Today is National Egg Day. There is nothing in this world like a fresh egg. I can remember when Dad build a chicken coup for what would eventually become our six laying hens.
Mom had entered a raffle at the Elementry School for a horse. (Yeah, we were that country of a school – raffle prizes of livestock). I really don’t know what Dad would have done had Mom won a horse. Instead she won 6 baby chicks. The best fried eggs are fresh. The yolks stand up and salute you, the whites don’t spread out all over the pan. They are down right beautiful. Try as I might to talk Hubby into raising chickens, he won’t. The problem with any livestock is that you can’t just pick up and go when the mood strikes you. Someone has to tend to the animals – even chickens. Maybe we’ll raise a few laying hen in our old age – sometime after 80 would be my guess. In the meantime, we’ll spend a little bit more on the better eggs at the store.
For National Egg Day I could have fried up some Dirty Eggs (in bacon grease) or made an Egg Salad Sandwich. Instead, I thought it might be fun to try a new twist on a brunch staple – Quiche. Instead of the usual pie crust, this Quiche is made with Tater Tots. Instead of the typical ham, we’re using Hot Sausage. Everything about this Quiche screams I’m a Manly Quiche. You guessed it, my guys (who think real men don’t eat Quiche) gobbled it up.
Cast Iron Green Chile Tater-Tot Quiche
2 cups or more Tater Tot Crowns
1/4 cup Cilantro
5 large Eggs
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Half-and-Half
1 lb Hot Breakfast Sausage
2 cups Pepper Jack Cheese
1 cup Colby Cheese
1 (4 oz) can Diced Hatch Chilies
Sour Cream, optional
Heat oven to 425-degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil, set aside.
Dump and arrange tater tot crowns into an 10-inch cast iron skillet to cover the bottom and sides of the pan in a single layer. Spread tater tots out in a single layer in the prepared baking sheet. Place in the heated oven to bake for 6 minutes to thaw.
Remove tots from oven, let cool to the touch if necessary, then arrange around the bottom and sides of the skillet once more. Press tots together to form the crust.
Return tots in the skillet to the oven and let bake an additional 12 minutes, until golden and just beginning to crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 375-DEGREES
Add eggs and snipped cilantro into a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in half-and-half until fully incorporated. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat brown sausage meat. Cook, breaking apart, until cooked through. Drain well and set aside.
Toss cheeses together to combine.
By now the skillet has cooled a bit and the quiche is ready to assemble. Scatter a third of cheese over the potato crust in the cast iron skillet. Top cheese with the browned meats followed by another third of cheese. Pour eggs into the skillet; finish with remaining cheese.
Spoon Green Chile over the top layer of cheese. Place quiche in the cooler oven to bake for 25 minutes or until quiche puffs up with a golden brown finish on top. Remove from oven, let cool for about 8 minutes before serving.
If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Note: Wrap leftovers in foil, refrigerate. Then re-heat for about 8 minutes or so in an air fryer at 400-degrees. Best left over quiche I’ve ever had!
To You I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven.
Behold, as the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
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