Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche with Whole Wheat Pie Crust

Although quiche is typically an option for a nicer breakfast or brunch, I think it also makes a great last-minute dinner.  I always have eggs, milk and cheese in the fridge and vegetables in the crisper.  Oh, and bacon in the freezer (you can really never go wrong with bacon).  So when dinner plans with friends got postponed, I had an instant dinner option.  And not only is it good for dinner (served with a salad on the side), but it makes great leftovers for breakfast or lunch the next day.

A broccoli and cheddar cheese quiche is a classic combination, although I threw in extra vegetables I had on hand.  And while I often make a crustless quiche, it's a treat to occasionally have pie crust.  Real pie crust.  I made a whole wheat, all-butter crust for the quiche (shortening does not cross our doorstep).  The crust ended up almost stealing the show, too. I think it'll be my go-to pie crust recipe from now on. It was light, crumbly and so buttery, while the whole wheat was a hearty match for a savory quiche.

Finally, these home fries made a delicious addition to our dinner of quiche and salad!

Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche
Taken from: AllRecipes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter or bacon grease
• 2 slices bacon (optional)
• 1 onion, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
• Extra vegetables (optional; I added fresh mushrooms or you could add in fresh chopped spinach or red bell peppers)
• 1 unbaked pie crust (see below for recipe)
• 1 cup shredded cheese plus more to taste (I used a combination of sharp cheddar and part-skim mozzarella)
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup milk (I used skim)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust in a pie dish.
2. (Optional): Cook bacon slices in large pan over medium-high heat.  Remove bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain and keep bacon grease in pan. Chop or break bacon up into small pieces.
3. Over medium-low, heat butter/olive oil/bacon grease in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic broccoli and any other vegetables. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into.  Sprinkle the bacon pieces and then the cheese.
4. Combine eggs and milk in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust
Taken from: Perry's Plate
Makes 2 pie crusts

• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1 egg
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used white whole wheat instead)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks), frozen

1. Fill a drinking glass with water and stick a few ice cubes in it while you grate the frozen butter. (Avoid using a box grater as the butter will stick to the inside.) Place butter in the freezer until you're ready to use it.  
2. Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Take the ice water and measure out 1/4 cup. Crack the egg into the measured ice water and beat with a fork.
3. Add grated butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, break up the butter if it clumps together to thoroughly combine everything. Pour in the egg-water mixture and stir with a hefty spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of extra water if it seems dry.
4. Gather all the dough into one lump. Divide it in half. If you're not using both crusts, wrap one half in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag and freeze it. Or put it in the fridge if you plan on using it within a couple of days.
5. Using a wet washrag or your wet hands, moisten the countertop and place a piece of wax paper over top (or I use my silicone baking mat instead). Sprinkle flour over the wax paper and place your dough ball in the center, flattening it like a disk. Start rolling it out, working from the center to the outsides. Turn your pie plate upside down on the dough and cut dough with a sharp knife about an inch larger than the pie plate.
6. Remove the dough from the wax paper by rolling the dough up onto the rolling pin while peeling away the paper underneath. Gently lift the dough up and over to the pie plate, centering it as you unroll it from the rolling pin.
7. Press the dough into the pie plate, but don't stretch it (it'll shrink when it bakes). Fold the ragged edges of the pie crust under the side of the plate. If you want, you can flute the edges. If you're making an apple pie or something where the crust isn't pre-baked (like the quiche above), it's ready to use.
8. If you're baking the crust by itself, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and poke a lot of holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork to keep it from bubbling up. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just barely start to turn brown. (Don't let the raw dough sit out for too long before you bake it. Stick it in the fridge if you need to wait for the oven to heat up.)