Good Morning Quiche

9:08: And they're out and lovely. I'm going to the store for OJ!

THANKSGIVING, 7:50 am: Good morning, campers! Bubble away, my lovely little quiches. Bubble, I say!!

10:58: Crust's out, and we are Done For The Night. WORD.

10:04 pm: This has been the taste of the holidays in my family since I started making it when I was...ten? The first time I had this was when my mom's best friend put together a gift basket with everything pre-shredded, and all we had to do was whack it in the oven. Luckily, the basket included the recipe, and I haven't had a single holiday -- Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving -- without it. It's actually really difficult to refrain from making this on "normal" days, but I like that I've managed to keep it a special-occasion breakfast. I have more happy memories than I can count, eating this while sitting around the tree or just curled up with a glass of orange juice (or, later, some good strong coffee!) Make the crust and grate the cheeses the night before, so when you wake up it's as easy as that first gift basket -- pop it in, and wait for it to bubble.

Holiday Quiche

24 oz frozen hash browns, thawed

1/3 c melted butter

1 1/2 c shredded swiss

1 1/2 c shredded pepper jack

1 1/2 c diced cooked ham (I use the first slices from a Honeybaked Ham)

1/2 c half and half

2 eggs

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

The night before: Squeeze the hashbrowns between paper towels to drain off extra moisture.  Press into a 10 inch pie plate to form a solid crust.  Brush the crust with the melted butter, being certain to brush the top edges.  Bake at 425 F for 25 minutes.  Let cool, cover with foil, and set aside.

The morning of: Mix the cheeses and ham, and pile in the crust.  Beat the half and half, eggs, and seasoned salt, and pour evenly over the cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 F for an hour, or until the top has gotten brown and bubbly.