We probably have a version of eggs and toast for one dinner each week. We all love it and Tess requests “dippy egg” as often as “gookies”. It was my mother-in-law’s birthday and she was coming after 4:00 golf; she wasn’t sure if she’d be hungry or what but we wanted her to pop in and see us on her big day. It’d be nice to have food ready, just in case, but fried eggs don’t hold for more than five minutes, let alone two hours. Frittata popped into my mind but then I remembered this muffin tin idea that I’d been wanting to try for a while – perfect to make ahead and reheat or even freeze if I made a big batch.
Big fan. Huge. The portioning process was fun and essentially it’s way easier to make than an omelet but contains all the same ingredients. You can use almost any veggie (but I recommend sauteeing or roasting them first as it brings out their natural sweetness), cheese, or meat. You can even sub heavy cream for my low fat milk if you want to indulge. These little guys can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for a few weeks; just thaw in the fridge overnight and microwave in the morning. Sometimes Pinterest ideas annoy me because people get excited about what’s new just for the sake of it being new; I like to stick to that which makes l0gistical sense. Pre-portioned, delicious, healthy protein? Quite sensible.
Mini Quiche with Asparagus, Bacon and Cheddar
Makes 12 standard muffin size
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped, chopped into 1/2 in. pieces
2 c. chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
10 large eggs
1/2 c. low fat milk
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
3/4 c. shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 c. muffin tin liberally with nonstick spray
2. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add asparagus, leeks, salt and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown – about 10 minutes.
3. Beat eggs and milk lightly with fork in medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup (it’s ideal to use one with a pour spout).
4. Divide egg mixture evenly into muffin tin. Sprinkle chopped bacon evenly into each cup, followed by vegetables. Top with cheese.
5. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until set. Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around the edges and serve warm or room temperature.
