Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and I certainly can’t pass up bacon! I don’t usually have time to make a pie crust in the morning, so this is an easy way to get a delicious protein-packed breakfast on the table. When putting it (or other veggies) in a quiche, be sure to cook them briefly first to prevent a watery quiche.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lb asparagus
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 4 slices thick cut bacon
• 6 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 5 large eggs
• 1½ cups whole milk (approximately)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and then coat it with the parmesan cheese. Swirl the parmesan around the plate until you have an even coating and then tap out the excess (you can throw it into the eggs for a little extra cheesy goodness).
3. Bake the asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet for 8 minutes. Add the sliced shallots and bake for 3-4 minutes more. Set aside 8 asparagus spears for the top of the quiche and cut up the remaining spears into 1 ½ -2-inch pieces.
4. While the asparagus is cooking, dice the bacon into ½-inch pieces and fry in a skillet until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
5. Lower the heat of the oven to 350°F.
6. Mix the chopped asparagus, shallots, bacon, gruyere and any parmesan left over from coating the pie plate in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and arrange in an even layer over the bottom of the pie plate.
7. Break the eggs into a 4-cup measuring cup and then add milk until you reach the 2½ cup point on the measuring cup. This will be about 1½ cups of milk. Whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder, and nutmeg until well blended. Pour the custard over the ingredients in the pie plate. Cut the reserved asparagus spears so they are a little shorter than the radius of the pie plate and arrange them evenly around the top like spokes.
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the custard is set. The quiche will still jiggle a bit in the middle but the edges will be puffed and firm.
9. Allow cooling until just warm or to room temperature. Then cut and serve.

Alternatives:

• Add some diced roasted red pepper strips, caramelized onions and/or sundried tomatoes to the filling
• Use smoked gouda or soft goat cheese in place of the gruyere
• Bake in greased muffin tins (shorten baking time to approximately 18-22 minutes)