Crustless Quiche, Jack, and a New Book

First of all, let's just get this out of the way...can you actually say that you've ever seen a more beautiful little peapod? Isn't he Grammie's darling boy?! :) Jack has his eyes open, and on his first visit to his pediatrician yesterday (3rd day here!) he lifted his head from his tummy position, pushed up with his left arm and politely turned himself over. Now, I say, "My grandson is a genius!" :)

On to other, more mundane things: I've promised through Teejay's blog, and Kathy of Kathy's Sit and Stitch (see my blogs sideline) reminded me I owe you, my favorite all around recipe for nearly every occasion. Good for breakfast, brunch, dinner and for comfort food! :)

Deborah's Crustless Quiche Recipe

Saute' 4 strips of bacon or ham in sauce pan until crispy, drain, crumble, place in bottom of quiche plate...or lg. pie plate

Add 1/2 small onion finely chopped, and 1 clove garlic finely chopped to bacon grease and saute' only until onion is transparent. Pour all contents of pan into the quiche plate.

In mixing bowl whip 8 whole, large eggs until lemon-colored and thickened well with hand wisk. Add 1/2 Cup of milk or half & half (I use skim milk, but it doesn't matter...) and whip to blend.

Add 4 heaping Tablespoons of Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs to the egg mixture and mix in with wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Put any additional ingredients you'd like in the quiche plate at this time: I put spinach, mushrooms, or broccoli, artichokes, leeks....whatever you'd like. Put about 2 Cups full of these or enough to loosely cover the bed of the plate.

Over these, I put a nice covering of grated cheese(s) of my choice: parmesan and asiago, cheddar & munster, monterey jack and mozzerella, ...whatever I'm in the mood for tasting.

Now, pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the quiche pan. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 35-40 minutes, depending upon where you live. I check the quiche at about 35 minutes. You are looking for a firm, souffle-type, golden brown top. If the middle is still mushy...it's not done. If the edges have begun to pull away from the sides of your quiche plate, the quiche is probably done.

You can garnish the top with sliced small tomatoes and fresh basil leaves and bits of goats' cheese or mozzarella...or any way you like. I serve it with a small greens salad and fresh fruit. Or, I just eat it alone with a chunk of fresh buttered bread.

Hope you like it! Everyone, please feel better this weekend, keep your fingers and hands from slicing and cutting things (Becky!), your noses and eyes from itching, your ears from aching, your backs from bulging and breaking, and your heads from migrainey hurties.....have some quiche with a mimosa and lounge!!! Enjoy, dear Kathy! I hope your cold and wheezies are better! :)

BOO To All of YOU !!!

Now, the book: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. This is an amazing read. Do you remember the "Lovely Bones?" Alice Sebold is the author of that incredible book, as well. Her writing is razor sharp and eloquent. You can "see" every detail as you walk through the story with her. I cannot put this latest book of hers down. Love it, love it.

It's the story of a woman who murders her mother, in the short, but it's so much more. From the first lines of the book, I was was hooked. Here they are: "When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily. Dementia, as it descends, has a way of revealing the core of the person affected by it. My mother's core was rotten like the brackish water at the bottom of a weeks-old vase of flowers." The book gives a picture of their relationship through the years, of who they were, why they became themselves, and how their relationship evolved. It's a small gem of a book. You'll read it in a weekend...probably with a huge slice of my quiche! :)

Hugs and love, Deb