Today’s National Food Day celebrates a delicious French tradition of an egg custard pie with delightful flavors. This version originated in the rural Lorraine region and traditionally includes bacon and cheese. Why not be creative and make use of items you might very well have in your refrigerator right now?

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Make your favorite pie crust recipe or place a Pillsbury Pie Crust into a glass pie dish.

Whisk together 1 1/2 cups Half and Half, 5 large eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Now the fun starts. Mix and match your extra’s to make a customized quiche, either to your culinary desires or what left overs you may have on hand.

Fresh Herbs, chopped, up to 1/4 cup. Try: Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary, or Thyme.

Cheese, up to 1 cup. Grated or shredded, perhaps, Cheddar, Blue, Feta, Gruyere, Parmesan or Raclette. Like styles of cheeses, the options are endless.

Meat and/or Vegetables, no more than 2 cups total. Precook and chop bacon or ham. Cook and crumble sausage, perhaps Italian style or breakfast sausage. Have some leftover rotisserie chicken? Perfect. Vegetables by themselves or mixed in with offer many choices. Most should be pre-cooked and chopped. Try asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, Kalamata olives (no need to pre-cook olives), tomatoes (seeded and chopped), wilted spinach and so much more.

Be creative. choose all kinds of combinations that will be tasty or use up your leftovers.

Once your add-ins are blended with egg mixture, pour it into the prepared pie shell. Place on a baking sheet to catch any overflow (it will puff up during cooking). Place 3 three inch pieces of foil over the crust and pop into pre-heated oven. Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Bake for an additional 20 minutes (40 -50 minutes total in oven) or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

I know it’s tough but let sit on cooling rack for 40 minutes. Keep in fridge and eat cold or heated up gently. Let me know your favorite combinations!

As always you can find more at http://www.walterthinnes.com and on Twitter @walterthinnes

#ATOBTTR update. Gather around, my dear Cincinnati Reds. Yes, we lost the most recent series to those dratted Dodgers (I’m old enough to remember them as intense rivals when Cincy was in the Western Division). So, here’s my advice. Take today (Monday 5/20) off and rest up. Sweep the Brewers and then the Cubs and we are all healed. Easy-peasy. Go Reds!