Owning her own business seemed like pie in the sky to Valentine Harris when she moved to the coastal California town of San Nicholas, expecting to start a new life with her fiancé. Five months—and a broken engagement—later, at least her dream of opening a pie shop has become a reality. But when one of her regulars keels over at the counter while eating a quiche, Val feels like she’s living a nightmare.
After the police determine the customer was poisoned, business at Pie Town drops faster than a fallen crust. Convinced they’re both suspects, Val’s flaky, seventy-something pie crust maker Charlene drags her boss into some amateur sleuthing. At first Val dismisses Charlene’s half-baked hypotheses, but before long the ladies uncover some shady dealings hidden in fog-bound San Nicholas. Now Val must expose the truth—before a crummy killer tries to shut her pie hole.
Spinach and Goat Cheese Totally Non-Murderous Quiche
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
½ thinly sliced small red onion
1 diced zucchini
10 eggs
2 C reduced fat milk or almond milk
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1 ¼ tsp coarse salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
¼ C crumbled goat cheese
1 C chopped baby spinach
1 T grated parmesan
Baked, 9-inch pie crust
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic, red onion, and zucchini until just cooked through (from 6-8 minutes). Let cool.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper. Unroll the pie crust along the inside of a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges. Layer the cooked vegetables on top of the pie crust. Top with goat cheese and baby spinach. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cheese and sprinkle with grated parmesan and more black pepper, to taste.
Set the pie tin on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spill-overs!) and bake for 50-60 minutes until the center is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least a half hour.
Serve warm or let it cool longer!
Is Val’s breakfast pie the quiche of death?
Owning her own business seemed like pie in the sky to Valentine Harris when she moved to the coastal California town of San Nicholas, expecting to start a new life with her fiancé. Five months—and a broken engagement—later, at least her dream of opening a pie shop has become a reality. But when one of her regulars keels over at the counter while eating a quiche, Val feels like she’s living a nightmare.
After the police determine the customer was poisoned, business at Pie Town drops faster than a fallen crust. Convinced they’re both suspects, Val’s flaky, seventy-something pie crust maker Charlene drags her boss into some amateur sleuthing. At first Val dismisses Charlene’s half-baked hypotheses, but before long the ladies uncover some shady dealings hidden in fog-bound San Nicholas. Now Val must expose the truth—before a crummy killer tries to shut her pie hole.
May New Reads