I came across this idea online and decided to test it out - I love using silicone muffin tins for baking eggs and leftover veggies for a quick breakfast, but these looked nicely portable and easy to make for breakfast on the run. My initial idea to create a phyllo, pear and prosciutto tart today was derailed by the fact that I always forget phyllo needs a day in the fridge before I can hope to use it - and I was hungry now. So let the testing begin!
And - they are quite delicious - and dashed the dogs hopes for any leftovers! I can easily see these being a regular menu item because they are:
- Easy to make
- Easy to change up for different moods
- Hands-off cooking
- Each person can have their own likes met
This is my favorite kind of recipe because “close counts” and substitutions have a high chance of being delicious. Just go with whatever you have in your fridge or pantry to shake flavors up; don’t worry about rules! The original recipes I saw all had the same elements: tortilla, muffin tin, eggs and fillings.
Ingredients
- Tortillas
- Muffin Tin
- Eggs
- Various Fillings
Basic Directions
- Preheat oven to 375-400F. (slower and lower if you want more control over the doneness of your eggs)
- Cut small taco size tortillas into quarters: 2-3 of these triangles will make your cups depending on the size of your tortillas and your muffin tin.
- Grease the muffin tin: oil, butter, ghee - something. Layer in your tortilla wedges to make your cups. (You don’t have to make all 12)
- Add in your filling: I used diced canned mushrooms and a piece of prosciutto topped with a sprinkle of dehydrated greens and some mexican cheese, but I suspect salsa and sausage would be yummy too. Grilled onions and some artichoke heart bits, some bits of leftover baked potatoes and cheese would also be tasty. I’d say ⅓-½ of the cups should be filling. If you have small eggs (yay for bantam chickens!) you can have more stuffing without overflowing the cup with egg.
- Top with a whole egg - maybe a little seasoning (or more cheese), pop it in the oven and bake 12-15 min until the whites are solid and the yolk is done to your liking.
- Remove - let cool for a few minutes. Remove tortilla cups and serve or set aside to be grabbed by hungry family members on their way out the door. Bonus - they can eat it between the front door and the car in most cases, meaning no crumbs in the seat!
My first batch I cooked at 400 and while I wanted my yolks “a little more done” they very quickly went from “almost done” to “overdone”, so adjust accordingly. You could easily do these in a toaster oven and probably in an air fryer - but I don’t have one, so someone else will have to test that for us!
Remember the possibilities here are endless! These are also a great way to use up leftover veggies or beans, and you can make them frequently without being boring.
To start your day, I love this savory Congee. It’s packed with several powerhouse food herbs to nourish your body. Enjoy it plain, or with a cup of green tea as an easy way to start your day.
BASIC CONGEE RECIPE
- 1 cup short grain rice
- 10 cups broth (or you can use
- 10 cups water for making a breakfast congee)
- 1 tsp neutral oil (like coconut)
FOR SAVORY CONGEE (Optional for serving)
- 1 cup milk, either dairy or soy
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Leftover shredded meat
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Julienned carrots
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
Directions
- In the bowl of a large slow-cooker, stir together 1 teaspoon of neutral oil and the short-grain rice until the rice grains are coated. Add the broth (or water) and stir to combine. Place the lid on the slow-cooker, turn heat to ‘LOW’ and allow to cook for 8 hours. Just prior to serving, bump the heat up to ‘HIGH’. If you’re using milk, stir it in now. Re-cover the slow-cooker and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the cooker, uncover and stir prior to serving.
- Options
- Drizzle with a little toasted sesame oil, top with sliced green onions, add a few drops of Sriracha and chop a hard-boiled egg. This may not cure the cold, but it sure makes you feel better.
- Add chicken, scallions and some diced veggies (before or after cooking) and serve…
- Add ground meat, egg yolk, some diced garlic and veggies
- Or to start your day, I love this sweet variation below called "8 Treasure Congee". It’s packed with several powerhouse food herbs to nourish your body. Enjoy with a cup of green tea as an easy way to start your day. I usually let this cook overnight and add a little milk of choice to replace part of the water.
In addition to your rice, add:
- ¼ C pearl barley
- 6-8 Chinese dates (aka hong zao or jujubes - if can’t get these you can use medjool dates)
- 1 cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon to taste
- 1” ginger root peeled and grated (can use powdered ginger as well)
- 1 t cardamom
- Gan cao (chinese licorice - about 6g)- this can be omitted if you can’t find it, star anise can be used if you like but it is an entirely different plant)
- Goji Berries (¼ C)
- Mulberries (¼ C)