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Menu Plan for Winter II: Week 12, Thursday

Sausage and Artichoke Quiche

Cooking time:  75 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       I don't make pie crusts but we like quiches and tarts.  The solution is to make the crust with rice, or even pasta.  A brown rice crust makes a much healthier alternative to a buttery short crust pastry... And, with the slightly nutty flavor, we like it better.  You can use any rice you like.

Sausage & Artichoke Quiche

Total time: 75 minutes
    The variations on quiche are almost infinite.  The sausage adds a lot of flavor - use any sausage you like, hot or sweet, squeezing it out of the casing to brown. Pre-cooking the rice makes it all come together quickly.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking brown rice
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock  Or 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup (4oz, 120gr) shredded cheese    I use Gruyère
• 3 eggs
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 8oz (250gr) sausage   turkey or pork...
• 14oz (420gr) artichoke hearts, well-drained
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk

 Instructions:

• The crust: 
• Cook brown rice in stock according to package directions.  Can be done ahead or even the night before. 
• Oil a 9" (22 cm) pie or quiche plate. 
• Lightly whisk 1 egg. 
• Add 1/4 cup of the cheese and the cooked rice.  Mix well. 
• Pat into the quiche plate, working it up the sides as best you can.  Bake in 375F (185C) oven for 10 minutes. 
• Remove and set aside. 
• Note:  If you cook rice just before using, spread it on a plate to cool for 5 minutes before adding it to the egg.
• The filling:
• Chop onion, pepper and mince garlic.
•  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. 
• Add sausage and brown, breaking it up.  If you are using whole sausages, either slice thinly or remove meat from casing. 
• Add herbs. 
• Drain artichokes and slice in half.
• When meat is done spread mixture evenly over rice. 
• Arrange artichokes on top of meat.
• Sprinkle with cheese. 
• Whisk remaining 2 eggs well. 
• Add milk and whisk to combine. 
• Pour over all and bake for 45 minutes. 
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note:  I put the quiche/pie plate on a pizza pan before pouring the egg/milk over.  Makes it easier to get into the oven and catches any drips and spills - saving oven clean-up.

Second note:  My sausage meat is always quite dry.  I have to add oil to brown it and there is no extra fat at the end of cooking.  If yours puts off a lot of fat, drain it before putting in the quiche.

Cooking schedule: 70 minutes Assemble all ingredients and utensils Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, large skillet, medium bowl, quiche or pie plate Turn oven on, 400F (200C) Cook rice if not done beforehand, spread to cool Clean, chop onion, pepper, garlic Sauté onion, pepper, garlic Add sausage, brown Drain & slice artichokes Whisk egg for crust Add cheese, rice, stir well to combine

Pat into quiche plate and bake Add herbs to sausage, finish Drain excess fat from sausage if needed Remove rice crust from oven Spread sausage/onion over rice Arrange artichokes on top of sausage Sprinkle with cheese Whisk eggs, add milk Pour eggs over all and bake     Go do something while it bakes Remove from oven, let stand a few minutes Slice and eat!

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By Katie Zeller

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