Happy Easter & a recipe for "Manly Quiche"

Hope you all have a nice Easter weekend.  I've been cooking a lot this weekend.  When I was growing up, it seems like having a ham for Easter dinner was our family tradition.  Now that I cook for my family, we buy a big Black Forrest Ham from Sam's Club about two times a year.  We cut it in half right away and freeze half.  We use the ham in lots of ways so I've decided this will be a post to share some ideas for what to do with ham left overs... just in case having ham at Easter is a tradition for you as well.

• Ham and Au Gratin Potatoes/Scalloped Potatoes.
• Ham and Eggs
• Ham, Egg, Potato, and Cheese Burritos (we have this for dinner or breakfast):  We chop up some ham, scramble it into some eggs, and cook that up.  I make hash brown potatoes with shredded potatoes.  We fill warmed flour tortillas with a little scrambled ham and eggs, some cooked hash brown potatoes, and some grated cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese.  Top with salsa if desired.  Yum!  I use my George Foreman Grill to cook the hash brown potatoes.  Easy!
• Quiche:  I just popped one in the oven about an hour ago... here's the recipe.

Manly Quiche (or Quiche with a BIG Kick)

I am calling this "manly quiche" because it will grow hair on your chest!  Just kidding.  Remember the old saying... "Real men DON'T eat QUICHE!"  Well, even the manliest man will approve of this version of quiche.  I offered to make a quiche for my husband today using some of the leftover ham and he asked that I add some jalapeno peppers.  In keeping with the spicy theme, I used pepper jack cheese.

Ingredients:

1 un-baked pie crust (Click HERE for the pie crust recipe I use) or use a frozen crust (such as Pillsbury brand unbaked pie crust found in the freezer section) or use your favorite pie crust recipe.

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded pepper jack or Monterrey jack cheese

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup diced onion (I used a red onion)

6 ounces diced ham (approximately 1 cup)

3 large or extra large eggs

1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons finely diced pickled jalapeno slices (I used La Costena Pickled Jalapeno Nacho slices)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate; flute if desired. Cover bottom of pie crust with shredded cheese; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender.  Add the ham to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, an additional 3 or 4 minutes (this will remove any excess moisture from the ham) over medium to medium-low heat.  Spoon the ham-onion mixture evenly over the cheese in the pie crust. Sprinkle diced jalapenos over the ham-onion mixture.

3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs, evaporated milk, salt, & pepper. Carefully poor the egg mixture into the pie crust.

4. Bake the quiche for approximately 50 to 55 minutes. Quiche is done when a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow quiche to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into 8 wedges.

If you would like to try a milder quiche, here are two more quiche recipes (one with a crust and one without a crust).

• Quiche with Ham, Swiss, Peppers, and Green Onions.
• Crustless Quinoa Quiche.

I just had to show you my Jello made in my new Jello molds.  Can you make out the designs?  Top photo... from left to right... an Easter Bunny, a decorated Easter Egg, and a Chick popping out of an Easter Egg.

Bottom Photo:  An Easter Basket filled with Easter Eggs.  Fun!