Quiche me you Fool!

Quiche is a forgotten favorite.  December is all about cookies, desserts, and baked goods.  I was trying to think of the other foods that could be good Holiday options besides than the copious amounts of sugary foods that are the obvious post choices this time of year. 

I wanted to think of foods that would be good for entertaining or overnight guests.  Quick meal choices that could be prepared ahead and ready if someone showed up at your house unannounced (God forbid!)  Something cozy and comforting but yet had some redeeming qualities.  Quiche fits the bill on all fronts.  Quiche is great for breakfast, brunch, and dinner.  It can be frozen, reheated, or served at room temperature.  Quiche ingredients are almost always on hand - eggs, milk, cheese, with veggies and/or meat. You can even use leftovers! It takes little time to prepare and is absolutely delicious.  Quiche is good right out of the oven and two days later.  Perfection!

I admit I hadn't made quiche in a pretty long time.  Since I was trying to use quiche as a holiday alternative workhorse, I decided to buy the crust.  I am kind of a jerk when it comes to pie crust because I can honestly say I have never bought one.  I grew up thinking crusts were pretty easy to make and taste infinitely better. Well I was wrong.  The pre-made crust I bought was really good!  It was flaky and did not taste artificial at all.  I was quite impressed! There is still one in my freezer. I will definitely keep them on hand for just such a quiche opportunity. (Thank you Marie Callender.)

One of the best things about quiche is that you can use whatever you have in the fridge.  I had leftover cheese and a leek.  I went to the store and bought some gorgeous chanterelles and King Oyster mushrooms.  Living in the PNW, we are spoiled by our mushroom selection.  (See above photo)  I sauteed leeks with olive oil and butter.  When the leeks were sweated, I added chopped mushrooms and cooked them until soft but still had texture.  I added salt and pepper as well as some fresh thyme.  The crust was blind baked. I mixed the dairy ingredients as it cooled for a few minutes.  I shredded Gruyere and smoked Beecher's cheese - be still my heart.  I then added  1/2 the cheese to the pie crust, added the leeks and mushrooms, added the rest of the cheese (except for a sprinkling), and then poured in the egg mixture.  I topped it with the remaining sprinkle of cheese.  It is important to set the empty pie crust onto a cookie sheet or pan in case the liquid overflows.  I speak from a place of experience.  This also makes it much easier to insert the quiche into the oven as well.

There are endless combinations of ingredients that can be used in a quiche.  The key is to cook the ingredients first.  I found a great breakdown of basic quiche making on thekitchn.com. It gave ideal proportions of ingredients that you can use as a formula.

A truly well-made quiche is light and fluffy.  I forgot how luxurious it feels in your mouth.  If you haven't had a good quiche in a while do yourself and your Holiday guests a favor and make one or better yet, make two, and freeze one for an unexpected treat!   
Let us know what kind you made!  Happy Holidays!

Reposted from thekitchn.com

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-fool-proof-quiche-168459

Fool-Proof Quiche

Makes one 9-inch pie or about 8 servings

What You Need

Ingredients

1 9-inch pie crust
1-2 cups filling ingredients, like bacon, mushrooms, onions, and spinach
1-2 cups (3 oz - 6 oz) grated cheese, like Gruyere, Swiss, or Cheddar
3 large eggs
1 cup (8 oz) milk
1/2 cup (4 oz) cream
1 teaspoon salt

Equipment

9-inch cake or pie pan - straight-sided is traditional, but a pan with sloped sides works fine

Bake the quiche at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set but the quiche still jiggles a little in the center. Cool for at least 20 minutes, but ideally overnight.

Quiche can be served cold, room temperature, or warmed. If serving warm, heat in a 300°F oven until just warm to the touch.