Holiday Brunch: Part Two

 

Brunch Bites or Baby Quiches

Recipe adapted from Midwest Living April 2013
Cook's notes: This recipe allows your creative spirit to emerge, customizing the fillings. The mini quiche can be a brunch item or made smaller using an appetizer muffin pan. There are lots of options to consider with this recipe.

Cooking Tips: I used one single pie crust refrigerated Pillsbury brand. I was able to get 4 rounds using a glass about 4 inches in diameter. Then I rerolled scraps to get the 5th one.  I used a standard size 3 inch (diameter) muffin pan.

Fillings options:
Cooked bacon chopped into bits
Broccoli florets chopped fine
Deli ham chopped fine
Cooked crumbled sausage
Sautéed peppers, spinach and onions
Cheese options:
Grated Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere, 
Custard Filling- This filling can easily be increased for more than 5 servings.
2 eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup half and half
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon each herbes de Provence and parsley flakes

Directions:

• Use a blender to mix liquid ingredients, spices and mustard. Set aside. 
• Fry 5 pieces of bacon, set on a a paper towel lined plate and crumble when cooled.
• Drain grease reserve 1 tablespoon. Stir fry 1/2 cup diced red peppers, 1/2 cup diced onions, and several handfuls fresh spinach, stems removed in reserved bacon grease. Add in crumbled bacon. 
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Very lightly grease bottom of 5 muffin tin wells to prevent pie crust sticking during baking. 
• Roll out dough on floured wax paper surface and use a glass (4 inch diameter) to cut out pie crusts rounds.   
• Place pie crust rounds into tin and up the sides of the pan. In bottom place your filling choices and grated cheese.  

• Divide custard filling evenly among 5 pie shells. 
• Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Lay a sheet of foil over entire muffin pan to avoid overbrowning. Cook 1-2 minutes more. Place a butter knife in center of quiche. If comes out clean it's done. Let rest 4 minutes before removing from pan. 
  

Raspberry Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
Cook's Notes: Put this recipe top of your list. It is festive looking and quite tasty!
Recipe from heathercristo.com and serves 4.
Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 pint raspberry sorbet
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (arils)
• Chilled champagne 

Directions:

• Freeze your glasses until frosty.
• Add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to the bottom of each glass.
• Add a few small scoops of the raspberry sorbet and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds to each glass.
• Top with chilled champagne.

Pomegranate Martini
Cook's notes: Recipe posted by Rachel Ray the O Magazine. Recipe makes 2 drinks. 
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups pomegranate juice
• 2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka or white tequila
• 1 oz. Cointreau liquor
• Cup of ice
• Splash of sparkling water
• Squeeze of a lemon
• Pomegranate seeds (arils)

Directions:

• Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker and pour into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with pomegranate fruit in the glass.
  
  HOLIDAY BRUNCH:PART THREE 

Salads and a dessert