Clark's Quiche

This past Friday I threw a baby shower for my friend Joanne. Since it was a brunch, I decided to make a quiche. I know that quiche may like a difficult thing to make, but it really isn't...if you don't feel the need to be Martha and do every step from scratch. Which at this point in my life, I'm no Martha.

Pretty much all you need for quiche is a crust, eggs, milk, cheese and whatever stuff you want in it. Now, this "whatever stuff you want in it" is the difference in excellent quiche and mediocre quiche. I've made quiche before but mine have never been stellar, so I decided to search the Internet for a recipe. I came up with Clark's Quiche. It had great reviews so I decided to give it a try. The recipe makes TWO quiches because as Clark says, "if you only make one you will hate yourself the next day when there are no leftovers." No, he is not bragging -- it is that good. Fattening, but good.

Although the recipe calls for deep-dish pie crusts, it doesn't specifically list it in the ingredients. If you don't use them, you could probably make THREE quiches with all of the ingredients. Also, be careful with the egg mixture -- you don't want it to overflow out of the crust. So, if it looks like it's full, stop pouring. You can always use the extra egg mixture to make an omelet or something.

Now, I didn't make the quiche exactly as Clark does, so below you'll find what I did. But, if you want to see the original, go here for Clark's Quiche Recipe.

2 (9 inch) deep-dish unbaked pie crusts
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 package Hormel fully-cooked bacon
1 package Hormel Natural Choice Deli Ham
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). If you want to, you can "pre-bake" the pie crust for about 6 minutes.

2) Thaw spinach (or cook according to package instructions). If cooked, allow to cool. Squeeze spinach dry. In a large bowl, combine spinach and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3) Chop up bacon and deli ham. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Stir in ham and cooked bacon and cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat. Divide evenly and add a layer over each pie crust with spinach/sour cream mixture.

4) Sprinkle cheddar and Parmesan over pies.

5) Whisk together eggs, half-and-half and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over pies.

6) Place pies on baking sheet, and bake on middle shelf in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. The top will be puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Note: You can make this ahead of time if you wish. Just cover with foil and refrigerate. To reheat, bake at 325 for about 15 minutes -- just watch to make sure that your crust doesn't get too brown.

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Looking for a quiche recipe without meat? Try my recipe for Broccoli Quiche.  For other recipes that are great for baby and wedding showers, stop by Ultimate Recipe Swap at  LifeasMOM.