Feta and Squash Muffins

Tomorrow we are having a potluck coffee brunch party at work.  I have been looking forward to this for about a week, ever since I found this fabulous recipe from the 101 Cookbooks blog.  I was sold the moment I saw her pictures.

What a great item to bring to a brunch.  It is so nice to have a savory dish at breakfast.  There are very few things I changed about her recipe.  I didn't include the sunflower seeds or fresh parsley.  I left out the seeds and used dried parsely, basically because I thought I had fresh, and then realized I didn't.  Thank goodness I went to PFI the Italian grocery store yesterday (for the first time) and bought a ton of dried parsley.

I used an acorn squash for this recipe because I just bought one last week.  But you can use any kind, such as butternut or pumpkin.

I also cut the recipe in half because my freezer is completely full and wouldn't have room for extras.  Also, our potluck is only four people, so 4-6 muffins will be just enough.  (And I will have to test one before tomorrow to be sure I like it ;)  But if you have lots of people to serve these muffins to, a full recipe is perfect. 



This background is of my new expandable cutting board accessory!



Feta and Squash Muffins
Slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Yields 12 muffins

1 small-medium squash (acorn, butternut or pumpkin), roasted and cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter, unsalted

1 Handful baby spinach, chopped
1 tsp dried parsley, or 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup feta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 cup all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Cut the squash (whatever variety) in half and take out all the seeds and pulp around the seeds.  Put a piece of parchment paper on baking sheet and put squash on top, cut sides up.  Top with the olive oil and salt and pepper.    Bake until the squash is easily puctured (about 45 minutes).  Let cool slightly.  Carefully cut out the meat of the squash and into cubes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put in fridge to cool.

Butter the inside of a muffin tin and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix 2/3 of the squash, spinach, parsley, Parmesan, mustard, and 2/3 of the feta.  Gently fold together.   In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk.  Add to the squash mix.  Sift the flour and baking powder into the mix and top with salt and pepper.  Fold together just until everything is incorporated, so to not overmix.

Spoon into the muffin tin.  Top each of the muffins with the left over squash and feta and a sprinkle of pepper.  Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and the sides are coming away from the tin.  Let cool on cooling rack.     

Serve with brunch or as a side to a soup!