Aunt Jane's Spinach Quiche

One of my favorite foods in the whole wide world would have to be spinach. Hailed as a superfood in the nutrition world, spinach is both delicious and versatile. Growing up, my mom made a great crustless spinach quiche, the BEST spinach salad, and very yummy spinach baked ziti. Fresh, cooked, baked in casserole- it was all good to me! Well a few days ago I had a craving for homemade spinach quiche (and a craving to get rid of all of the cheese and milk in my fridge) so I gave my mom a call for her classic recipe. She had just come back from visiting her best friend in Nebraska, and informed me that I just HAD to try her recipe... so I did!! Mom was right- this quiche was amazing- and my fridge is much lighter in the dairy department.

Aunt Jane's Spinach Quiche

1 medium Red Onion, chopped small
3 cloves Garlic, chopped (or minced, it's a personal choice every cook must make.)
2 whole eggs & 2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups Half&Half or milk (I used up the rest of the Half&Half in the fridge, then 1% milk to make 1 1/2 cups)
10oz box Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. Other cheese (I use the rest of the mozzarella and asiago- YUM), shredded
1 Tbsp. REAL Bacon Bits
Nutmeg
Chili Powder
**1 Pillsbury Pie Crust** (this is optional- you can certainly make this a crustless quiche by eliminating the pie crust. I happened to have an extra one, and figured this would be a great way to use it up!)

1. Prepare pie crust as instructed on the box
2. Preheat over to 450 degrees
3. Spray frying pan with Pan and saute chopped onion and garlic on med-low heat
4. In a mixing bowl, combine EVERYTHING and stir (I allowed the spinach and the sauteed garlic & onion to come to room temperature before I added it to the mixing bowl to prevent premature cooking of the egg).
5. Add mixture to prepared pie crust, and place in the oven
6. IMMEDIATELY turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees, and cook for 40 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let it set for a few minutes before cutting into it.



Things I Learned:
1. This quiche is GORGEOUS (well, for a baked item... the picture doesn't do it justice) The deep green of the spinach, the bright purple from the onion, and the rich orange from the cheddar make this quiche as aesthetically pleasing as it is yummy. I'll probably make it again when I need to impress someone.
2. Quiche is a great way to eliminate extra, accumulated dairy products
3. This quiche could definitely be made healthier with no crust, 1% milk, low fat cheeses, 1 egg and 4 egg whites, and more veggies instead of bacon
4. I need a pie cutter and server. Using a large spatula results in a big, messy quiche-y disaster all over the kitchen counters and an awkward looking slice of quiche.

Dietetically Yours,
Lorilyn