I did a cooking marathon this weekend – if you count mixes and premade pie crusts and all the other cooking shortcuts I took. I DO know how to make pie crusts from scratch, but since it’s painful for me to roll them out any more, I usually just buy Marie Callender’s’ frozen, preferably deep dish.
Quiche sounds fussy, doesn’t it? It’s so easy to make it’s almost embarrassing. There are three basic ingredients to a quiche filling: everything else is a matter of what you want to toss in to make it your own. For each quiche pie, use one cup of heavy cream (I substitute half-and-half), two eggs, and a cup of shredded cheese. Ideally you use Swiss cheese, but I’ve been known to use mozzarella or Monterey Jack in a pinch. For a Mexican variation use cheddar jack and toss green chilis and/or cilantro into the mix.
Add salt and pepper to taste (not too heavy on the salt, since the cheese already adds a lot of its own.) From there, it’s up to you. Chopped spinach? Throw it in there. Mushrooms? Sure! Caramelized onions? YUM! Bacon? Sure! Cubed ham? Yup! My personal favorite is diced ham, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion, or some combination of those four, but it’s honestly a matter of taste and whatever’s in the fridge. I also love a spinach-mushroom-caramelized onion combo. A general rule of thumb is if you can get it in an omelette, it’ll work in a quiche, but the only rules are the ones YOU like. I could see it working with diced carrots, peas, and chicken, if you’re so inclined.
Beat the eggs with a fork, adding the milk so it’s well blended. (Okay, I use a hand mixer. So sue me.) Stir in the other ingredients and dump it into an uncooked pie shell. Bake the whole kit and kaboodle at 350º for about an hour, or until a knife comes out clean.
This stuff is not only easy but it’s actually BETTER warmed up. It’s a great make-ahead meal. If it’s refrigerated and covered, it’ll easily last three days in the fridge. Not that it ever lasts that long in mine – unless I make a huge batch, it’s gone whenever we cut into it. The one I made tonight is reserved for tomorrow’s dinner, and it’ll be gone tomorrow. This might not be Dangerspouse level cuisine, but it’s good food and beats the hell out of fast food. (And yes, I know Dangerspouse approves of anything that remotely resembles home cooking, so nyah.)
I kept my pasta salad simple: cooked pasta, minced onion and bell pepper, mayo, and salt & pepper. I didn’t have the oomph to do a chicken caesar pasta salad – though hopefully that’ll happen later in the week. I just wanted something that would be an easy accompaniment to the roast beast sammies I have planned for day after tomorrow. Thankfully this is the last week of the long commute, after which I’ll be working from home and cooking will be a lot more homemade in its scope.
I love you SO much. And yes: I approve 🙂
Thanks 😉 I figured I was safe here. I used to feel guilty about doing frozen pie shells, but I got over that pretty fast. My body gives me enough hell about constantly stirring stuff (like the pie fillings.) God help me if I had to hand-beat anything serious these days. I can’t throw a rolling pin after it.
Quiche is one of my staples during the crazy summer production season. I am currently stockpiling duck eggs for just that. Feta and spinach with caramelized onion and mushrooms is a go to and when tomatoes are in season…well that just makes things easier and yummier combined with veggie bacon. In a pinch quiche is also good cold!
I am glad you are almost through the big commute and will be able to settle into a more relaxed work at home routine.
Oooooh duck eggs! Are they enough bigger you only need one per pie? I don’t know that I’ve ever had duck eggs, so would be curious to know how it changes the taste (IF it does.) And goat’s milk in lieu of half and half? I think I want to come to your house this summer lol. Of course I’d have to help with the work 😉
I make a variation of that, I fry a thick layer of hashbrowns in the bottom of a pan, and put the filling on top once the hashbrowns are done. Cover and turn the heat down. This way you can make it on the top of the stove instead of the oven….
I knew you could do eggs that way with a little bit of milk in them – didn’t think you could do a full custard that way without burning it though.
That sounds really good. I’ve never attempted a quiche but maybe I will try it.
You should. If nothing else, make a bacon version and warm for the next morning’s breakfast!