Customized Cuisine

In keeping with my goal of delivering easier, more budget-friendly recipes that don’t require a trip to the specialty store, I tweaked my favorite salmon-and-cream-cheese quiche recipe a bit to make it more everyday friendly. Quiches are one of the most versatile, cost-effective meals you can make. And, they brown up wonderfully the next day in the toaster oven, so the thought of eating leftovers for lunch at work won’t be so grim.

Make it your own by…
- Subbing the spinach or leeks with the veggies you have in the fridge (I’m talking to you onions and bell peppers). Or try frozen corn kernels.
- Replacing the cream with milk or plain soy milk to make it a little healthier.
- 86ing the bacon to keep it vegetarian.

Kitchen Sink Quiche
Serves 4

1 pie crust, pre-baked according to package directions
4 strips center-cut bacon
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium leek, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 c. fresh baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (or softened for 45 s. in the microwave)
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 eggs
2/3 c. cream (heavy or light)
1 c. (divided) your favorite shredded cheese (I like gruyere or havarti)
1 tsp. nutmeg sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with foil, cook the bacon, turning once, until it’s browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Crumble into small pieces.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted (not even a minute). Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, leek mixture and lemon juice with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring just until combined. Add the cream, ½ cup of the cheese, the crumbled bacon, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Tear off 3 thin strips of aluminum foil. Gently fold the foil around the pie crust, being careful to not break the crust or go too deep into the pie tin. Set the pie on a baking sheet and pour the quiche batter in, then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is set. Cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes before serving.