Sausage and Apple Quiche

This quiche has the wonderful combination of sausage, apple and onion. However you decide to serve it, as a light supper, a weekend brunch for two or even as an addition to a brunch menu for guests…  it’s simply delicious!

TIPS

Use whatever bulk breakfast sausage you prefer.  Make the sausage has strong flavor… otherwise you run into the problem of the quiche being too bland.  You could also adjust the seasonings a bit to accommodate a blander sausage… up the pepper flakes a bit or add a bit of thyme.

Make sure you use fresh apples, they tend to lose flavor as they age… and you want the apple flavor to come through.

I use fat free half and half… the quiche still comes out perfect but with less fat.. and that’s always a good thing.

I beat the eggs first, then add the half and half and whisk it lightly again.. it’s easier to mix the two that way.

Baking time is listed as 35 to 45 minutes… mine took 45… set your timer at 35 and check it by sticking a sharp knife in the middle.. when it comes out fairly clean it’s done… by fairly clean, I mean… no obvious egg streaks… be careful though.. I have made the mistake of taking it out of the oven when it’s clean but wet… you don’t want a very wet knife… a little wet is okay.. just not a lot.

Finally… the recipe uses store bought pie crust… you can use your own recipe if you prefer.  I like to make a foil ring and lay it over the edge so the crust doesn’t get too dark.

I hope you try this wonderful quiche.

Recipe:  Sausage and Apple Quiche

All you need:

1 unbaked deep dish 9 inch pie crust

½ pound bulk pork sausage

½ medium onion, chopped

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded (about ¾ cup)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups half and half *see TIPS

3 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ teaspoon salt

Generous sprinkling of pepper

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Lay the pie crust into a deep dish pie plate and flute the edge.  Line the pie crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans to weight it down so it doesn’t puff up during baking.

Bake for 10 minutes then remove the foil and weights.  Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Lower the temperature in the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, toss the apple with the lemon juice, sugar and red pepper flakes.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, sauté the sausage and onions until the meat is cooked through and lightly browned and the onions are soft.  Remove any excess fat rendered from the sausage.  Add the apple mixture to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until the moisture from the apple mixture evaporates. Allow to cool.

Spoon ½ the sausage mixture over the crust.  Sprinkle ½ the cheddar cheese over the mixture.  Repeat with the remaining sausage mixture and cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl, whisk the beaten eggs, half and half, salt and pepper.  Pour over the sausage mixture in the crust.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes or until the filling is puffed and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow quiche to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Mini Quiche Lorraine - Snack Size!

This is a really easy recipe for Mini Quiche Lorraine snacks... a party snack that is always popular…. it's so easy you will never buy the commercial mini quiches again…. for a fraction of the cost you can have delicious mini quiches… perfect for a party or a snack while watching the game….

Some Quick Tips:

I chop my onion or shallots in the mini chopper to get it finely chopped.

I use finely shredded Artisan Blend Swiss and Gruyere from Sargento for the cheese.

You can use store bought chopped ham (usually found by the meat section or bacon in the grocery store) or use deli ham and chop it yourself.

The easiest way to get the egg/milk mixture into the mini quiches without a mess and to make them uniform…. use a measuring teaspoon to pour it into the quiche…. each mini quiche takes 2 teaspoons of egg mixture.

Each sheet of pie crust will make about 12 mini quiches.

I have a set of 3 biscuit cutters…. the middle size (approximately 2 ¼ inch) is perfect for cutting out the pie crust.  I have some that have a scalloped edge.. they make a really nice presentation.

I sprinkle a tiny bit of nutmeg on the top before baking.. gives them a hint of nutmeg and makes a pretty top.

How to make ahead and freeze:

You can make these ahead a number of ways…. since they’re so easy to make…. I assemble everything except I add the egg/milk mixture just before I bake them…. they come out perfect every time.

You can also freeze them after totally assembling them (including the egg mixture).. freeze them in the greased muffin tin until solid, then turn out and store in an airtight container in the freezer. When ready to use, place in a greased muffin tin... thaw for about 30 minutes and bake.

Try these…. you’ll love them!








Recipe: Mini Quiche Lorraine - Snack Size

All you need:

1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 sheets), softened as directed
¼ of a small onion or 1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 cup finely shredded Sargento Artisan Blend Swiss and Gruyere cheese
½ cup chopped ham
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 eggs
½ cup milk
Cooking spray to grease the mini muffin tins (butter flavor preferred)
Nutmeg (optional) *See TIPS

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly spray the mini muffin tin (I do this even though it is a non-stick pan… to ensure they don’t get stuck). Set aside.

Beat the eggs with the milk and set aside.

