Let’s Cook! – January 18, 2023
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LINDA HOSKINS
The other day I had quite a bit of chopped ham to use up, so I found this recipe online for Ham and Hash Brown Quiche. It was quite good, we both liked it a lot. Now, before you turn away thinking “I don’t like quiche” or “my husband won’t eat quiche”, check out this recipe! Instead of the traditional pie crust, the crust is made with the hash browns. That’s different! I made this for supper, and then in the morning we finished it up for breakfast. It reheats quite well in the microwave. If serving it for breakfast, add some fresh fruit and you have a nice meal. Or serve it for supper along with a tossed salad.
HAM AND HASH BROWN QUICHE
■ 3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
■ 3 Tbsp butter, melted
■ 1 cup cooked chopped ham
■ 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
■ 1/4 cup chopped onion
■ 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
■ 4 eggs
■ 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
■ 1/2 tsp salt
■ 1/4 tsp pepper
Press the thawed potatoes between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture. Place in a pie pan, press onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 425 degrees 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
Combine the ham, cheese, onion and green pepper. Spread evenly over the crust. In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the ham mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until set.
I think the next time I make this, I may use red pepper to add a touch of color, and I think a bit of jalapeno will spice it up a bit. This is a recipe you can easily play around with. Add what your family likes. It would probably be great with cooked sausage instead of ham.The above recipe was really easy to make because I already had chopped ham, and I always keep some chopped onion and chopped green pepper in the freezer. If you do make this recipe, be sure to press the ham mixture down evenly. I didn’t realize when I made mine, the mixture was higher on one side, and then I poured the egg on, all the egg ran to the other side. I was able to flatten it a bit and spread the egg around more evenly. I used a regular pie pan, did not need a deep dish pan for this recipe.
Quiche is a French tart consisting of a pastry crust filled with eggs, cheese and meat. The most well known form of quiche is quiche Lorraine which has bacon. It can be served hot or cold. Although Quiche is considered to be a French dish, it has been found in English cuisine as far back as the 14th century and in Italian cuisine in the 13th century. Quiche took quite a hit back in 1982 when Bruce Feirstein published the book “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche”. Just so you know, that book was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 55 weeks and sold over 1.6 million copies. Even though the book was written to be funny, many men took it to heart and refused to eat quiche. After the book was published, quiche was long considered to be an entree for a women’s luncheon.
I would like to hear from you your special recipe for Valentine’s Day. Do you have a special dinner you make or perhaps a delicious dessert? If you have such a recipe, please send it as early as possible so I can get it printed well ahead of Valentine’s Day. Please send it to letscook!@heraldpubs.com or mail to Mascoutah Herald, PO Box C, Mascoutah IL 62258. Please tell us where you got your recipe, did you find it in a church cookbook or perhaps create it yourself? Also, include your hometown as this column is printed in a number of newspapers in Southern Illinois and Missouri. If you wish, I will leave your name and town out of the paper. Thanks, and Happy Cooking!
