Breakfast Tartlets

I love quiche. But the problem with quiche is you make a large pie (quiche) and everyone has to eat what you put in it.

And in my house, someone's not going to be happy. I don't want sausage, or I don't want tomato, or onion, green pepper, blah, blah, blah. I'd call them all whiners but I get right in there with them. Sometimes.

You will never, ever, I did say never, see me eat a tomato that resembles a tomato, no way no how. But that's another post.

So I have to let the rest of them get away with it. At least every now and then.

So I was in Sam's Club yesterday, getting more chocolate, and if you've ever been to Sam's or Costco, or any of those big super warehouse places on the weekend, they are offering samples to try and get you to buy their product. Well, I walk by this one booth where they are making a french toast bake using canned cinnamon rolls. Sorry, not going to buy it, still tasted like a canned roll.

But they did have this nice little card with many other recipes, so I pick it up, quickly glance through it and oh yes, something I definitely want to make!





So I pop over the the refrigerator section and pick up a box of Pillsbury Pie Crusts. I would have gotten these later anyway. I can make a pie crust but if what your putting in that crust is really good, no one will notice how truly awesome your pie crust is, so I use refrigerated crust most times anyway.

So home I go, I have the rest of the ingredients on hand.

I'm ready to make Apple, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Tartlets

the other nice part of this recipe is I didn't have to follow all the directions their way. Who really does?

So fast version

Apple, Blue Cheese and Walnut Tartlets

2 pie crusts ( I used 1)
2 eggs
1/4 cup half and half  ( I used heavy whipping cream, it's what I had)
2 tsp. all purpose flour
1 small apple, finely chopped ( I used granny smith)
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup walnuts
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl or measuring cup, beat cream and eggs, add flour and beat again till smooth. Place crust on cutting surface and cut into 6 pieces large enough to fill a regular sized muffin tin.

I take the scrap sides and with just a bit of water on my fingertip, paste them together for my last 2 squares.

Place pie crust squares in ungreased muffin tins

Then start layering your stuffing,

apples

walnuts

blue cheese

Now pour egg mixture over everything, careful not to overflow pie crust

Sprinkle parsley on top

Place in oven and bake for 18-23 minutes until filling is set and crust is a golden brown

Let rest for 5 minutes before removing from tin and serving.

Now these were good but the flavor didn't scream at me, The apples were muted by the blue cheese but the blue cheese was still subtle, there wasn't any dominant taste to say this is "wow" good. 

But I liked the idea of the apples, and the walnuts,

So I started thinking,

What do I normally like in quiche?

And what would go "wow" with the apples?

So round two:

Sausage, Apple and Cheddar Cheese Tartlets

1 pie crust

2 eggs

1/4 cup cream

2 tsp all purpose flour

salt and pepper (optional)

about 1/4 pound hot sausage, cooked and drained

1 small apple, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Same as above, combine, egg, cream, flour, add salt and pepper to taste to egg mixture. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, cut pie crust and place in muffin tins, now start layering your filling

sausage

apples

cheese

walnuts

maybe a bit more cheese

pour egg mixture over all of it

Sprinkle parsley over tops and place in oven, bake for 18-23 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from tin. 

The flavors on this one popped! The apples stood out and held their own against the sausage and cheddar. The walnuts had a good crunch. This one is a keeper. 

And you can make this ahead of time, cook, then keep in the fridge to reheat for a later time, like Christmas morning, maybe?

The other thing I liked about this is, for those picky eaters? Make these the way you want. In the second batch, in the upper left corner of the tin was my daughter's tart, Sausage, cheese and egg. She was happy, we were happy. And isn't that what you want at your table? Happy people?

I've linked this recipe up at Finding Joy in my Kitchen