Yesterday, I drove to Powell, Tennessee to see my mom and wish her a very happy belated Mother’s Day! We had a wonderful dinner together on her back patio, which just reaffirmed my commitment to purchasing a home with a backyard.
Backyards RULE. All the better for running in!
Yippee!
Funny story. My mom met her first first husband when she was in 10th grade. They fell in a love, got married, and stayed together for another 12 years. They are still friends but have both (obviously) moved on, romantically. The other day, she received a phone call – he was at her house and wanted to drop off a box of old photos that he knew she’d want.
So, we spent the evening looking through photos and love letters. They were just as juicy as you would expect!
That’s my mom when she was my age. She worked as a receptionist at Pan Am airlines.
In honor of my mother and all of her scandalous love letters, here’s her signature recipe, which we enjoyed for breakfast.
Mom’s Amazing Quiche
Ingredients:
- 5 eggs
- 1.5 cups mixed Mexican shredded cheese
- 1 bag raw spinach
- Sprinkle powdered garlic
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 scallion onions
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1/4 packet chopped portabella mushrooms
- 1/2 cup pecans
- Store-bought deep-dish pie crust
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Sautee spinach with garlic and butter until it wilts. Squeeze out excess liquid.
- Lay spinach in bottom of pie crust.
- Sautee bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion until brown.
- Beat the eggs and cheese together, add in veggies. Pour over spinach.
- Top with pecans and extra shredded cheese.
- Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
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{ 111 comments… read them below or add one }
AH! I love thos dog pictures! We need to have fun like that when we run!
I love the dog shots! So clear!
…and the Quiche too of course
Send here stat…actually you could just send your Mom please!
Ok …. I’m coming over with a quiche BUT do you have any of your coconut chocolate chip nut butter cookies!! baked and ready.
EEK!! I’m honored that you even visited me! – I can whip up a batch in no time – but it might take a few days to get there
Holy moly! That looks amazing!
And I love looking at old pictures of my mom, too!
Oh, YUM! Love the pecans. Who would have thought? Your pooches look like they’re having fun in the yard. Only drawback…..someone has to cut the grass.
True… so true.
That grass ain’t long
the doggies legs are short!
Mmm, love quiche!
Visits with mom are the best
WOw you look so much like your mom!!
So cool! I wish hair was that much fun now 
I love looking at old pictures! So fun
Hope you had a nice time with your mom- family time is always so relaxing.
I Love going through old pictures! That’s one reason I love having a blog so much- an automatic memory book
And your mons quiche sounds delish!
Your mom doesn’t mess around when it comes to quiches – that one looks amazing! How nice that you got to go and see her for a belated Mother’s Day. Looks like you ladies had a lovely time!
Heheh, dogs with teeny legs and long bodies look so adorable running
Your mum is BEAUTIFUL, ohmygosh! Wow. You got good genes Caitlin!
Thank you
Your mom’s so pretty! I love finding old pictures of my parents. And that quiche looks amazing…yum!
love seeing old pictures like that! and the quiche looks incredible!
Nuts on a quiche are a totally new concept to me – thanks for sharing the recipe! I love old photos too.
I always love hearing the stories about your mom she’s obviously a wonderful lady
That quiche looks amazing!
How very sweet of you.
I would love to make that quiche. It sounds awesome especially with the pecans!
What is Mexican cheese though?
Generally ‘mexican cheese’ is a mixture of four cheeses..usually colby, cheddar, mozzarella, and monterrey jack.
Yup!
can’t wait to see my mom this weekend
Old pictures are so much fun
Quiche looks so amazing. Makes me hungry!
The quiche looks so good — pecans on top sounds strange but really delicious at the same time!
I love seeing old pics of my parents — my mom had the craziest glasses!
Backyards do rule!!
I wish I had one
All I really want is to grill . . . .
I love that picture! You are so sweet to go see your mom like that. The quiche looks so good!
Caitlin is the BEST daughter EVERRRRRRRRRRR
I love your relationship! I hope to continue mine with my boys as they get older. They are my best friends and it really does make my world complete.
I love looking at old photographs of my mom! Can you imagine how much easier it will be for a new generation of kids to look at photos of us through things like Facebook? And if you enjoyed reading your mom’s old love letters, just imagine how much your children are going to enjoy reading your blog someday!
Oh man I think that FRIGHTENS me LOL!
I love old pictures! I can see the resemblance between you and your mom just a little.
That quiche looks amazing. I think my body is craving eggs b/c my mouth is watering!
Aww! look how much fun the dogs are having. When I buy a house I definitely want a good amount of yard space for the dog and to host BBQs and other get togethers.
That’s cool your mom and him still get along so she could get some of those old things back.
