Simple Crustless Spinach Quiche Mini Loaves

March: #photoaday 2: Something I Made

One of my resolutions this year was to spend less dining out for breakfast. I almost always am out for an early morning run and then am hungry. I've taken to trying to take interesting, non-processed breakfast to the YMCA a few times a week. There's a toaster and microwave, so, with planning, it's not that difficult. And I'm saving money!



Try this one out. The prep time is about 20 minutes, with cook time of 30. Ten minutes to cool. So, in an hour in the evening, you have 5 breakfast servings. Grab a couple slices of bread for toast or a bagel and you're set.

Ingredients:

Hefty tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
10 ozs of frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups shredded cheese (any white cheese will work--swiss, provolone, an Italian mix...go for convenience)
1 cup shredded Parmegiano Reggiano or other great hard Italian cheese.
5 medium eggs
1 bunch of basil, chopped
salt
pepper

Add ons:
Lemon olive oil or fresh squeezed lemon juice
Vermouth

Directions
Preheat oven to 350
Spray 5 3 x 5 mini loaf pans with Pam

Douse a hot non-stick skillet with olive oil
Saute chopped onion until translucent, 4-7 minutes
Add a little Kosher salt to bring out some of the moisture, then add the spinach. I don't go to a lot of bother to drain the spinach. Let it steam. The heat will take care of the moisture.

While all of that is happening, beat five eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Add the cheeses and blend well.
Add the basil and blend again.
Add a few grinds of salt and more of pepper (you could add red pepper flakes, if you want just a little bite).

Go back and tend to your spinach, onion, and olive oil sauté. Once most of the moisture has steamed off, add a splash of lemon olive oil OR the fresh squeezed lemon juice. Stir. Then crank up the heat and add a douse of vermouth. Immediatley turn the heat down and let the flavors come together and moisture steam off. Once most of the moisture is gone, take off the heat and let cool for 7-10 minutes.

Go have a beer or martini.

Once the spinach mixture has cooled (so you don't scramble the egg mixture), mix everything together.

Spoon into the loaf pans. I think each pan should hold about 1 1/2 cups of mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until set.

Take out of the oven and let cool for about ten minutes.

Enjoy.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

My good friends, Jeff and Tish have a just-a-tad-more-than-two-years-old grandson whom they often entertain. Yesterday I made a quiche and at the last minute decided to double it, thinking that Jeff and Tish might like it. This morning Tish sent a photo of Gabe having it for breakfast! 

Oh, and it's crustless, which makes it even easier.

Here's the recipe:

1. Thaw a 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach and let drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Spray a 9" pie pan (metal or glass) with Pam.
4. Chop a medium to large sized onion.
5. Add about 1 tblsp olive oil to a medium sized sauté pan.
6. Saute the onion for about 6 minutes--just until it is soft, but not browned.
7. While the onion is sautéing, beat 5 eggs in a large bowl.
8. Add 3 cups shredded cheese to the beaten eggs (I use packaged swiss, but you could use mozzarella, a blend of Italian cheeses...whatever you like or have on hand. I tend to stay away from cheddar, since it has more fat and oil than I like).
9. Blend the eggs and cheese well.
10. Add the drained spinach to the onion and sauté just long enough for the remaining moisture to mostly steam off.
11. You don't have to, but I add about 1/8 cup vermouth to the spinach and onion, as well as a little salt, a lot of pepper, and whatever herbs I have around--thyme, oregano, whatever you like.
12. Once the spinach, onion and herb mixture have finished, take them off the heat and let them cool just a bit. At the same time, let the eggs and cheese come up to nearly room temperature.
13. You're going to add the spinach mixture to the eggs and cheese and so it's important to not add hot to cold--lest you scramble the eggs.

I usually have a beer or whiskey slush to let the time pass.

Then, once the temperature of everything is pretty good, fold the spinach mixture into the eggs and cheese.

Pour everything into the pie pan and place into the oven for about 35 minutes. If the top is not quite as golden as you like, crank up the broiler and watch the quiche closely for 1-2 minutes.

Take out of the oven and let set for at least 5 minutes.

Serve hot or let it cool down--it's great either way.

I serve it with a salad and a nice sparkling wine, like Cava or Prosecco.