Bacon, Leek and Broccoli Quiche

I’ve always loved quiche despite the fact that I still think it’s spelled funny.

Story #1:  I hate when things are spelled differently than they should be.  Although I shop there all the time, I really cringe every time I drive up to King Soopers here in Colorado.  In fact when we first came out and visited to see if we wanted to live here I seriously debated whether or not I could shop there, even though it’s part of the Kroger chain.  Like I said, I still cringe to this very day.

 

Also, although I won’t reveal where I work I will say that the name of the company is spelled abnormally.  When I interviewed for my job they asked me what made me notice this company over several others.  And truthfully?  I told the truth – I said that I hate when things are spelled weird and that’s what caught my eye, then I saw that they were hiring so I applied for the job.  Done and done…and I got the job!  See?  It’s good to tell the truth people!

 

Now none of this is to say that quiche is spelled incorrectly…I think we all know that it’s not.  I just sometimes need to vent, you know?  And lucky you – you get to hear it! 🙂

Story #2:  When I was in college my beautiful friend Sarah and I would eat at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in downtown Lubbock where there was literally a mom who would make quiche every day.  When they were out?  No more quiche!  We would order quiche with a side salad and sweet tea and talk for hours.  Ah, the days when responsibilities were at a minimum and I could afford to spend money on a slice of quiche.

 

This is also the same time that I didn’t know that sweet tea (black tea) had caffeine and would down a ton of it every day.  And then wonder why my hands were shaking and why I was wild-eyed with energy immediately following lunch or tea dates at McAllister’s.  Yeah.  I was young and didn’t know any better…

Story #3:  My mom makes the best quiche out there.  I know that’s not a story, but it’s still a truth.  There’s just something about Mommy making things that tastes better than anything I make, even if I follow the recipe to the letter.  I think moms have a special ingredient, maybe a little extra love, that they add and it just makes the scrumptiousness (yes we’re calling that a word) go up another 10 octaves.

Speaking of octaves, here’s a fun fact about me:  I used to sing first soprano in my school choir.  And then I lost my voice for the first time in my entire life on the day of auditions for the state choir…and could never reach that octave again.  Tres sad, no?

BACON, LEEK, AND BROCCOLI QUICHE

• 1 9-inch pie crust (you can make your own but I used a store-bought one that I rolled out to fit my pan)
• 5 pieces bacon, chopped
• 2 large leeks, cleaned, cut in half length-wise, and then chopped
• 1 head broccoli, the florets cut into small pieces (about 2 cups)
• 5 whole eggs (large or extra large only)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 2/3 cup milk (I highly recommend not using nonfat milk – at least use 1%)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 375.  When the pie crust is in the dish (an 8-inch pie dish with the edges crimped OR a 9-inch pie dish with no edges showing) cover with foil and add dry beans or pie weights to the bottom of the plate.  Bake for 15-20 minutes and then remove from oven, then reduce heat to 350.  Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium low heat until crisp; remove from pan.  In the bacon drippings saute the leeks and broccoli for about 10 minutes until very tender.  While those are beat together the eggs, butter, milk, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  In the pie crust layer the bacon on the bottom, the leek-broccoli mixture in the middle, and the cheese evenly on top.  Evenly pour the egg and milk mixture over the top.  Give the pie pan a TINY shake to make sure all of the ingredients are covered by the egg mixture.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until the quiche does not shake in the middle and it’s just set.  Let it sit at for about 20 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

Bacon and onions and broccoli oh my!  It may not be mom’s but it’s a good way to pretend I’m still in college drinking sweet tea and being hyper-productive the rest of the day.  Pretend.

 

P.S. I’d LOVE it if you clicked over to the Shape Magazine Best Blogger Awards and voted for Faces of Beauty!  I’m so excited to be nominated and would love the chance to share the message of Faces of Beauty with even more of the world!