Bacon and Cheddar Grits Quiche

A quiche made with grits sounds heavy, but it was not.  It really was delicious and cheesy (I have a heavy hand with cheese) and even pretty!  I did have a problem with this recipe, though.  It was written for 10 servings, so I tried scaling it down to 2, but that was not enough to even fill the pan.  4 servings worked, although it barely covered the bottom.  I have a new springform pan with a glass bottom and it worked out well. Be sure to put the pan on a baking sheet after you add the liquid, as directed - it leaks!  On a whim I added sage.  Herbs add another dimension to food.  I served it with a green salad.

(9/19/18 Made it for the second time.  The whole process took over 3 hours!  It was good, but I doubt that I'll make this again.)

10 servings

14 calculated points

Torrontes

Ingredients

• 6 thick bacon slices
• 2 1⁄4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup uncooked stone-ground grits
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
• 2 1⁄2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese divided
• 6 large eggs
• 2 1⁄2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; drain and crumble. Transfer 2 tsp. bacon drippings to a saucepan.

Bring drippings, milk, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk in grits, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; cook, whisking constantly, 15 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. 

Stir in 1 cup cheese; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 1 egg; spread in a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until set and browned. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese over warm grits, spreading to edges. Let stand 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Combine half-and-half, cream, onions, and remaining 5 eggs, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Pour over grits; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Place pan on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until lightly browned and just set. Let stand 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of quiche; remove sides of pan.