Sausage Garden Quiche

Now this would have been my vote for winner in the Country Woman Magazine’s Extraordinary Egg Recipe Contest!  It was an honorable mention…it is absolutely eggstra special!

Sausage Garden Quiche

• Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach or Swiss chard
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onions
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• Dash of pepper
• 6 brown-and-serve sausage links (I use more)
• 3 slices fresh tomato, halved

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of pie plate; flute edges. Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy duty foil.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove from foil; bake 5 minutes longer.  Cool on wire rack.

In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Stir in spinach, cheese, onion, chives, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Carefully pour into crust. Cook sausage according to package directions. Arrange sausage in a spoke pattern in egg mixture; place tomato slices between links. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings.