Hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this spinach and cremini mushroom quiche is the answer for a light summer treat. Served with a side salad or fresh fruit, this “egg pie” makes a complete meal.

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Spinach & Cremini Quiche

Hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this spinach and cremini mushroom quiche is the answer for a light summer treat. Served with a side salad or fresh fruit, this “egg pie” makes a complete meal.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine French

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 basic pie crust from scratch, or ready-made
• 6 eggs or 4 whole eggs and 2 egg whites
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup cheese grated (Swiss, Cheddar, Gruyère or crumbled Feta)
• 1 cup spinach rough chopped
• 1 cup mushroom sliced
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350° F.
• Roll pie crust on a lightly floured board into a circle several inches larger than your pie dish.
• Use your rolling pin to transfer the crust from your board into your baking dish.
• Shape the edge of the crust however you like. Crimp with your fingers or a fork, or create fluted edge for something different.
• Place the spinach, mushrooms, and cheese, into the crust, adding them in alternating layers.
• Break the eggs in to a large bowl. Add the milk, half-and-half, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Whisk together thoroughly and pour over the spinach mixture.
• Place quiche on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 45 – 55 minutes (cooking times will vary based on your oven and amount of ingredients, if crust begins to burn cover edges with foil).
• Check for doneness by shaking the quiche to see if the center is set.
• Remove from oven and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Slightly sauté the spinach and mushroom to reduce amount of liquid before adding to quiche.

Baby bella mushrooms sautéed in a lemon garlic butter, served on a bed of balsamic spinach creates an explosion of earthy flavors and textures.

Baby bellas, also know as baby portobello, cremini, or crimini, are members of the same family of mushrooms as the familiar white buttons and the portobello. The difference between the varieties is simply age. The slightly more mature state of the crimini brings a browner color, and a deeper flavor to a dish than the younger more tender white mushroom. The firmer texture of the baby bella allows it to hold up well in a sauté pan, and also makes it a perfect choice for soups and stews.

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Baby Bella Mushrooms and Spinach

Baby bella mushrooms sautéed in a lemon garlic butter, served on a bed of balsamic spinach creates an explosion of earthy flavors and textures.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby bella mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
• 1 lb fresh spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Whisk olive oil and balsamic vinegar together with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms until tender, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute just to bloom the flavor. Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Remove from heat.
• Toss spinach with the balsamic vinegarette and place on a large serving platter. Arrange eggs slices, and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Finish the dish with some lemon zest and a grind of fresh pepper.

Notes

I think Craisins would also be a welcome addition to this dish. Tossed with the spinach they would add a bit of color and an interesting flavor note, making this a perfect side dish for the holidays.

Sometimes nothing satisfies the taste buds better than a burger. Quick and easy, this grilled wonder is a favorite of mine to prepare. Topped with a combination of whatever happens to be in the fridge, I can always create a version that is sure to please.

Jack is an American cheese made from cow’s milk and is credited to have first been made by Spanish Franciscan friars near Monterey, California during the 19th century. It was a businessman and developer by the name of David Jack who owned a dairy along the Salinas River, that took the idea from the Padres at the nearby Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo. Jack began to produced a cheese originally known as Queso Blanco. As Jack’s dairy went into partnership with other regional dairies, the cheese was mass marketed and came to be known at first as “Jack’s Cheese”, and then eventually as “Monterey Jack”.

There are several variations of the this cheese that have also become quite popular. Colby-Jack or “Co-Jack” is produced by marbling the white cheese together with Colby cheddar, and Pepper Jack is a spicy variety made with the addition of jalapeño and habañero peppers. An aged version called Dry Jack is a hard cheese that can be grated much like Parmesan.