Tasty mini quiches for Easter

For Easter every year, we try to come up with a recipe that's special enough for entertaining, but one that allows us to enjoy ourselves in the process. Enter today's Pesto Cream-Cheese Mini Quiches. With just 10 minutes of preparation, a quick-bake brunch (or lunch or dinner) is served.

There are several secrets to the ease of these cute little quiches. We use frozen unsweetened tart shells, which are basically tiny pie or quiche shells, and refrigerated pesto from the supermarket.

The surprise ingredient – a tablespoon of baking mix (such as Bisquick) – is responsible for the fact that these little quiches get puffy and stay that way instead of settling and sinking.

All you need to round out your spring feast is a fruit salad and some yummy asparagus. We've got a great recipe for Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic on our website at KitchenScoop.com. What are you planning to serve for spring entertaining? Let us know via email at tellus@KitchenScoop.com.

Suggested menu: Pesto Cream-Cheese Mini Quiches, Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and fruit salad.

Ÿ Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of “Desperation Dinners!” Contact them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. More at the Desperation Dinners website, kitchenscoop.com.