Eating Down The Refrigerator: Simple Broccoli Quiche

PUBLISHED ON: 07.27.2012
I grocery shop, and visit food hautes with the best of intentions. I have menu planning ideas of grandeur for my family.  The very thought of bulk-food, fresh food and hard to find items, makes me weak.  
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s will make their debut in this sleepy Florida capitol city, that I call home.  God save me.  My family may not be able to control me.
I grow food with the best of intentions too. Being a novice gardener, it can be hit or miss.  When it’s a “hit” watch out.  The garden has a way of giving gifts that never know when it is time to make an exit, it just keeps giving.  I am even learning to preserve fruits and my garden veggies.  Just look at my pantry shelves. 
Did I mention that we picked 40-quarts of blackberries? Purchased 20-lbs of fresh South Carolina peaches too? All packed in the freezer or preserved in jars.
I went through a phase that only freshly baked bread ( in my bread maker) was what my family was going to enjoy-it also meant that I purchased 50-lbs of bread flour. Really? Yes, really.
I have an idea that a stand-up freezer is necessary, next to my garage refrigerator, to store my fresh organic chicken that I will be picking up in September (thank goodness, my sister in law is sharing with me) or the idea that a freshly butchered whole organic pig should stuff my freezer shelves too.
Yet, I stare lazily into my pantry, refrigerator/freezer, and my imaginary freezer and mutter “I don’t know what to make for dinner” Seriously? Yup, that’s what I do.
This week, I stared into my food abyss.  Surely, I can put a few ingredients here together on the fly, and then proudly slap myself on the back.  That’s exactly what I did.  
A simple broccoli quiche using my frozen garden broccoli, I made two. One for dinner and one for next time, when I stare wonder eyed into my food abyss-asking “what’s for dinner?”

Broccoli Quiche
Recipe from All Recipes


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped (note: if using frozen, thaw it out)
1-9-inch unbaked pie crust
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or other shredded cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 cups milk or cream
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
A dash of nutmeg
Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F or 170 C.
2.  Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add onions, garlic and broccoli.  Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.  Spoon vegetables into the crust and sprinkle with cheese.
3.  Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Stir in melted butter.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or the center is set. Let rest for a few minutes and it is ready.
Enjoy!
  • Your post made me feel guilty–I need to eat down my freezer and my pantry. This looks like a lovely way to do that.

  • I've enjoyed reading this post. at the beginning of the week I write what I'll cook during the week and I buy what I need. I am a methodical person, but I miss your creativity. Oh, and I like your broccoli quiche, usually I do it with spinach or leeks, I have to try it with broccoli.

  • I could just cut and paste your post, change Florida to Chicago, and it would be my post!! I call those meals \”Re/Pa\”–refrigerator/pantry. We have had some good ones! You will be sunk with Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in town. Send your family and friends a postcard from time to time and enjoy!!Best,Bonnie

  • simple and very tasty. Love this tart and broccoli are healthy and tasty.

  • Velva- I'm in the process of cleaning out my pantry, freezer, and fridge and it's insane!! I make the same grand menu plans and I guess I just never get around to it all.This is a beautiful quiche. You'll be so happy you have a second in the freezer.

  • Hi Velva, this post made me smile, I've been there too, dear friend! I also have bags (25lb or more) of semolina flour for pasta, wheat and rye flour for breads, and so on… 🙂 Good to know I am not alone! 🙂

  • Gorgeous! Why do we have to live 3000 miles apart? 🙁 Score on the blackberries! They are only just now starting to ripen out here, on account of our heat-challenged Summer. Do they grow wild everywhere over there like they do 'round here?As for cooking ideas, my youngest and I enjoy watching \”Chopped\” a lot, which has the side-effect of making me want to cook/bake with crazy, mismatched ingredients, in addition to my shimmying goat milk products into everything these days. The results are always \”interesting\”, if nothing else. :)By the way, I would TOTALLY buy a 50# bag of flour. In fact, during canning season, I'd buy a 50 pound bag of sugar, if they sold them!

