Broccoli & Ham Quiche

I found this recipe in my 'try this sometime' folder.  It had been in there for quite a while-- but,... it should have been 'tried' sooner!

Oh, so EASY and QUICK and GOOD...

It just so happened that when this came out of the oven this morning, I had three 'guests' show up (for different reasons).  So, I asked them, "Are you willing to be my 'taste testers'?"  They all agreed-- so, to start with, I served them a 1-2 inch slice.  This was a HIT!!!!

I say, "Don't let the 'broccoli'  word keep you from trying this-- I think you will like it."  I'll go so far as to say if you think you do not like broccoli, it might be because you haven't had it .......... this way!



INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 med. onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets, washed, drained and divided into small pieces.
• 1 of 9" unbaked pie crust (I used a convenient store bought ready-made crust.)
• 1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk (or cream, if desired)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup lean ham, cut into small cubes. You could use fried and broken bacon pieces, pre-browned pork sausage, chicken, or ???  OR, you could leave all meat out and have this as a vegetarian quiche.

DIRECTIONS:

• Line 9" pie plate with unbaked crust and crimp edges as desired.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, minced onion and broccoli pieces.  When vegetables start to soften, add the minced garlic and continue only until vegetables are tender.

 

Put the tender vegetable mix into the crust-lined pie plate.*

• Spread the Mozzarella cheese evenly over the vegetable layer.*
• Beat the eggs and milk together; add salt and pepper; stir in tablespoon melted butter; pour this evenly over cheese layer.
• Spread small cubes of ham (or meat of choice) evenly over top of all and gently press them down into the liquid with back of spoon.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350-degrees UNTIL the center is 'set' (that is, until center area doesn't jiggle when moved slightly).  For my oven, this took about 50 minutes.  Once you find out how this bakes with your oven, make a note of it for next time.
 
While I was waiting for the recipe to bake, I hung a lot of bedding on the line--  I just 'had' to take advantage of this beautiful day here!  (Gonna sleep good tonight with the smell of all this line-dried and aired out bedding surrounding me!)

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This was oh, so pretty when it came out of the oven!

*  Some like to put the layer of cheese into the unbaked crust first; then the veggies, and then the milk.   I think this is a recipe you could 'play' with-- using sweet peppers, mushrooms, and whatever else makes you 'hum'!