Real men do eat quiche

Only “Real Men” have confidence…and therefore will eat what they want. So, only “Real Men” eat quiche and what ever else they want. Very few women, children and men do not like eggs, cheese, bacon and pastry crust. So why wouldn’t most people enjoy a quiche. Maybe it’s in the name? Who knows!

Many think that quiche is a classic French cuisine but it actually originated in Germany. It came from the medieval kingdom of Lothringen which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word quiche originated from the German word kuchen meaning cake.

Quiche is a great item to serve for breakfast, lunch or for a snack. Heartier quiche can even be served for dinner. Just about any combination can go into the making of a good quiche. Add the items you like and omit the items you do not. A wide variety of vegetables and meats can make a wonderful quiche. Experiment and have fun trying new combinations of ingredients. Enjoy!

Classic Quiche Lorraine Pastry for single-crust pie (use your favorite recipe) Bacon 8 slices Onion 1 medium (thinly sliced) Eggs 4 (beaten) Half-n-Half 1 cup Salt 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg dash Swiss Cheese 1-1/2 cup (about 6 ounces) Flour 1 tablespoon Cut bacon into cubes and sauté in a pan until they are crisp. Drain the grease and reserve for preparation of the quiche. Slice onion then lightly sauté and reserve for preparation. Beat eggs and place in refrigerator. Grate cheese and place in refrigerator until ready to complete quiche. Measure half-n-half, salt, white pepper, nutmeg and flour – set aside for preparation. Roll out your piecrust and place in pie tin. Take parchment paper and place it on your piecrust. Place dried beans or rice in the parchment paper to hold the piecrust in place. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes in a 350° oven. Remove parchment and weight and bake for another 10 minutes until the crust is very lightly browned. Make sure the piecrust does not browning too quickly. Once piecrust is removed from the oven reduce oven temperature to 325° and allow the piecrust to slightly cool for 2-3 minutes. While the piecrust cools, take your eggs, half-n-half, salt, pepper, nutmeg and flour and mix well with a wire whisk. Place cheese, onion and bacon on the bottom of your pre-baked pie shell. Slowly pour the egg mixture on top of the cheese, onion and bacon. Place in oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the quiche looks and feels firm and when a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary, cover the crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pizza Quiche Pastry for single-crust pie (use your favorite recipe) Eggs 3 (beaten) Ricotta Cheese 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese 1 cup (shredded) Sausage 4 ounces (use your favorite – sweet or hot – cut into small pieces) Pepperoni 4 ounces (cut into small pieces) Parmesan Cheese 2 ounces (grated) Tomatoes 6 ounces (diced) Basil 1/2 teaspoon Oregano 1/2 teaspoon Make sure you sauté your sausage and follow the same methods for quiche Lorraine. Garnish with some pizza sauce on the side.

Smoked Salmon Quiche Pastry for single-crust pie (use your favorite recipe) Smoked Salmon 6 ounces (cut in thin strips) Red Onion 1 medium (sliced thin) Sour Cream 1 ounce Eggs 3 large (beaten) Heavy Cream 1/2 cup Milk 1/2 cup Flour 1 ounce Mozzarella Cheese 1 cup (grated) Salt 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper 1/4 teaspoon Garnish with Capers and Wedge of Cream Cheese Follow the method from quiche Lorraine. Most quiche recipes are prepared the same way. Prepare all your ingredients and pre-bake your crust. Add cheese and filling and top with egg mixture. Bake until firm.

Mushroom Quiche Pastry for single-crust pie (use your favorite recipe) Olive Oil 1 ounce Butter 1 ounce Eggs 3 beaten Heavy Cream 1/2 cup Milk 1/2 cup Shallots 2 medium (minced) Mushrooms 16 ounces (your favorite combination thinly sliced) Salt 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper 1/4 teaspoon Gruyere Cheese 1-1/2 cups (grated) Follow method from quiche Lorraine. All quiche recipes are prepared similar. Sauté shallots with the olive oil and butter until translucent then add mushrooms and sauté until they are a dark golden brown. Make sure the liquid is released from the mushrooms.