Lunchbox Bakes – Ham, Egg and Courgette Cups

These Ham, Egg and Courgette Cups are quick to prepare and are something just a little more special to have for breakfast or lunch (they go well with a salad).  Great for feeding a crowd too!

24 slices shaved ham
2 large courgette (zucchini)
3 eggs
⅓ cup cream
⅔ cup grated cheddar cheese
4 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease 8 holes of a 12 hole muffin tin.  Line each hole with the ham (use three pieces and overlap them so there are no gaps).  Grate the courgette and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Whisk the eggs and cream in a medium sized bowl.  Stir in the courgette and grated cheese.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin hole and top with a segment of tomato.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked.  Stand for 5 minutes before serving.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, head along to our Lunchbox Bakes page.

Lunchbox Bakes – Ham, Cheese and Broccoli Quiche

This is my first attempt at a quiche.  I didn’t really like eating quiche as a kid, I suppose it is because the usually have onions in them.*  Ick.  However, this one was quick and easy to make and it tastes delicious.  It smelt amazing while it was baking and looked pretty impressive when I took it out of the oven.  Simon and I have been eating it cold as a part of our lunches this week. 

1 sheet pre-made savoury short crust pastry
1 ½ cups cooked ham (either cubed or shaved and sliced)
1 ½ cups cheese, grated
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped (if using frozen broccoli make sure it is thawed and well drained)
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mild mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Line a 22cm tart tin with the pastry.
Layer ham, cheese and thawed broccoli on top of the pastry.  In medium bowl, beat all remaining ingredients (eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper) until well blended.  Pour over broccoli.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.  Cut into wedges.

Remember, you too can take part in Lunchbox Bakes – just flick us an email to bmtbblog@gmail.com.  You can read more about this event on the Lunchbox Bakes page.

*Courtenay and I hate onions.  We probably hate them more passionately than we love baking.

Cheese and Ham Scones

 
To make you will need:

3 cups of plain flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
75g butter cut into small cubes
1 - 1 ½ cups milk
1 cup grated cheese (of your choice - edam and tasty work well)
1 handful of cut up shaved ham

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, cut in butter until the mixture in the bowl resembles bread crumbs.  Add the milk and vigorously mix with a knife until dough is soft.  Add the cheese and ham and mix with the knife.  Use your hands to knead dough a few times (can be done in the bowl but I find it easier to do on a flour dusted bench top).  At this stage you can chose to place the dough on a flour dusted oven tray, mould the dough into a round shape and cut into wedges like the picture above or alternatively cut into 8-12 square pieces.  If you are cutting the mix into pieces leave a 2cm space between them on the tray.  Bake at 220˚C for 10-15 minutes or until an inserted skewer can be removed cleanly.

 
Enjoy!