Freezing Eggs

I don't know what made me think I could go through 40 eggs in a month.  The sale was two 20-packs for $4, or 10¢ each.  I'm still paranoid about egg prices since the bird flu shortage.  I tried baking and adding them to other dishes, but I only have breakfast at home 4-5 days per week.  Plus, I was about to go on vacation for a week.  It was time to look for other ways of preserving them.

You can't freeze hard-boiled eggs.  It turns the whites into water.  You can dehydrate yolks, and the new dehydrator came with a recipe.  You salt-cure them first, then dry into something similar to a cheese that is then grated.  Not something I'm interested in.  That left freezing them uncooked.

You can freeze the yolks and whites of raw eggs separately.  The whites will not be usable for meringues, but you can scramble them up.  The yolks will still have their thickening power.  The majority of the eggs I use are for omelets and whole in baked goods, so I went the scrambled route.

The process is very easy.  Crack into a bowl and scramble.  You can add a pinch of salt and/or pepper to make seasoned eggs.  Not knowing the final use, I opted for plain.  Pour the egg into ice cube trays or silicone muffin cups.  Freeze, pop out, repeat until you've made as many as you want.

The frozen eggs can then be transferred to a freezer bag or other container and kept frozen.  To use, bring out desired number and thaw overnight in the fridge.  Scramble them back up to redistribute the water content and you're good to go.  The bags will be a loss, as I don't reuse plastic bags that have held foods requiring cooking.  I could have used the FoodSaver, but I wanted to be able to store many in one bag and pull out one or two as needed.

I'm not going to do this all the time, but it was a solution to the problem on this day.  It turns the eggs into a long-term food item, with a storage time of up to three months.  And I will watch my urge to get a good deal in the future.

Spinach and Eggplant Frittata

Breakfast for dinner isn't only about pancakes.  There are plenty of brunch foods that are great for a late-summer dinner.

This was a fantastic idea on a hot day until I realized I like to finish my frittatas under the broiler.  Yes, I could have skipped that step, but it toasts up the cheese and makes sure the middle sets.  By then, I had cracked all the eggs, so it just happened.

The additional sides in this mezze meal that I didn't blog this week were tomato and garlic confit to zing up the frittata and pickled tomatoes (not green, about half ripe) as a way to cut all the oil in the rest of the meal.

Olive oil as needed
1 C diced onion
1 small or Japanese eggplant (8 oz), grated
1 C frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
*1/4 tsp dried tarragon
*1/2 tsp dried cilantro
4 eggs
1/2 C milk
*1/4 C grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

1.  In a 12" skillet, drizzle about 2 Tb olive oil and heat over medium.  Add the diced onion and cook until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes.  That will give you time to grate the eggplant.  I fully intended to do it on the box grater, then realized I was getting out the processor anyway for the dip and put on the shredding disc.  Same amount of time, when you consider washing the extra blade and lid, but easier on my arm.

2.  Add eggplant and spinach to the skillet.  Sprinkle with the salt and tarragon.  Allow to cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant has wilted and most of the liquid is gone.  Set aside.

3.  In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.  Frittatas traditionally have less milk in them than you would expect.  They also are not beaten very much.  Just get them to evenly mixed.  If they're frothy, the whole thing will rise, collapse, and get rubbery.

4.  Add the slightly cooled vegetable mixture to the eggs and stir to combine.  Wipe out the skillet and drizzle with oil to coat the bottom.  The nonstick on my 12" is shot, so I did it in two batches in the omelette pan.  Preheat over medium-low and get the oven broiler going.

5.  Add mixture to the warm skillet.  Once it starts to set, cover and cook for 10 minutes.  It can still be slightly wet on top, but should not jiggle excessively when shaken.  Remove lid, sprinkle with cheese, and place under the broiler for 5 minutes, to toast the cheese.

6.  Remember to wear oven mitts when you remove the pan from the oven.  Allow to cool in the pan a few minutes, to set the egg, then loosen with a spatula before sliding off onto a board.  Cut into wedges and serve.

