I wrote this column last spring, right around this time. Eggs should be cheap again within a week or two, so a reprint seemed in order. You'll notice this isn't a strictly low carb column, but the recipe sure is, if you use the recipe for Almond-Parmesan crust:

As I write this, I have a dozen cartons of eggs in my refrigerator. Why? Because they were three cartons for a buck. At that price, we can eat a lot of eggs! We like them fried, scrambled, and in omelets. But to turn eggs into supper, there's nothing like quiche.

Thanks to the French name, and the 1980s book "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche," quiche has a reputation as foofy girly food. Hah! Quiche is simply egg-and-cheese pie, often with ham or bacon thrown in. That's some solid eating. It's easy to make, infinitely variable, and reheats well. What's not to love?

It's spring! Okay, it's almost spring. Still, you're going to need recipes for festive holiday dinners, what with Easter and Passover coming up and all. This undeniably spring-y starter is very easy, delicious, and tastes great.

I have to add: Last year I ran a Passover recipe that included mayonnaise, and drew a very angry response from someone who was furious that I would run a Passover recipe that "wasn't kosher." Since I'd run that recipe by Rabbi Hirsch Meisels, (www.friendswithdiabetes.org) I was comfortable that it was, indeed, kosher. So no angry email, okay? There's kosher-for-Passover mayonnaise out there.

This is the best meatloaf recipe I've tried in a long time! It's got something of a French accent, which is why we call it...

Frenchified Meat Loaf

1 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound mild bulk pork sausage
2 slices low carb bread, whole grain, in fine crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion, fairly fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (spicy brown will work if that's what you've got)
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt OR 1 teaspoon Vege-sal (I use the Vege-Sal)

I made this the other day when I had a batch of truly wonderful chicken broth in the house. You'll see in the instructions I mention that the quality of your chicken broth is essential to this recipe. Use good, strong, flavorful (not just salty) broth, and the flavor of this soup will be balanced just exactly between chicken and cheese. Mmmm.

Cheesy Chicken Soup (or is it Chickeny Cheese Soup?)

6 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
guar or xanthan to thicken
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli (optional)

This soup's flavor is heavily dependant on good chicken broth or stock. I use broth I make myself from the naked chicken bones I save in the freezer after every roast chicken supper. I very much doubt the soup would be anywhere near as wonderful with cheap canned chicken broth, though I'm sure it would be okay. You might consider using good-quality packaged chicken broth (Kitchen Basics brand is widely available) that you've simmered down to about 2/3 of the original volume to intensify the flavor.

True to my word, I've been trying new recipes. Wouldn't you know it, this is when my Master Cook program decides to hiccup and swallow my new results! I'll reconstruct them; the new meatloaf I tried, in particular, was too good not to pass on. But in the meanwhile, here's one from The Every Calorie Counts Cookbook.

Picadillo

This is my version of a dish that's popular all over Latin America - think of it as South American Sloppy Joes.

1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup green pimiento stuffed olives, sliced
2 teaspoons capers, drained

I came up with these pancakes one lazy Sunday morning when pancakes and bacon just seemed like the thing. They worked out perfectly the very first time; my husband rated them a perfect 10. Four grams of non-fiber carb per pancake may seem a little high, but look at that protein count - one pancake has as much protein as three eggs! Between that, the fiber, and the healthy fats, these suckers will fill you up, and keep you full for hours and hours.

However, since then I have also made these without that 1/4 cup oat flour. They worked out fine, and this drops the carb count to 8 grams, 7 grams of which are fiber - just one gram of usable carb per pancake. So feel free to make this version if you like. The oat-free version is also good for folks who need to stay gluten-free.

The thing that seems to scare potential low carb dieters the most is giving up chocolate. But you don't have to! Try this!

- 1 package (4-serving size) chocolate sugar-free instant pudding mix
- 1 package (about 10 ounces) soft tofu
- 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee crystals (more if you like mocha)
- 8 to 12 ounces heavy whipping cream, chilled

Using an electric mixer, beat first four ingredients until very smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until just about stiff. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting, blend in the pudding/tofu mixture, and TURN OFF THE MIXER! If you overbeat, you'll get chocolate butter!

- 1 package (4-serving size) sugar-free lemon gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 10-12 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, partly thawed
- 8 ounces heavy cream

Put gelatin and water in a blender, and whirl for 10-15 seconds to dissolve the gelatin. Add strawberries, and whirl again, just long enough to blend in the berries. Put the blender container in the refrigerator for 10 minutes -- just until the mixture is starting to thicken a bit. Add 3/4 cup heavy cream, and run blender just long enough to mix it all in -- about 10 to 15 seconds. Pour into 5 or 6 pretty little desert cups and chill.

(adapted from Tomorrow's Goulash, The Compleat I Hate To Cookbook, by Peg Bracken)

If you have leftover roast pork, this is a good way to use it up. If not, cube up 2-3 pork chops -- I used 2 good thick boneless loin chops.

If you're starting with raw pork, saute it in a little bacon grease over a medium flame until it's not pink anymore. If you don't have any bacon grease on hand, you could fry a strip of bacon first. Or you could use a little butter or olive oil instead. Add a small onion, chopped, and saute until it's limp and translucent. (If you're using cooked pork, do this first, then add the pork.) 4 Servings.