Recipe: Gluten Free Crustless Bacon & Pepper Quiche with Goat Cheese

I haven't been having the best of luck lately with gluten free pie crusts, and although I don't mind making my own from scratch, it's not something I want to do while cooking for the week, especially during the heat of the summer. The best GF crust I've ever used was from the Kawartha Bakery in Lakefield, ON, but since I don't live near there, I don't get to buy it often. So I made a crustless quiche instead. This week was all about clean out the fridge cooking, and this quiche is a great example of that. Feel free to substitute for whatever vegetable you have on hand or like to eat with eggs.

Ingredients
Preheat oven to 375F
** You will need a pie plate or reusable aluminum one to pour in the mix.

10 eggs
6 slices bacon
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced (any colour except green)
1 cup milk or milk substitute (I used Soy milk, it worked fine)
1 cup grated white cheddar (I used goat's milk cheddar)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or other dried herb you like
Grated parmesan or crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Directions

1- Roughly chop the bacon and fry until cooked through. I like my bacon crispy, but it's up to you. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

2- Dice and cook the bell peppers and any other vegetables in the bacon grease until soft. Drain on paper towels as well.

3- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with milk, a bit of salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet.

4- Place the bacon, peppers in the pie plate and pour the egg mixture over top. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top, if using. Place the pie plate in the oven still on the baking sheet. This catches any excess that may boil over.  Cook at 375F for about 30 min. or until the eggs have cooked through. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

The mix might puff when cooking, but it should settle when finished. Eat warm or cold. I like to cut it into little squares for my son to eat with his hands, but it slices nicely like a regular quiche.

Recipe: Herbed potatoes with crumbled bacon

These potatoes are a delicious side dish that can be perfectly paired with some scrambled eggs and a citrus fruit salad for a nice breakfast, or served alongside a meat and vegetable for lunch or dinner.  Tonight I prepared them with baked turkey sausages and steamed green beans for dinner. 

Ingredients
4 strips of bacon
6 red potatoes (medium sized)
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper

Directions
1- Wash and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes.  Set aside.
2-In a frying pan, fry the bacon until crispy.  Remove from pan and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil and cool.
3- Over medium high heat, fry the potatoes in the oil from the bacon until crispy on the outside and cooked through on the inside.  Sprinkle with dried herbs and pepper. 
4- With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the oil and drain on paper towels.  While still warm, place in a serving bowl.  Crumble the bacon over the potatoes and combine.
The bacon should add enough salt flavour, but season with more salt if desired.

*** This dish could be made by tossing the potatoes in olive oil and herbs and baking them in a 375F oven until cooked to cut down on fat and calories.