Quiche

Sausage & Cheddar Quiche

I love breakfast! Yes, I do! I love breakfast! How about you!?

I will say however, that breakfast is a meal I don’t get to really prepare and enjoy often enough. Monday–Friday usually consists of something quick and on the go so sometimes I make breakfast for dinner just to get that breakfast fix. One thing I love about quiche is it is really perfect for any meal, breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Add some fruit and potatoes, you got breakfast. Add a green salad, now it’s lunch or dinner.

This quiche is really as easy as they come, especially with a premade piecrust. I know quiche might seem intimidating to make but I promise there is no need to be scared! It really isn’t complicated and is well worth the effort it takes to make. Plus, sausage and cheddar are just a classic breakfast combo that you can’t beat.

Sausage & Cheddar Quiche

INGREDIENTS
1 sheet of refrigerated piecrust at room temperature
8 oz mild or spicy breakfast sausage
5 green onions, thinly sliced
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 c half and half
6 large eggs
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard

STEPS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Unroll your piecrust and line a pie dish with a single sheet and set aside
In a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until no pink remains.
Add the green onion to the skillet and cook for another minute.
Drain excess fat from pan.
Spread half of the sausage mixture in the pie crust and sprinkle with half of the cheese.
Spread the remaining sausage mixture over the cheese.
In a medium bowl whisk together the half and half, eggs, salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
Place the quiche into the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes or until the center is set when gently shaken.
Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it and serving.

I recently started following this fabulous gourmet blog called C’est la Vie Cuisine. On the day I found out I would be receiving leeks in my next produce box Lucie posted a recipe for leek quiche. I knew it was meant to be! I adapted her recipe (see the original here) based on what I had on hand and by adding in some extra eggs and cheese to accommodate a deeper pie dish. This recipe turned out great! I served it for dinner with some breakfast sausage and toast but it can be enjoyed for any meal. One of the many fabulous reasons I love quiche! This recipe was so easy and really tasty! The caramelized leeks and onions take on a nice sweet flavor making it a fabulous complement to salty breakfast meat like sausage or bacon.

Leeks are a part of the onion family and are very mild and sweet in flavor. The leek basically looks like a HUGE green onion. Leeks are known for being very low in calories and having wonderful health benefits. They are high in dietary fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, folic acid, and vitamins A, B, C, and K.

Notes: Leeks can have a large amount of soil and dirt between the layers so after you slice them make sure to wash them thoroughly. I submerge them in water and use my hand to swish them around. The leeks float to the top and the dirt sinks to the bottom. I then use a salad spinner to help remove all the excess water.

You can omit the piecrust all together to create a low-carb version of this recipe. To do this, grease your pie dish and whisk the mozzarella in with the egg mixture. Bake time will be the same.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (see above note about washing)
1 tbsp garlic
1 sheet of refrigerated piecrust at room temperature
salt and pepper
9 eggs
1/2 c half and half
1 c mozzarella

STEPS

Preheat oven to 400º.
In a larger skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, leeks, and garlic to the skillet.
Cook stirring frequently until the onions begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
While the leeks and onions cook gently press the crust into your pie dish.
In a medium-mixing bowl whisk together your eggs and half and half until well incorporated.
When the leeks are done cooking season with salt and pepper and gently fold the cooked veggies into the egg mixture.
Sprinkle half of the mozzarella into the bottom of your pie dish.
Add the egg mixture to your pie dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
Bake the quiche in the oven for 30–35 minutes or until the middle is firm.
Allow quiche to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.