This is the Heller's recipe from the Carb Addict's Cookbook. I modified it when I made it, combining it with a recipe I found in the newspaper. I put my directions below the original recipe. This is a good way to get your veggies for breakfast. While it's best fresh, it keeps and reheats well -- Microwave on medium power to reheat.

**Heller's Hearty Breakfast Quiche** (original)

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/4 pound grated Cheddar cheese
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. diced cauliflower
dash dried basil
paprika to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. cooked leftover cooked steak or chicken (optional)
1/2 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, liquid squeezed out

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Oil the bottom and sides of a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate or loaf pan.

In a medium saucepan, heat cream until hot, but do not let boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in cheese.

When cheese is melted, add mushrooms, cauliflower, basil, paprika, and pepper.

Cool for 5 minutes. Add one egg at a time, meat or chicken, and the spinach. Mix well after each addition.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake until custard is set, 45-50 minutes.

** Mary Ann's Modification **

1/4 c. half and half
1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. grated cheese (Cheddar, but hubby suggested swiss next time)
1 c. chopped mushrooms
2 T. chopped onion
dash dried basil
paprika to taste
ground black pepper to taste
salt
3 eggs plus 2 egg whites, beaten
1 c. chopped ham
1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach (Used whole package once and it worked, but it was VERY spinachy.)
grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

If spinach is still frozen, zap in microwave until mostly thawed. Put in colander and let drip while you do the rest, periodically going over and mashing it to get the water out.

Chop onions and mushrooms and put in cooking sprayed glass pie plate or casserole dish. Microwave a minute or a few until wilted, stirring occasionally, to desired doneness. (Alternative to sauteing.)

In medium saucepan, heat milk and cream to hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add cheddar/swiss. When cheese is melted, stir in mushrooms, onions, seasonings, spinach and ham.

Beat eggs in bowl. Take a spoonful or two of the milk liquid and add to the eggs to temper them (so they don't cook when you pour them in). Mix well. Then add the eggs to the saucepan and combine all.

Pour mixture into pie plate. Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika, maybe some parsley. (Isn't that pretty?) Bake until custard is set, 45-50 minutes.

Note: This was good, but there were a lot of flavors going on and I think you could leave out some things, like it really didn't need the ham. Even though I upped the eggs, I think it could have used still more.

MA