What's in a Name?

Cancer patients are encouraged to eat a high protein diet.  Protein helps build strength and keeps energy up, two much-needed factors in successful treatment.  I, specifically, have been asked to maintain my current weight, since before my diagnosis I was successfully working at losing the last chunk of weight I gained when my thyroid went nuts.  Radiation treatment is planned out in millimeters, so losing even a couple pounds could alter my treatment.  My diet is now on hold.

With that in mind, I pulled out some low-carb recipes from the "maintenance" section of my old South Beach cookbook.  Most of them are heavy in meat products, which can get expensive after a time.  Not one to give up, I kept looking until I found my forgotten stash of quiche recipes.  They fit the bill perfectly:  high in protein, fast and easy to make, and made with just a couple cheap ingredients.  There was only one problem:  Walker told me he doesn't care for quiche. 

You know, it's amazing how easy life is when you know how your partner's mind works.  It didn't take me long to figure out that since Walker rarely turns down dessert, all I had to do to get him to eat quiche was to change the name.  So last night for supper, we enjoyed Egg Pie.  I know.  My creative gene was on vacation.  Anyway: I cut the "pie" into ten slices.  I had two for supper and I took one to work.  There were no leftovers.  Haha, Walker, real men do eat quiche!

Ham & Artichoke Quiche
2 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c light sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 c half and half
2 c shredded Swiss cheese
1 can chopped artichokes, drained
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/4 c chopped ham
1- 9 inch unbaked pie shell

Melt butter and saute onions and garlic until tender.  Combine sour cream, eggs, and half and half until well blended.  Add onion mixture, cheese, artichoke, salt, pepper, and ham.  Pour into the pie shell and bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes until set.  Cool for 25 minutes before serving.

** I love the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust in the red box.  It bakes up more evenly than a frozen crust and tastes great.  Also, since this dish needs to set for 25 minutes before you serve it, it works well as a "dish to pass" for a brunch.  I pull it out of the oven right before we leave and put it in a box lined with a couple dish towels so we don't have to carry a hot pie plate.  By the time we get where we're going, it's ready to eat.