Mini Quiches

This is one of my favorite appetizers.  Each time I take them to an event, I get multiple requests for the recipe. Now that our chickens are laying, I love to make things to use them up!


Mini Quiches
Pastry:

• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sifted flour

Combine all ingredients and chill one hour.  I use a food processor with cold butter and cold cream cheese.  I mix it until it forms a ball.  I do not chill for the hour if I use cold ingredients in the processor- only if the butter and cream cheese are room temperature.

Filling:

• 1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled (or use precooked bacon)
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Dash cayenne pepper or Tabasco

Spray mini tins with Pam.  Form balls of dough and place in mini muffin tins. Use a tart shaper to form shells (or press dough into muffin pans with your fingers.

Mix together eggs, cream, salt and cayenne pepper.  Sprinkle bacon then cheese in tart shells.  Pour egg mixture over cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Quiche can be made ahead and frozen.  If you are planning to freeze them, slightly under bake them.  They will finish cooking when they are reheated.   Makes about 36 quiches.  Yummy!



Roll little blobs of dough and place in sprayed pan.

Use a tart press to make the shells.  Or, you can just press it in with your fingers.

The tart shells ready to be filled.

Filled and ready to be baked.

The finished product!

Slow cooker: Classic Swiss Fondue

Classic Swiss Fondue
1 garlic clove, halved
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
1 TB lemon juice
1 pound natural Swiss cheese, grated
3 TB all purpose flour
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Slow cooker: 3-3.5 quart, or 4-4.5 quart

Directions:

1. Rub inside of stoneware with garlic; discard garlic.
2. In a saucepan, heat wine until hot but not boiling. Add the lemon juice.
3. Thoroughly mix the flour into grated cheese. Drop cheese mixture by handfuls into hot wine while stirring constantly. Add pepper and nutmeg.
4. Place cheese mixture into stoneware and heat on high for 30 minutes. Decrease heat to low.
5. Serve fondue by spearing chunks of bread into cheese using long forks.
   

Slow Cooker Artichoke Cheese Dip

Artichoke Cheese Dip
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (not the canister type)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or a 4 oz can chopped green chilies)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Recommended size of slow-cooker: 3-4.5 quart

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
   
2. Cover; cook about 1-2 hours on low.
3. Serve on sliced baguettes (toast them with butter under the broiler), or with crusty sourdough bread.