Quick & Easy Breakfast Cups Recipe with Variations

I love having simple, portable items to make for breakfast.  This way, even if we're on the go, we can eat something fulfilling and nutritious.  I discovered the cookbook Savory Bites:  Meals You Can Make In Your Cupcake Pan by Hollis Wilder and was hooked.  I thought - brilliant!  Why didn't I think of this? 

I'm listing a choice of 3 different "crusts" for the base of the cups - tortilla shells, thin bread or hash brown patties.  You could certainly use pre-made pie crust, mini waffles, or whatever else you think of.  Once you choose your base, you mix up your eggs and any extras.  In the oven they go and before you know it, you have delicious little cups.  A quick note - the only thin bread I could find is a white bread.  I have not yet tried slicing a homemade whole wheat loaf super thin and using that.  I'll update this post when I do to let you know if any of my bread recipes worked as a substitution.

Breakfast Cups With Variations
Makes 12 cups

Crust:
6 frozen hash brown potato patties, thawed -OR-
12 slices thin bread such as the one by Pepperidge Farm -OR-
12 6-inch flour tortillas

Egg Filling:
8 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 Tablespoons half & half or whole milk
2 cups grated cheese, divided (1/2 cup set aside to sprinkle on top)
1-2 cups Veggies, breakfast meat, etc.  - see ideas below

Prepare a 12-cup cupcake pan by lightly spraying it with non-stick spray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

I found folding the bread slightly works best

To prepare the crust:
Hash Browns:  cut the hash brown patties in half and place 1 half in each well of the prepared pan.
Bread:  Push 1 slice of bread into each well of the prepared pan. 
Tortilla Shells:  Push 1 tortilla into each well of the prepared pan.

To prepare the filling:
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, pepper and half & half.  Set aside.

In a non-stick pan, sauté any vegetables or breakfast meat you'll be adding.  {see below}

Putting it all together:
Add about 2 Tablespoons shredded cheese to each crust pocket, using up the 2 cups.  On top of that divide the veggie/meat mixture evenly among all crust pockets.  Using a 1/3 cup measure, top each pocket with the egg mixture.  Pour slowly, allowing it to be absorbed as you pour.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake until the egg is set, 20-23 minutes.

Flavor Variations:

• 1 pound sautéed breakfast sausage, 1 1/2 cups sautéed onion with diced apples and shredded cheddar cheese
• crispy bacon, 1 1/2 cups sautéed mushrooms and peppers and shredded provolone cheese
• thin slices of Serrano ham, pesto, shredded mozzarella cheese and sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 ham steak cut into chunks, shredded Gruyere cheese and thawed frozen spinach
• 1 ham steak cut into chunks and shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups diced and sautéed onions, peppers, and zucchini, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and shredded cheddar cheese