Crustless Veggie Quiche

We eat a lot of eggs around here.  They are inexpensive, a good source of protein, and versatile.  The kids love hard-boiled eggs, egg salad, "sunny-side-up" eggs baked in a muffin tin, scrambled eggs, and omelets.  They also like a good cheesy quiche!

I will admit that I am particularly fond of quiche with a buttery, flaky crust.  However, I usually make it crustless for two reasons: 1) a good crust takes a lot of time to make, and 2) no crust means a lot fewer calories.  Despite being crustless, this recipe is still hearty and makes a fantastic main dish.  I usually serve it with a side salad ( I know, more veggies, right?!) 

Here's your ingredient list:
*2 cups of chopped veggies (we have used spinach, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, herbs, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, green onions, tomatoes, etc.  Use whatever's in your fridge)
*olive oil
*1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (we like medium cheddar, but mozzarella, swiss, colby jack, and a variety of other cheeses would do just as well)
*6 eggs, beaten
*1 cup whole milk
*salt and pepper
*small amount of butter

Now make your crustless quiche! 
1.  Heat some olive oil in a pan on the stove and saute your veggies until cooked.  This should just take a few minutes - you don't want mushy vegetables!
2.  Grease an 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan with butter and spread all the sauteed veggies in the bottom of the pan. 
3.  Add the milk to your eggs and mix well.  Add salt and pepper and the shredded cheese and stir.
4.  Pour the egg/milk/cheese mixture over the veggies in the bottom of the pan.
5.  Bake your quiche in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  The top of your quiche should be golden brown, and the center should be firm.

Then cut it into slices and serve.  I enjoy mine with salsa and a dollop of sour cream spooned on top.

(Reminder:  If you are on the Feingold Program, Stage One, there are certain produce items you need to avoid in this dish, such as peppers and tomatoes.  Otherwise, this recipe will fit the program just fine!) 

Fits the Feingold Diet: Hawaiian Pizza Alfredo

Stage One of the Feingold Elimination Diet takes out a lot of fruits and veggies with salicylic acid since some kids can definitely have a sensitivity to these foods.  One of these foods is the tomato.  Oh, how we have missed the tomato!  Little did I realize how often I made Italian or Mexican dishes in the past, all of course showcasing the tomato.  A few weeks ago, the Drama Queen asked me if there was a way we could still have pizza.  "Well, honey, we can't have tomatoes right now," was my immediate answer, but then I thought, "Why not try making a white pizza?"  And here, my friends, is the result - hawaiian pizza alfredo.
For the dough, you need:
   1 cup lukewarm water
   1 TBS active dry yeast
   1 TBS oil
   1 tsp salt
   2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
For the alfredo sauce, you need:
   4 TBS butter
   4 TBS unbleached all-purpose flour
   dash of salt
   dash of black pepper
   2 cups milk
   1/3 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
For the toppings, you need:
   1 can pineapple chunks, drained (save juice for cooking the chicken)
   1 lb cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes and cooked in the pineapple juice until no longer pink
   2 - 3 cups of shredded cheese (I used colby jack, but mozzarella would work well too)

Okay, let's make a pizza! (well, two actually...)
     Make your pizza dough first by adding the yeast to the lukewarm water and letting it sit for a couple of minutes.  Then add in the oil, salt, and 1 1/4 cups flour and mix well.  Keep adding the rest of the flour until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for six minutes until dough is smooth/elastic.  Put your dough into a large greased bowl, turn the dough over to grease the dough, and cover bowl with towel.  Put the bowl in a warm place for the dough to rise until doubled (about 80 to 90 minutes).  (I turn my oven on its lowest setting for 10 seconds and then turn it off.  The inside of the oven is then the perfect temperature for allowing the dough to rise.)  Next, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into two equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a smooth, even rectangle onto a cookie sheet.
     Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  While the oven is heating, make your alfredo sauce.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When completely melted, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and whisk until completely combined.  Pour in the milk and whisk constantly until the mixture starts to thicken.  Add the Parmesan cheese to your taste and stir to combine.  If sauce is too thick, add a little more milk.  Remove sauce from heat and immediately spread it over your pizza crusts.
     Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the alfredo sauce and then add the chunks of pineapple and chicken pieces evenly over the pizzas.  Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes, when the crust edge is lightly browned and cheese is melted.  (The center of the pizza may seem a little soft and underdone, but it is just the alfredo sauce).

Wait a few minutes, then slice up into squares and enjoy!