Bacon, Broccoli, and Cheddar Quiche

One of my favorite things about quiche is that it makes a satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It reheats well too, so it's easy to make the night before and heat up for a family breakfast or brunch with friends. I love a dish that reheats for entertaining because then you can actually spend time with your guests! What a thought!

Bacon, broccoli, and cheddar go great together. Bacon makes everything taste better and a little broccoli means you can count it as healthy, right? Don't forget the flaky and buttery pie crust. So good!

To ensure that all the goodies inside are properly cooked, you'll sauté them each separately and then assemble them in the crust before adding the egg mixture. This method also allows you to layer the ingredients throughout, so you can ensure that each bite has a good balance of flavors. You'll pre-cook the crust until it's lightly cooked before adding the ingredients. Then, I like to layer one ingredient at a time, so I can make sure that they are evenly spread throughout.

Whether you are using store bought uncooked pie crust, or making your own, you'll first pre-cook the crust. This ensures that the bottom of the crust gets cooked all the way through. Before putting in the oven, use a fork to poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust. This ensures that air can release during cooking, which keeps the crust flat on the bottom and sides and prevents the crust from bubbling up.

After the crust is lightly cooked, add the cooked onions, broccoli, and bacon to the crust. Make sure to sprinkle them evenly throughout.

Then, sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

Then, pour the egg and cream mixture over the top. The cheese will likely stick up out of the egg mixture at first. Take a fork and gently swirl the cheese into the egg mixture until it is all coated in the egg mixture. Now it's ready to bake.

As a mom, it's tricky to get more than little windows of uninterrupted time, so I like to cook the bacon, onions, and broccoli the night before. I just put them in a glass storage container in the fridge. Then, all I have to do in the morning is assemble and bake the quiche, which is much easier to do with a toddler running around.

Bacon, Broccoli, and Cheddar Quiche

Yield: 1 quiche (9.5in pie pan)

Ingredients:

1 pie crust (enough for 9.5in pie pan)

4 c coarsely chopped broccoli florets

1/2 large yellow onion

1/2 c cooked bacon bits

1 1/4 grated medium sharp cheddar

7 eggs

2 c heavy cream

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

Avocado oil, butter, or olive oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Coarsely chop broccoli florets. Set aside.

3. Finely dice yellow onion. Set aside.

4. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add onion. Cook for a few minutes until just starting to turn translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent from burning. Add broccoli. Cook for a few more minutes until broccoli is lightly cooked. It will continue to cook inside the oven, so it doesn't need to be fully tender now. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. If using pre-cooked bacon, there is no need to pre-heat it before baking, so you'll just finely chop it and set aside.

6. If using uncooked bacon, heat large saucepan or griddle over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook for a few minutes on one side and flip. The bacon should be fully cooked, but doesn't need to be overly crispy as it will cook further in the quiche. Once cooked, remove from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate.

7. Once bacon has cooled enough to handle, chop it and set aside.

8. Place uncooked pre-made pie crust in 9.5in pan.

9. Use a fork to poke holes across the bottom and sides of the crust.

10. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges of the pie crust.

11. Bake pie crust until it just barely starts to turn golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

12. While crust is baking, prepare the egg and cream mixture.

13. In a medium sized bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and garlic. Whisk until fully combined.

14. Once pie crust is done baking, remove the crust from the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. Set cooked pie crust on the counter. Evenly spread the onions, broccoli, and bacon bits across the bottom of the crust. Then, add the shredded cheese on top.

16. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the top.

17. Using a fork, lightly swirl the cheese and other toppings until they are fully coated with the egg and cream mixture and lay mostly flat.

18. Bake the quiche until it springs back when lightly tapped on top and a knife poked into the center comes out clean. This usually takes around 60 minutes.

19. Let cool slightly before eating.

20. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge.