Smokey Vegetable Quiche

I have a thing for quiche. It's my absolute favorite thing to have for breakfast. Is it healthy? Um, not my version. My goal is to work on my recipe to lower the fat and calories.  Enjoy!

Smokey Vegetable Quiche

*makes (1) 9 inch and (1) 8 inch quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 package Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust
• 3 pieces of smoked bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 8 oz fresh spinach, washed
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 1 can of artichokes, (not in oil)-drained and chopped
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder (in the spices' aisle)
• 7 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 8 oz of Swiss or cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

*You can omit the bacon if you want to make this dish vegetarian. Simply use a tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil to saute the vegetables.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Unroll pie crust and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Press edges and prick bottom of crust with a fork.

• Place crust in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Don't expect it to be brown.
• Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until done. Be careful not to burn. 
• Put cooked bacon on paper towels. Keep the bacon grease in skillet to cook onions, red peppers, and spinach.
• Add chopped onions and peppers. Continue cooking until done.
• Add spinach and cook until it is wilted and all liquid is cooked down.

• Whisk together eggs, half and half, sour cream, chipotle pepper powder, and baking powder. Don't use a hand mixer for this.
• Add Swiss cheese to mixture.

• Fold in spinach, onions, and red peppers.
• Add tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
• I use one piece of crumbled bacon. Add all 3 pieces if you want.
• Pour egg and vegetable mixture into pie crust.
• Don't overfill. **This recipe makes enough for one 9 inch and one 8 inch quiche.
• You can also prepare these crustless in ramekins sprayed with cooking spray.
• Carefully place in preheated over and bake for 20 minutes. 
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
• Remove quiche from oven, and place strips of aluminum foil around edges of pie crust to prevent over-browning.
• Return quiche back to oven and bake for about another 20-30 minutes or until the center is set. (If it wiggles, it's not done.