The best quiche I've ever made...

Working at the Chopping Block, I see a lot of great recipes that I'd like to try at home. But there are not enough meals in the day, especially when I'm only cooking dinner a couple nights a week lately! So I try to be really selective about which recipes I see in class and want to make at home. This quiche recipe jumped out to me as soon as I saw it. I didn't even get to taste it, because the people in the class took their leftovers home, but I knew I needed a copy of the recipe. I made it within a day or two, which is a quick turn around for me. Boy was I glad I did make it quickly, because it was amazing!! The flavors blended together perfectly, and I felt like it was a great balance of protein, dairy, and veggies. Ever since we started consciously trying to eat less meat, quiche has been one of my favorite things to cook. It's not the healthiest option out there, with a buttery crust and cheese on top, but I do think quiche is a great way to get a well balanced meal out of one dish. Add a salad on the side, and this makes the perfect lunch. I also loved a little slice for breakfast, with yogurt or fruit on the side.


Sun Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Quiche
from "The Breakfast Club" class at The Chopping Block

2 tbsp butter
2 shallots, sliced thin
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup sun dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp parsley, rough chopped
4 eggs
2/3 cups half and half
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
blind baked tart/pie crust (see note below)
3/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the butter. Gently saute the shallots until lightly caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Fold in the oven dried tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs, half and half, milk, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Stir the spinach mixture into the eggs and pour into the blind baked crust. Dot the top of the quiche with th egoat cheese and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes and then cut into wedges.

** My Note: With my busy schedule I've been looking for shortcuts to help me maximize the time that I'm in the kitchen. One shortcut I've been loving is buying pre-made pie crusts. I've made a couple quiche recipes using these crusts, and I think they are worth the time I save! The pre-made crusts that come in their own pan are smaller than a regular pie dish, though, so you'll need to scale back your liquids accordingly. I did about 2/3 cup total of heavy cream and skim milk (the dairy I had on hand already- worked perfectly), and I used only 3 eggs. I kept the spinach the same, and did about 3/4 cup of tomatoes. I also did a little less cheese on top, to keep it from being too rich. Don't be afraid to experiment!