Post-Christmas Day Ham and Cheese Quiche
This recipe was created in collaboration with Midwest Dairy. I was compensated for my time, but the content and opinions included are my own.
Wondering how you’re going to use up all that leftover ham from Christmas?? I think some people use it in black eyed peas for New Years (correct me if I’m wrong??), but I’ve got a better idea. A quiche! And not just any quiche, but a quiche filled with caramelized onions, savory sweet potatoes, and sharp cheese. (Oh, and don’t forget about that flakey, buttery crust).
Now, I’m a little confused about the difference between Thanksgiving food and Christmas food. Because with my family, we always have turkey with “all the sides” at Thanksgiving, but then we have turkey or ham with “all the sides” again at Christmas. Are the same foods traditional for both? Or is ham just an Easter food? Please set me straight and help me to understand here. My assumption for this recipe is that there WILL be ham served on Christmas day. But if not, just go out and buy a small package of ham for this recipe. And also grab a pre-made crust. Sure homemade crusts are delicious, BUT SO ARE PRE-MADE CRUSTS and they are so much easier. Do yourself a favor and simplify. There’s enough to think about with this holiday season.
I also recommend buying a variety of cheeses while you’re getting the ingredients for this. Not because it calls for a million different cheeses, but because your fridge is never well-stocked without cheeses for various situations. 😉 I used a sharp white cheddar for this quiche, but I think a hard, aged gouda would pair REALLY nicely as well. I attended an online “Cheeseboard chat” earlier this month with Midwest Dairy and they sent a variety of cheese for a cheese board tasting and sustainable nutrition discussion. They sent me an aged gouda with it and I’ve been pairing it with lots of various egg dishes or pasta and it’s simply delicious. Here are a few takeaways I had from the virtual chat with ACTUAL dairy farmers:
In making this recipe, I learned a few tips and tricks for baking pie crusts. I make quiches pretty regularly (we have an egg-based dish for dinner every week), but have never put in the time to learn how to properly bake a crust. Without fail, the crust sides would always fall down and fold on top of the center. I discovered that to avoid that, you can just put parchment paper and dried beans on top to help it stay in place and not “shrink”. I found this video helpful for learning various techniques for styling the crust. And I also learned that it’s super important to let the dough warm up enough to spread out without cracking or breaking. But regardless, you ultimately don’t need it to look pretty—just taste delicious. So even if you have a pie crust fiasco, rest assured you’ll still enjoy the final product.
A few other notes—I know cottage cheese is a strange ingredient, but I find that it increases the cheesy flavor and helps with the texture (a spongey quiche is not what we’re looking for here). It’s totally optional, but I always put it in my quiches. Also, I find it’s easier to distribute the fillings more equally if you put them into your crust and then pour the egg/milk mixture on top. There’s no right or wrong with that, but I just find it is easier to ensure equal distribution. ☺️ And lastly, I know quiches take awhile to prep and cook. My recommendation is to prep the ingredients the night before, that way all you have to do is put your filling in and bake!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Have a Happy Holidays!
Post Christmas Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- Pre-made pie crust
- 1 cup sweet potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2-3/4 cup ham, chopped
- 5 eggs
- 3/4-1 cup cheese, shredded (I used a sharp white cheddar)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and take your crust out of the fridge.
- Thinly slice your onion and chop your sweet potatoes into medium bite sized pieces (1/2 inch cubes).
- Spray your pie pan with non-stick spray and roll out your crust into the dish. If you are having difficulty unrolling it, give it a few more minutes to come to room temperature. Shape the edges of the dough according to your preference (see video above). Poke bottom of the crust with a fork. Place a piece of parchment paper and dried beans on top (or pie weights) and bake for 12-14 minutes. Take out parchment paper and beans and bake again for another 2 minutes.
- While crust is baking, heat a pan to medium-low heat and add olive oil and thinly sliced onion. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until onions are soft and caramelized. You may need to add 1 Tbsp water periodically to keep the onions from sticking or burning.
- In another pan, heat oil to medium and add cubed sweet potato along with garlic powder and onion powder. Cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Again, you may need to add water to prevent burning or sticking.
- Once crust and vegetables are cooked. Add vegetables, ham, and cheese to the crust. Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl and add the chopped rosemary and cottage cheese. Pour over the quiche filling and slightly move the pieces around to make sure the egg gets to the bottom. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes (or until set).