Difficulty rating  :)

Breakfast Protein Options

Shell shock is taking on a new meaning these days.  $9 per dozen, or 75¢ per egg.  Eggs were always the affordable animal protein, and I go through a lot since I went on the low carb diet.  Everyone has also figured out my hack of buying the quart of liquid eggs when they're cheaper than the shell ones, so there's a shortage of that.  So my challenge is how to come up with at least 5 grams of protein for less than 75¢.

Meats are an obvious choice.  A 2-3 ounce portion of most meats provides more protein than two eggs.  Chicken is currently the cheapest, at under $2 per pound for bone-in and $3 for boneless/skinless when you can find a deal.  Bird flu hasn't hit the meat bird flocks as hard as it has the laying hens, but this could easily become an unaffordable option.  Chicken does take longer to cook than some other meats because there's no rare option, so I'll have to decide if I really want to make this in the morning.

Mammals are the next category.  Pork is the cheapest, and of course pork sausage is easily available at a decent price and always has been.  I'm just already getting tired of it.  I haven't made beef sausage in a long time, so I might explore that recipe again if I find a deal.  I haven't seen $3 ground beef in forever except for clearance packs.

Many cultures eat fish at breakfast.  Not just lox.  Scandinavians tend to have salted or pickled fish, but Asians will eat steamed or roasted fish any time of day.  It is not budget friendly, but I did see $1.25 cans at Dollar Tree I should have picked up.  They had sardines and mackerel, with three servings per can.  Those frozen packs that are often on special cook down to nothing.  I like the pickled herring in a jar as a treat; it can get pricey.  I can't deny that adding fish to your diet on a regular basis is good for you.

Dairy isn't as high in protein as meats, and has about the same fat.  I already put cheese on my omelets.  I could just serve a one-ounce slice on the side instead of the egg.  Cottage cheese is a lower fat option.  I tend to have yogurt for lunch or snack, so I probably won't have it at breakfast.  3/4 C of Greek yogurt is actually higher in protein than most dairy options.

Then there are the vegan proteins.  Nuts and nut butters are good.  I haven't made my home-made Nutella in a very long time, but that counts as a protein when you make it yourself and don't add as much sugar as the commercial version.  All legumes have about the same amount of protein, but I generally don't want beans at breakfast.  The British do it, but that's too early for me.  Then there's tofu.  I bought some for a stir fry and actually read the package: 9g per serving of protein, and the other metrics are very healthy.  Upside, it has the consistency of cooked scrambled eggs and tastes like whatever you put on it.  Downside, it's tofu.  It does qualify as budget-friendly, at roughly 50¢ per serving.

I can always cheat and stir protein powder into my coffee.  It's a legit thing, and frankly way better for me than sweetened creamer.  I use it at work to make banana mocha milkshakes, since that blender is much easier to clean than my own.  Processed anything isn't as good for you as the natural source, even a protein supplement.  It's an easy out.

I'm going to keep experimenting and scouring the sale flyers for ideas.  There may be more breakfast posts as I test ideas.  I did get one dozen at Trader Joe's, which has a locked-in price with their supplier for however long the contract is.  I'm sure it will expire before supplies normalize.  This scarcity is going to last a lot longer than it did two years ago, and with worse prices.  Chickens aren't going extinct.  They expect the replacement flocks to be laying around the end of summer.

Omelet Muffins

I've been wanting silicone muffin cups for several months, just to make these.  I wasn't seeing what I wanted at Michaels, though they did have one mold that makes 3-tier cupcakes that look like mini wedding cakes.  Then I found a six-cupcake one at the 99¢ Store for $2.  Sold.

While these make excellent pieces for a brunch buffet, my intent was for meal prep.  Some mornings, I would rather stay in bed ten more minutes than get up to make a hot breakfast.  Once baked, these can be popped out and frozen, then nuked as needed.  That was the point behind the silicone molds.

Like a quiche, you can put whatever you want in them.  I had some latkes left in the freezer from Christmas, so they went on the bottom.  You could use cooked hash browns.  Or not, if you aren't a hash brown person.  I added some cheddar and a little bit of veggies I scrounged up.  You could do sausage or bacon.  This is very much a build your own thing.

