crusty.

So last week when I was picking up O from my mom's house (she watches him in the afternoons sometimes) she says, "I have a bunch of eggs that need to get eaten, can you use them?"
I think for a minute and tell her, "Sure. I can make quiche tonight"



I have been into making quiches lately. They are one of those foods that can be a breakfast, lunch or dinner (or anywhere in between). I like that. I also really like that I can throw random stuff that needs to be eaten/used into the mix and feel good that I am not going to waste food or have to run out and buy additional ingredients.

I have been using the pre-made dough. Which is great because it is easy and sort of fool proof, but kinda freaky when you read the box. So when I ran across a recipe for savory butter dough I logged it in the back of my mind to try. Even though I was going to be home alone with the baby that night I figured I could give it a shot (this could have proven disastrous, and almost did. Mid way through cracking the eggs for the quiche filling I looked into the living room to see a crawling MrO programing the DVR and ordering Thai food from a to-go menu that was laying around. I had to intervene with some other form of entertainment, and fast.

I can't say that I wasn't a little nervous, pie crust gets a bad rap and is it intimidating for some reason or another. But sometimes I find that if I go into a process without any expectations it will turn out alright. Maybe because I haven't over thunk it, ya know. (That and I had a back-up pre-made crust in the fridge just in case all went totally wrong).

So I pulled out the flour and the salt and double checked that I was supposed to use baking powder, not soda. Got my ice water in a cup and my rolling pin out. I cut up the cold stick of butter and threw it in with the dry ingredients and cut up the butter into the flour.



I added a bit of water and mushed it between my fingers (therapeutic), plopped it on the counter and kneaded it until I felt like it was good. I rolled it out and threw it in the dish pricked it with a fork a few times and then stuck it in the oven to pre-bake it before I put in the quiche filling. I then made another batch, repeating the steps all over again. while those baked off I made the fillings.

I had enough eggs for two quiches- a little over the top for a house of two adults and one baby but I took over the extras to a mama who could use a night off from cooking. What mama doesn't, right? So it all worked out just ducky.

I didn't break out the frozen spinach in time so I looked in the fridge and saw that I had an unopened jar of artichoke hearts in the back and also remembered that I had mozzarella that needed to be used up before as well. So I grated the rest of the orange cheese and the mozzarella and chopped up those hearts.
I am a big fan of red pepper flakes these days so I grabbed them along with s&p from the cupboard and spiced it all up.

yum. I think it turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Way cheaper then buying the pre-made stuff, plus less weirdo ingredients too. Double yum.




Here is the recipe I used for the crust:

1 1/4 cups Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 cup Butter
3-4 tbsp ice water

As I was kneading and rolling the dough out I thought it might be fun to add in some herbs like fresh basil or thyme with the dough- to give it a little something extra. I will have to give it a shot next time I do this. I will let you know what I think!

DIRECTIONS:
measure and mix dry ingredients
cut cold butter into 16 pieces and add to dry ingredients, cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles little peas.
add in 3 tbsp water and stir (or get your hands in there and mix)
turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more water if dough seems dry. knead several times.

(this is where my grandma would say roll into a ball, wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes)
Roll out dough and place in a 9inch pie pan
make the edges fancy
Prick with a fork several times
place foil over dough and pour dry beans in (I didn't do this dry bean step, partly because I didn't get why? anyone care to enlighten me?)
Bake off dough in oven for 10 minutes, remove beans/foil and bake off for another 3-5minutes

Fill and bake as directed.


The filling I used,

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces shredded reduced-fat Cheddar/mozzarella
chopped artichoke hearts
pinch salt
pinch pepper
dash red pepper flakes

(you could add in bacon bits, sausage (already cooked), spinach, sun dried tomatoes, sauteed onions/garlic, mushrooms ...)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with foil.
In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and milk until smooth.
Whisk in eggs.
Layer your veggies, and cheese in pie shell, making several layers of each.
Pour in egg mixture.
Place quiche on prepared cookie sheet.
Cover quiche with foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove cover, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown and filling is set.

Let cool a bit so you can actually taste the goodness and not burn your tongue/roof of your mouth and enjoy! Share extras with friends.