Mini Sausage Quiche Appetizers

For ease you may use purchased miniature frozen tart shells, spicy Italian sausage works the best for this, if using mild sausage I recommend to add in the cayenne pepper --- these are very good!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, softened (can use margarine)
• 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2  cups all-purpose flour

• FILLING

• 6  ounces bulk Italian sausage (such as Jimmy Dean's, use mild or spicy)
• 1  pinch cayenne pepper (use only if using milk sausage)
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup  finely shredded swiss cheese (or as needed)
• 1  large green onion, minced (or use 2 tablespoons minced chives)
• 2  eggs
• 1  cup half-and-half cream
•  fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmesan cheese (or as needed)

Directions

1. Lightly grease 36 miniature muffin tins.
2. In a bowl beat butter with cream cheese and flour until smooth.
3. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls.
4. Press 1 ball into the bottom and up the sides of each greased muffin cup.
5. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tins until ready to fill.
6. In a skillet cook the sausage meat until no longer pink; drain fat and cool slightly.
7. Divide the sausage meat into each prepared dough/muffin tin.
8. Sprinkle a small amount of Swiss cheese over the top of the sausage meat then some green onions over the cheese.
9. In a bowl whisk the eggs with cream and black pepper.
10. Pour the egg mixture into each shell then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
11. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until browned.