Quiche-a-licious

So clearly losing weight was not high on my priority list last week because I decided to randomly make quiche. I blame it on the rain (yeah, yeah) and Smitten Kitchen for all her ridiculously awesome recipes.

It was super easy to make and tasted incredible. My husband polished off half of the quiche in a night and then finished it the next day. He was still in a quiche induced coma when I decided to make a second quiche two days later to finish off the pate brisee dough that I just couldn't let go to waste. Yes I could have put it in the freezer but whatever. Cheese and dough is too hard to resist sometimes.

Now that I've told you a useless back story and mentioned the word quiche a million times (isn't it a weird word), I'll move on to the recipe which I ever so slightly modified. The no-modified version can also be found here on Smitten Kitchen.

Images via Smitten Kitchen

Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (I included this but Smitten Kitchen didn't in this savory recipe. It didn't taste weird or sweet so whatever floats your boat)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ice water

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar.
2. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. - I used our kitchen aid because we don't have a food processor and it was all good.
3. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream. Mix (pulse) until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Don't do this for more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together. If it's crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic.
5. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month. Or if you are like me, just make 2 quiche's in 2 days. Its worth it.

Spinach Quiche Recipe

Press out the dough into a 9-inch round pie dish or removable-bottom 9 inch round tart pan. (I used a pie dish).

Ingredients:

• 1 3 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature (I used light cream cheese and it still tasted great)
• 1/3 cup half and half (or milk) - I should have used milk but I used half and half
• 3 eggs
• 1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup of grated cheddar or gruyere - we only had pepper jack so I used that and it was amazing
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 4-6 green onions thinly sliced or 1/2 cup finely diced red/white onion/shallot - I used the green onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder - this was my own addition because I like things spicy. It didn't add much to the taste in the end though

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Beat cream cheese in bowl (or kitchen aid) until smooth
3. Gradually beat in half and half/milk and eggs
4. Mix in remaining ingredients
5. Pour mixture into the crust
6. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set (about 25 minutes). I ended up baking until the filling was golden brown too because I just prefer it that way.
7. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Thats it. Its pretty easy and its very hearty/filling. We ate the quiche with ketchup because we are awesome and unsophisticated. In my opinion the dough is the best part.

Any non fat kid recipes you want to share with me?

Quiche-a-licious