And yes, we love quiche. And that’s why there are already several quiche recipes on this site. Now, one of the things I like most about quiches is their versatility. I can put pretty much any ingredient in a pie shell, pour eggs and milk over the top, and bake until the filling is set. Voila! Egg pie!

So, the other evening, quiche was on our dinner table. And yes, quiche is also perfect for breakfast or lunch. That’s another versatile thing that I love about this dish. But mainly it’s about how wonderful this dish tastes. And how the creamy rich filling is offset by the crispy pie crust. (I don’t use this simple pie crust recipe for regular pies because it isn’t a flaky crust. But for quiche, it’s perfect!) And very easy to make. And at this stage in my life, I support easy.

So, if you too would enjoy a quiche that has all the requisite elements of a successful dish that includes, easy to prepare, delicious, not too expensive, and everyone at table will love, then this is the recipe for you. Make it “quiche night” at your house in the near future. Your family will love you even more than they already do!

And isn’t that what it’s all about anyway. Love and family and understanding and forgiveness and respect.

In these trying days when there is almost a civil war happening between the people who are vaccinated and those who aren’t, please don’t forget that everyone is doing their best. (Except for certain politicians who are trying to kill Democracy. But that’s another story!)

But for those of us who simply can’t understand why anyone would hesitate to get vaccinated, it seems like such a simple thing to just do it. (I fall in that camp BTW.) But I don’t live in another person’s head. I don’t know their fears or misgivings or past experiences. And I definitely don’t know what it’s like to be unable to make a decision. But from the few I know who haven’t been vaccinated, inertia seems to be the biggest reason to remain unvaccinated. So, be kind to these people and try to understand that life may not be as easy for them as it is for you. Love them, treat them with respect, and above all, don’t give up on them. Not everyone was lucky enough to be born with what I consider to be “a good tool belt”. A tool belt containing a goodly amount of intelligence, an inherent sense of self-worth, imagination, empathy, understanding, energy, and various other attributes that help most of us become happy, caring, and successful adults. If you were born with a good tool belt, you were just plain lucky. Not everyone was similarly blessed. So, be patient and kind. Don’t burn bridges that might never have been built if not for covid-19. And no, it’s not easy. I have a couple relatives I would like to shake by the shoulders, throw them in the back of my car, and drive them to get vaccinated. But I don’t walk in their shoes, and no one (yet) has put me in charge. Until then, I do the best I can. I’m not perfect and I get pretty darned frustrated. But I have yet to lose a friendship because we have differing opinions about being vaccinated. (OK, maybe one. But he isn’t family, and we have history anyway!) So, like I said, it’s not easy to safely maneuver the vaccination minefield. But definitely worth the effort.  

And as always, peace and love to all.

8-inch pie crust (see recipe below) 

2 T. unsalted butter

1½ c. diced ham

½ med. onion, chopped

2½ c. grated Swiss, Gruyère, Emmental, or Jarlsberg cheese (or combination)

1½ c. whole milk (part half & half is great)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

freshly ground black pepper

5 lg. eggs

ground nutmeg

Heat the butter in a small frying pan. Sauté the ham pieces until browned. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the ham to a small bowl. Set aside.

Add onion and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and starts to become a light golden brown, 20 – 30 minutes.

Scatter ham pieces over the partially baked pie crust. Layer cheese on top of ham. Scatter cooked onions evenly over the cheese.

Whisk together the milk/half & half, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and eggs. Pour liquid mixture in pie pan. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Hint: to keep your pie crust edge from getting too brown while baking, cover with thin strips of aluminum foil.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the filling is set, about 45-55 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour   

heaping ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. baking powder

7 T. vegetable or canola oil

5 T. cold water  

Whisk the flours, salt, sugar, and baking powder together. Pour the oil and water over the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened. Pat the dough across the bottom of a fairly deep pie pan, then up to the rim.  

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until you are ready to assemble the quiche. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.