Black and Blue Hamburger Pie

Cajun spice from chicken wings meets steak with bleu cheese crumbles in a simple quiche


This low-carb Black and Blue Hamburger Pie combines the heat of cajun spices with the cool of blue cheese resulting in a mouthwatering balance of flavors.






Ingredients

coconut oil or butter to grease pan
1 Tablespoon butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 pound hamburger (80% lean or higher)
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
5 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup blue cheese crumbles divided
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Prepare a deep-dish pie pan by spraying with coconut oil or greasing with butter.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add butter.
• After butter has melted and stopped foaming, add onions.
• Stirring occasionally, cook onions until they are just starting to soften.
• Add hamburger to skillet and break up into small crumbles.
• Season hamburger and onion lightly with salt and pepper.
• When hamburger is brown throughout, drain off extra grease and put back on medium-high.
• Add Cajun seasoning and toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Set hamburger-onion mixture aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and cream together.
• Stir in ¾ cup blue cheese crumbles, salt, pepper and cayenne.
• Stir hamburger mixture into egg mixture.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of blue cheese crumbles on top.
• Place pan on a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes. Pie is done when the center is set.
• Allow 10 minutes for filling to set before serving

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

So much for the myth that a quiche is a light, dainty snack for the "ladies who lunch" crowd. This quiche rolls up its sleeves and gets dirty. This quiche is a MEAL. 

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 307
Total Fat 24.4g
Saturated Fat 11.2g
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 149mg
Sodium 484mg
Total Carbohydrates 5.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 17.1g


8 oz bulk pork sausage
4 scallions (spring onions), green and white parts, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 oz fresh spinach or frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the sausage, scallions, and garlic in a skillet, stirring to break up the sausage, until the sausage is browned and the scallions are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the spinach.
Sprinkle the Monterrey Jack cheese into a 9 inch pie pan and add the sausage mixture.
Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper and pour over the sausage mixture.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes: 

• Like all my quiche recipes, I made this one without a crust, but if you want to pour this into a standard 9 inch pie shell it makes a beautiful presentation. 
• I am not averse to dropping a handful of crumbled bacon into any quiche recipe (or most any OTHER recipe!) 
• Of course you can substitute turkey sausage - or even that hideous veggy-sausage stuff if you must...

Salmon Quiche

If there are still some men in your life who won't eat quiche, you can call this a salmon and egg pie.

Salmon Quiche

2 Tbs butter
1 shallot (or tiny onion), finely chopped
1 lb flaked canned salmon, skin and bones removed
3 Tbs chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup half-and-half, or milk

Melt the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the shallot until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the salmon, dill, salt, and pepper and transfer to a greased 9 inch pie pan.
Combine the eggs and cream and pour over the salmon mixture.
Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Cook's Notes: If you have some left over salmon this is a great way to use it up, but it's hard to beat the convenience of opening a can.

Mushroom and Sausage Mini Quiche

These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. They make excellent "plan ahead" breakfast fare. Or bake in mini-muffin tins for a small and satisfying finger food for your next cocktail party. 

Nutritional Data per quiche
Calories 67
Total Fat 4.9g
Saturated Fat 1.7g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 72mg
Sodium 98mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 4.6g

8 ounces breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 eggs
1 cup milk

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F.
Coat a (preferably nonstick) muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Add oil to the pan.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.

Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl.
Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.

Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack.
Turn upright and let cool completely.


Cook's Notes: If you want to lighten the fat and cholesterol in this dish use this ingredients list instead:

8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup 1% milk

Nutritional Data per Quiche for the Lite version
Calories 60
Total Fat 4.2g
Saturated Fat 1.4g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 48mg
Sodium 98mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 4.4g

Asparagus Mushroom Quiche

Beautiful asparagus at the store last night.. Looks like a crustless quiche for the wife and I tonight, with leftovers for lunch tomorrow!



Nutritional values per serving
Calories 155
Total Fat 6.4g
Saturated Fat 3.4g
Cholesterol 84mg
Sodium 403mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.1g
Dietary Fiber 2.0g
Sugars 2.2g
Protein 17.9g



1 1/2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 cup cottage cheese
4 oz Mozzarella cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 eggs
1 tsp mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Coat 10 inch quiche pan with nonstick cooking spray
Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces
Steam until tender - about 5 minutes
Cool and chop saving 8 pieces to decorate the top.
Saute mushrooms until tender, cool and chop
Puree cottage cheese, Mozzarella, onion, parsley, eggs and mustard in processor
Fold in chopped asparagus and mushrooms
Pour into prepared quiche pan (I used a 10 in cast iron skillet)
Sprinkle with Parmesan
Bake in preheated 325F oven for 1 hour or until set

Serves 8

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Quiche

I repost this occasionally because new readers freak at the thought of giving up pizza.  

Do you want the heft/flavor of a great Chicago Deep Dish pizza, but avoid the carbs? Try this carb-haters version



Nutritional Values (not including toppings)
Calories 238
Total Fat 17.9g
Saturated Fat 10.7g
Cholesterol 118mg
Sodium 367mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.6g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 15.7g


4 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup low sugar pizza sauce
Whatever pizza toppings you like

Beat cream cheese and eggs until smooth.
Add heavy cream, Parmesan and spices. Mix well.
Spray 13x9 pan with Pam
Place 2 cups shredded mozzarella in pan and mix in the egg mixture
Bake at 375F for 30-40 min then cool for 5 minutes.
Spread sauce and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella
Add toppings
Bake additional 10 min in 375F oven.

Serves 8

Cooks Note: Additional toppings could include, pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage crumbles, steamed or blanched bell pepper slices, pepperoncini, deli ham, onions and/or mushrooms - thinly sliced, artichoke hearts, green and/or black olives, etc...

Make a 1/2 recipe in an 8X8 pan to serve a family of 4