Cheap & cheerful fridge cooking

I am slowly working my way through the handwritten cookbook I found the other day.  What a treasure trove it is turning out to be!  There are some wonderful ideas in there and one especially captured my imagination: what I would call a "French Toast Quiche" is the ideal meal to use up old bread and other bits and pieces from the fridge and cupboard.  

I made a portion of this for lunch today and loved it!  The bread makes a lovely crispy base, the topping tastes just like a quiche (all without the hassle of making pastry).  Another bonus: the ingredients can be varied according to what you have to hand and served with a simple side salad, this tasty dish won't break the bank either.  Perfect fridge cooking!

French Toast Quiche (serves 3-4 for lunch)

Ingredients:

6 slices of buttered bread

500ml milk

3 eggs

150g grated cheese (cheddar or similar)

salt, pepper

1 stock cube

some ham or bacon, cut into strips

2 tomatoes, sliced

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (fan oven).
2. Butter the bread and place, buttered side down, into an ovenproof dish/casserole.
3. Mix the eggs with the milk and crumble in the stock cube; pour the mix over the bread.
4. Top with cheese, then ham or bacon strips and tomato slices.
5. Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for around 30 - 40 minutes (this depends a little on your oven - just check after half an hour if the egg mix is cooked).
6. Serve hot with a side salad.

Why not add a little feta cheese and some basil and oregano for a Mediterranean touch?  Or leave out the ham/bacon to make it vegetarian?  Simply use what you have to hand & love eating :-)

PS:  I made this for one person in a small ovenproof dish, using one slice of thick brown bread, 1 egg, 60ml of milk, a handful of grated cheese, a little seasoning, 1 slice of bacon and 2 cherry tomatoes.