Wedding nibbles: Spinach & feta mini quiches

6 days and counting...

Even as I type it out, I can't believe I am 6 days away from walking down the aisle.

It's been in the works for a year and a half now (and really 7 years in the making) but I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that this time next week I am going to be a Mrs. 

It's been a frantic, exciting, emotional roller-coaster ride of organising, baking and delegating.  From the excitement of the getting to celebrate with our loved ones, the giddy happiness of getting married to my man, to the profound sadness that my Dad will not be there to walk me down the aisle, see me in my dress or share in the big day.  It's been intense, stressful, exhilarating and all-consuming.

This week has been a frantic race to get all those last minute nitty gritty details nutted out - a making-lists and ticking-things-off-the-list kinda week.  

Luckily one of the things I had already sorted out, was my contribution to the ceremony nibbles which I made while back up in Auckland.  These bite sized Spinach and Feta Mini Quiches may not be the prettiest appetizer around, but they do pack a flavour punch, and are oh so convenient!

I needed a recipe for a party appetizer that could be made well in advance and frozen and didn't require reheating, since our ceremony is in the morning (which of course means I'll be getting prettied up from the crack of dawn!) and I'm only flying back up to Auckland 2 days before the wedding.

It was actually really really hard finding something that would work - especially a savoury item since just about anything you could make and freeze like gougeres, palmiers, cheese twists, needed to be re-heated / baked from frozen on the day.  

Then I had a Eureka! moment of using quiches since you can eat quiches cold. Ok, ok I know they would be far nicer warmed up but in a pinch these little gems can be defrosted and served up as is, still be yummy and not be in danger of going soggy.

They were delicious warm out of the oven and still scrummy when they had cooled down but I won't find out how well they defrost till after the big day so will have to report back on how they went!  Fingers crossed they'll be ok.

And before I go back to ticking some more boxes off the to-do list, I wanna give a massive heartfelt thank you to all the lovely wonderful amazing life-saving friends who are helping out with the nibbles for the ceremony.  I am so grateful and humbled.   

Thank you.

Spinach and Feta Mini Quiches with Basil and Thyme

Adapted from recipe by Homemade by Holman
makes 48 mini quiches

100g cheddar cheese, grated
100g feta cheese, cut into little cubes (5 mm squared) (or other cheese e.g. blue cheese, brie etc)
300 g frozen spinach, thawed and drained (~ 1 cup)
6 eggs
3/4 cup cream
1 heaped tsp minced garlic 
3/4 tsp salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika + extra for sprinkling
handful each of basil and thyme, chopped finely (you can substitute other herbs like oregano, parsley etc.)
melted butter to grease pans

1. Preheat oven to 150oC on fanbake (or 160oC normal).  Grease two 24 cup mini-muffin tins with melted butter.

2. Put a pinch of the grated cheddar cheese in each muffin cup to line the bottom.

3. Squeeze out any excess water from the frozen spinach then chop finely.  Evenly divide the spinach into all the muffin cups, teasing out the clumps as best you can. Divide the feta up into all the cups (a few cubes per mini quiche).

4. Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic and herbs.  Scoop tablespoonfuls of the egg mixture into the tin for each mini quiche, making sure you stir the mixture up each time you scoop out so you get all the goodies evenly mixed.

5. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes turning the trays once (top to bottom, back to front).

6.  While the quiches are still hot, sprinkle over extra paprika.  Cool the mini quiches in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out.  Serve warm or cold and a dollop of zingy tomato chutney would make it extra yummy.