Lightly dust a flat surface with flour.  Carefully unroll one of the pie crusts.

Using the biscuit cutter cut the pie crust into rounds.  Gently push the pie crust rounds into the mini muffin tin.

Add a small amount of the chopped onion to each.    Then add a small amount of chopped ham and parsley to each.   Lastly, add a small amount of the shredded cheese to each.

Add 2 teaspoons of the egg/milk mixture to each quiche.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until set.

Cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan, then turn out and arrange on a serving dish.

Recipe: Broccoli and Cheese Quiche

Broccoli and Cheese Quiche is so good your kids won’t realize they’re eating something that’s good for them… this recipe is so easy to make…. with a bowl of soup it makes a perfect weeknight meal.

I used finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese… but other cheeses would go well also…. Monterey Jack or a blend of cheeses… it’s all good.

I used fresh broccoli but you can use frozen as well… just be sure to drain the broccoli well after cooking… you don’t want to make your quiche soupy.

Reheating quiche is a snap… you can heat it a slice at a time for a couple minutes in the micro… or cover with foil and heat in a low heat oven….

Baking Tip:

You will need to check on it frequently after about 20 minutes or so of baking. You don’t want the edges to get too browned… if they start to brown… lay foil over the edges.






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Recipe: Broccoli and Cheese Quiche

All you need:

1 9-inch pie shell…store bought or homemade
1 ½ cups cooked broccoli florets, frozen or fresh
1 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
About 5 turns on the pepper mill
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Into a medium sized microwaveable dish, place the broccoli florets.

Add 2 tablespoons water and cover with a piece of waxed paper.

Microwave until tender and drain well.

Allow the broccoli to cool.

Place the pie dough in a pie plate or quiche baking dish.

Press the dough gently in the plate.

Place a double thickness of foil on top of the pie dough.

Place pie weights or dried beans on the foil to weight down the pie dough.

Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Remove from the oven and remove foil and pie weights.

Allow the crust to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk.

Add the milk and continue whisking.

Add the flour, salt, pepper and margarine and whisk well.

Add 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese, stir well.

Sprinkle a ¼ cup of shredded cheese over the crust.

Layer the broccoli over the cheese.

Layer a ¼ cup of shredded cheese over the broccoli.

Pour the egg mixture over the all the ingredients.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until the center is set (test by inserting a knife in the center, if it comes out clean…it’s done).

Allow the quiche to rest about 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe: Mini Spinach and Bacon Quiches

This recipe for Mini Spinach and Bacon Quiches is so easy…. you will never buy the commercial mini quiches again…. for a fraction of the cost you can have delicious mini quiches… perfect for a party or a snack while watching the game….

You can make these ahead a number of ways…. since they’re so easy to make…. I assemble everything except I add the egg/milk mixture just before I bake them…. they come out perfect every time. You can also freeze them after totally assembling them (including the egg mixture).. freeze them in the greased muffin tin until solid, then turn out and store in an airtight container in the freezer. When ready to use, place in a greased muffin tin... thaw for about 30 minutes and bake.

Some Quick Tips:

I use bagged frozen chopped spinach… I personally like it better than the cartons… this way I can take only what I need each time… I found it has saved me quite a bit.

After thawing the spinach… I put the spinach in my mini chopped to chop it even finer… it’s easier to handle when adding it to the quiches.

I cook my bacon in the oven… I posted the instructions a while ago… go to that post for tips on making bacon in the oven.

I cook the bacon until it’s cooked through… but not ultra crisp… I like it to be a little pliable still.

Chop the bacon in a mini chopper to get it into very small pieces… which is much easier to handle.

I also chop my onion in the mini chopper to get it finely chopped.

I use finely shredded Artisan Blend Swiss and Gruyere from Sargento for the cheese.

The easiest way to get the egg/milk mixture into the mini quiches without a mess and to make them uniform…. use a measuring teaspoon to pour it into the quiche…. each mini quiche takes 2 teaspoons of egg mixture.

Each piece of pie crust will make about 14 mini quiches.

I have a set of 3 biscuit cutters…. the middle size (approximately 2 ¼ inch) is perfect for cutting out the pie crust.

Try these…. you’ll love them!







Recipe: Mini Spinach and Bacon Quiches

All you need:

1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 sheets), softened as directed
2 strips of bacon, cooked and finely chopped
¼ of a small onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely shredded Sargento Artisan Blend Swiss and Gruyere cheese
½ cup frozen chopped spinach, chopped again in the mini chopper
2 eggs
½ cup milk
Cooking spray to grease the mini muffin tins (butter flavor preferred)

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly spray the mini muffin tin (I do this even though it is a non-stick pan… to ensure they don’t get stuck). Set aside.

