Sausage Quiche Lorraine

I'm one of those girls who loves breakfast for dinner: waffles, pancakes, omelettes, biscuits and gravy... I'm game for any of these on any given night. This quiche fits right in with my breakfast cravings and makes for a delicious and easy meal. I always make my pie crust from scratch using the basic Taste of Home recipe. It is very light and flaky and has a wonderful flavor. But if you are short on time, a pre-made pie crust from the store will work just fine. This recipe is extremely versatile because you can put any ingredients in that you have at home to make a variety of quiche flavors. This particular version is my favorite (and my husband's favorite) because it is hearty and comforting. (Picture courtesy of The Perfect Pantry)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup shortening (I use softened butter)
• 5-6 Tbsp. water

Mix the flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water in one tablespoon at a time and toss with a fork until it begins to stick together. (I usually use around 7-8 tablespoons before it starts to stick together. The dough will not be sticky like a bread dough. As soon as you can pick it up and mold it into a slightly-crumbly ball, stop adding water.) Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes so it is easier to handle. Roll out with a floured rolling pin until wide enough to easily fit inside a pie pan. Spray pie pan with cooking spray and lay the dough inside, fluting the edges around the edge of the pan.

Tip: Spray your rolling pin with cooking spray to reduce the stickiness of the dough. It makes a huge different and allows the dough to spread a lot easier!

Quiche:

• 1/2 lb. sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• handful spinach (optional)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• dash of pepper

Cook the sausage in a large saucepan until cooked through. Reserve 1 tsp. of the grease and lightly saute the onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Layer the sauge, onion, mushrooms, spinach and cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper until combined. Pour over the top of the quiche. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve with salsa and ketchup on the side.