Super Easy Egg Bites

 It's super cold here in central Arkansas. I can't work in the yard or play outside. So what's the best way to pass the time, in between reading and napping? Cooking, of course!

I make these easy egg bites fairly often. They are full of flavor and protein, travel well, and don't need to be re-heated. This version is meat-free but not vegan.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place paper muffin cups in a standard (12) muffin pan. 

Chop half of an onion and 6 or 7 mushrooms. Saute gently with olive oil until soft. Set aside to cool.

Chop two large handfuls of fresh spinach and add to a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add 1/3 cup of milk. I usually only have half-and-half on hand, which works fine too. Break 6 or 7 large eggs into the bowl. 

Add 1/3 cup of chopped tomatoes to the mixing bowl. I use canned tomatoes, which I drain first. You can also use dried tomatoes but the egg bites are more moist if you use fresh or canned. 

Put in whatever spices make you happy. I usually only put in fresh ground black pepper, but basil, garlic, thyme, oregano, and chili powder are all nice choices. 

Add the onion and mushrooms, making sure to scrape all the lovely browned olive oil into the mixing bowl too. Gently whisk until well mixed. Spool into the muffin cups. To make clean up a little easier, wipe up any spills from the surface of the muffin pan before you put it into the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. The bites will puff up a little. When they are done, a fork stuck into the middle will come out clean.

This is an extremely loose recipe--the only limit is the volume of the muffin cups. Don't like spinach? Try fresh basil. Want some animal flesh? Add chopped (cooked) bacon. Want puffier egg bites? Hand-whip some air into the mix before adding to the muffin cups. Black olives, pesto sauce, sunflower seeds or walnuts--let your imagination and contents of your pantry run free!