Mushroom Quiche with Butternut Squash Salad

One of my favorite dishes has always been mushroom quiche.  Growing up it was often lunch with a side of salad, part of dinner following a homemade soup, and inevitably in the center of a large spread when we had company.  It was probably one of the most versatile and popular dishes that frequented the dinner table.  At parties, the guests would devour it within minutes.  If there was a slice left over from dinner, it mysteriously disappeared by lunch the next day.

I always thought this delicious quiche was very complicated to make.  Not so.  While scouring quiche recipes last week I found that most of them were fairly simple and I was encouraged enough to replicate the one from home.

Last Friday was a busy day and by evening we didn't have the energy to go out for dinner.  I wasn't in the mood for greasy takeout and I really didn't feel like spending much time in the kitchen so mushroom quiche seemed like the perfect solution.  The key to making this recipe easy is to buy a ready-made crust from the supermarket and keep it in the freezer until needed.  All I had to do was unroll the pie crust into a baking dish.  I sauteed a diced onion  with some mushrooms in olive oil.  In a bowl, I beat three eggs, added some milk, and salt and pepper for seasoning.  I then poured the mushroom mixture onto the crust and topped it with the egg mixture.  I finished it off by sprinkling some freshly grated gouda cheese on top and then baking it in the oven.

Assembling the pie and cooking the mushrooms took all of five minutes.  When it came out of the oven, only 30 minutes later, the pie smelled delicious.  To accompany it I quickly whipped up a butternut squash salad.  I took a box of peeled and diced squash out of the fridge, added some maple syrup and a sprinkle of olive oil, and let it bake alongside the quiche for 30 minutes.  Once it was soft, I added it to a bowl of mixed greens and sprinkled it with mustard dressing.

That night we had an episode marathon of MI-5, my new favorite show.  For those who enjoy action packed conspiracy-filled and highly entertaining plots, this one has a twist at every turn.  Watching those episodes lazily on the sofa while digging into the rich quiche with creamy gouda cheese, we partially redeemed what could have been a very sad weekend night.

Here is the recipe.  Its a great meal thats simple, quick to make, and perfect as an emergency dinner for a movie night.  If you're a fan of mushrooms you'll love it!

Recipe for Mushroom Quiche


Ingredients
1 ready made pie crust
1 onion
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1 cup grated gouda cheese (or you can substitute another)
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
salt and pepper

Directions


Take out the pie crust beforehand and let it thaw before placing it in the pie dish.  Bake it in the oven for about 5-7 mins (or follow the directions on the pack)

Dice the onion and sautee in a pan until it becomes translucent.  Add the mushrooms and let it cook for 5 mins seasoning with salt and pepper.

Beat 3 eggs in a bowl, add the milk, and season with salt and pepper.

Grate a cup of gouda cheese and keep aside.

Add the onion and mushroom mixture to the semi-baked crush and spread it on the bottom.

Pour the egg mixture over and then sprinkle on the cheese.

Put the quiche in a preheated oven at 375 F for about 30 minutes.  Check after 20 mins periodically to see if it is done.  If the knife comes out clean from the center then its ready to serve.