Nothing makes you feel like you are standing in the middle of Times Square with your pants around your ankles quite as much as discovering that you a) made only 50% above the poverty level for a family of one last year and b) because you did freelance work to earn a little extra money they are taking 400 big ones out of your tax return. If there ever was FML moment;  one year of not sleeping, working late hours, neglecting my social life (and personal appearance as much as I hate to admit it), and I have a whopping seven hundos to show for it. Talk about putting your pride in the stocks.  I think I would have been happier if I had got chased by down the street an angry mob.  Thanks Uncle Sam, at this point my only feeling is hurray for the red, white and POO!

At any rate, discovering that one can work their hypothetical tail off and have nothing to show for it has made me re-evaluate my morning habits. The occasional breakfast out and cup of joe, though a beloved morning ritual, can start to add up if you are not careful.  My usual $1.55 cup of coffee from Wawa ends up costing me $5 a week. Add that up that and I waste $20 a month and $240 a year on coffee alone. Though it may not seem like much, for an unwillingly impoverished college graduate such as myself that is about half a week’s paycheck.  Sad I know, but true.  So in an attempt to squeeze blood out of my already exhausted pennies, I will be changing the location of my morning ritual to a much more affordable location, my kitchen.  For those of you who will be joining me in your own “breakfast at home” endeavors here is a recipe for quiche that I made this morning.

Bacon, Leek and Gruyere Quiche

¼ pound of bacon –chopped

½ onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic minced

1 leek- cut to green part

1 cup of mushrooms

1 ½ cup spinach

5 eggs

¾ cup milk or heavy cream

1/2 cup greyure

1/2 cup swiss

1 premade pie crust

Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder to taste.

Sautee bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain excess oil.  Coat the pan with olive oil and add garlic, onion, leeks and mushrooms and cook until tender. Pre grease pie pan and line with crust. Combine eggs and spices and whisk until well mixed.  Stir in cooked ingredients and cheese and transfer to pie pan.  Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes or until the eggs bounce back to the touch.

Enjoy!!

Keep you wallets full and your mouths happy!

<3 DD

Copyright © 2013 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved