Spinach and Pancetta Quiche

Happy first week of spring, dear readers!  Sunday was actually the first day of spring and I so wanted to post on one of my favorite days of the year, but alas, with the slightly messy blog remodel I am doing, I ran out of time.  I have lots of ideas brewing in my mind but never enough time to accomplish them all.

By the way, the redesign is still a work in progress, so I would love any comments or feedback, if you can conjure up a little courage to tell me what you think, especially since you are the ones who have to look at it!

Early last week spring came marching through town with rows and rows of battling rain but now, the days are just beautiful...the gentle wind, the warm sunshine...it is so beautiful I never want to go inside. These are the kind of days you wish you could capture in a bottle and store away for August when the sweltering heat makes it difficult to remember there is such a thing as spring.

Spring fever has definitely come upon me.  I can feel it coursing through my veins.  I know this because I am suffering from all the usual side effects that one might expect from such an illness.  I find myself perusing gardening magazines dreaming of vegetables and flowers way beyond my gardening ability, cleaning out closets (or at least thinking about doing it while I peruse my magazines), laying in the grass for no apparent reason (which is fine in your own backyard but slightly weird on the side of the road), and of course, cooking, cooking and cooking.  Any change in the season brings me back to the kitchen.  Honestly, I am always ready for a little change, a side effect from all the constant moving I did as a child, I suppose. 

Since I am cooking up spring recipes, I will share a few.  This weekend I made the most delicious quiche.  Yes, really.  You can still make quiche in the new millineum.  Now, fritata is our egg dish of choice and way more modern, but a really good quiche is still something to be savored.  So break out those eggs and try it again.  I used a prepared pie crust.  Mrs. Smith's makes a delicious deep-dish pie crust that makes the recipe so much easier than preparing your own.  You can even do a "Walls family" version with spinach only on one side!  Ha! I really try to make them eat their veggies but spinach is not always on the top of the list.  However, the Mr. and I love it!  So with or without, that is the question...

Spinach & Pancetta Quiche

1/2 bag fresh spinach
garlic flavored olive oil for sauteing

1/2 pound sliced pancetta
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup half n half
t teaspoons dijon mustard
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 deep-dish prepared pie crust (I like Mrs. Smith's.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Stack the sliced pancetta on a cutting board and cut into small cubes.  Separate the cubes into individual pieces.  Place a saute pan over medium heat and cook the pancetta until crispy and brown.  Remove and drain on paper towel.  In the same saute pan, add a splash of garlic infused olive oil and the fresh, rough chopped spinach.  Cook until the spinach is just wilted about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, half and half and mustard until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.    Fold in the swiss cheese and parmesan cheese.  Finally swirl in the pancetta and spinach and pour into a deep dish prepared pie crust.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until just set.  Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.