  • I feel guilty too and need to eat down the food in my refrig and freezer.Sam

  • The quiche sounds great and points to you for using up what's on hand! Come to think of it… I have a little broccoli in the fridge right now too… Happy Weekend:@)

  • Looks delicious. Broccoli quiche is my favorite. All I'd need is a salad and that would be a fine meal for me!

  • I would love to make this. I like that is uses milk! I use whole milk and it seems to work really good for quiche!

  • You and I sounds quite alike! I grow things, buy organic things, and then struggle with what to make for supper! Love this recipe. Will make it with a salad and some wine.

  • Ha! I don't have that big of a stockpile, but I do the same thing. I surprised myself when I went to the extra fridge in the garage today and saw the extra lasagna I put together and stuck in there (freezer, fortunately) a couple of weeks ago. I was like – OH YEAH! lol. This sounds delicious…perfect for this weather, too.

  • Simply delicious looking quichie. For long I have been longing to bake this preparation with organic ingredients. Thanks a lot for sharing.Deepa Hamaree Rasoi

  • MMMMM,…Your broccoli quiche looks tremendously tasty & appetizing too! 🙂 When I read this lovely post, I smiled all the way! 🙂 Yum!

  • I love broccoli and I love quiche so this could not be better 🙂 Have a good weekend Diane

  • I feel your pain! LOL!!! Sometimes I stare into the pantry in hopes that some sort of magic will happen and all the ingredients will put themself together for a gourmet meal! LOL!!!This past month I pledged to \”eat down\” the food in the freezer, and we're doing pretty good! Thankfully we don't have an extra freezer! I've done pretty well too, I can now see the bottom of the freezer draw, and that makes me happy!

  • I love Quiche. Seeing yours makes me want one right now. I wanted to let you know that I made the fig and vanilla jam, and it was great. I loved the color it turned out too, so pretty in the jars. I posted it on my blog.

  • Congratulations on getting a Whole Foods and Trader Joes! You are in for lots of fun 🙂 What a beautiful quiche. I love broccoli and the thought of it in a quiche sounds wonderful!

  • That is exactly my answer to you nagging question…quiche. Quiche and frittatas are the first thing I go for when I am trying to figure out what is for a quick and easy dinner. Uses up all of the leftovers, smells so good, and tastes delicious!!

  • Yum, quiche is always a great go to dinner! I could go for a nice big slice right now!!

  • I'm so excited for your incoming Trader Joes!

  • I know you and I have our love of garlic in common! Love that quiche!

  • I think I hyperventilated the morning our Whole Foods was to open. And now we're getting a Trader Joes. Beautiful quiche Velva.

  • This Quiche looks amazing! 🙂

  • Velva, I share similar issues . . . we now have 2 full-size upright freezers, one that is 44 years old and still running! Then there are the two refrigerator freezers and lastly the latest little half top drop in freezer. I think I'm saving food for armageddon! Congrats tho on ALL of your preservation accomplishments this summer! You are way ahead of me! PS: Hold on to your hat when Whole Foods and Trader Joes arrive . . . thankfully the closest to me is over an hour away to keep my spending in check! The quiche is beautiful too! Hugs, Roz

  • I have never been to a Trader Joes so this will be a real treat! Love the quiche. We ought to make one for dinner one of these hot nights.

  • That looks amazingly good!

  • those are the best recipes my friend- the ones you were you do them on the fly! They always turn out better than if you would have prepared:) Love this quiche! Looks so flavorful

  • This is doable for a weeknight and looks oh so tasty. I don't know what I'd do if we got a Trader Joe's! Enjoy the expanded shopping opportunities.

  • This quiche looks amazing! Is perfect!

  • Beautiful dish! I love Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, Velva!I can move there and be happy 🙂

  • I love broccoli and I love quiche. So putting these together into one recipe is wonderful. YUM!

  • We'd be great friends, Velva! I have a stand up freezer next to my extra fridge out in the garage. One can never have too much food, right?? Your quiche looks wonderful. I'm always ready for a good slice of quiche. I'm your newest follower :)) p.s. we're going to be having a Trader Joe's opening in our area soon, too. I've never been to one!

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