Does it work in a regular muffin pan?  I'm not brave enough to find out.  You would have to grease the heck out of it.  There's a reason quiches have a crust.

4 eggs
1/2 C milk
*about 1 C of fillings like sausage, potatoes, cheese, veggies, etc. Meat and potatoes should be pre-cooked
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 325º and get out a 6-count silicone muffin pan.  Whisk together eggs, milk, and a little salt and pepper.  I also added paprika.  Set aside.

2.  Evenly distribute fillings between the 6 muffin cups.  If you have an ingredient that tends to be greasy, like sausage or fried potatoes, put that at the bottom to help release.

3.  Pour egg mixture into muffin cups, trying to get all filled the same amount.  It helps to jiggle them a little, to settle out any air pockets.

4.  Bake about 30 minutes, until eggs are set.  Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out to cool completely.  Don't worry if they deflate a bit or shrink up.  Eggs do that as they cool.

5.  Serve warm or cold.  If freezing, refrigerate before wrapping in plastic and sealing in a baggie or container.

Makes 6, or 3-4 servings

Difficulty rating  π

Squash Frittata

 

I am eating sooo many eggs now.  Good thing the price is "normal" again.  I've gone from a couple a week to nearly one every day.  I do use boxed egg whites when possible, but they aren't always available the days I'm looking for them.  I bought a quart of the whites with additives to make them seem like whole eggs when they were in stock, instead of just the pint.  It's what I use for egg washes.  They're usually good for a month to six weeks.

Generally speaking, frittatas are quick and easy dinners.  They're crustless quiches with less milk.  This one requires a little more work because you have to pre-cook the squash.  This can be done the day before, or even up to three days before.  Since I didn't need the whole squash, part of it went into the freezer for another recipe.  You could use defrosted squash for this, as long as you drain it first.  I have been freezing so much lately, I already needed to order more rolls for the Food Saver.

I chose to roast a spaghetti squash, primarily because that was the leftovers I wanted.  Acorn squash, butternut, or even pumpkin work equally well here.  I didn't check before buying to see if winter squashes were compatible with a reduced-carb diet, but it turns out they are highly recommended for their nutritional value.  One cup counts as a carb serving, and that's more than I normally have.  Whew.

1 squash of choice, minimum 2 lbs
1/2 C diced onion
*3 eggs
3 egg whites (1/2 C)
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment for easier cleaning.  Wash squash.  Spaghetti squash is best roasted whole.  Other kinds can be cut in halves or quarters first and de-seeded prior to cooking.  Roast until flesh is tender, anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the variety and size of squash.

2.  Once squash has had a chance to cool, peel and remove any lingering seeds.  For spaghetti squash, cut, de-seed, and pull the flesh fibers.  Chop firmer varieties into smaller pieces, or even mash to get the consistency you would like.  Measure out 3 cups of squash, and find something else to do with the rest.  Either refrigerate for later or continue the recipe.

3.  Start preheating oven to 350º.  Heat a 10", oven-safe skillet with about a tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Cook onion until softened, about 5-8 minutes, while you prepare the custard.

4.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, sage, salt, and pepper until well mixed.  Stir in the 3 cups of squash.  Once onion is cooked and slightly cooled, add to mixture.

5.  Add enough oil to the same skillet to lightly coat the bottom and swirl up the sides a bit.  Pour custard into the warm skillet and push it around to distribute solids evenly.  Bake 20-30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned around the edges.

6.  Using oven mitts, remove skillet from oven.  Gently loosen frittata from pan and slide onto a cutting board.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Can be served hot, warm, or room temperature, but remember that it's eggs.  Don't let it sit out a long time, and be sure to finish leftovers within a couple of days.

Difficulty rating  :)

Creamed Corn Tart

 

I decided to make a quiche to use up some of the corn I had bought in March.  I bought havarti for it because it was on sale, then went looking for recipes.  All the Southern ones use whole kernel corn and cheddar.  Fine, I decided to go off on my own and make a vaguely French version of a corn and cheese pie.

My pot of tarragon never did well.  I picked the only surviving sprig and hung it up on the knob I usually dry basil on.  The same day, I moved the chives indoors to the kitchen greenhouse window, where they are finally flourishing.  I'll try that with the tarragon when it comes time to seed it again.  Even though it's Mexican tarragon, not French, I decided to use it as the herb for this pie.

