Week 58, Recipe 1: Cheddar Bacon Spinach Quiche

NOTES

• You can mix the egg and milk mixture ahead of time and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. I also make my bacon ahead of time, let cool, then crumble until ready to use (not sure how long it's good at room temp but I've kept mine out for approximately 8 hours and it was fine!).
• The recipe below makes one quiche but go ahead and double it....the leftovers are great the next day!
• I've messed around with frozen pie crusts quite a bit, trying to figure out the best way to keep the bottom of the crust from getting soggy. Cooking it first without any filling then adding the cheese on the bottom before adding the eggs seems to do it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen pie crust or make your own
• 6 large eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half or whole milk or 2% or a mixture (feel free to use whatever you have!)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• approximately 4 c. fresh baby spinach, sauteed in a bit of oil over medium low heat until just wilted (I also salt it a bit and use freshly ground pepper to season spinach)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove frozen pie crust from freezer about 15 minutes before you want to cook it. Preheat oven to 400 and place a baking sheet on the middle rack where you'll cook the quiche.
2. Meanwhile, (if you haven't already), cook bacon in microwave or on stove top and saute spinach until just wilted. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
2. Prick slightly thawed pie crust several times with the tines of a fork and place in preheated oven on baking sheet. Cook about 5-10 minutes or until starting to look dry and a bit golden. Turn down oven temp to 375.
3. Remove pie crust from oven and cover bottom with 3/4 c. cheese. Top with spinach, bacon and green onions then slowly pour egg mixture over the top (you may have a bit leftover). Top with remaining 1/4 c. cheese. Place quiche back in 375 oven on top of baking sheet.
4. Cook about 40-50 minutes or until quiche filling is set and top is lightly browned. Towards the end of cooking, you may have to put thin pieces of foil around the pie crusts edges to keep them from browning too much.