I’m not sure exactly how to say this, so I’m just going to go ahead and put it out there.
For the first time in…. ever… I had fun at a baby shower. ย Real time, legitimate good times at a baby shower. ย I wasn’t even faking it, not even a little bit.
I’m going to stand by what may be an unpopular position. ย In the past I’ve found most baby showers I’ve had to attend, a troubling combination of boring and humiliating. ย Between standing around listening to various labor horror stories and playing disgusting baby games that involve Tootsie Rolls and diapers, I typically just barely manage a fake smile.
This weekend’s baby shower was different. ย My friends Mitch and Lara got together, got married, and made another human that Lara is currently growing in her belly. ย These people are filled with hilarity, and an uncommon and humble goodness. ย Watching them open their baby gifts with grace and a downright speedy efficiency (thanks!), I couldn’t help but imagine their little girl filling the onesies, hats and socks they received. ย While it may sound silly, the reality of this impending life became more lovely and amazing as each gift was opened.
That I may or may not have been able to cheat at one of the baby team relay games has very little to do with me having a great time at the shower. ย Don’t press me on this. ย Please.
Now, without a well-crafted transition, I bring you Crustless But Still Dang Good Quiche.
Yes, I think the best part of a slice of quiche is the crust. ย Yes, I still made this quiche without crust. ย Sometimes crust, with all of its cutting butter and dusting and rolling pins, seem just a little too daunting for my late morning weekend breakfast. ย It turns out, if you slather the pie plate with butter, the quiche will bake up beautifully and when sliced, jump out of the dish with no problem.
I used a combination of spinach, mushroom, walnuts and blue cheese in this quiche. ย Feel free to play around with any ingredients you might have on hand. ย Next time I make this, I’m going to stay away from blue cheese. ย The flavor almost took over the whole quiche. ย I think a nice cheddar or gruyere would work better.
Crustless Quiche with Spinach, Mushrooms and Walnuts
adapted from The Good Egg
1 10-12 ounce bag of spinach, stems trimmed
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup half and half
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (I would suggest using cheddar or gruyere instead)
3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts or lightly toasted pine nuts
butter for greasing the pie plate
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. ย Butter a 9-inch pie dish and set aside.
Place the spinach in a large pot, cover and cook over medium heat just until wilted, about 3 minutes. ย Remove from the heat and spoon into a strainer set over ย a bowl. ย Let cool.
Press hard on the spinach in the strainer with the back of a spoon to remove most of the moisture, then squeeze in your hands to remove more. ย Turn out onto a cutting board and coarsely chop ย Place between two layers of paper towels or wrap in a clean kitchen towelย and press to remove more moisture. ย You should have about 1 cup packed spinach. ย Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. ย Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. ย Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes more. ย Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until any remaining moisture has evaporated, about 2 minutes. ย Remove from heat. ย Add a pinch of salt (the cheese is salty, so you won’t need much) and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light. ย Stir in the half and half. ย Spoon the spinach mixture evenly into the buttered pie dish. ย Sprinkle with the cheese and nuts. ย Pour in the egg mixture.
Bake the quiche until puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. ย Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into generous wedges.
107 Responses
YUMMY AND GF!! Today I did one with asparagus! Waiting for it to bake now!