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!

Guest Blogger: Amie

A great friend of mine from high school offered to be a guest blogger this time!  Thanks Amie, you're awesome!

This recipe is from my new cookbook, Rocco's Real Life Recipes - fast flavor for every day. I initially picked it up because of the cute picture of him on the front, I've since come to find out he's 44 and I still don't believe it! When I saw it was only $6.99 I thought what the heck, he's cute, there are some yummy pictures, and what a bargain! I made a variation of his Spaghetti and Shrimp with Spring Vegetables, using Spaghetti squash and loved it!
Carmel mentioned to me this morning that she was looking for a new quiche recipe and I remembered this one! I hope it's as tasty as it looks! Enjoy!

~ Amie


Shrimp and Red Onion Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch piecrust
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh small shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Prick the surface of the piecrust with a fork and back for 5 mintues. Remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 375F.

3. Mix the eggs with the half-and-half. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. In a large saute pan cook the bacon over medium heat until almost crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the onion to bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until tender and slightly caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the heat up to high and add the shrimp to the pan. Cover and steam shrimp about 2 mintues. Toss the bacon back in with the onion and shrimp.

5. Arrange the shrimp mixture evenly in the bottom of the pastry shell. Pour the egg mixture into the shell and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is set.

6. Allow pie to cool slightly before cutting and serving.