Spinach Quiche

I threw this together last night, and it turned out pretty good! I thought I'd share the recipe here - well, as best as I can, since I do a lot of eyeballing without actually measuring.



For the crust, you can buy a frozen or pre-made crust, or you can use this recipe:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening*
4-5 tablespoons cold water

Mix flour and salt. Add shortening and mix until crumbly. Add water by the tablespoon and toss with a fork until a ball forms. Roll out until the dough is the proper size for your pie dish.

*I have also used unsalted sweet cream butter in place of the shortening. It made for a very yummy, buttery crust. Butter flavored shortening would probably have the same effect.

Quiche Filling (set oven to 400* F)

6 large eggs
1 small package frozen spinach
1/2 an 8oz block of cheddar cheese, shredded (you can add or subtract according to your taste, or use a blend of cheeses)
1/2 a lb of cooked ground beef or sausage (I actually cooked up several frozen meatballs, then crumbled them up - they had a sausage-esque flavor to them)
1/4 cup chopped onion
Spices*
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon basil
a pinch of rosemary and thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*The spices are approximate. I'm a pinch of this, little of that kind of cook when it comes to spices. I have a blend that I pre-mix and use on a lot of things, so I did my best to figure the measurements of what goes in it.

Crumble and cook the ground beef or sausage in a frying pan. While it's browning, beat eggs, then add cheese, onion, spinach, and spices. After meat is thoroughly cooked, drain grease and allow meat to cool slightly. Then add meat and mix thoroughly. Pour and spread mixture into the crust. Bake at 400* F for 45 minutes or until crust starts to brown lightly.