I'm using the pâté brisée recipe for the crust, but subbing in some of my excess wheat flour.  I'm making progress.  There's still half a gallon of it in the freezer though.

For the Crust

1 C flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 C butter or margarine, cut in chunks
1 egg
1-2 Tb cold water

1.  Either in a bowl or food processor, combine flour and salt.  Cut in butter about halfway.  Add the egg and pulse or cut into a crumbly mess.  Add 1 Tb water at a time until it just barely holds together.

2.  Pour out onto a work surface and knead a couple of strokes into a ball without adding any more flour or water.  Wrap in wax paper and chill 2 hours.

3.  Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface and place in either a tart pan or large pie pan.  I remembered to take a photo this time.  Chill until ready to use.

Filling and Assembly

*1 14 oz can cream style sweet corn
*1/2 C half-and-half
3 eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
*1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
4 oz Havarti cheese, preferably shredded, but finely chopped is ok

1.  Preheat oven to 400º.  In a bowl, whisk together corn, half-and-half, eggs, salt, and pepper.

2.  I prefer to put the other fillings in the crust before the custard, so I can see that they are evenly distributed.  Sprinkle onion, 3/4 of the cheese, and tarragon in chilled crust.

3.  Pour custard over onion and cheese, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 400º for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375º and bake another 35-40 minutes, until set and crust is golden.

4.  Allow to cool before cutting and serving, especially if it's in a removable-bottom tart pan and you plan to put it on a pretty platter.  Can also be served chilled, and is a good do-ahead for brunch the next day.

Makes one pie, 4-6 main servings or up to 10 as a side.

Difficulty rating  :)

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole

Without spare boxes of matzoh for making brei and granola, I had to come up with something else for breakfast.  I had more than one potato dish planned during Passover and bought the five-pound bag of russets.  That left more than enough for a potato casserole.

Because I keep kosher during Passover, I did not add sausage to this.  Really wanted to.  Really, really wanted to.  I'm sure I will any other week of the year I decide to make this again.

Because I wanted the potatoes a bit crispy, this does take over an hour and one more pan than I wanted to use.  Maybe it's better suited to brunch than starting at 5am.  You could also cook the veggies the evening before and bake it in the morning, adding the egg and cheese then.

My regrown green onions started producing scapes (bud stalks), so I chopped those up for my green onion.  I had one Roma tomato from an impulse buy that became color for the casserole.  A red pepper would serve the same purpose, and should also be pre-sautéed.  Like in a quiche, any added veggies other than leafy greens won't really cook.

*2 stalks green onion, finely chopped
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
*1 Roma tomato, diced
*2 medium Russet potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes
3 eggs
*1/2 C milk or 1/4 C heavy cream
1 C shredded cheddar or other favorite cheese

1.  In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium.  Add green onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Cook until the potatoes are browned and crispy, stirring often.  This is going to take at least 10 minutes.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 350º and grease an 8x8 casserole.  Beat eggs and milk in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Add cooked potatoes and onions to the casserole, then add diced tomatoes to the same skillet.  Add a few more drops of oil if too dry.  Cook tomatoes until they start to break down, about 5 minutes, then add to the casserole.

4.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables, then sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake 45 minutes, until egg custard has set.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4-6, depending on side dishes

Difficulty rating  :)

Herb and Cheese Quiche

I decided on a use for my last store-bought frozen pie crust.  It has been on the top shelf of the chest freezer for many months, mocking me every time I open the lid.  The few pies I've made lately have required specialty crusts or were unusual sizes.  All of my upcoming pie-related projects are also going to be from-scratch.

If you're not making the crust yourself, quiches are as easy as scrambled eggs.  Just because something has a French name doesn't mean it's difficult or requires special equipment.

