Ham Potato Quiche

The gooshy, spongy, eggy texture of a quiche just doesn't thrill me, but I tried this after my sister promised that it didn't taste like a quiche.  (And a quiche that doesn't taste like one is the best kind....)  I like this dish for any meal of the day.

 
This recipe is adapted from the More with Less Cookbook (1976).  That's new compared to the rest of my cookbook collection and since I was copywritten in the '70s myself, I'd consider it hot off the presses.  But it's the kind of cookbook I like, basic ingredients and good food.  If you are looking for recipes that don't involve a lot of money, this is the perfect cookbook for you.

Ham Potato Quiche

2 T. fat
3 c. shredded raw potatoes
1 c. grated Swiss or cheddar cheese
3/4 c. ham (or sausage or chicken)
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 eggs
1 c. rich milk (I used a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream)
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 T. parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and melt the fat (I used tallow) in a 9" pie tin.

I don't peel my potatoes before shredding them. Mix the potatoes with the melted fat and pat it into the sides.

Remove from the oven after 15 minutes and layer on the cheese, meat, and onions.

Mix the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper and pour over the pan.

As an aside....can you guess which egg came from a real farm and which one came from an egg mill? It's a little reminder of why farm eggs are worth their weight in gold. 

 Instead of parsley, I used dried, crumbled kale. (Sometimes you have to be sneaky with the vegetables.)

Leftovers are great! The best way to enjoy them is to pop the tin into the oven at 250 degrees or so. Go outside while it's still dark and shovel snow from the latest blizzard until every little body part aches. By the time you drag yourself into the house, it will be hot and just as nice as it was the first time around. And it will hit the spot like no other breakfast you've ever had.

Shared on Simple Lives Thursday.

And the breakfast award goes to....

Pear Crisp.  Yes, for breakfast.  I could eat it several times a week if I had an unlimited pear supply but at the current rate, my supply is on its way to being very limited.... 

What is a crisp?--fruit and oatmeal, essentially, and traditionally considered a dessert.  I used to make my crisps with pie filling, but with an added step, I can make use of my lightly sweetened home-canned fruit.  Captain Awesome eats his morning oatmeal dutifully and politely, but without anything resembling enthusiasm. Instead of serving a heap of mushy oatmeal with a sprinkling of fruit, I've begun making fruit with a crispy smattering of oatmeal.  It's not an entirely new idea, but it is to us and has added a spark of interest (and warmth) to our winter breakfasts. 

I used a quart of pears that I canned with an extra light syrup.  I measured about 2 T. of cornstarch into a saucepan, then drained the pear juice into the pan and whisked it together. 

I then added 1 tablespoon of quick-cooking tapioca. 

In a few minutes it was thickened, and no additional sweetener was necessary. 

I gently mixed in the pears and poured it into a small casserole.

The topping

I started with about 1 cup of rolled oats.  I then added and combined together--

a few T. of butter

a sprinkling of sucanat (unrefined sugar)

some ground almonds

(and when I remember) spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

I sprinkled the mixture over the top and baked at 350 degrees until it bubbled around the edges.  As you can see, this is a vague "recipe" and can be made differently every time and with a variety of fruits.

Bubbling hot and crispy, a pear crisp is one of the nicest ways to start a winter day!

This post has been linked to Simple Lives Thursday