Say Quiche!

For those that know me, the immensity of my fondness for brunch, cheese, and pastries is no surprise. So what happens when all three of those things marry to form one exquisite dish? I devour it, of course. Well, maybe not devour, but I do have a plan of attack that greatly satisfies my little tummy. What's more important is that I created a personal favorite recipe for said dish, my own version of the delectable Quiche Lorraine.

The traditional ingredients of this French, open (sans crust top) pie are: a pastry crust, eggs, and cream. A conglomerate of cheeses, vegetables, and meats are thrown in to the cream mixture as well, usually based on personal preference and taste. What makes a quiche "lorraine" is the addition of bacon. How can you go wrong with bacon, right? In addition to the myriad combinations of salty cheese and fresh veggies that are possible with quiche, the fact that the dish can be served at any meal - breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, even dessert if you're so inclined - adds to the recipe's convenience. 

There are numerous reasons for why quiche is so delicious. The foundation of a flaky, buttery crust; the silky, light texture of the baked egg/cream/cheese combo; the complimentary accents of salty meat and tender vegetables - when you have the perfect blend of ingredients, it's difficult to reserve quiche consumption to a mere one slice. Especially if you're like me and prefer an extra cheesy, rather than "egg-y," type of quiche. And the best type of cheese to use? Gruyere, of course!

Since I don't exactly share my quiche recipe with many people, I will share the basic recipe that I adapted from various cookbooks to use as a foundation.Quiche is all about experimentation, so feel free to change things up.

Traditional Quiche Lorraine

• 1 deep dish pastry crust (Marie Callander's is my personal favorite)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups half and half
• Pinches of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (I include other seasonings, so feel free to experiment)
• 1 cup Gruyere, shredded (I usually use more cheese than this and include other varieties)
• 6 strips bacon, fried and chopped (Smoked provides a lot flavor)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegetables, optional (I always add various chopped veggies for color and crunch)

1. After you've shredded the cheese, chopped the veggies, and fried the bacon, preheat the oven to 375F

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs and lightly whisk in the half and half and seasonings. Try no to over beat the mixture.

3. Line the crust with the crumbled bacon and veggies. Throw in the shredded Gruyere as well.

4. Slowly pour the egg mixture on top, making sure not to have it overflow.

5. Bake on flat baking sheet for 30 -35 minutes, until golden. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

6. Try to take a picture of a slice before devouring (The one step I always forget to do)
- Shortcake