Quiche

In the early 1980's I owned a candy, dessert and gift shop.  I purchased most of the candy but my shop had a small kitchen and I baked desserts - lots of cookies, brownies, carrot cakes and cheesecakes.  I had a friend who made quiche for me.  She wouldn't share her recipe until I sold the shop and was about to move away.  I guess that was her job security.   I have been making my version of her recipe ever since.  I will give you the basic recipe for quiche and then 3 variations.  You can make your own pie crust or do like I do and buy a good quality one in the freezer section of your grocery store - ready to bake and fill.  You can eat this Quiche hot, warm or at room temperature and it keeps for a couple of days in the fridge.

Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche

                                                  Quiche

1  9” pie shell - prick the crust with a fork to prevent puffing.  Bake at 400˚ for 15 minutes with weights (you can use beans, if you don’t have regular weights).  Remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes.

Basic Quiche:

3/4 cup Whipping Cream

1/4 cup Milk

4  large Eggs

1 tablespoon melted Butter

2 tablespoons Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

dash of Cayenne Pepper

dash of fresh ground Nutmeg

Combine everything in your mixing bowl and beat well.  You want this to be to be very light and frothy.  

VARIATIONS:

Artichoke Quiche:

1 cup grated Cheese (I like Gruyere or Swiss)

1/2 cup chopped canned Artichokes

Spinach or Broccoli Quiche:

1 cup grated Cheese (I like Swiss, Cheddar or Pepper Jack)

1 tablespoon Poupon Mustard (add this to egg mixture)

1 small pkg. frozen Spinach (squeezed dry) OR 1/2 cup chopped Broccoli

Quiche Lorraine:

1 cup grated Cheese (I like Gruyere or Swiss)

1/4 cup cooked and crumbled Bacon

Place grated Cheese in bottom of cooked pie crust, then sprinkle the Artichoke, Spinach or Bacon on top of Cheese.  Pour the Egg mixture into the pie crust. 

Bake at 400˚ for 10 minutes.  Lower oven temperature to 350˚ and continue to bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.  The center will puff up and be firm when it is done.

Put your choice of cheese in the bottom of your baked pie shell.  Add meat and veggies of your choice.  Bake it, slice it and eat it!  Bon Appetit!