Stretching My Food $$ - Eggs

 

Except for that brief period when they were off the chart crazy expensive, ($7 a dozen! Are you out of your mind?!) eggs pack a lot of nutritional bang for the buck.  Their versatility makes them a great staple item to always have on hand.  I am fortunate in that I have a space to keep hens in my backyard and not only do they provide me with fresh organic eggs, but also loads of entertainment on a daily basis.  I love my girls!

 

I do use them occasionally for baking, but most of my eggs end up in main dishes like scrambles, omelets, breakfast burritos or sandwiches, breakfast hash or my most favorite way – quiche.  I love to prepare many varieties of quiche.  They only use a handful of eggs, three to six, depending on the size of the quiche you want to prepare and you can fill them with so many different things like meat, cheese and/or vegetables making them not only packed full of good fats and nutrients, but also great flavor.  Quiche is a perfect way to use up leftovers too.

 

You can make a quiche in a pie crust or on its own in a buttered baking dish.  I happen to have two mini pie pans that I like to use to make small four serving quiches.  I will line the pans with a pie crust and fill both of them with a single recipe that I split between the two pans.  If I’m meal prepping I can freeze these raw, wrap them in plastic and whenever I’m ready just unwrap and bake them in the oven while they are still frozen.

 

Basic Quiche 

6 eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

½ to 1 cup grated cheese

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper 

In a bowl crack eggs and blend with a fork.  Mix in cream and beat until smooth and light.  Stir in cheese, salt and pepper until well combined.  Pour into a prepared 9”deep  pie crust or well butter deep dish pie pan.  Bake in a preheated 350° degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes until center is set and top is golden brown.  Makes 8 servings.

 

Add ins: 

Sauteed diced onions, peppers, grated zucchini, grated carrot.

Fresh or frozen chopped broccoli or asparagus

Diced ham or crumbled bacon

Browned and drained sausage or ground beef

Finely diced chicken and chopped artichokes

Roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes

 

This recipe is good for making a nice large quiche, but also two small ones.  I love to make broccoli and cheddar cheese quiche.  One of my favorites is sausage and grated Swiss cheese.  Both of these combinations are so simple, yet really tasty.  Diced ham or bacon with sautéed vegetables, oh my goodness!

 

Hard boiled eggs are great on their own, but also good for making deviled eggs or egg salad.  I chop them and add them to potato or pasta salads, tuna salad, or even fresh green salads for extra boosts of protein.  Club or Cobb salad for the win!  I used hard boiled eggs a lot in my meals.  Good nutrition, still economical and very tasty.  Eggs are still a great value!