Recipe: Bacon and Egg Pastries

Happy Thanksgiving! What a glorious holiday. It's all about family, friends, football, floats, and...food. Ah, Thanksgiving food. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to this annual meal. The one Thanksgiving that my family tried to switch it up and serve ham and scalloped potatoes, without informing this college student that was headed home for the holidays, will go down in history. I'll never forgive them. However, I really could care less about the turkey itself. I usually only have a few bites. For me, it's all about the sides. So, I want to see mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing...you get the point. All swimming in mom's homemade gravy.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is meant for leftovers. Who has mastered the leftover sandwich? But, in the morning, while you wait to build that perfect leftover sandwich for lunch, you may want a more traditional breakfast. Here is something fun to make with the family, a recipe that we adapted from the April 2008 issue of Cuisine at Home:

Bacon and Egg Pastries with Spinach and Mushrooms (makes 4; Time = 1 hour)

Fry; Add and Saute:
4 strips of thick-sliced bacon, diced
2/3 cup potatoes, cubed
1/3 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced rosemary
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Beat; Add:
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne

Roll Out; Brush Pastries With:
1 sheet purchased puff pastry; slightly thawed
1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon of water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Coat four 4" quiche pans with removable bottoms with non-stick spray (Note: We used small ceramic oven-proof ramekins.),
Arrange on a baking sheet.
Fry bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat, until crisp.
Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of drippings and return pan to burner.
Add potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and rosemary to pan.
Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender (about 8 minutes).
Stir in spinach, reserved bacon, salt and pepper.
Set filling aside.
Beat cream cheese in a bowl with a hand mixer, then blend in eggs.
Add milk, cheese, flour, and seasonings, beat to blend.
Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface unto a 12" square.
Cut into four 6" squares, then lightly press 1 square into each quiche pan.
Spoon about 1/3 cup potato mixture into each pan.
Pour about 1/3 cup egg mixture on top.
Fold corners of dough onto filling, brush with egg wash, and bake until crust is browned and filling is set (20 - 25 minutes).
Let stand 5 minutes before un-molding.
Serve. 

They were delicious individual breakfast pastries.

So, enjoy your Thanksgiving, in whatever form that may be. This is the time of year to be thankful for what we have in our life.

Today, I am thankful for my family, my good friends, our upcoming wedding (just two weeks away, eek!), my pup, my job, our home, good food on the table, and the ability to appreciate the little things in life right now. Some things happening in my life right now are putting things into perspective, and we're all focusing on the important ones. Treasuring the time we have with each other, and for that, I am thankful.