One of my favorite things to do each summer is visit Farmers Markets. If you live in Iowa, there is a good chance that you have one close by. In fact, Iowa ranks second in the number of farmers markets per capita. While I love exploring some of the larger city farmers markets like Des Moines or Clear Lake, my favorite one to go to is my local Franklin County Farmers Market.
The Franklin County Farmers Market in Hampton, Iowa, August 2016 |
The Franklin County Farmers Market takes place every Tuesday and Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. from May through October at the Main Street Square in Hampton, located on the corner of 1st Avenue NW and 1st Street NW. There are up to ten different vendors at the market who sell products that range from fresh produce, baked goods, jams and jellies, honey and flowers and plants. August is one of my favorite times to travel to the Farmers Market because there is a large variety of vendors and produce available. But I love visiting all season long to support my community. Even though I plant my own garden, the Farmers Market offers a diverse collection of produce from what I grow at home and it always leaves me inspired.
After visiting the Franklin County Farmers Market last week, I was inspired to come home and make a delicious breakfast with the variety of vegetables I bought. I don't know what it is about Farmers Markets but my first instinct is always to make something fresh and delicious for breakfast with my finds.
Some of my produce finds from the Franklin County Farmers Market |
In order to make these vegetables into a savory breakfast I decided to create a quiche. To start your quiche, you have to start with a good base, and by good base, I mean my recipe for lard crust!
A lard crust is the best base for any type of pie or quiche! |
Then it's time for the filling! I decided what would really bring my egg-based filling up a notch, and add that creamy texture and richness I was looking for, would be to include AE Dairy's Heavy Whipping Cream. AE's Whipping Cream adds to the freshness of the dish, and helps makes the filling nice and smooth. Just like how my Farmers Market veggies were freshly picked that day by the vendors, in less than 24 hours, the raw milk at AE dairy is changed into any number of AE's product line and is on its way to your local grocery store.
Besides being a quality product, I love how AE Dairy's Heavy Whipping Cream comes in the perfect Half Pint sized container |
To top it off, my inner pig farmer had to shine, so I added a bacon lattice!
Oh, yeah! Give me some BACON! |
So are you ready for the recipe?
Have I tempted you long enough?
Well, without further ado...
Farmers Market Quiche
1/2 large Zucchini, cut into 14 slices
1/2 Onion, chopped
12 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/2 Green Pepper, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, grated
6 Eggs
1 cup (Half Pint) of AE Dairy's Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
8-10 slices of Bacon
Salt and Pepper
Prepare Pie Crust and place in pie plate or quiche pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes with foil or pie crust shield. Then press down crust and bake additional 2 minutes with no crust shield.
While crust is baking, saute Zucchini slices with butter, salt and pepper. After crust is baked, place 7 slices of Zucchini evenly on the bottom of the pie crust.
Mix Eggs and Whipping Cream. Stir in Onion, Tomatoes, Pepper, Garlic and Cheese to egg mixture. Pour filling into pie crust. Place the final 7 slices of Zucchini on top of the quiche.
Bake quiche at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Take quiche out and assemble the Bacon lattice. Don't be afraid if the bacon lays over the sides of the quiche as it will shrink some in the baking. Place the quiche with bacon lattice back in the oven at 450 degrees F for an additional 15 minutes. Place a baking sheet under the pie plate or quiche pan to collect bacon grease.
Slice and enjoy!
I love the layers of flavor in this quiche. The crust, the veggies, the eggs with whipping cream, and the bacon all blend so well, and at the same time give bursts of new flavors in each bite. I hope you get inspired by your local farmers market and make this quiche soon for breakfast (or dinner or supper...) soon!
Have you attended a Farmers Market this year? What is you favorite thing to buy at the Farmers Market? What's your favorite way to use Whipping Cream? Remember to Comment for a Cause!