This right here is a perfect leftover dish. You can use almost any leftovers you have in a quiche, and quiche itself makes for great, no-fuss leftovers. I went so far as to use a leftover store-bought, pre-made pie crust (we’re not getting super fancy here – we’re cooking with what we have on a weeknight). Or, at least, I tried to use a leftover pre-made crust. It was from a year and a half ago (from that French week of cooking that I somehow keep talking about) and when I unrolled it, it crumbled everywhere. UGH. What I had hoped would be an easy evening was, like the pie crust, crumbling around me.

Let me begin at the beginning.

I meant to have a productive but simple Tuesday night. I left work around 5:45 meaning to get home, throw together a delicious quiche with things I already had stocked, do my nails, and have some downtime to organize myself for today. First, I had to wait for three trains to pass me by on my first leg home, then two trains on my second leg home. Sheesh, MTA, get it TOGETHER. Next, I walked home from the train. In the rain. Without an umbrella (I include this for a sad visual). I began to set up my mise en place and then the pie crust did the crumbling. I muttered a few choice expletives, put my coat back on, grabbed an umbrella and walked to the organic market to pick up a “fresh” pre-made pie crust…which they don’t carry. UGH FINE. So I doubled back and went to the Associated in my neighborhood where I finally found what I needed and went back to finally get started.

Ok, rant over. Thanks for listening.

If you don’t have as many frustrating obstacles as I did, you’ll be baking up a quiche in no time. As I thoroughly explained, I had, in theory, a leftover pie crust. I also had leftover peas and bacon from my Warm Bread Salad with Peas and Bacon. I adapted this quiche from one I made last year with bacon and Brussels sprouts. Bacon goes well with both vegetables so I thought they’d all go together nicely in one big egg pie. I haven’t written about Brussels sprouts before, which is odd because I eat them often. Very often. I almost always have them in my fridge and I’m replenishing them constantly. See below for my simple yet specific method of roasting.

Besides being an easy way of using leftovers, quiche is the ultimate all-rounder when it comes to flexible meal-time dishes. (Am I the only one who thinks of Julian from Bridget Jones’s Diary whenever I hear, “all-rounder?” “It’s what I call an ‘all-rounder.’ The sort of thing one can wear with anything to any occasion.” Yes? No? Bueller?) You can have it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner. It’s awesome in its diversity. Make it, eat it, share it, save it, eat it again, eat it again, and eat it again.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go schedule another night to not do my nails. But hey, at least there was quiche!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts (I usually roast a pack for myself, which is usually ¾ of a pound)

Approximately 2 tablespoons canola oil (It has a higher smoking point than olive oil and I always get crispier and better results with it. You can also use sunflower or safflower oil.)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Depending on the size, halve or quarter the Brussels sprouts.
3. Either in a medium mixing bowl or directly on the baking sheet, pour over the oil and the salt and pepper. Mix to cover each sprout.
4. If you’re feeling very particular, arrange each sprout so that a cut side is directly down on the baking sheet. (Again, I find this yields crispier results.)
5. Put your baking sheet on the lower rack in your oven, and roast for around 14-18 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Bacon, Brussels, & Pea Quiche

Ingredients:

¾ lb pack of Brussels sprouts, roasted

½ cup frozen peas

4 slices of thick cut bacon, sliced into lardons

1 pre-made pie crust

½ cup milk

8 large eggs

¾ cup parmesan, grated

Approximately 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Unroll your piecrust and arrange it in a pie dish. You can crimp the edges if you want, or you can leave it “rustic” like me. Prick the pie crust all over the bottom and put it in the oven for about 5 minutes then take it out.
3. While the pie crust is doing what I like to call, “pre-baking,” put your bacon lardons in a sauté pan and fry over medium heat until the fat is rendered and you’re left with crispy bits, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined dish.
4. Sprinkle most of your parmesan over the bottom of the pie crust, leaving enough to sprinkle over the top of the quiche before baking. Next, add the Brussels sprouts, then peas, then bacon.
5. Whisk your eggs and then mix in the milk, a pinch or two of salt and nice grinding of pepper. Add this to the quiche, pouring over the fillings. Sprinkle the parsley and parmesan over the top of the quiche.
6. Put the pie dish on a baking sheet in case any of the egg mixture overflows during baking, and place the whole shebang in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The filling should be set without any jiggle (you may want to check a few times) and the crust should be golden.
7. Cut a slice and enjoy with a big, green salad! Then enjoy with some fruit the next day for breakfast. Then just cut yourself a tiny sliver for a snack. Then just eat it for dinner again!