The Quiche Recipe

So, here it is.

That quiche recipe I've been promising you.

...for quite a while now...

I start out with two pie crusts, ready made, deep.

I slap these handy-dandy little dudes in a 425 degree oven, just to brown them up a bit...

Please don't look at the bottom of my oven...you don't want to know...

I use store-bought pie crusts because I can keep them in the freezer and it makes the quiche-making process a bit simpler...but if you're a Type A Homemade Pie Crust Girl, go ahead--knock yourself out.

While the pie crusts are firming up a bit in the oven, I get to shredding up an onion.

A medium onion will do...

Behold~

I chop it up using this great little thingy-ma-bobber my grandmother got for me...

I am a big big big fan of this thingy-ma-bobber, given that my tears ducts and onions don't get along well. Like cats and dogs. Like oil and water.

Like Hilary and Bill.

Love.

How great is that?

Then I sauté that medium onion up in some butter. Remember, real butter equals good. Fake yellow petrochemicals posing as butter equals bad.

I get the onion to a place of translucency.

So pretty.

Then I add crumbled bacon. A lot of crumbled bacon.

Is there any aroma like butter, onions and bacon?

While that continues to make its magic over the heat, I get to crackin'.

Crackin' eggs, that is.

I get those babies whisked up. Whisked. I think I just made that word up, but spellcheck didn't go on red alert. Hmmmm. There must be another etymological great mind out there...

And I have no idea why these particular eggs were so yellow. Sunshine yellow. I'm hoping it wasn't irradiation or something...

I then whisk in cream. Ah, cream. It's the close cousin of real butter.

Or is it the mother of real butter?

Or the first cousin once removed? That always confuses me.

Now don't forget about those pie crusts you've been browning. Go check on them. And be sure to give your onion and bacon a quick toss.

Oh, and the rice.

The rice?

Didn't I mention the rice yet?

Apparently not.

I make up a batch of brown rice when I'm getting ready to make the quiche. I buy brown rice in bulk and boil up a big pot, two parts liquid (I usually use chicken stock) to one part rice. I make extra to have with another dinner on another night, and I've also learned that I can freeze the cooked rice to make things a bit faster for other recipes.

I put the onion/bacon mixture in each of the pie shells and then follow with a layer of cooked brown rice.

I then usually get a little creative, adding green chilies or mushrooms on top of the rice.

I then top it all off with a liberal sprinkling of shredded cheese. I'm using cheddar here but have also used Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack, just for the fun of it.

Then I pour the egg/cream mixture over the whole shebang, careful to allow the liquid to seep down into all the nooks and crannies.

Except when I get sloppy. And the egg/cream mixture pours over the sides of the pie shells.

Like so...

Then I pop it in the oven at 325 degrees until I burn it badly and can't even photograph the end result for posterity here on the blog.

Are you inspired?

So here's the chemistry to the deal:
2 deep dish frozen pie shells
1/2 cup crumbled bacon or Canadian bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 TB butter
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1 to 1/2 cups brown rice or wild rice
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups cream or light cream
1/2 tsp salt
(Depending on the depth and width of your pie shells, you may find that you need to slightly adjust the measurements for the filling.  And if you find yourself needing more egg/cream mixture, just remember that it is one egg to a half cup of cream.)

Bake the pie crusts at 425 degrees for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet. Remove.

Reduce the oven temp to 325 degrees.

Sauté the bacon and onions in butter.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, cream and salt.

Spoon bacon and onions, rice, and cheese into the prepared crusts. (Add chilies or mushrooms if desired)

Pour in eggs and cream mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.