Mini Spinach Hash Brown Bites

I was trying to think of something healthy, easy and "Irish" to make for a St. Patrick's Day party and I came up with this recipe. While it is not Irish, it utilizes potatoes and they were green, so to me they were perfect! You can very easily change this recipe up to incorporate any of your favorite flavors for breakfast or for appetizers! While I used goat cheese, next time I would like to try it with Kite Hill almond style cream cheese or ricotta to make it dairy-free. It would also taste great with bacon or really, any other meat or vegetable. Be creative! I will definitely be making these again and trying out new flavors, although this one tastes perfect as it is.

Servings: 24 mini cups
Prep/Total Time: 60 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
  
• 1 16 oz bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  
• 8 oz goat cheese (or your favorite creamy cheese/cheese alternative)
  
• 4 Tbsp unsweetened original pea milk (or your favorite milk/milk alternative)
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1/8 tsp salt
  
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and grease mini cupcake tin.
2. In a medium bow, mix together hash browns with 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and 3 Tbsp olive oil making sure all potatoes are coated.
3. Press hash browns into mini cupcake tin by creating a well in the middle and pressing hash browns up the sides to make a compact "nest."
4. Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.
5. Reset oven to 375 F.
6. Saute spinach in remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil with garlic for about 5 minutes.
7. Drain any remaining liquid and/or press out excess liquid with a cloth.
8. In a medium bowl combine the goat cheese and milk until smooth and creamy and then beat in the eggs.
9. Add spinach, green onion, Tabasco and remaining spices to the cheese mixture and mix well.
10. Fill the hash brown cups with about 1-2 tsp of the spinach cheese mixture and bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
11. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges and pop out. Eat right away or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve cold, or reheat in the oven on broil until warm.