Whatcha Gonna Do With That Leftover Ham?

Stuffed Mushroom and Ham Quiche

Prep Notes: Set oven to 380.  Butter a pie plate.  10 minutes prep, 25 minutes to bake.  

What makes this quiche exceptional is the crust, a sort of stuffed mushroom extravaganza.

Crisp, sugary and tender, the Christmas ham crowned the holiday table, but now the remains lie limp in an opaque red holiday gallon bag at the bottom of the fridge.  Pea soup and mini ham sandwiches on peppery pain au lait have left us with seven or eight more slices, and it's a bright Sunday morning, January 1, 2017. The trees outside are laced with fresh snowfall; there's shoveling to be done, but, first, the occasion begs something simple yet noteworthy for a cozy New Year's Day brunch.  

Crust:  

One package of portobello mushrooms, chopped
One medium sized onion, chopped
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Crust directions:

Saute the mushrooms and onion in 3 Tbsp. butter until the onions are clear.  Add panko, parmesan and salt and pepper.  Press directly from skillet into buttered pie plate.  

Filling ingredients:  

4 eggs
I cup diced ham.

1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. basil paste

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste 

Mix all filling ingredients until smooth.
  

Pour filling into crust and bake for 25 minutes.  

Notes:  

• Let quiche sit for five minutes before you slice and serve.
• Be sure to give the cream cheese mixture time to fully blend; you don't want chunks of cream cheese resting on your tongue. 
• This crust comes out nice and clean from the pie plate, always a bonus. 
• Garnish with parsley and hot sauce, if desired.