Hi, and welcome to the last week of April. After a few weeks of lagging motivation to cook or wash dishes, I've been really ramping up the quest for simple, delicious meals to make at home. Just like with the risotto I shared a bit back, this quiche is a long time staple of ours that somehow fell off the radar for a while. When I found it  in my recipe binder, it seemed like a pretty big duh moment (Sidenote ugh: Lou has started saying "duh." I'm to blame for pretty much every bad verbal tick she develops, except this one. Ugh.). Quiche is cheap and easy, especially if you use pre-made pie crust. I do use crusts I buy, despite its use of shortening and traces of trans fats - for two reasons. One, the pre-made pie crust makes this dish so, so easy to whip up. And two, because the pie crusts come in packs of two, it means that I always have one quiche to devour and one to freeze, which is so handy. But, it's always on my List to make and freeze ahead my own pie crusts, which of course is an option here. I'll let you know if I ever get around to that.

I use smoked Gouda in this quiche because I just love the stuff; combined with the spinach and shallots, the cheese really provides a sort of richness - maybe even umami - that makes for a great, filling meal. But, the cool thing about quiche is that once you have a formula that works for you, you can sub in any veggie or cheese combo. Also like this month's risotto, this recipe is based off of a Real Simple Magazine recipe I had saved into my recipe binder. It's from 2005(!) and uses Gruyere and parsley. Over the years, I've adapted the recipe to make two full quiches, and I typically do either a spinach-and-Gruyere or spinach-and-Gouda and a broccoli-and-cheddar, although this recipe makes two spinach-and-Gruyere quiches. 

The other great thing about quiche: You really don't miss the meat. Even my meat-and-potatoes dad will happily eat this, with a side of greens, for dinner, and not feel deprived.

Spinach & Smoked Gouda Quiche

Recipe adapted from Real Simple's Basic Quiche, November 2005

Serves 8; takes about an hour start to finish

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5-6 shallots, or 2 medium white or yellow onions, finely diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 10 oz frozen or fresh spinach (one block if frozen)
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half (note - you can use any level of fat you want here; even 2% milk would work. I am happy with the half-and-half texture, and like whole milk as well. I don't think heavy cream is necessary, but you can use it if you've got it.)
• 8 oz grated smoked Gouda (or Gruyere, or cheese of your choice)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 prepared pie crusts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add shallots or onions, season with half the salt and pepper, cover and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.

3. Add spinach (fresh or frozen - no need to thaw or precook) and cook, stirring, until spinach is cooked or thawed. Add remaining salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and nutmeg.

5. In the bottom of each pie crust, spread half the vegetable and onion mixture. Top with half the cheese per crust. Pour the egg and half-and-half mixture over each pie. If you're very short on egg and half and half, which can happen if you happen to use deeper-dish pie crusts, add additional mixture using a ratio of 1 egg to 1/4 cup half-and-half as necessary to fill to the edges of each pie.

6. Bake until filling is set and knife in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let rest five minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with a simple mixed greens salad.

Note: If the pie crusts are getting too brown too quickly, you can wrap the edges in tin foil until 10-15 minutes before the end of baking.

Enjoy!