Beat the eggs with the milk and set aside.

Lightly dust a flat surface with flour.

Carefully unroll one of the pie crusts.



Using the biscuit cutter cut the pie crust into rounds.

Gently push the pie crust rounds into the mini muffin tin.





Add a small amount of the chopped onion to each.

Add a small amount of the chopped bacon to each.









Add a small amount of spinach to each.






Add a small amount of the shredded cheese to each.

Add a little more bacon to the top of each (will make the mini quiches look pretty).





Add 2 teaspoons of the egg/milk mixture to each quiche.








Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until set.

Cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan, then turn out and arrange on a serving dish.

Recipe: Spinach Mushroom Quiche

This recipe for Spinach Mushroom Quiche evolved, as many of my recipes do. I’ve had my own recipe for Spinach Mushroom Quiche for years … which admittedly, after experimenting with adding ingredients, was on the bland side, at least I thought so. I always added sautéed onion and garlic… I always added cheese but I usually used Gruyere ….

This time I decided I wanted a little more flavor punch… and looked around for suggestions.... and decided on a couple of changes....I wanted a flavor punch and I got it!

I used equal parts Colby Jack Cheese and Cheddar instead of Gruyere…. I added herb and garlic pub cheese… I even used a “Light” Herb and Garlic Spread ….. but that’s where the “light” ends… I used real butter and whole milk… I can see substituting margarine… but I would use the whole milk… makes for a better custard…..

I loved the flavor of the spinach mixture so much… (everything minus the eggs and milk)…. that I have a few ideas for other uses…. Don’t you just love experimenting?

Another thing I did was to make it more of a deep dish quiche I used my deep dish pie plate… I wanted to be sure I had enough eggs and milk in this… I wanted it definitely custardy (is that really a word? … well you get the idea).

TIPS

The recipe calls for 1 cup of frozen spinach… I use frozen spinach in the bag… I always have some in the freezer because we like it so much… and by the way…. I measured the 1 cup before I thawed it.

I chopped the onion and garlic cloves in my mini processor…. I find that the fresh garlic gets incorporated with the onion better that way. The mini processor gets the onion and garlic finely chopped so that no one will get a mouthful of either… you want the flavor of the onion and garlic, not the pieces.

I used a regular pie shell and fluted the sides… you can use a deep dish pie shell (store bought or homemade) but I firmly believe quiche is more about the filling and less about the pie shell… I wouldn’t add more crust … but that is entirely up to you.


My oven was exactly at 375 degrees F… it baked perfectly in 15 minutes plus the 35 minutes. One major tip I have is that you really need to let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting it…. mine set-up perfectly and even the first piece came out perfectly (see picture).

This was truly easy and delicious…. I hope you try it.

Enjoy!

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Recipe: Spinach Mushroom Quiche

All you need:

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell (homemade or store bought)
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed in a strainer to get all excess liquid out
6 tablespoons butter or margarine (I used butter)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ (8 ounce) package of fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
¾ (8 ounce package) of Light Garlic and Herb Spreadable Cheese (pub cheese or Rondele)
½ cup Colby Jack Cheese, finely shredded, divided
½ cup Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded, divided
1 cup whole milk
4 eggs
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay pie crust in deep dish pie plate. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat.

In a mini processor, chop the onion and garlic together until finely chopped.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and sauté until onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Do not let the onions or garlic brown…. if they start to brown… turn the heat down a bit.

Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for about 3 minutes until mushrooms begin to soften a bit.

Add the spinach and the Garlic and Herb Cheese… mix well.

Add ¼ cup of the Colby Jack cheese and ¼ cup of the Cheddar cheese. Stir until melted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.

In the meantime, in a medium bowl, whisk the milk and the eggs together until well blended.

Add the spinach mixture to the egg mixture and mix well.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the remaining Colby Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese. Toss with your hands until well blended.

Sprinkle the cheese over the quiche.

Continue baking for an additional 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the center is set.

Allow to stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe: Asparagus and Crab Quiche

This recipe for Asparagus and Crab Quiche is really a basic quiche recipe using asparagus and crab as the main ingredients. Quiches are very easy to make… and quick to assemble. This makes a great weeknight supper… serve a soup first and add a small dinner salad…. and you have a great supper! Oh… and… yes… real men do eat quiche.

About the trickiest part is getting the first piece cut and out in one piece… I used a traditional ceramic quiche dish… but I may use my tart pan next time since the sides can pop off and cutting would be easier.

My oven has been giving me trouble with my oven temperatures…. so my quiche actually took closer to 45 minutes to bake…. If your oven temperature is right on… 35-40 minutes should do it….

