Saturday, January 31, 2009

Mini Ham and Cheese Frittatas and Baked Vidalia Onion Tartlettes

 
I am sharing recipes for two delicious appetizers in preparation for Superbowl Sunday. Of course this means they should be somewhat 'manly' bites but also appeal to the ladies who will be watching the game.

The first is Mini Ham and Cheese Frittatas which I adapted from a Cooking Light recipe. I made a few minor tweaks to the original recipe and used leeks instead of regular onions and also added a splash or two of Tabasco sauce to give them an extra 'kick'. Rather than mini muffin tins, I used my mini cheesecake pans with lift out bottoms. They worked beautifully. You can find the original recipe here and my version below:



This non-stick Mini Cheesecake Pan is perfect for making these and other bite-sized treats!


Mini Ham and Cheese Frittatas


Yield about 1-2 dozen mini frittatas depending on the size of the pan you use. My mini cheesecake pan only made about 12.

Ingredients

1 T Canola oil
1/2 cup finely diced leek or onion
2/3 cup finely diced ham (about 2 ounces)
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
4 large egg whites
1 large egg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat 1 tablespoon coooking oil a large skillet. Add chopped leek or onion and sauté 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add ham and sauté another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add ham mixture, stirring with a whisk. Spoon mixture into miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set.



For my next appetizer, I chose a recipe that had been given to me by a good friend a few years ago called Baked Vidalia Onion Dip. Normally, I use a shallow casserole dish to bake the recipe and serve it with crackers but this time I used store-bought mini phyllo tart cups. I found some beautiful baby Vidalia onions which I used but regular Vidalias or any sweet onion will work just fine.

I simply spooned a tablespoon of the mixture into each emply tart shell and baked in the oven for 20 minutes. Yummy!


Baked Vidalia Onion Spread


Preheat oven to 350F

1 cup sliced Vidalia or other sweet onions (if you are using mini tart cups make a finer dice)
1 cup Swiss cheese/or Gruyere
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne for ‘kick’ - optional

Phyllo Cups

Sauté onions in frying pan with a little olive oil until soft, translucent and caramelized (don’t let them burn!)

If not using phyllo cups, mix onions with cheese and mayo and pour into oven-proof dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes.

If you are using the mini tart cups, place shells on a baking pan and spoon about 2 teaspoons of the above mixture into each cup. Bake for only 20 minutes.

Serve with Crackers  or fresh baguette slices if not using phyllo cups.

20 comments:

  1. susan it all looks fabulous! do you have any more in the oven, i ate all the onions at wfd and i am sniffing around for more...

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  2. Susan, they both look wonderful. I read Monique's comment on WFD that the Vidalia Onion spread is a favorite of her family.

    You mentioned that you typically serve it on crackers. Do you have a preference between on the tart or with crackers?

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  3. Thanks Jain and Cynthia!

    We loved the phyllo shells, Cynthia. It's a little more work spooning the mixture into the shells but well worth it.

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  4. They look so pretty and delicious! I can't wait to pop some in my mouth!

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  5. Just found your blog through Tastespotting---it's lovely. I'm drawn to your photos & styling, not to mention these mini frittatas. Strangely, I looked at a mini cheesecake pan just yesterday while shopping, but didn't pick one up. Thinking it's time to head back to the store today!

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  6. The mini quiches look lovely and nourishing! I'll try these using a greased mini muffin tin instead of the phyllo shells. Beautiful blog. :)

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  7. Thanks PigPig, Sandie and Lauren. I hope you let me know how you like them.

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  8. I almost tried and onion tart as well and look forward to comparing your recipe to the one I found and then trying them. Everything you make and show is just pefection!

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  9. Susan, thank you for the info on your preference of the phyllo shells .... I thought that might be your answer. .... Definitely on my must do list right away.

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  10. Your bite size appetizers look so incredible !!

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  11. These are so darn CUTE Susan!

    Absolutely perfect party food, I'm sure they wouldn't last long at any gathering.

    Very nice job!

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  13. Thanks, Marsha!

    I hope you try them some time and let me know how you like them Cynthia! The phyllo gave them just the right 'crunch'.

    Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Cathy!

    Aw, thank you Mari ~

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  14. I love these appetizer recipes. I'm always stumped when someone asks me to bring appetizers to a party. Many of the recipes I've seen for appetizers are either way to labor intensive or just don't pique my interest. These are perfect!

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  15. I'm looking for something to make for a girl's night out party tomorrow night. How well will either of these hold up at room temp as I will have to transport them. Thanks!

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  16. Hi Amanda! I hope you enjoy them! What I've read is that cooked food should be kept at room temperature no longer than two hours and if it's hot, only one hour. Here's a link that might be useful:

    http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/food_safety/handling/hgic3580.html

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  17. I just wanted to let yu know that I finally made the ham and cheese frittatas. They didn't even make it to the table, and were pretty much grabbed as soon as I put them on the platter!


    The recipe made about 16, as as I said were gone in an instant. I was forced to make more immediately. This time I doubled the recipe, and the only reason I was able to taste them was because I am compiling a personal cookbook for my daughters of all my favorites and I insisted on taking a photo, so I got to eat those few.

    I will be making the Baked Vidalia Onion Spread next.

    Thank you so much for all the great recipes and the time you invest to share with all of us!

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  18. Thanks so much for your comment, Mystery and I'm so glad you enjoyed them. I'm made cookbooks for my daughters too - I think it's a wonderful idea and they actually use them ;) One daughter called home to say she was making something from the family cookbook and I was thrilled.

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  19. think you could make the dip and freeze it, then thaw and put in phyllo cups before serving?

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    1. I've never tried freezing anything mayonnaise-based so I really cannot comment on that. You could certainly mix it up in the morning.

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