Quiche Lorraine

Pastry for 9-inch one-crust pie

12 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled

1 Cup shredded natural Swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 eggs

2 cups half-and-half

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper

Prepare pastry. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry-lined pie plate. Beat eggs slightly, beat in remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture into pie plate. Cook uncovered in 425* oven 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300*. Cook uncovered until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chicken Quiche: Substitute 1 cup cut-up cooked chicken for the bacon and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves for the red pepper. Increase salt to 1 teaspoon.

*Crab Quiche: Substitute 1 can (7 1/2 ounces) crabmeat, drained and cartilage removed, for the bacon. Pat crabmeat dry with paper towels. Increase salt to 1 teaspoon.

*Deviled Ham Quiche: Substitute 2 cans (4 1/2 ounces each) deviled ham for the bacon. Mix ham with 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs. Decrease half-and-half to 1 1/2 cups.

*Do-ahead tip: After sprinkling pastry with bacon, cheese and onion, cover and refrigerate. Beat remaining ingredients; cover and refrigerate. Store no longer than 24 hours. Stir egg mixture before pouring into pie plate. Continue as directed except-increase second cooking time to about 45 minutes.