One Perfect Bite: quiche recipes

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Pint-Sized Swiss Tarts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been experimenting with serving size today. I'm having a buffet luncheon this month, but I have more people coming than I have places at my table. I want to serve a meal that can be eaten from a paper plate and balanced on a lap in a crowded room. Quiche immediately came to mind, but I thought a standard piece would be difficult to serve and eat given the circumstances. I eyed my Texas-sized muffin pan and thought the cups would make perfect small tarts if they were lined with pastry and filled with a cheesy custard. My test run was done using an unbaked pie crust from the grocery store. I cut it into 6 circles and used them to line the large muffin cups. My family is partial to an onion tart that I make several times a year. I used the filling from that tart for the petite version I was testing for the luncheon. It took about 20 minutes to make and another 30 minutes to bake my test version of the tarts. When done, it was obvious that they'd make for neater serving at the table, and they were also small enough to be eaten without a fork, which would be great for a buffet. I'm not yet sure I'll serve the tarts for the luncheon, but I like the idea of small, individual servings, and, with all due modesty, I must say they are delicious. I hope you'll give them a try. Here is how they are made.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

A Crustless Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This quiche is quick and easy to prepare and it makes a healthy addition to your Meatless Monday recipe collection. Follow the recipe below and you can have dinner on the table in about an hour. I like to serve this light entree with soup to help make it meal worthy, and for our dinner tonight I roasted the last of our summer tomatoes to make a thick and rib-sticking soup that I will share with you another day. There is not much that can go wrong with this quiche. My only caution is to make sure the frozen spinach has as much liquid as is possible removed from it. I use my potato ricer to press out excess liquid and have never had a problem with an overly-moist quiche. You can experiment with the cheeses you use, and broccoli can replace the spinach if you have a preference for it. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. It will not make your reputation as a cook, but neither will it harm it. It is always nice to have a new meatless entree to add to your recipe collection. You might want to consider this one. Here is how this simple crustless quiche is made.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Budget Bites

Ingredients:
8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10-oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 oz. feta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thaw spinach if required. Drain in a colander and squeeze out extra liquid.
2) Place sliced mushrooms in a skillet coated with non-stick spray. Add garlic and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Turn heat on to medium-high and saute mushrooms until they release all of their moisture and no more water remains on the bottom of the skillet (5-7 minutes).
3) Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Spread spinach on bottom of pie plate. Cover with cooked mushrooms and crumbled feta cheese.
4) Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until fairly smooth. Add milk, Parmesan, and another small sprinkle of pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour this mixture over spinach, mushrooms, and feta mixture. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over top.
5) Place pie dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until pie is golden brown and the center is solid, about 45 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 6 Servings.