Veggie Quiche from Leftover Soup

Well, I just made my first quiche ever, and I must admit it was delicious!

This is a great way to use leftover vegetables and rice. I used leftovers from my Hearty Lentil Soup for this recipe (see previous recipe). You could substitute with something similar.

Quiches may seem fancy, but they are as easy as casseroles! Plus, I usually buy my crust as I live in a dorm and also don't have a magical food processor. Cutting in butter is a chore!

=INGREDIENTS=
8" or 9" pie pan
1 pie crust
1 c shredded cheese (I used a Swiss & Gruyere mix bag)
1 1/2 c of solids from Hearty Lentil Soup
(OR: 1 1/2 c cooked lentils, finely chopped celery & carrots, leek sauteed with garlic)
1/2 c cooked brown jasmine rice
4 L eggs
1 c cream (half-n-half)
sprinkle of paprika

=STEPS=
1. THE CRUST: Carefully line your pie tin with the crust. Be gentle, but if your crust rips or breaks, just patch it up. With a butter knife, scrape downwards along the rim to cut off the excess crust. This can be quickly formed into a mass & refrozen, or used for other projects. You don't want to overwork it or it won't be as flaky.
If you want, use a fork to press along the rim and make a scalloped design.
2. THE FILLING: Sprinkle in a layer of cheese (1/2 c), then measure 1 1/2 c of soup solids. Press out excess liquids into a container for future use, then layer on top of the cheese. Add 1/2 c rice and gently combine with the veggies.
3. Beat together the eggs and cream with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour slowly into the pie, uniformly distributing it over the veggies. Add the rest of the cheese on top.
4. Sprinkle on plenty of paprika for zesty bite! (I used Hungarian.) I was told "especially in the center", but I'm not sure why. The paprika will become much darker in the oven, but don't worry -- it's not burnt-tasting.

BAKE at 350 F for about 30 minutes, or until the center doesn't move when jiggled. The quiche may rise up above the pie tin.

Slice and serve! You may add a fresh simple salad to the plate.