Election Night ... and Quiche

For all the debating, side-taking and downright hatred that comes out during election season, the tone of election day itself provides a nice balance. When we take to the polls there's this camaraderie, where we stand in line bracing the cold, meet up with family members or friends in the parking lot, proudly place that sticker on our chest, and then hunker down in front of the TV for a good portion of the night. Despite the fact that the country is divided and we're on opposite teams, the ritual of voting brings us together as Americans.

This morning on the radio a caller told a story about how, back in the 90s, she volunteered to drive voters to the booths. She came to a high rise and was surprised to find a group of older women dressed to the nines. Turns out they were around in 1920 when women could vote for the very first time, so to them voting wasn't just a civic duty but a women's rights act as well. And it gave them a reason to come together and remember. There's so many patriotic stories on election day. I heard my sister's boyfriend drove home to New Jersey from upstate New York so he could ensure his vote didn't get lost in the absentee black hole. That's a whole day of driving for his one--but very important--vote.

Even though the country is divided, in many ways we're on the same team. In an article the other day, I read John Kerry's parting words after he lost the election: "In an American election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans." And although there's much to disagree with throughout the election, I do believe and respect that both candidates--and parties--are doing what they think is best for the country.

I'm not generally a very political person, at least not upfront. Those who know me at work and even closer family members could attest to the fact that I don't readily speak out when it comes to politics. But I am a conscientious citizen, tune in to MPR on my way to work, visit CNN over my lunch hour, and engage in political discussion on occasion. I used to think it's not a big deal if someone doesn't want to "be political." Maybe it's just a passion you either have or you don't, and honestly, it doesn't come to me naturally. But more recently I've come to believe that being current on the state of our country is an issue we all need to care about. In many ways this approach to politics mirrors the way I view the environment. I've never been able to understand why people don't take climate change seriously and pull their weight in turning it around. I understand it's a complicated issue and discussion, but no matter what you believe, the ramifications impact us all ... and same can be said with politics. That's why I've made an effort to get more involved in the last year, listen to the issues and get involved in the discussion. It's not always easy for me, especially at times of the year when we aren't in the "heat of battle." But it's definitely been worth it, and I can only hope that everyone else does the same.

I'm off to watch the election coverage on TV and enjoy a late-night dinner: Quiche. (Or as Evan used to call it, quitchee.) Evan works at the airport tonight, his second-to-last shift ever, yippee! So I'll be home alone for a few hours ... which probably means I'll whip out the paint brushes and finally start tackling the upstairs. Sounds like a good thing to do while watching the election, right?

In case you're in the mood for some quiche, here's the recipe (adapted from this quiche and this crust recipe). How is this fitting for election night, you ask? I really don't know. Perhaps it's simply that you mix a lot of ingredients together, throw it in the oven and hope for the best? In any case, it's a somewhat time-intensive weeknight meal (unless you buy the crust) but it yields great leftovers for lunch!

Whole Wheat Crust

You can use a store-bought crust, of course, but I hear you increase your chances of a soggy quiche)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced

1/4 cup ice water (actually use ICE water!)

Combine flour and salt, then cut in butter chunks until mixture is crumbly. Stir in water little-by-little until mixture forms a ball. It seems pretty dry at first, but as you work with it, it gets better. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour (although the original recipe says 4 hours or overnight!) Roll dough to fit in 9" pie plate. I just open up the siran wrap, press the dough out with my fingers, then make it into a ball and press it out again (doing it twice is supposed to help with the elasticity). I then flip the whole thing into the pie pan and peel off the siran - no rolling pin whatsoever. Then push the dough around and up the sides as needed.

Quiche Filling

olive oil

half an onion

teaspoon minced garlic

1 head chopped fresh broccoli

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or mixture of cheddar and mozzarella)

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter, melted

a few strips of bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Put about half a cup of the shredded cheese in the bottom of the pie pan - this should help keep the quiche from getting too soggy.

Saute onions, broccoli and garlic in olive oil until tender. 

Add veggies and chopped bacon to pie pan, and top with the rest of the cheese.

Combine eggs, milk, melted butter, then pour over contents of pie pan.

Bake for 50 minutes or until center is set.