For the purpose of this quiche, celery is an herb.  It really is anyway, but we treat the stalks as a vegetable.  My regrown celery is more of a bush, with huge leaves.  I used them instead of buying parsley, and probably will for the foreseeable future.  If I didn't already have celery salt, I would dehydrate a lot of the stems and pulverize them into powder.  I did that with the rest of the fresh lemongrass from the satay because it was starting to turn.  If you have a convection oven, check your manual.  You probably have a dehydrator option.

Remember, if you're spending a lot of money on a quiche, you're doing it wrong.  Use whatever cheese you have on hand.  Get rid of some herbs when you didn't need the whole bunch for a recipe.  You can use half and half or cream if you have it instead of milk, but that isn't necessary.  Quiches were invented to clear out leftovers.

*1 9" pie crust, bottom only
3 eggs
1 C milk
*4 oz soft cheese of choice, shredded
*2 C assorted fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, basil, celery, oregano, etc
*1 stalk celery
*2 Tb onion (I used the white of the green onion)
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and white pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 375º.  If crust was frozen, allow to thaw while you prepare the filling.  Place it on a rimmed baking sheet in case of overflow.

2.  Finely chop celery stalk and onion.  Cook in oil over medium heat just to soften, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

3.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and shredded cheese.  Whisk in a bit of salt and white pepper.  Chop up the fresh herbs and add to the mix, then stir in the cooked mixture.  I put them in after, and they just floated.  Coating them in egg will give you more at the bottom of the crust when you cut it.

4.  Pour filling into the pie crust.  Bake at 375º for 20 minutes.  Lower heat to 325º and cook until set, about 15-20 minutes more.  The crust should be golden but not dark, and a knife inserted into the center should come out clean.  Allow to rest 15 minutes before cutting.  Can also be made ahead and refrigerated.  Serve hot, room temperature, or cold.

Serves 6

Difficulty rating  π

Egg White Frittata

I've been eating more meat than usual and decided to have a lighter meal.  What's better than breakfast for dinner?!  On the other hand, I'm still supposed to be trying to lower my cholesterol, so two-egg meals are kind of off my diet.  Egg whites, however, are cholesterol-free.

Frittatas can be an easy cheat that you throw together at the last second.  Of course, I had to go the hard way and prep a lot of veggies.  It still only took half an hour.

I'm not expecting you to use the cabbage that I did.  I had a quarter of one left in the fridge.  Spinach, kale, or another leafy green will fit nicely.  What surprised me was that the tomato kind of filled in the flavor profile of the missing egg yolks.  Artichoke, eggplant, or zucchini probably would too.

Feel free to use regular or green onions in your version.  I went for leek because my scrap garden one was bolting for a second time and had grown into a 2 foot tall monster.  I used the dense parts for this and stashed the leaves and scape in the fridge for a later recipe.

*2 C leafy green like cabbage, spinach, kale, etc
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
*1/2 C diced onion, shallot, or leek
2 Tb olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1/4 tsp kosher salt
white pepper to taste
1 C egg whites (boxed ok), or 8 if you're separating
1/4 C milk
*1/2 C shredded mozzarella

1.  Drizzle 1 Tb oil into a 10" oven-safe skillet and heat over medium.  Add onion to the pan and cook until softened.  Add diced tomatoes with their juice, salt, pepper, and parsley and continue to cook until broken down, about 10 minutes.  Start preheating oven to 350º.

2.  Finely chop leafy green and add to pan.  Cook until wilted.  Time will differ depending on type of greens used.  Transfer to a bowl for a moment while you wipe down the pan.

3.  Return cleaned skillet to medium heat.  Add other tablespoon of oil to the skillet and turn pan to coat.  Return vegetable mixture to the pan and distribute evenly.

4.  Whisk together egg whites and milk just until evenly distributed.  Don't get the whites frothy.  Pour egg whites into pan, then sprinkle top with cheese.  Cook on the stove until it starts to set, 1-2 minutes.  Place skillet in oven and cook until done, about 15 minutes.

5.  Allow frittata to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then carefully slide out onto a plate.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Can be eaten hot, room temperature, or chilled.  Leftovers should be eaten within 1-2 days.

Difficulty rating  π

Monte Cristo Sandwich

I had some Swiss left over from the quiche Lorraine and went in search of something interesting to do with it.  I haven't had a Monte Cristo in ages, mainly because they're hard to find in diners and I never think to make them at home.