And yes – backyard is essential! It’s actually the thing I hate most about our house. We don’t have much backyard space…its a big hill and a pool and thats it. The pool is nice but theres not really an area for my kiddos to play and it drives me crazy.
Cool! I love looking at old photos:)
That quiche looks fantastic!
I totally agree. An outdoor space is amazing! It’s so important to have all that space to hang out and enjoy!
Mom-made quiches are the best! My mom makes a broccoli one that I absolutely love, and she makes it nearly every time I visit.
My family is coming in for my graduation and I’m planning on making a quiche for breakfast…I already bought all the ingredients my recipe calls for, but some of them are the same, so I’m going to mix-n-match the recipes. Looks delicious! I can’t wait to make mine!
I thought you looked like your dad in other photos, but you look JUST like your mom in that photo!
I will never buy a house without a yard! My fiance keeps trying to look at townhouses and I think he is crazy.
How fun! Old photos are great. I’m glad you found some good ones.
oh your mom is so pretty! I love her hair lol, awesome. And these quiche looks excellent too!
That’s Sam. That “do” was sooo full of backcombing (is that one word?) Youth is wonderful.
WOW that sounds really good.
you look so alike!!!
its like a eggy pecan pie, which sounds gross and amazing at the same time. It looks great though!
hahah i promise it’s amazing.
That’s so nice to spend the afternoon with your mom. I love looking at my mom’s old photos. It’s like looking at a different person, someone who wore bell bottoms and flirted with boys LOL.
I love pictures of Maddie running. Too funny!!!
whoops I meant Maggie!!
Your mom looks like a diva! Love the hair!
Backyards are a must, and a deck/patio WITH furniture is amazing too. We’ve had our house for 3ish years now and have yet to get patio furniture…we are missing out!
awww, how cute about your Mom! Love the old photo – so fun to see old school photos of parents!
i love the picture! looking through old photos of parents is always fun
I’ve never seen pecans on top of a quiche- looks great!
I feel like I need to move to Powell, TN now! I mean, it is named after me clearly!
Gretchen, Powell is such an inexpensive little town right outside of Knoxville. It only takes 15 mins to be at the Mall, etc but for everyday it’s nice and slow moving – which is what I needed after living in Miami for 37 years. Come on down..It’s named after you!
Aww.. I love that picture.. your mom is beautiful. Thanks for the quiche recipe!
I love old pictures of my parents and grandparents! Your mom is a little hottie!
1. backyards are awesome! our deck is one of my most favorite parts of our house. it’s like adding a whole new room! with nature!
2. don’t you love looking at old photos of your parents? sometimes i forget that my mom is a real person and not just “my mom”. i found an awesome picture of her and my dad in the 70s- she had the shortest dress on ever and my dad had this cute bow tie. i need to frame it.
You should frame it
That is cute.
What a great time with your mom
Quiche looks delicious!
What a great pic! shes so pretty!! i loveee quiche…this recipe is so easy too which i am all about!
Her first first husband? Is that the one that comes before first
It’s great you and your mom have such a great relationship.
great pic! I love going through old photos.
Wow, I love that pic of your mom! What a hottie
Your mom looks so fabulous, especially her hair! I love browsing through my parent’s old photographs. I end up thinking it’s so amazing to see that yes, many years ago they were my age. The funniest is seeing them as babies. I tell my mom “OMG it’s weird that you were once a baby!” haha.
Once we grow into adults..it’s so nice to know our parents as “people” who are very much like us -just older.
I love the pictures of the dogs. I love looking at my mom’s old pictures. I love to hear her tell the stories of each one.
Oh yeah, did you see that Hyperbole and a half is going to have a book published. I am sure it will be very funny.
YES I cannot wait to buy it! It’s going to be hysterial!
Aww love the old photo
Excellent recipe, thank you for sharing!
Yum! That quiche DOES look amazing. Those puppy pictures are so adorable. The definitely made me smile!
Omg you look just like her! Without the awesome 60′s haircut of course.
I have everything to make this quiche.. even the pecans! I’ve been in the mood for one and this just reminded me I need to get on top of this for dinner this weekend.
Your mother is beautiful. I can’t believe the style of hair back then
OMG you HAVE to sit at the clinic reception desk and take the same photo with the same pose and everything! Drop everything and do this immediately.
Aww! That would be cute. I should do it. I don’t think it will be the same without the big hair though.
Can your mom give you some tips? If all else fails, we have bump-its now a days!
That does look like one amazing quiche!!
Need to make that quiche now! Love the picture of your Mom! So pretty! Hope you and the husband get a house soon, seems like the dogs really like playing in a big back yard.
