My go-to easy dinner: Quiche

If you've been reading for a while, you may recall that for 2010 I went eggless. (Why stop eating eggs? click to find out my reasons).

Well, that was an interesting year in the kitchen. I discovered that baking without eggs is really not that hard (check out some of my favourite recipes: Eggless Lemon Loaf, Eggless Chocolate Bundt Cake (so, so good), The World's Best Cookies, Eggless Orange Muffins, and Eggless Cheesecake.) - and the only thing I really, really missed was quiche.

I am back to eating eggs now - I'm still not comfortable with the whole egg production situation, but for now I am guiltily eating free-range eggs. They cost at least twice as much (and still are not kind - read more information about free-run, free-range etc eggs). I would love to find a local farmer who will sell me eggs by the dozen or flat from truly free-range chickens - the picturesque, ideal farmyard with chickens on the loose. Have you seen one lately? I haven't.

Anyway, the point is, I'm back to making one of my favourite dinners: quiche. It's on regular rotation at our house, and I love that it's so versatile. It's the kind of thing you can make for dinner when you're due for a grocery shop and there's not much in the fridge.

Here's my quick and easy recipe, if you feel like giving it a go. Does it look long and complicated? It's not. I just talk a lot.

Yummy Go-To Super Simple Quiche 

Crust:

• 1 Tenderflake All Vegetable Shortening Deep Dish Pie Shell. 

Maybe some of you have the time to make your own pie crust (it's not that hard), but I'm lazy and want to spend the rare minutes that Mia is sleeping NOT making pie crust. They come in boxes of two, so if you're feeling virtuous, you could make two quiches at once and freeze one (they freeze well). Don't get the regular kind in the yellow box, unless you are okay with lard in your diet (ick). Look for the all-vegetable one in a blue box.

Filling:

• 1/2 - 2/3 cup grated cheese. I like old cheddar, but any version of cheddar, mozzarella, mexican or italian blend (if you're into the pre-shredded bagged cheeses) will do. Or go funky and use chevre or feta (lovely with a spinach and sun-dried tomato version).
  
• 3 eggs. You can't do quiche without these. 
• 1 cup of milk.  Don't use less. The milk makes it nice and fluffy.
• 1 cup chopped cooked vegetables. Here's where it gets interesting. I love any variation of mushrooms, onions, asparagus, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach (yes, you can use frozen chopped, just thaw and drain it first), something leftover you have in the fridge (bruschetta topping? why not!). 
  
• a handful of fresh vegetables or herbs (optional), for example: green onions, chives, parsley and so on.
• dried herbs, if you like. I love using the Herbes de Provence that we got in (ahem) Nice. 1/2 tsp does nicely. But feel free to toss in some dried oregano (don't go crazy, that's strong stuff), basil, paprika, whatever floats your boat.
• a couple pinches of salt. Not quite 1/8 tsp. 
• Pepper if you like it.

Cook the crust according to package directions. That is, thaw it, poke it with a fork all over, stick it in the oven at 400F for 8 minutes. Near the end, take a look and if it's puffing up, poke it again.

Meanwhile, cook the vegetables if they're not already cooked. I don't care how you do it: steam, saute, microwave, whatever. And, grate the cheese, and chop your herbs if using.

Beat the eggs, and mix in your milk, herbs (dried or fresh) and salt and pepper if using. 

Take out the crust and decrease the oven temperature to 375F, put half the cheese in the bottom, then your veg, then the rest of the cheese, then pour on the egg mixture. Here's an extra yummy tip: drape some of your grated cheese all along the rim of the pie crust. It makes the crust taste like cheese straws. Nobody leaves the crust behind when it tastes like cheese straws.

Pop that back in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Put an old cookie sheet underneath if you're worried about it leaking over the edges. I hate cleaning my oven, don't you?

Check for doneness by poking a sharp knife in the center. If you see milky fluid, it's not done. If you see clear, it's done!

Serve that puppy up warm or cold with some steamed vegetables or a nice salad. Yum!

(Like all my cooking, this is a vegetarian recipe - but if you're into it, you can always add some chopped cooked ham or chicken to replace part of the 1 cup of cooked veg). Another note: yes, I do know cheddar has rennet in it and so is not actually a vegetarian product. Use a soy cheese if you're not okay with rennet.