Lunchbox Bakes - Pumpkin + Spinach Bread Cases

1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ small onion, finely chopped
150g butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
25g spinach
12 slices wholemeal bread
1 ½ eggs, whisked
¼ cup reduced fat milk
60g ricotta cheese, crumbled
Olive oil spray

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.  Add the onion.  Cook while stirring for 3 minutes, or until softened.  Add the pumpkin.  Cook for 5 minutes or until it is tender.  Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes or until it is wilted.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, using a rolling pin, flatten out the pieces of bread on a flat surface.  Using a 7.5cm cutter (or the rim of a glass), cut out a round from each piece of bread.  Press each piece of bread into a hole of a 12 hole muffin tin.  Lightly spray the bread with oil.  bake for 5 –6 minutes or until just golden.  Remove from oven.
Whisk the egg together with the milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spoon the pumpkin and spinach mixture between the bread cases.  Top with the ricotta.  Pour over the egg mixture.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and set.

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.