Creative Quiche
"Real Men Don’t Eat . . ." is probably what comes to mind when you read or hear the word "quiche". Well, anyone who isn’t eating this delectable treat is missing out. Quiche recipes range from "tried-and-true" to "anything goes" and are sure to please every time. For vegetable-lovers, meat-lovers, or cheese-lovers, quiche is a flexible dish that is appropriate served as an entree, for breakfast, or for lunch.
While quiche is considered classic French cuisine, it actually originated in Germany in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, later renamed Lorraine by the French. The term "quiche" came from "kuchen", the German word for "cake". The original quiche Lorraine was an open pie with an egg and cream custard and smoked bacon. Cheese soon became a welcome addition. When onions were added, it became quiche Alsacienne. The original crust made from bread dough later became a short-crust or puff pastry crust.
Quiche became popular in England after World War II and then in the United States during the 1950’s. It has maintained its tasty status across the country as a staple of lunch menus, with restaurants often featuring a "quiche of the day" and serving it with a salad of greens or fruit.
Quiche is perfect for a luncheon as it is easy to prepare and can be made with a 
wide variety of ingredients. Select from each of the columns below to create your own unique quiche or follow one of the recipes below. Be creative! These columns could certainly be expanded to include more cheese, seasonings, and vegetables.
A Quiche of Your Own
1 single-crust pastry for a 9-inch tart or pie plate
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Select from the following columns, with ingredient amounts totaling measurements at the tops of the columns:
| 1/2 to 1 cup | 2-3 cups chopped/sliced | (cont.) | 1/2 to 1 cup crumbled, chopped |
| onion, sauteed | tomatoes | mushrooms, sauteed | bacon |
| bell pepper, sauteedr | broccoli | spinach, sauteed | sausage, cooked |
| green onion, sauteed | artichoke hearts | zucchini, sauteed | ham, cooked |
| shredded carrots | yellow squash, sauteed | crabmeat | |
| black olives | asparagus tips, blanched | shrimp |
| 3/4 – 1 cup | 1 cup shredded | Any total |
| milk | mozzarella | 1/2 tsp paprika |
| 1/2 and 1/2 | cheddar/monterey jack | 1/8 tsp garlic powder |
| cream | swiss | 1/8 tsp cayenne |
| sour cream | parmesan | 1/4 tsp nutmeg |
| plain yogurt | feta or goat cheese | 1/8 tsp dried dill |
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Sautee selected ingredients in butter or olive oil, as needed.
3. Place pastry in tart or pie pan.
4. Combine selected ingredients with beaten eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir well.
5. Pour into pastry.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 35-40 minutes, until filling is set and crust is golden.
Broccoli Cheese Quiche
1 single-crust pastry for a 9-inch tart or pie plate
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Elegant Shrimp Quiche
1 single-crust pastry for a 9-inch tart or pie plate
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup "salad" sized shrimp, cooked
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
