Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

Ingredients 

½ 15 ounce package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust

12 ounces assorted garden heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purple and/or Brandywine) or regular tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

3 eggs

¾ cup half-and-half, light cream or milk

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (4 ounces)

Paprika

Directions

Let piecrust stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, place tomato slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, flour, basil, salt, dry mustard and black pepper.

To assemble, sprinkle cheese onto bottom of the hot, baked pastry shell. Spoon onion mixture over cheese. Arrange a single layer of tomato slices over cheese, overlapping slightly. Slowly pour egg mixture over tomatoes. Sprinkle paprika over egg mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center. If necessary, cover edge of pie with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

1 recipe Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

6 slices bacon or turkey bacon

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ¼ cups half-and-half or light cream

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese (6 ounces)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Chopped fresh tomato (optional)

Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry even with the plate's edge. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry.

Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes more or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. (Pastry shell should still be hot when filling is added; do not partially bake pastry shell ahead of time.)

Meanwhile, in a very large skillet cook bacon until crisp or cook turkey bacon according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Crumble bacon finely; set aside. Cook onion in the reserved drippings over medium heat until tender; drain.

In a large bowl stir together eggs, half-and-half, salt, and nutmeg. Stir in crumbled bacon and onion. In a small bowl combine shredded cheese and flour; add to egg mixture. Mix well.

Pour egg-cheese mixture into the hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degrees F oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover edge of crust with foil for the last 10 to 20 minutes of baking. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with tomato and parsley.

Quiche Lorraine with Quick Pastry:

Omit Pastry for a Single Crust Pie. Use half of a 15-ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 crust). Let stand according to package directions. Unroll and ease pastry into a 9-inch pie plate being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry. Bake as directed in Step 2. Continue as directed in Steps 3 through 5.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche:

Prepare Quiche Lorraine as directed, except omit bacon. Cook the onion and 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms in 1 tablespoon hot vegetable oil until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3 cups lightly packed coarsely chopped fresh spinach. Stir into egg mixture with cheese in Step 3.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Quiche

 Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

4 ounces uncooked turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini

½ cup chopped red sweet pepper (1 small)

¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1 ½ cups refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 6 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup fat-free milk

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup shredded part-skim or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat four 8-ounce shallow ramekins or quiche dishes or one 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium skillet cook turkey sausage, zucchini, and sweet pepper until turkey is cooked through and sweet pepper is just tender, using a wooden spoon to break up turkey as it cooks. In a medium bowl combine cooked turkey mixture and Parmesan cheese. Divide mixture among the prepared dishes or spoon into the pie plate. In a medium bowl whisk together egg, milk, and black pepper. Divide egg mixture evenly among the ramekins or pour into the pie plate. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake individual servings about 25 minutes or pie plate about 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in center(s) comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before serving.

Lunchtime Quiche

Ingredients
1 pastry for Single-Crust Pie or 1/2 of a 15-ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 pie crust)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or milk

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

3/4 cup chopped cooked ham, chicken, or crabmeat (about 3 1/2 ounces)

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (6 ounces)

1tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

Prepare and roll out Pastry for Single-Crust Pie or unroll refrigerated pie crust according to package directions. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Trim; crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl stir together eggs, half-and-half, green onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in ham. In a small bowl toss together the cheese and flour. Add to egg mixture; mix well.

Pour egg mixture into hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degree Foven for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheese Quiche

Makes: 10 servings

Prep: 30 mins

Bake: 1 hr 30 mins to 1 hr 45 mins 325°F

Stand: 30 mins to 40 mins

Ingredients

1 recipe Deep-Dish Pastry Shell

3 medium firm pears

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

6 large eggs

2 cups plain fat-free greek yogurt

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Crumbled blue cheese

Fresh sage leaves (optional)

Directions

Prepare Deep-Dish Pastry Shell; set aside on baking sheet. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Core and cut 2 of the pears into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. Thinly slice the remaining pear and reserve.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed pears and sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to the pre-baked pastry shell and top with blue cheese; set aside. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet and add the pear slices. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until just softened; set aside.

For the custard, in a blender combine the eggs, yogurt, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Blend until frothy.

Place the springform pan with the pastry shell on a baking sheet. Gently pour in the custard. Arrange the reserved pear slices in a spoke pattern on top of the quiche. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the custard is just set (165 degrees F) but still jiggles slightly in the center. Let stand 30 to 40 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut the pastry shell flush with the top of the pan. Carefully remove the springform pan ring. Top with additional blue cheese and, if desired, sage leaves. Cut into wedges.