Recipe Review | Egg Muffins (Mini Crustless Quiches)

(veggie on the left, pancetta cup on the right)

I tried making these once before and the "muffins" stuck so badly to the cupcake pan that I ended up throwing half of the food down the garbage disposal (after an overnight soak trying to get the baked egg to release from the pan). Deciding to give it another go, I was sure to thoroughly grease my muffin tins this time around. Thankfully, the muffins slipped easily from the pan. This recipe, from the blog Will Cook For Friends, is easily adaptable. I've made several batches since trying it the first time and each version is varied and still quite tasty! Whatever cheese and veggies you have on hand should do. I've made them without meat, with hot Italian sausage, and with pancetta-lined muffins. Meat or no meat--they are very satisfying.

Egg Muffins (Mini Crustless Quiches)

(via Will Cook For Friends)

~

What you need:

Base:


12 large eggs


1/2 cup heavy cream


1/4 cup milk


2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped


2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped


1/4 tsp. salt


1/4 tsp. pepper

Veggies*:


1 cup broccoli, cut into teeny tiny florets


1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped


1/2 red bell pepper, chopped small


1 cup mushrooms, chopped small

1/4 cup onion, diced fine


1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced fine

Add-ins (optional):


1 1/2 cups cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella, or other cheese

1 lb. bacon, sausage, or other meat, fully cooked

*Feel free to sub in whatever veggies you like, or have on hand. I used about 3-4 cups of chopped veggies in total, and wouldn’t suggest using much more, otherwise you won’t have enough egg mixture to hold them together. Once I didn't have red pepper so I used chopped cherry tomatoes. Another time, no broccoli, basil or parsley--so I subbed extra spinach.

~ What to do:

1. If using meat, cook it first and then cut it into small pieces, if applicable. Except for pancetta, which comes cured in the package. If you're using pancetta, just do this: 
   
   
2. Pre-heat oven to 375º F and thoroughly grease (cooking spray) 2 muffin tins. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
4. Prep all your veggies to the proper size. I added my veggies to a sauté pan for a few minutes to soften them up a bit. When I made the batch with the Italian sausage--I just threw them in toward the end of the browning process. Otherwise, use a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Let cool.
5. Add all the veggies to the bowl with the egg mixture and stir to combine. Add the cheese (and meat). 
   
6. Using a 1/4 cup measurer, scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Fill to about 1/4 inch from the top. 
   
   
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is fully set and the top has just started to turn a golden color on top. (Mine were finished after 18-20 minutes--so keep an eye on them.) 
   
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before gently removing from the pan with a little teaspoon. Enjoy while warm, or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers can be reheated for several seconds in the microwave, or a few minutes in a preheated oven or toaster oven. 

Below is a batch made with browned Italian sausage. At the time, I decided to leave the jalepeños out--next time, I will leave them in. ;)

I hope you try these! I cannot tell you how great they are when you're on the go. I can pop 2-3 in the microwave on a paper towel and I'm out the door for morning drop-off with a solid breakfast that will get me through all of my pre-lunch errands (plus a workout--on those days I fit one in). If you do decide to give them a go, I'd love to hear how you modified and what I should try next!