The best way of knowing whether or not your quiche is done, is to insert the end of a sharp knife into the center… if it comes out clean… it’s done. If it comes out wet with egg/milk mixture… continue baking for about 5 minutes and then recheck.

Be sure to use fresh asparagus…. canned is just to soft and wet…. It will make a mess.









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Recipe: Asparagus and Crab Quiche

All you need:

1/2-3/4 of a bunch of fresh asparagus
1 cup crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, flaked or chopped into small pieces
1 cup Sargento Artisan Blend Shredded Swiss and Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs, beaten
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
3 turns of a pepper mill
3 tablespoons snipped chives
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell, homemade or commercial

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces.

Place in a microwaveable bowl with ¼ water and cover with a piece of waxed paper.

Microwave on high for 6 minutes or until cooked but still crisp.

Set the asparagus aside to cool.

Place the pie crust into your quiche dish or pie plate. Pierce the bottom of the pastry with a fork.

Arrange asparagus on the bottom of the pie crust. Reserve most of the asparagus tops.

Put the crabmeat on top of the asparagus.

In a small bowl, toss the shredded Swiss cheese with the flour.

Put the cheese on top of the crabmeat.

Arrange the reserved asparagus tops over the top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream and salt.

Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus tops.

Sprinkle the snipped chives over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes or until the end of a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let quiche rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe: Quiche Lorraine

This recipe for Quiche Lorraine is a classic one. Growing up, my best friend was Michele. Her Mother was French Canadian and taught me to make this recipe….. actually she taught Michele and me. We were inseparable.

The beautiful thing about cooking at Michele’s house… she had 4 younger brothers… they ate anything… so while we learned… the not so perfect recipes got wolfed down anyway.

I used a ready-made pie crust because in the interests of time it was easier. You can do the same or use your favorite pie crust recipe.

Do-Ahead Tips

I wanted to make this for supper and didn’t want to prepare everything when I had to bake it… so I baked my pie crust about 5 or 6 hours before I needed it and set it aside uncovered….

I chopped the onion, julienned the ham and cheese slices ahead (I use ham…I rarely use bacon…it’s your choice…if you use bacon, you will have to crisply cook and crumble about 8 slices of bacon). I put in on a plate and covered it with plastic wrap and kept it in the fridge until I was ready to assemble the Quiche.

Cheese Info

I used Swiss cheese that was thinly sliced and I just made julienne slices. Gruyere is usually used, but I must warn you it is very expensive. One small piece will run you about $16 (US dollars)…. I love Gruyere… but for a weeknight supper… we use Swiss cheese.

Baking Tips

You will need to check on it frequently after the first 30 minutes or so of baking. You don’t want the edges to get too browned… if they start to brown… lay foil over the edges.

I needed to bake mine just over 1 hour… which is what I typically have to do… my oven is pretty accurate…. after about 50 minutes of baking I would recommend you check the center by inserting a knife… if it comes out clean… it’s done… this way you prevent over-baking. If it’s not done… check in 10 minutes again.

Let the Quiche rest about 10 minutes after baking for easier cutting.

Pie Crust Tip

I made this one with a pre-made pie crust, which I thought was greasy enough… the directions on the box didn’t recommend spraying the Quiche dish with spray oil… my crust stuck in spots… next time if I’m using a pre-made crust… I will spray the bottom lightly with butter flavored spray oil.

Whew!... those are the tips for success for a Quiche Lorraine and pointers on doing it in advance.

I hope you find this helpful.








Recipe:  Quiche Lorraine

All you need:

1 pie crust for a 9-inch Quiche or Pie Plate
1 cup julienned thinly sliced deli ham OR 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups half and half cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

All you need to do:

Prepare the pie crust according to package directions … or follow your recipe.
Gently press the pie crust into the dish.

Carefully line the pastry with a double thickness of foil…gently pressing the bottom and sides and corners. Make sure the foil reaches about an inch past the rim.

Place pie weights or dried beans in the bottom to prevent shrinkage.

I baked my pie crust for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients (slicing and chopping).

Allow pie crust to cool slightly after baking. **you can stop here if you are making this ahead**

Sprinkle ½ the ham slices on the bottom of the crust.

Sprinkle ½ the cheese slices on top of the ham.

Sprinkle remaining ham slices.

Sprinkle remaining cheese slices.

Sprinkle the onion over the top.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a whisk.

Add the half and half cream… beat lightly with a whisk.

Add the salt, pepper and cayenne to the cream mixture.

Carefully pour over the ingredients in the pie shell.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow Quiche to rest 10 minutes before serving.