Sausage Cheddar and Spinach Quiche

So my husband likes quiche and he was asking for it last month.  We had some spinach that I had gotten in our Bountiful Basket that needed to be used, as well as some red bell peppers.  I had some country sausage in the freezer, so I decided I would see what I could do with the combination.  Here is what I came up with:

Sausage Cheddar and Spinach Quiche

1/2 recipe pie crust, recipe found here
1 lb regular country sausage, or lean country sausage
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch spinach, washed and chopped
1 c sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs, separated
1 c milk

Roll out pie crust and place in pie dish, and crimp edges.  Set aside.

Brown sausage and crumble into small pieces.  Add bell peppers and cook til tender, and then add your spinach and cook til wilted into the peppers and sausage.  Set aside.

Whip egg whites with hand mixer or in a stand mixer til you get stiff peaks.  Mix egg yolks, milk, and cheese in a small bowl.  Add whipped egg whites, and then your sausage mixture, and combine til well mixed.  Pour this into your prepared pie pan, and bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.  Serve hot.

Chorizo Pepper Jack Quiche

So today I was really in the mood for quiche or some kind of pie type thing.  I didn't have shrimp to make the Shrimp and Red Onion Pie, so I decided to use what I had in the fridge to create something interesting.  We had onions, garlic, chorizo, and red bell peppers, so that's what went into it.  Because I hadn't made homemade quiche before, I referred to the proportions on the shrimp kind, and kind of guessed as I went along, and it turned out really well. 

3 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp splenda or sugar
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c shortening
3/4 c water
2 egg yolks

10 oz chorizo
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c shredded pepper jack cheese
5 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
1 c milk

Create dough by combining dry ingredients, and then cutting in shortening and butter til well combined.  Whisk together egg yolks and water, and then add to shortening and flour mixture.   Knead for about 5 minutes until soft dough forms and stays together.  You might need more water, about a tablespoon.  Roll out dough and place in a greased or sprayed pie dish.  Vent dough by pricking with a fork all over the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 450 degrees for ten minutes.  Remove from oven.  (This recipe makes enough for 2-3 pans worth of dough--you can use it all, or refrigerate the rest)

Meanwhile, while crust is baking, cook chorizo in a skillet, and then add onions and garlic.  Cook til chorizo is completely cooked through, and then add bell pepper.  Continue to cook another minute, then remove from heat.

Whisk eggs and milk together, and add a dash each of salt and cayenne pepper.  In bottom of the pan, place pepper jack cheese, and then layer on top the chorizo mixture.  Pour eggs over top, and use a fork to ooze the eggs into everything.  Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees, and bake Quiche for 35-40 minutes, or until egg is set up in middle of pan.

Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  My husband loved it!