CRUSTLESS QUICHE

This is a recipe I adapted from one of Jeff Smith's (The Frugal Gourmet) books. Basically, I use small curd instead of large curd cottage cheese (I like the texture better), and changed the cheeses. I used to make it for Easter Sunrise breakfasts, and carry in brunches. Along with biscuits and gravy, it is now part of my families Christmas breakfast tradition!

This is a wonderfully versatile dish. You can add almost any ingredients to it your heart desires. I like it with sausage, sauteed onions and bell peppers. My son likes it with bacon. Fish, shrimp, scallops, mixed veggies, all are excellent ingredients. At one of Jeff Smith's restaurants, they used to make this quiche every Friday and add the weeks leftovers to it. They called it a Synopsis Quiche, because it was a brief synopsis of what had been on the menu during the week. The leftovers are great because this dish microwaves wonderfully!

BASIC CRUSTLESS QUICHE

10 Eggs
1/4 lb Butter (melted)
1/2 cp Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 lb Cottage Cheese (small curd)*
1/2 lb aged Swiss Cheese (shredded)
1/2 lb Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)

Whip eggs until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, melted butter, swiss cheese.** Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Top with Jack cheese. Bake 400 deg. for 15 min, reduce to 350 for 35 to 40 min, or until top is lightly brown.

* Always use 100% dairy Cottage Cheese (like Michigan Brand). If ingredient list says much beyond milk, cream, rennet, salt...avoid it!

** Add any other cooked ingredients you desire at this point!

posted by Mark