Here’s a kind of special occasion dish. This one works so well for a do-ahead Mother’s Day brunch or breakfast when company is coming. The hash brown nests hold a rich and savory filling of just about anything you’d like to make, but we’ve chosen sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus. Feel free to let your imagination run wild, and switch up the fillings and cheeses so it’s just right for you and yours. Keep right on reading to see how much fun you can have with these!
We’re working with a two-part concept with these guys. First of all, we’ll use some frozen hash browns, mix with a little cheese and some olive oil, and form them into little nests that go right into the muffin pan. While the nests are baking, the filling comes together. Once the nests are almost done, they come out of the oven and the filling gets poured right in. Wait until slightly cooled to avoid tastebud incineration and dive in head first.
What do you say we slice right into one? Or maybe two?
…and one of the coolest things about these is that you can make them the day ahead. Just gently reheat right before serving and you are totally good to go.
Hope you enjoy!! Happy Mother’s Day everyone. xoxoxo
Sundried Tomato & Vegetable Mini-Quiches in Hash Brown Crust
Ingredients
- HASH BROWN NESTS
- 21 ounces frozen hash browns thawed
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- QUICHE FILLING
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half
- ¾ cup gruyere finely shredded using a micro-plane
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8- ounce jar of sundried tomatoes well drained with as much surface oil removed as possible, and then diced
- 3 tablespoons or to taste diced green onion or chives
- To taste: Chopped steamed broccoli asparagus, or frozen spinach that has been thawed and well drained. (For 12 nests, you should have approximately 1 cup to 1.5 cups of steamed vegetable.)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425. Mix hash browns with oil and salt and pepper. Stir in grated cheese.
- Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray (a silicone muffin pan works best for removing nests). Place hash browns mixture in each cup and with your fingers and/or a very round spoon (such as a melon baller) push the hash browns and shape the nests. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until nests have brown edges and the cheese is melted. The nests will not be completely cooked.
- Tip: After about nine minutes in the oven, open the oven and using a round spoon, re-shape the nests wherever you see they have drooped or can be better shaped.
- Remove nests and reduce oven temperature to 350 and begin blending quiche mixture.
- Whisk eggs with half and half, add salt and pepper, gruyere, tomatoes, green onion and your choice of chopped green vegetable.
- Tip: As an alternative to blending in the vegetable, you can just add only enough to each cup to suit each member of your family.
- Add filling to each cup, filling to just below the top of the nest. Make sure the liquid just barely covers the vegetable ingredients in each nest. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until done (done when a sharp knife comes out clean.) Allow to cool for a bit and then carefully remove from pan.
- Tip: These can be made one day in advance. Remove cooked nests and place on cooling rack. Once cooled, place nests on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, then next day reheat in the oven at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes the following day.