Cheesy Crustless Quiche

There are certain recipes that are so deeply rooted in our holiday traditions that they even taste and smell like the holidays. Do you know the ones I'm talking about? They're the recipes that the holiday season just wouldn't feel complete without. Perhaps for you, it's that pie recipe with the perfect flaky crust that goes back multiple generations. Or maybe it's your grandmother's recipe for sweet potato casserole. We all have them--scribbled on recipe cards or lovingly tucked away in a kitchen drawer.

One of those recipes for my family is the cheesy crustless quiche my mother made every year on Christmas morning. "This is a recipe traditionally served for Christmas breakfast. It was one of Joey's favorites. It just wasn't Christmas without quiche. We have carried on the yearly tradition." That's the personal note that's printed beside the recipe in our family cookbook. Joey, my dad, passed away from pancreatic cancer five years ago, but his favorite dish still hits my table every Christmas morning--and other mornings too!

That first holiday season without my dad was a hard one. He had passed away mid-October right on the precipice of what should have been the most joyous time of the year. In an attempt to surround myself with as much joy as possible, I had the house decorated for Christmas before the trick-or-treaters had even come around that year. On a whim, I even baked his quiche on a morning that was weeks away from Christmas. As it bubbled and baked in the oven, a comforting aroma filled the kitchen. It was as though I had brought the feeling of Christmas morning to a dreary October day.

Our crustless quiche recipe is not exclusive to just the holidays now. I've continued to make it whenever I've needed a delicious, warm helping of cheesy comfort food. Its appearances have increased even more since my sister tragically left us too. Sometimes you just need comfort food that feels like home--especially when home feels so far away. Right?

This quiche is an easy, no-fail recipe that lends itself to countless variations. From time to time, I add my own special twists to the traditional recipe. Other times I keep to the confines of the black and white ink in the cookbook. One of the easiest ways to alter the recipe is to change up the varieties and flavors of cheese. The other day I mixed up a batch using a heaping cup of freshly grated artisan cheese from the deli. The Great Midwest® Mango Fire Cheddar that I used gave our traditional recipe a distinct new flavor. The Great Midwest Cheeses are hand-crafted in small batches, using only the purest, certified hormone-free milk for a smooth, natural flavor worthy of any dish--including our Cheesy Crustless Quiche.

Another variation I make to the recipe is to leave out the meat. To transform it into a vegetarian dish, I opt for a meat substitute. Feel free to use the real deal with bacon, sausage, ground beef, or ham. Try a new kind of cheese in it too! Maybe even one of the Great Midwest Cheeses? That's one of the fun things about cooking! You can make a recipe your own with your own substitutions. Ready to whip up a batch? From our family to yours, here is our traditional holiday recipe for crustless quiche.

Cheesy Crustless Quiche
Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (For this pan I used Great Midwest Fire Mango Cheddar.)
• 1 pound meat (bacon, sausage, ground beef, ham, or vegetarian substitute), cooked and drained
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1 1/4 cup baking mix
• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch pan.
2. Sprinkle cooked meat or meat substitute, cheese, and onion into the pan.
3. Mix together milk, eggs, baking mix, salt, and pepper in a blend or bowl with a wire whisk.
4. Pour mixture over the ingredients in the pan.
5. Bake 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes before cutting.

PIN IT!

Share this recipe with others! Click here to pin it to one of your boards.

What about you?

Is there a recipe that your family enjoys year after year? Have you put your own twist on it? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.

Happy holidays!