Gorgeous picture of your mom. I saw the pic before I read who it was and thought you were illustrating a point with something from a vintage issue of Vogue. Seriously, gorgeous.
I think that would keep me up at night! I like to believe my parents have the anatomies of Barbie and Ken and that I was conceived by hand-holding.
It’s OK Marie. The Stork brought ya. You made me smile.
I love old pictures of my parents! I would freak out if I read their letters though
I loved these pics!! Classic.
Now that my friend is a Quiche! thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’d love to get a house with a backyard, too, but there is maintenance, of course!
Personal question (you don’t have to answer): did you ever worry that your parents’ decision (to separate) would influence how you handled your relationships?
Hmm that’s a good question. I think part of how a divorce impacts a child is what age it happens at. Both my parents and the Husband’s parents divorced when we were younger (i was 7) and I think it’s a lot easier on a kid when that happens (sometimes). My parents had a pretty mild divorce and it wasn’t totally drama filled. Honestly, I think my parents getting a divorce was a good thing.. It would’ve been worse if they had stayed together. AND I think it motivated me to really look at the Husband and ask if he was the type of person that I wanted to marry and have kids with, NOT just whether I was in love with him… Does that make sense?
Good reply, Caitlin – and interesting for me because my parents (eventually) split when I was 15, after subjecting my sister and me to lots of unhappy “put a brave face on it/ show the world that we’re a happy family” years. I think that’s far more damaging and wish they’d had the decency and consideration for their children to be honest and take action.
Parental divorce (or ongoing animosity, which is worse) undoubtedly shapes you and comes into consideration when you choose a partner and have kids of yuor own. In my case, it’s about showing that we DO fight, Do get upset and CAN make up – I see that as honest parenting.
Your reply touched me. I think you know that your father and I both love you more than all the stars in the heavens.
I love that picture of Maggie
Yes, nothing beats a great back porch. I’m on my parent’s screened in back porch as we speak!
Don’t you just love hearing all the gossip and dirt from your moms youth. I know it’s silly, but sometimes it’s hard to picture them as having all of the drama in their lives like we do today! Your mom is so pretty too
I agree – backyards are a must! I love being able to have BBQs in mine.
Your mom looks gorgeous in that picture!
I see where you get your good looks from
That quiche looks incredible…and the pecans…would have never considered that. I love it.
Your mama was hot! How fun to have an old box like that to go through. I would love it.
I love looking at old pictures. My mom was a hottie and I love seeing all her old photos of her in short shorts! hehe!
You NEED a backyard. It’s not officially summer until you have one
I love the hair in that picture. Your mom is beautiful, and knows how to make a great quiche!
Wow, your mom is brave. There’s no way I’d let my daughter read my old love letters…not that any of them even exist any more. I had my mom toss them. However, I’m pretty sure there are some pretty funny emails between Brad and I that would be fun to share. I wonder if we’ll even still use email in 20ish years…
hahah well it wasn’t MY dad, so it’s different. LOL
That sounds wonderful! And it’s really cool your mom let you read old love letters. My mom barely shares any details about her ex from college she had right before she met my dad. It’d be fun to read old love letters or anything like that!
@CaitlinHTP TOTALLY trying your mama’s quiche soon! Sounds delish! Thanks for sharing
Hi Caitlin! Your Mom is such a beautiful woman. And thanks for passing on the recipe!
I’ve never tried pecans with my quiche, but I love them so I’m diggin that idea!
Love the cute doggie shots!
back porches are the greatest! so summery and fun!
I LOVE backyards. A MUST for a house
I agree about backyards being essential!! Post some more mom pics!! And maybe even some lines out of some of those love letters! lol
Hi Caitlin,
I’m a long time reader and first time commenter. I just couldn’t resist.. that quiche looked too good. hope your trip was a success. doesn’t it suck living far away from your mom.. I do too!
Hi kayla! Thank you for reading
Your mom is a dish!!
Your mom is gorgeous! I love that picture!
I can’t wait to try the quiche – I love it, but I’ve never had the guts to make it!
You actually look so much like your mom! Adorable! I used to think I was adopted when I was younger because my entire family is so insane and I was convinced that I was the only non-insane one (which turned out to be untrue). Recently I found a picture of my mom at the age I am now, and she looks just like me! I was actually relieved, then, using it as evidence that I’m not adopted. (Oh my gosh, this was such a pointless story.)
What a fun post! I remember my mom opening up more to me about her teenage years… One story sticks out in particular… she and a few girlfriends were in the Carribean for one of their spring breaks, and they had to rent mopeds to get around. Well, the night before they were supposed to head back to the states she was coming back from visiting a “new friend’, and she ended up crashing the moped!!!
Great action shots of the pups!