Kitchen InFerno: Cupcakes for Dinner

Healthy eating and college don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand, but knowing the right tricks can help turn eating right into a daily routine. Let Kiersten Ferno be your guide for navigating the health-food scene without taking a chunk out of your schedule. Welcome to the inFerno.

The choice is yours:  Let #Sandy shut you in with snooze-worthy ramen noodles and PB&J…or use odds-and-ends in your fridge to bake super simple baby quiche!

Watching my roommates spread that elementary school combo on not-so-appetizing stale bread made me sick. Luckily, with a little scavenging, I dug up some veggies to chop, eggs to scramble, and some cheese and breadcrumbs to sprinkle. With some non-stick spray and a cupcake pan hidden in the back of a kitchen cabinet, I put together a hearty meal of baby quiche. Served up with a crunchy salad, you’ll have a lovely meal while your friends peer at you with a jealous eye, wondering what that fluffy, savory cupcake on your plate is. The best part- the quiche can be reheated while you spend the next couple days indoors, out of the wind and rain.

Sandy is sure serving up a storm, but don’t let that keep you from munching on a delicious, filling meal!

What you need:

Makes 6 mini-quiches.

Crust Ingredients

¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs or panko
1 egg
¼ cup water

Filling ingredients:

4 eggs
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
Any vegetables you can find, diced
A meat- sausage, bacon, chicken, shrimp…see below for more suggestions!
¼ cup shredded cheese
Pasta (optional)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spray the cupcake pans with non-stick spray (Make sure you get the bottom and the sides so the egg filling doesn’t stick).
Note: If you don’t have a cupcake pan handy, use a casserole dish or pie pan for a full-size quiche.

3. Mix breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and water. Press small spoonful into base of each cupcake opening, just enough to cover the bottom.

4. Saute minced onions and a teaspoon of garlic in olive oil on medium heat.

5. Turn off heat. Dice ingredients of choice and mix with olive oil, garlic, and onion.

6. Scramble eggs in a bowl and spoon into each section of the cupcake pan.

7. Spoon ingredient mixture into scrambled eggs.

8. Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, bread crumbs and a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper for an extra kick!

9. Bake for 20 minutes (or until eggs are puffy and golden brown instead of runny). Serve with your favorite condiments (editor’s note: hot sauce is a must with any egg dish!) and fresh greens.

Stay safe and dry, friends.

If you’re staring at your fridge, at a loss for what will go well with what, here are our favorite ingredient combos:

#1

4 eggs
Spaghetti
Sausage
Spinach
Mushrooms
Feta cheese

#2

4 eggs
Tomatoes
Mozzarella
Shredded chicken
Basil

#3

4 eggs
Bacon
Green pepper
Roasted red peppers
Shredded carrots
Asiago cheese

#4

4 eggs
Goat cheese
Scallions
Shrimp

#5

4 eggs
Ricotta cheese
Shredded green zucchini
Chopped sun-dried tomatoes

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