.  When we did run out I would whip up a quick fresh salsa from either tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes with some fresh diced onion, a bit of lime, salt and parsley or cilantro.  So fast and easy!  But then on a whim I made this one one day and wow!  It was SO good and tasted just like the salsa at a Mexican restaurant my teenager loves.  From then on, you can almost always find a jar of this in our refrigerator!  Use it for ANYTHING you would want salsa on - from chips of course, to tacos, eggs, chicken, enchiladas, Spanish rice, soup, nacho dips... 


Easy Restaurant Style Salsa
about 1 quart

2 cans diced tomatoes (15 oz size) or use equivalent of fresh, diced
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 - 2 t fresh, minced garlic
1/2 - 2 jalapeno peppers (I often use jarred, sliced jalapeno's since we have them on hand all the time)
1 - 2 t honey (I often use sugar free as well and it works great)
1/2 - 3/4 t salt
1/2 t cumin
1 T lime juice (approximate - how limey do you like it?  I use the juice of 1 lime)
Cilantro or Parsley -  about a tablespoon or two dried or a small handful fresh


Place everything in a blender or food processor and process by pulsing just until blended.  Longer for smooth and shorter for more coarse texture.  Taste... adjust accordingly with pepper, salt, lime, etc.  Serve with tortilla chips.  I store in a quart jar in the refrigerator.

Everything thrown in a blender or food processor

I like it not too smooth and not too chunky.  Juuuuust right.