Skillet Crustless Quiche

After reading this post for Crustless Quiche (for those of us avoiding grains or carbs), I decided to try making my own version in a skillet. Note: It's easier if you have a lid for your skillet that fits it. Mine is a bit too small, so I had a 1/4 inch rim all around mine that looked like a crust, lol!

Start by deciding on your ingredients. I had about 3/4 a cup of hamburger and onion that had been fried up a few days ago that needed to be used up. I tossed that in the skillet and turned the heat to high to warm up the pan. (Mine is a 12+ inch skillet, I think this would have been far better made in a 10 inch skillet with a good fitting lid.) To the warming ground beef, I added a bag of Thai-Style frozen veggies. The blend consists of green beans, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, and onions. All cut string style :-)

I salted the veggies lightly to help them thaw and cook. It is helpful to let this mix cook until all the frozen moisture has evaporated since not doing so will make the end result wetter than most people like, lol! Even if you use fresh veggies of your choice, letting the moisture evaporate a bit will be helpful :-)

 As that cooked, I grabbed a bowl and cracked 6 eggs into it. Then I poured cream into the bowl until I had slightly less than an equal amount. If you are a stickler for measurements, a cup is good to start with. Pour it in slowly in case you think you might want less, that way you can stop when it looks right to you. Add more if your batter looks too eggy still.

Every quiche that I have had the pleasure of trying was on the bland side. This is because a lot of people think that salt is bad for them - which is true if it is regular table salt. But if you were to do a study on the history of salt, you'll discover what people have known since the beginning of time: that salt is vital to human health. True salt comes with all the trace elements that a body needs to function properly. Therefore, I always use Redmond's RealSalt. It's a type of Sea Salt that hasn't had all the minerals removed. I added some to my egg batter, and then added an organic version of (what I call) Mrs. Dash. It's ACTUALLY called Frontier Salt-free Organic All-Purpose Seasoning Blend

When the meat and veggies seemed ready (i.e dry enough), I poured the seasoned egg batter over the mix.I stirred it just enough that it was evenly spread throughout the pan. Then I covered it with my slightly-too-small cover (which is the biggest one I have, lol!) and let the whole thing cook for a bit.

Another helpful hint is to let this part cook most of the way through BEFORE adding the cheese. I sprinkled the shredded cheese right on top before it had cooked at all, and the top was therefore unavoidably gooey. You may want to let the mix cook on high heat for a few minutes to give it a nice brown crust. Otherwise - or after the crust has browned - turn the heat down to medium or even medium low so that it can cook all the way through without burning. Remember to sprinkle the shredded cheese on it a minute or two before it's ready to serve.

Finally ENJOY!

I have stated several times that I am impatient, so I ended up putting my cheese on too soon AND not waiting for it to fully cook all the way through. Mine turned out gooey on top, which is fine by me and my kids. If you would prefer a none gooey end result, AND if you have used a slightly smaller pan, once the bottom half of the quiche has set properly, you may wish to flip the whole thing as if you were making an omelet. HOWEVER, it will break very easily, so only do so if you are reasonably certain that you can flip it without breaking, or don't care if it breaks :-) THEN add your cheese to the top of the quiche after it has been flipped and has cooked for a few minutes.

If properly cooked, it'll take about 20 minutes from start to finish. Mine took about ten to twelve, heh heh. I used the skillet to cook it faster, however, you could totally make this by baking it at 350 for about 30-35 minutes OR tossing it in your crockpot on low for an hour or so OR throwing it in a roaster oven with the temp between 250-350 for between 30 minutes to an hour. (It depends on how quickly you want it to cook, lol!)

Hubby's portion - AKA what's left after we ate our share :-)

Final verdict: The seasonings really make a difference! Not only was this quiche savory, but it was also mouth-watering! My boys scarfed it down in about 5 minutes flat. My hubby has yet to come home and taste his, but I know he'll love it too, so this is definitely a recipe the whole family will love :-)

What veggies and/or seasonings do YOU like to use in your quiche?