Hash Brown Quiche

Family dinners have been sorta non-existent around here. This summer we've been go-go-go and although we've been having a ball, I've sorta missed cooking dinner and sitting down to eat at our little dining table. I think I've only been to the grocery store once in the last 2 1/2 weeks, which has got to be a record for me!

Yesterday, I went to the grocery store (finally) and picked up ingredients to make quiche for dinner. I recalled Paula Deen making a quiche using a hash brown crust on her show awhile ago. I thought that was sort of a radical idea and it stuck with me. I'm usually not too jazzed on recipes that mess with a timeless classic, like quiche, but I thought this idea was accessible and I thought you all might respond to it. I was really pleased with the results and the four of us downed the whole quiche in one sitting! Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by today!

Recipe (9 in pie plate):

3 cups hash browns, thawed

5 tablespoons butter, melted (4 tablespoons for crust and 1 tablespoon to saute onion and pepper)

4 large eggs, beaten until smooth

1 1/4 cups milk (don't go any lower then 2%, pretty please)

1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3/4 cup diced cooked ham (I used Boars Head brand ham from my grocers deli)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spread 3 cups of thawed and refrigerated hash browns out on paper-towels. Allow excess moisture to drain and pat dry.

Combine melted butter and hash browns in a bowl. Press and mold buttered hash browns evenly into a 9 inch pie plate to form the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until hash browns are browned and crisping up.

While the hash brown crust bakes, prepare the filling:

Saute green onion and red bell pepper with a tablespoon of butter. Cook until softened.

Combine beaten eggs and milk in a large mixing bowl. Add cheese, ham and cooked onion and red pepper. Shake a little pepper in and a pinch of salt. You don't need to season much because of the ham, cheese and butter already in the dish that will add a lot of salt. When the hash brown crust is ready, carefully pour the egg mixture over it and return to oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes or until the quiche is golden brown on top and puffed and/or set in the middle and jiggles only slightly.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

images by Briana

recipe for the filling is my own, the hash brown crust measurements are Paula Deens