Creme de la Creme Quiche

I use to not like quiche. I wasn't big into pie crust back in the day....but I have come around. I have come to love quiche and how versatile it is. This is one of my favorite ways to make it probably because it has sour cream in it. It is just soooo good. We make it Shawn friendly at our house, more meat less veggies. The twins also love this one, who knew that they would like quiche so much....must be all the cheese. This recipe is measured to make two quiche and trust me you will want to make both.....it goes fast any get together or brunch.....I make homemade pie crust because, well it just tastes better......and I will include that recipe too......

Makes: 2 9in Pies

2 pie crusts (homemade or store bought)
1/2 pound thick sliced bacon, cut into pieces
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed
1 C Sour Cream
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cups ham, diced
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 T Fresh Parsley (can use dried)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place dough into pie plates and trim edge and crimp. Line dough with a double thickness of foil and bake for 8-10 min. Pull out, remove foil, and set aside. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. (***If using store bought pie crust you do not need to pre-bake***)

In a skillet, fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel. Wipe pan and then add in olive oil and onions cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, add in ham heat for 1-2 min, add in bacon and remove from heat. In a large bowl mix together sour cream, drained spinach and salt/pepper. Divide mixture and spread into pie plates. Layer bacon/ham mixture on top of spinach. Mix together all 3 cheeses and sprinkle over pies. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over pies. Place pies on baking sheet, and bake on middle shelf for 40 minutes. The top will be golden brown and puffed. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

****Pie Dough (I use this for everything quiche, pot pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie)****

Yields: Enough for two bottoms or one complete pie

2 C Flour
7 oz Butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 T Vegetable Shortening
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/3 C Ice Cold Water, plus more

Put flour, butter pieces, shortening, salt and sugar in a bowl of a food processor. Blend in short, second-long bursts, pulsing 8-9 times. Check the dough it should be crumbly with butter broken up into small but visible pieces (about 1/4 in or so). Pulse a few more times if your butter chunks are larger. All all but 1 T of the water through the feed tube on the processor and pulse 3 to 4 times, no more then 5 seconds total. Check the dough it should clump together and be evenly moist. If it doesn't not adhere add the last tablespoon of water and pulse for 1-2 more seconds. Do not over mix so the dough clumps together in the center.

Spread out large sheet of plastic wrap and turn the dough out on it. Lift sides up on the plastic gathering the dough together, then fold the wrap over and press the dough into a single compact mass. If some dry bits don't adhere sprinkle those with water and press together. Dough can be used right away but it is best to let it rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Wrap tightly and press into a flat disk shape. When ready to use roll out on floured surface.