Cowboy Quiche

Gonna cut right to the result on this one: I was so happy that not only did this dish turn out great, the boys DEVOURED it! And the little man has said for years that he doesn't like eggs. Go figure!

Sorry 'bout the fancy plate.

Okay, now down to the nitty gritty. This is a 2-step process. The first thing you have to do is make the pie crust. (Or you could buy a prepared crust, but Ree--Drummond, The Pioneer Woman--swears by hers. She's so sure of it, she calls it "Perfect Pie Crust".) That part was pretty easy, and the recipe makes 3 freezable crusts, so I'm set for a while. But the trickiest part of this process was rolling the dough out evenly enough to efficiently cover my pie pan. And, as you can see by the photos, the crust bested me. Meh. Held the quiche just fine.

The rest of this dish was a cinch. Cook bacon. Saute onions. Crack eggs. Add cheese. Boom! Taste sensation. It's not all that cute, though. If you click on the link to be taken to be Ree's original post, you'll see that hers is much prettier. Even her onions kept their caramel color. I did everything the way she told me to--almost. I used only 1 onion, 4 XL eggs & 2 L eggs, and a little more than 1 cup half n half, of which someone mistakenly brought me fat-free--but I guess I need a few more culinary years under my belt before my stuff looks like hers. (Just kidding. I have a feeling my stuff will never look like hers.)

See????

Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust

1-1/2 cup Crisco
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 whole Egg
5 Tablespoons Cold Water
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

Cowboy Quiche

1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (enough For A Deep Dish Pan)
2 whole Yellow Onions, Sliced
2 Tablespoons Butter
8 slices Bacon
8 whole Large Eggs
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream Or Half-and-Half
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Fry the onions in the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat for at least 15 to 20 minutes (maybe longer), stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Fry the bacon until chewy. Chop into large bite-sized pieces and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pie crust and press it into a large fluted deep tart pan (or a deep dish pie pan). Whip the eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the onions, bacon, and cheese. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.

Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and bake it for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown. (The quiche will still seem slightly loose, but will continue to set once remove from the oven.)

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If using a tart pan, remove the quiche from the pan, cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife, and serve!