Try Quiche Tonight

Build a menu around this egg dish with salad, toasted French bread, and iced tea.

When you need a meal that's family-friendly yet special enough for entertaining, try quiche. Our ham-and-bacon version blends a popular duo into one delicious dish and will be a popular addition to your recipe book. But you can also mix-and-match ingredients to find your favorite pairing for this versatile meal. -CHARLA DRAPER

Ham-and-Bacon Quiche

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN.; BAKE: 1 HR., 5 MIN.; COOK: 10 MIN.; STAND: 10 MIN.

1 (15-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts

1 egg white, lightly beaten

6 bacon slices

½ cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 ½ cups half-and-half

1 cup chopped cooked ham

6 eggs, lightly beaten

½ tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. black pepper

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1. Fit 1 piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pieplate according to package directions; trim dough around edges of pieplate.

2. Place remaining piecrust on a lightly floured surface; cut desired shapes with a decorative 1-inch cookie cutter. Brush edge of piecrust in pieplate with beaten egg white; gently press dough shapes onto edge of piecrust. Pierce bottom and sides with a fork.

3. Line piecrust with parchment paper or aluminum foil; fill piecrust with pie weights or dried beans.

4. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper; bake 5 more minutes, and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

5. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tsp. drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

6. Sauté chopped onion and mushrooms in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.

7. Stir together bacon, onion mixture, half-and-half, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine cheese and flour; add to bacon mixture, stirring until blended. Pour mixture into crust.

8. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Shield edges with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary.) Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

KAREN WILCHER

MlTCHELLVlLLE, MARYLAND

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Apr 2006
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