Quiche

I don't know why people think quiche is so hard to make. It's one of my quick, go to, use up leftovers - recipes. It does take a while to bake but actual work time putting it together is super quick, especially if you've gathered all the ingredients into a freezer meal. We use it mostly for dinners with either salad or some fruit but it's also great for brunch or a special breakfast. There are many versions out there, some fancier than others but here's a good basic recipe:

1 pre-made frozen deep dish pie crust
1 1/2 C. half and half ( I usually just use whatever milk I have in the fridge. I still have little ones drinking whole milk and us grown up folks drinking skim so I use whatever needs to get used!)
4 eggs
1/8 t. salt
dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) well.

From here you can add what ever fillings you want. Some of my favorite combos:

- 1 C. each: diced ham, broccoli, shredded cheddar cheese (measurements are subjective - I like to load up the veggies. Frozen also works great. Just thaw and squeeze out the extra water.)
- cooked shrimp, sauteed mushrooms, sliced green onion, cheese. Add a little mustard and garlic to the egg mixture. Yum.
- crumbled cooked bacon and swiss or mozzarella cheese, with or without veggies like spinach or broccoli.

You can really get creative here and like I said, it's a great way to use up leftovers because it only takes a cup of meat and you have a meal for the whole family where that would probably have only fed one or two people by itself. Just two or three ingredients that go well with each other and you have quiche!

Place crust on foil lined baking sheet. Layer filling ingredients in crust. Pour eggs slowly over the top. Don't over fill - it will just make a mess.

Bake in a hot oven (about 400 degrees) for about 40-60 minutes. So I know this is kind of flaky instructions but I've forgotten the specific details. Honestly, ovens cook differently and the best way to tell if it's done is to check - it should be browned on top and not jiggly when you shake it a little. If it's browning too quickly, just cover the top with a piece of foil.

Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before slicing.

To prepare for the freezer:

Keep pre-made pie crusts handy in freezer. Don't take out until you are ready to fill and cook.

Combine milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a quart sized freezer bag. Egg beaters work really well here because you have to really whip those eggs to combine when you're freezing them. If you're making several batches it is so easy to just pour the amount of egg beaters you need. It also makes it really easy to make an even healthier version by using just egg whites or mostly egg whites.

Place filling ingredients in seperate bags. Place all bags into a gallon sized bag so they stay together in the freezer.

To cook:

Allow ingredients (except the crust) to thaw in fridge overnight.

Pre-heat oven.

Place crust on foil lined baking sheet. Layer filling ingredients in crust. Pour eggs slowly over the top. Don't over fill - it will just make a mess.

Bake.

Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before slicing.