After yesterday’s corned beef, I wanted to prepare something a bit more delicate for tonight’s dinner. Quiche is something that the whole family enjoys, but for some reason it is a menu choice that slips my mind. Tonight I was asked to put it into the rotation and there was much table talk of potential fillings for future meals.

Tonight’s recipe:

2 frozen (Marie Calendar) pie crusts

blind bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees

8 large eggs

1 pint heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon herbs de provence

whip in mixer until thoroughly combined

1 pound grated swiss cheese

2-3 cups chopped ham

When crusts come out of the oven, sprinkle a layer of cheese on the bottom of each. Cover cheese layer with a layer of ham. Then one more layer of cheese.

Pour egg mixture slowly over each pie until just to the edge of the crust.

If you have extra stuff, make some individual crustless pies for your friends on a low carb diet! Rub ramikans lightly with butter, place cheese on bottom, then ham, then pour the eggs, then a bit more cheese (if there is room.)

I put all three ramikans on one cookie sheet, and put each pie on it’s own cookie sheet. (I had evenly placed the racks in the oven.) Bake at 350 degrees until the middle of the quiche is firm. (I check by shaking gently. The ramikans were done in about 40 minutes and the pies took about 65.)

Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

To slice easliy, invert the quiche onto a cutting board and remove the pie pan, then slice from the bottom down. (Serving is much easier if you don’t have to dig it out of the pan!) Store any leftovers in this inverted position you can reheat them on foil in the toaster oven. You get a nice temperature and a crisper crust.

I think next time it will be bacon cheeseburger quiche with carmelized onions.

Corned beef is a meal that we don’t save just for March 17 because I like it so much. And considering how well yesterday’s meal turned out, I can bet the family will be requesting this one again soon!

Step One:

Pick a decent piece of meat. Quite a few of the corned beef briskets I see for sale are rather pitiful. I have found a brand I prefer. They sell it at Fred Meyer. It’s “The Real Mc Coy.” (Nice play on words, eh?)

Step Two:

Pour the secret ingredient in the bottom of the slow cooker. (One bottle seems to be the perfect amount to add flavor without tasting “beer-ish.” If you can’t get Guinness, Killian’s Red will do.)

Step Three:

Place the brisket (fat side up) in the slow cooker along with it’s seasoning packet. Cover the meat with water and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Step Four:

An hour or so before serving, put root veggies (lightly tossed with olive oil and kosher salt) in a roasting pan in a 400 degree oven. Toss occassionally until al dente.

Step Five:

Add cabbage to slow cooker.

Step Six:

Serve and listen to the family rave about the best corned beef ever!

What I did wrong:

I thought I had cut the potatoes small enough so that they would be done at the same time as the carrots. I was wrong. I ended up pulling the carrots and cooking the potatoes for an additional 15 minutes. When the potatoes were done, I tossed the carrots back in and they were brought to temperature very quickly. No one had any idea of my error. (Well, except now, I guess.)