I made the BEST QUICHE EVER.  The flavor profile included a combination of sweetness from maple vinegar (that I purchased from a local olive oil specialty store), along with the salty deliciousness that only bacon can provide.  The addition of an onion caramelized in butter and maple vinegar along with copious amounts of Gruyere cheese took the quiche to the next level.  The first bite of quiche was a taste explosion in my mouth.  I was in heaven.  I made the quiche for a monthly potluck with the women from my CrossFit gym.  The ladies loved it, and one of my friend’s Becky texted me later on that night after I got home to  tell me it was hands down the  best quiche she had ever tasted.

Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Roasted Sweet Potato Frittata with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Gruyere Cheese

Recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

• one medium purple sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/4 inch cubes
• one medium regular sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 6-9 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large-sized bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, two tablespoons balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, Italian seasoning and toss to coat.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Pour the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet into a single layer, and place in the oven.  Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, removing the sweet potatoes half way through to stir.
5. Once the sweet potatoes have finished roasting, remove them from the oven and set aside.
6. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-heat.  Add the onions to the preheated skillet, and stir until the slices are evenly coated with the butter.  Continue to stir regularly for 5 to 10 minutes until the onion slices begin to soften.
7. Once the onion slices have softened, turn the heat to low, and continue to cook the onions, stirring every few minutes.  The onions will begin to brown and caramelize in about 35 to 45 minutes.
8. After the onions have finished caramelizing, stir in 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and continue cooking the onions for 3-5 more minutes before removing the skillet from the heat.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
11. Mix together the roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and bacon crumbles.
12. In a 9 inch pie dish, layer half the sweet potato/onion/bacon mixture.  Then layer on 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
13. Repeat the layer with the remaining half of the sweet potato/onion/bacon mixture and then the remaining 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
14. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pie pan over the pie filling.
15. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper, and place the pie dish on the lined baking sheet.
16. Place the dish in the middle of the oven, and bake until set, approximately 45-50 minutes.
17. Once the frittata it is done, take out of the oven and let set for 15-20 minutes before slicing .