Basic Quiche Recipe

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 8 ounces Gruyere, grated
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 store-bought frozen piecrust in a tin

1. Heat oven to 375° F.

2. In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the parsley and cook, covered, for 2 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Stir in the Gruyère, nutmeg, the remaining salt and pepper, and the onion mixture.

4. Place the piecrust on a foil-lined baking sheet. Scrape the egg mixture into the piecrust; it will be very full. Bake until the filling is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

**Note: Tailor this quiche to your liking by stirring in a handful of chopped cooked ham or sautéed vegetables when you add the cheese.

Ultimate Trail Mix

I haven't made this yet, but it's on my list!

1 cup whole almonds
1 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup plain oats
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup orange-flavored dried cranberries
1 cup dried apricots

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Place the nuts and oats in a bowl and coat lightly with cooking spray.
• Drizzle with 1 Tbsp hone and mix in cinnamon.
• Spread nuts uevenly on a pan and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once they've cooled, add the second tablespoon of honey and dried fruit.

(4 servings at 170 calories per serving)

Simple Spinach Quiche

Unroll a 9-inch refrigerated piecrust and press it into a pie plate. Combine 2 boxes of Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle with 4 beaten eggs, 6 oz. grated swiss cheese and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Pour mixture in the pie shell. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Easy Chocolate Croissants

2 ingredients!

Unroll tube of refrigerated crescent rolls. Place about 10 chocolate chips on each triangle and roll the dough up. Place on a lined baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Juice Choices

To piggy-back on my last post...
To go with my breakfast bar, a glass of juice is good too...makes me feel a little more well-rounded. Apparently the best juices based on calories are tomato (53 calories) and grapefruit (96 calories). Since I don't like tomato juice, I do drink a lot of grapefruit juice. All the other juices are more than 100 calories. According to the experts, the top 4 juices that pack the most nutrients with the fewest calories are cranberry, grapefruit, orange and tomato.

Breakfast Bars

Unfortunately, I often have to grab a breakfast bar in the mornings. I do feel better throughout the day if I eat a decent breakfast. If I'm gonna have to do a bar, this is what "they" say is better:

• 5 grams of fiber
• 5 grams of protein
• Less than 200 calories

I just checked and I'm doing pretty good with my current selection.

Creamed Eggs

I'm visiting my Dad and he made a breakfast recipe that he made when I was a kid. I've always wanted the recipe. I got it from him tonight, so I'm posting it here before I forget it. They may not sound good, but they are!!!

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cold milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
6 boiled eggs

Melt butter in saucepan. Add in flour and stir slowly as it thickens. Add milk and cheese and stir until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice boiled eggs and add to sauce. Serve over toast or biscuit. Yummy!

Easy Omelets for a Group

• Bring water to boil in a large pan.
• Beat eggs, salt and pepper.
• Have bowls of omelet fillings...like spinach, bacon, ham, cheese, peppers, etc.
• Pour about a cup of the eggs into a quart sized Ziploc.
• Add whatever filling you'd like.
• Close bag...let all the air out.
• Drop bag into boil for about 8 minutes.
• Open bag and slide the omelet to a plate!
• Easy. Perfect make-your-own breakfast for guests or large groups.