Quiche is such a quick and easy, but still kind of “fancy” dish to make for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.  Quiche is fun to make because you can use pretty much any kind of meat and/or vegetables, and cheese as the filling. Once you have the basic recipe down, it’s time to get creative.

Since I live in Hawaii and the weather here is not “pie crust-friendly,” I usually opt for a store bought crust. Usually, I buy the Mrs. Smith deep dish variety, in a two pack, because this is the brand that is usually is not cracked and broken, like some of the other brands.  I may get braver and try homemade pie crusts again, one day, but it will have to be on a very cold day!

Quiche is great to make for Easter brunch, along with a Cinnamon French Toast Bread Pudding and a Island Fruit Salad and/or Green Salad.

Basic Quiche
1 Frozen Deep Dish Pie Crust
3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Shredded Gruyere Cheese
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp White Pepper
1 Tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat butter in small saute pan, over medium heat, add diced onion. Saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.  Prep and make the rest of the Filling, as directed below.

Combine cream eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Whip with a whisk until combined. Gently stir in Gruyere Cheese

Place pie crust on a baking sheet.   Add Filling, as directed. Pour egg mixture into crust over the Filling. Bake for 35 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. May be served hot or cold.

FILLING

Red Pepper & Feta Quiche

1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 TBSP butter.
4 oz. crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

Dice pepper. Saute diced peppers and onions with butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Evenly spread cooked peppers in bottom of quiche shell and spinkle with feta cheese before pouring in egg mixture. Bake as directed above.

Bacon & Spinach Quiche

1/2 Pound Bacon
4 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain excess fat of bacon on paper towel. Let cool and crumble into small pieces. Remove all but 1 TSP bacon fat from saute pan. Add onions, saute until translucent, about 5 min. Add spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes or so until spinach is wilted and reduced to about 1 cup. Spread spinach/onion mixture evenly over bottom of empty quiche crust. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over top. Add egg mixture. Bake as directed above.

Serves 4-6

The [...]]]> My friend Karla decided to host a Christmas party at her waterfront home in Hawaii Kai. Fortunately for us, the party coincided with the date of the Hawaii Kai Boat Parade of Lights.  How cool to watch the parade from the ideal location on her lanai, while enjoying a lovely dinner party and Christmas celebration!

The menu for the evening was split between the guests and included:

Filet Mignon
Scalloped Potatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Glazed Carrots
Popovers
and Assorted Pupus

I was assigned to the Scalloped Potatoes, which was great because I love this dish had some good ideas based on Karla’s suggestion to get fancy and add mushrooms to the dish. This is how super rich and cheesy Heaven-on-Earth Scalloped Potatoes evolved. A classic dish, it also gets earthiness from the addition of the mushrooms. This is a make-again dish the whole family will enjoy.

Heaven on Earth Scalloped Potatoes

4 pounds Peeled Russet Potatoes
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tsp Salt for Potatoes
1  Tsp Salt for Mushrooms
2 Tsp White pepper for Potatoes
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper for Mushrooms
4-6 medium garlic cloves, sent through garlic press
1/2 TBS Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
1 8 oz package of Creme Fraiche
1/2 of an 8 oz package of Gorgonzola Crumbles (4 oz)
3 TBS fresh thyme leaves (or 1 TBSP dried thyme)
1/2 Pound Crimini (Baby Portabellos) Mushrooms

Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice potatoes about 1/8 inch thick with a mandoline slicer or sharp knife. Potatoes need to be evenly sliced or they will not cook evenly.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with 2 Tsp salt and white pepper, fresh garlic  and thyme to lightly and evenly coat. Pour heavy cream into a 2 cup glass measuring cup and stir in garlic powder and nutmeg, mixing well. Separate potatoes into four approximately even piles.  Remove  1/4 of the potatoes from baking sheet and arrange evenly in a 2 1/2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream mixture over the potatoes.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add 1/2 of the creme fraiche, distributing evenly in small dollop and 1/2 of the blue cheese crumbles (2 oz). These cheeses, along with the creme fraiche, will add a nice tang to the dish without being too strong. If you really like gorgonzola cheese, feel free to double the amount of cheese in this recipes to 8 oz. total.  This works well, too.

Repeat the layering with another 1/4 of potatoes, 1/4 cup heavy cream mixture, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 more times.  Add the final 1/2 of creme fraiche and 1/2 (2 oz.) of blue cheese crumbles.  Add last 1/4 potatoes, drizzle with another 1/4 cup of the cream mixture. 

Slice and toss mushrooms in medium bowl with 1 TBS of olive oil and 1 Tsp salt and 1 Tsp black pepper. 
 Arrange mushroom slices on top of potatoes around edge of dish. Cover top of mushrooms with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and remaining 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. If you don’t have crimini mushrooms, you may substitute with button mushrooms or mushrooms may be omitted, as well.

Bake uncovered until potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (If potatoes have been refigerated prior to cooking, either allow to come to room temperature prior to baking or you will need to bake longer.) 

Remove from oven and let stand 15-20 minutes, serving from the dish. Or if you choose to make this dish in advance, let potatoes cool completely and refrigerate. When ready to serve cut into pieces, place on baking sheet and cover with foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 15-20 minutes until fully heated.