SoCal Quiche

A.K.A.....BLT w/ Avocado Quiche. For reals. All of the ingredients of one of the most popular sandwiches wrapped up in one pie plate.

Just for the record...my oldest child doesn't like quiche.

Except for this one.

She was amazed..."Mom! I don't even LIKE quiche, and this is really good."

Through the Taste Maker Program with Foodbuzz.com, I was one of  the lucky recipients of a case of avocados from the California Avocado Commission.

Last week I received an email saying the avocados were on their way. I got home from work that evening and Poof! There they were....all snug in cozy, just waiting for me.

Being the avocado loving family that we are....I don't think I need to tell you how exciting this was.

The avocados were pretty hard when they arrived (which was last Thursday) and with Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, I wanted to showcase these babies. In order to speed up the ripening process, I popped them into a brown paper bag and sure enough....by Sunday, they were perfect for my BLT with Avocado Quiche.

SoCal Quiche
Printable Version

Pastry for 9" one-crust pie (I added some shredded Parmesan cheese to mine)
4 eggs
2 cups half and half
1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 handful arugula
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch or two cayenne pepper
1 or 2 Avocados, sliced
1 tomato slice
1 handful grape tomatoes, cut in half

Preheat the oven to 425' F

Prepare your pastry and line your 9" pie plate with it.

Beat the eggs and  half and half. Add the bacon, cheese, onion, arugula, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour into your prepared pie plate.

Which reminds me...the pie plate I used, for the very first time, was one that I had received from CSNStores.com. It was a Paula Deen Stoneware Pie Plate. What a great addition to my kitchen essentials! Not only is it beautiful, but man...is that baby DEEP! No worries about anything spilling over the top as I was placing it in the oven. (have you ever had that happen? man, what a mess it can be!)

Decorate the top with the tomatoes and avocado slices.

If you don't want to do that...just chop it all up and mix it in with the rest of the goodies. Sprinkle the top with a little pepper if you'd like.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat down to 300' F and continue baking for another 30 minutes or so. If the crust is getting too dark, just cover it with a strip of tin foil. To test for done-ness, insert a knife halfway between the center and the edge. If the knife comes out clean, then its done. If not...back in the oven it goes.

Allow the quiche to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

And there you have it....a great breakfast quiche. Perfect for a Sunday brunch, a family gathering...or a side for an afternoon bbq.