Quiche, Two Ways

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I love quiche.  I was under the impression that Hubsy does not love quiche, so I haven't made one in a very long time.  (Note: I was wrong.  He does not like onion-dominated quiche, but likes quiche in general.)

I had a delicious quiche a few weeks ago (at Starbucks!  Of all places!) and have been craving quiche ever since.  Today was going to be The Day I Made Quiche.  (Originally it was yesterday, but as any mom of a toddler knows, you don't plan to start something like quiche at 4pm.  It will either get made at midnight, or not at all.)

Quiche isn't difficult.  At all.

Here is how I used to make my quiche:

Night before:

Make a crust.  This is easy as pie, particularly if you have a food processor.
1.5 cups flour, 1 stick of cold butter, 1/4 tsp salt, a little pepper (it is a quiche) and 1/4 c. cold cold water.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper.  Cut up the butter and throw it all (except the water) into the food processor and blend, adding water slowly, until a ball forms.  Wrap that up and put it in the refrigerator.
Wash the processor, and do whatever with the rest of my evening.

Next day:
Roll out and lightly bake the crust.
Toss together quiche fillings. Fill the crust and bake while eating leftover crust bits with jam.
Take the quiche out and let it rest for a few hours.

Eat some delicious quiche.


Here is my new reality - how I make my quiche with a toddler.

Night before:
I can't find my keys, I don't know what I went upstairs for, and these blocks need to be picked up for the 45th time today.

Next morning:
5am: I haven't come to terms with being awake so early, but I'm going to get this quiche made.  Take the spinach out of the freezer.
10am: Right, I'm making quiche for lunch.  Start The Hunt.  Toddler has realized that she reaches the measuring cup drawer if she stands on her toes.  Most of my measuring tools are missing.  All except for the 1/3 cup, which is not useful at all.  Check the obvious places: under couch, in drawers, in the dishwasher, recycling, bath tub, diaper pail, dog bowl, dog bed... nothing.  Finally find the 1/4 cup in the "sensory bin" tub and do all measuring with this.
Now we need to find the parts to the food processor.  I have a vague memory of screeching and gingerly taking the blade away from the baby two mornings ago when she discovered the cabinate and somehow unbaby-proofed the lock box the blades are stored in.  Search all high places and drawers.  No luck.  Find a dough blade (dough blade?) and use that.  Only it won't go on the stick in the middle.  Make it fit!  Regrets are for later, right?  After-quiche later.
Okay.  The dough gets made and into the refrigerator.  It needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour. 45 minutes ought to do it.  Start to make tea.  Get caught up in cleaning the living room and locating other missing kitchen utensils, and forget tea.  And that I'm making quiche.

11:45 -
Roll out the dough.  Fairly easy.
Make the filling.  The spinach is defrosted, nearly six hours later.  Squeeze the spinach fairly well, then toss in a whole can of artichoke hearts that I've minced, since my toddler can't eat the leaves unless they are teensy.  Cheese?  Dump it in.  Pour in some milk and some egg whites (and a few whole eggs... we're healthy now, but we like delicious, too) and pour it into the shell (not as baked as it should be, but close enough).
Share the crust and jam.  Yell at the dog for snatching crust from the baby and give very sad baby your crust while putting the dog in her crate.

Bake the quiche.  Try to explain to the 16-month-old that it needs to set.  (Ha!)  Try and convince her that the banana you cut up is just as good as the quiche, you swear!

20 minutes later - cool enough.  We're eating this thing.  Having not set, it is runny, but it is still delicious.

All that said, I prefer my crazy quiche over my calm quiche.  Because sharing quiche with your kid is infinitely better than the former.

And I can serve it on the fun Ikea kiddo plates!