Mini Spinach Bacon Gouda Quiche

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  Although we should be thankful everyday, today is the day where our thanks are called out.  So here goes nothing...

I am thankful for my family, as crazy as we are.  I am grateful to have a loving and supportive mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law.  Plus two of the cutest nephews ever!

I am thankful to have the best friends a girl could ask for, who listen to me go on and on about the same stupid stuff.

I am grateful that I am healthy, as well as my family.

I am grateful for the everyday life things, having a job with fun co-workers in great location...for having hobbies that let me take my mind off of things...for the roof over my head and the food in my kitchen and my morning coffee...for the beauty in the everyday things...like the leaves changing.

So today when you are hanging out with family and friends, cooking/baking in the kitchen, toasting to everything you are thankful for, just smile and enjoy the moment.  Take today to relax, because we all know everything is going to speed up for the next month when the holidays are upon us.

If you need a quick breakfast though, these quiche are just that.  I use a store bought pie crust because they can hold up to being move around a bit, and lets be real...a HUGE time saver.  The spinach, Gouda, shallot, bacon combo in these quiche add for not only great flavor but texture as well.  So if you are a quiche lover give them a try, they would be perfect for any holiday party this season.  If you are already thinking ahead to Christmas brunch, these quiche are great because they can be made a couple of days in advance and then just reheated in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Laying it all out...a little low-fat cream cheese, lots of spinach, a few eggs, and a bit of shallot.

I decided to thinly slice these instead of chopping them so you could really see them in the quiche.  Plus, since shallots are much milder than your standard onion, it won't be like you are biting into an entire onion when you take a bit of the quiche.

Time for the eggs...3 to be exact...

...and a little cream cheese and then all of the filler.

Spinach, thawed and squeezed of all of the excess liquid...

Then the shallots and cheese...

And finally the bacon.

I use my standard glass for cutting out the pie crust once it is unrolled.  Any 2 1/2 inch round glass or cookie cutter would work though.

Mini Spinach Bacon Gouda Quiche: (recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

*makes approximately a dozen mini quiche

3-ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup skim milk

3 eggs

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 box pie crust (2 pie crusts) from the refrigerator section

1.  Preheat oven to 425°. 

2.  In a medium sized bowl, cream the cream cheese using the back of a fork until smooth. 

3.  Gradually beat in milk and eggs with a whisk. Then mix in remaining ingredients and set aside.

4.  Unroll one pie crust at a time.  Using a glass or cookie cutter, cut rounds of pie crust and carefully place into a non-stick muffing pan.  

5.  Fill each crust almost to the top and bake for 20-23 minutes or until quiche is set and crust is golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

*If you want to reheat these, place in a 350 degree F oven or toasted oven for 10-15 minutes.