A cousin of the croque monsieur, it's basically a ham and Swiss melt inside French toast.  You can use deli turkey if you're not a fan of ham.  Great for brunches, they only need a side salad to be a complete meal.  I opened the last jar of daikon and carrot pickles for the occasion.

Strawberry jam is a common condiment for these sandwiches, but I still haven't made this year's batch.  I used the last of the spiced plum jam, and it was an excellent combination.  What that told me was that the jam would make a nice sauce with a holiday ham, maybe mixed together with a brown mustard.

I'm not a fan of putting mayo on sandwiches, but it serves a real purpose here.  It insulates the bread so the egg custard doesn't soak all the way through.  You don't want egg mixed with the fillings because it won't get hot enough to cook to a safe temperature.  If you're like me and don't like mayo, just put on a thin coat, enough to seal the holes on the insides of the slices.

*8 slices white or wheat sandwich bread
*4 slices Swiss cheese
12 oz thinly sliced deli ham
*approx 1/4 C mayonnaise
*1 Tb-ish mustard of choice
*3 eggs
*1/4 C milk
2 Tb butter
powdered sugar and jam for serving

1.  Spread mayo on the insides of all 8 slices of bread.  Add a slice of cheese to 4 pieces of bread.  Top with a drizzle of mustard, then 3 oz of ham.  Top with an un-cheesed slice of bread.  Press down lightly to push all the ingredients together.  Cut off the crusts to "seal" the edges.

2.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk to make a thick custard.  Melt butter in a large skillet or pancake griddle over medium-low heat.  Dip the sandwiches in the egg custard to coat both sides and the edges.  You don't have to let it soak all the way in.

3.  Fry sandwiches on the griddle until underside is browned, 5-8 minutes.  You're going for a slow cook to make sure all of the egg is done.  Flip and cook the other side another 5 minutes.  Cut in half, plate, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve with strawberry jam on the side for dipping.

Difficulty rating  π

Quiche Lorraine

I always thought there were more ingredients in a Quiche Lorraine, like leeks or something.  Nope, just eggs, bacon, and cream with some seasonings.  Julia Child's version doesn't even use cheese.  It's just an omelet in a crust.  Not in my house; this recipe is using a touch of Swiss cheese as seasoning.  However, there was an onion recall the week I made this, so we're skipping that part.

The recipes in the Bible and Grandma Sophie's recipe box are almost identical.  And they both refer to "12 bacon slices", without specifying weight.  Are we talking thin packaged bacon from the 1970s, or thick-cut farmers' market slabs?  I decided to call it half a pound and used bacon ends, since they were going to get crumbled up anyway and those are cheaper.  It's very easy to put too much filling in a quiche.

And then there was Julia Child's approach to the bacon.  She had you simmer it first, to get rid of the smoky flavor.  I paid good money for that smoky flavor!  That recipe is from the 1950s.  Tastes and trends do change.  While it's fascinating to make older recipes, sometimes there's a good reason for updates.

1 9" unbaked pie shell or tart crust, chilled, preferably pâte brisée
1 Tb softened butter
1/2 lb bacon
4 eggs
1-1/2 C cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C shredded Swiss cheese

1.  Rub softened butter over surface of crust, then put back in the freezer.  This will reduce crust shrinkage and sogginess as it bakes.

2.  Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until crisp and crumbly.  It's an odd feature of quiches that the fillings don't really cook any more in the oven, despite the high temperatures and being surrounded by stuff that's baking.  Drain on paper towels.  I save the rendered fat for other uses.

3.  Start preheating oven to 425º.  Whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and nutmeg to make the custard base.

4.  Retrieve the pie shell from the freezer.  I put it on a baking sheet because I used a tart pan with a removable bottom.  They're a pain in the butt to move otherwise.  Crumble bacon around the bottom.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Pour the custard into the shell.

5.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 325º and bake another 35 minutes, until custard is set and crust is browned.  Allow to cool in pan at least 10 minutes before cutting.  Can be served warm or room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on sides and whether it's lunch or dinner

Difficulty rating  :), including making the crust yourself