RECIPE: MARTIE'S MINI PARTY FRITTATAS- PERFECT FOR BRUNCH!

I love to make frittatas. Basically, a frittata is like a big baked egg stuffed with deliciousness... and almost anything can go in a frittata. I like to make them on a Sunday night to use up whatever I have leftover in the fridge. This mini version is perfect for any get-together: Breakfast for the kids after a sleep-over, brunch with the neighbors, a bridal brunch paired with a delicious salad, and even a quick supper. Here's a basic mini frittata recipe that you can add your favorites to: Asparagus, corn, tomatoes, onion... just about any combo tastes good baked in eggs.

MINI PARTY FRITTATAS

Makes 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

8 eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup fully cooked ham or Canadian bacon, chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to your taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of Cayenne pepper (or dash of Tabasco)

1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 2 mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, add the eggs. Whisk with a fork just slightly to break them up. Add the milk, salt, and peppers and whisk for a minute more to combine. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Fill the cups 3/4 full. Bake 8 minutes or until they puff up and become set in the middle. Serve warm.

TOP 5 EASY AND ELEGANT OSCAR WORTHY RECIPES

Hosting an Academy Awards viewing party? Here are five of my easiest Oscar worthy party bites inspired by the menu created by Wolfgang Puck for the Governors Ball.  Get all of my Oscar party tips here.

The best thing about Wolfgang Puck's menu is that it is filled with comfort food favorites, not a lot of over the top gastronomy, using quality ingredients instead of flashy techniques. So make your best comfort food dish like Mac n Cheese or you can get items like pizza or sushi from your favorite restaurant. A cheese board is always easy; guests can graze while gathered around the television.

DEVILED EGGS WITH TOPPINGS: What could be easier? Make the deviled eggs in advance and add the toppings just before guests arrive or allow them to add their own toppings. If you really feel like splurging, you can go all Wolfgang and get some caviar or truffles to shave on top. Get the recipe...

HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY: An unexpectedly elegant twist on ham and cheese that is so delicious, my friend Justin put it in his new cookbook. With layers of flaky, buttery puff pastry and gooey, melted cheese, this will become of your favorites, too.  Get the recipe...

CITRUS PICKLED SHRIMP: Without question, this my favorite party recipe. You can make it for a big or small crowd, you can make it in advance, and best of all, it is always a hit.I've made it for casual or very elegant occasions and adjust the way I serve it to the event. Get the recipe...

HOMEMADE TRUFFLES: You must have chocolate for an Oscar party and serving your own homemade truffles is one of those wow factors your guests will always remember. For their "award" or favor, package these in a gold box for friends to take home. Get the recipe...

DARK AND WHITE DOUBLE DRIZZLED POPCORN: What's a movie party without popcorn? Take ordinary popcorn to the next level with lots of melted chocolate. What could be better (or easier) than that? Get the recipe...

RECIPE: CHEESY BACON, SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE BITES

For some reason, mini quiches are not cool anymore. There was a time when there wasn't a party menu to be found without these little wonders: Crust filled with cheesy goodness... what's not to love? But for some reason, quiche has become un-hip. To paraphrase Will Shakespeare, a quiche by any other name will still taste as good. These cheesy spinach and bacon bites are easy to make and wayyyy to good to be frowned upon because they are quiche.. I like my own crust recipe but you can buy mini tart or Phyllo shells and fill them if you prefer or are short on time.

CHEESY BACON, SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE BITES (AKA MINI QUICHE)

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, very cold, diced

3-4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

6 bacon slices, chopped

1 shallot, minced

5 cups baby spinach

1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

For the pastry shells: In your food processor, add the dry ingredients and pulse to blend. Add the butter, a few pieces at a time and pulse quickly to incorporate. Once all the butter has been added (and looks kind of like uncooked grits) turn the food processor on ‘run”.  

Add the ice water quickly, one tablespoon at a time just until the dough comes together in a ball. Stop immediately. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of plastic wrap. Form into a disc and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  

Roll the dough about 1/8” thick. Use a mini biscuit cutter (about 2 ¾” size) and cut 24 rounds. Or you can portion into 24 balls. Press them into tiny non-stick muffin tins and chill.  Also, I chill one same size muffin tin and then flour it lightly and press it into the shells to help make them smooth and uniform. Chill the dough in the tins for at least 30 minutes.  

For the filling: Grate the cheese. Set aside.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to drain on paper towels. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the shallots and cook just until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and the artichokes. Cook until the spinach is wilted; 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and grate in the nutmeg. Add the cooled spinach mixture to the bowl and stir just to combine.

When you are ready to bake the quiches, preheat your oven to 375°F. Divide the bacon and the Gruyere cheese evenly between the pastry shells. Pour in the spinach mixture, filling each cup ¾ full. Top each with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the filling is set and the crust is golden, approximately 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and remove immediately from the pan. Serve warm.

You can freeze the crust and use it when you are ready. You can also freeze the cooled quiches and thaw on a cookie sheet, then bake when you need them. A perfectly easy make-ahead party bite!

Yield: 24 mini quiche bites