Individual Quiches made in a muffin tin.

It's Potluck Day! 

And I am making Individual Quiches that are made in a muffin tin.

I love our monthly potlucks and this month's theme is Appetizers. Mini foods and smaller portions so that more food can fit on your plate!  This happens to be one of our most anticipated theme months.  Appetizers seem easy or maybe just sound easy and everyone really enjoys all the different foods that show up.  

My quiche is becoming epic - if only in our own home - but it is so good!  I wrote about our quiche making project about 3 years ago.  If you are looking for a full sized deep dish 9" quiche, Click Here to see that post. 

For the full sized quiche recipe - Click Here 

I've made mini quiches before and then made even more and froze them.  Oh my goodness, 2 minutes in the microwave straight from frozen and they are nearly as fabulous as when they are pulled out of the oven.  Those frozen muffin sized quiches have been one of my favorite go to morning breakfasts.  

Now that I am having to eat real whole foods with very little if any additives, it's very nice to have something quick.  It's also pretty awesome that so many others like it as well.  That is why all of the recommended cheeses are white or are white in the photos.  No added colors to help keep me well. 

I have to admit, last month I brought the muffin sized quiche for potluck, but I wasn't feeling well, so I was only able to make 12.  Not too many people were able to try them and those that did loved them.  For this month's potluck I prepped everything the day before, so I just had to mix the liquids and fill the muffin pan.  

Now that I have made the mini quiches a few times I have learned a few tricks.  

1. Fill each of the muffin cups up to the top with ingredients.
2. Pour the liquid in slowly and stop just before overflowing.
3. Make sure you have the muffin pan on a level surface and then fill each muffin up to the very top.
4. If done correctly, a the liquid egg mixture should fill all 12 muffins to the very top. 

If everything is prepared in advance, it should only take about 15 minutes to fill the 12 muffin tins and get it into the oven.  They bake for 35 minutes and you can eat them right away.  

Here are the layers I used for this particular batch.  You can use any combination of items that you'd like.  I just sprinkle the portions into each well.

-chopped spinach and mushrooms on the bottom
-a layer of sharp cheddar cheese
-green onions and bacon
-monterey jack cheese - I put a good amount in there.
-Then mix up the liquid egg and cream and pour that in
-top each of the wells with shredded parmesan cheese
-pour remaining egg mixture to the very top of each well.

As you can see, I don't stuff the quiches with ingredients.  I like there to be a cheese layer between and I want to make sure that the egg mixture can really bind everything together.

I add in dried dill, some garlic powder and onion powder into the eggs.  A pinch or two of salt if you'd like as well.

This is the first pouring of the liquid and the topping of each one with parmesan.

 This is the final pour and I got every drop of the liquid into those muffin tins.

Right out of the oven those quiches are an inch or two above the muffin pan, but even just a few seconds later they have already deflated.  I tried to get a photo of them really tall, but they deflate quickly! 

In this batch of quiches I added more spinach to the top layer, just under the parmesan.  I had extra spinach, so I decided to use it up.  I think it made the quiche look a lot prettier.  

We took 23 quiches to the appetizer potluck tonight.  (We ate one as a tester!) 12 will fit in a 9x13 baking dish and ours has a lid, so I put that lid on right away - an hour later those quiche were still warm.  Now that's potluck GOLD to have warm food.  I have 2 of those 9x13 baking dishes, so I used both to transport the whole shebang.

I have an electric skillet that I could have used to keep these warm, but I didn't want to fuss with trying to plug it in at our venue.  The quiche are good both hot and cold.

We came home with 3.

Quiche - Muffin sized
yield: 12 quiches
350 degrees F
35 minutes

The Filling
- as many of these as you'd like
10 - 20 oz frozen spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed nearly dry
*fresh mushrooms, sliced, sauteed
*sliced green onions
*onion, sliced, sauteed
*sundried tomatoes, chopped and patted dry
*chopped fresh dill (or dried dill)
*minced garlic (or roasted garlic or garlic powder)
*bacon cooked and crumbled
The Liquid Mixture
10 large eggs
2 cups whole milk - (or Half and Half and 2% milk) (or heavy whipping cream and 2%) all of these are good combos.  
salt and pepper, to taste
the dried spices if you chose to go that route. 

The Cheeses
shredded cheese - Use 2 if you'd like  (Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella, Swiss, Moneterey Jack)
grated Parmesan cheese or Dubliner

Slice, dice, thaw, squeeze dry, grate and crumble everything that you want to go into the quiches.

Spray your muffin tin with a nonstick cooking spray.
Fill the tins, making sure to leave each layer airy so the liquid egg mixture can seep through everything.

I like to use a hardish cheese (sharp cheddar) near the bottom, put my melty cheese like Mozzarella or Monterrey Jack in the middle and then top with the hardest cheese, Parmesan on the top.

Fill each well with the liquid egg mixture and fill each one to the very top.  I found that my 12 pack of quiches bakes for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  I do not have a convection oven, so I do not know how they they would take in one of those fancy ovens.


Please be sure to read the step by step above with the photos.  It's easier to explain with pictures, but once you've done it once or twice you won't need anything but the numbers for the liquid egg mixture.  That's all I have on a sticky note on the inside of one of the cabinet doors.

That's all she wrote for tonight.
Have a great day!
Kristin