Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, softened
• 2  3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup milk
• 1/2  of a 1.8-ounce package dry leek soup mix (4 tablespoons) or 1 1-ounce envelope onion soup mix
• 1/2  cup light cream or half-and-half
• 1  cup finely shredded Swiss cheese
• 2  eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2  teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/8  teaspoon ground black pepper
•   Snipped fresh chives or thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. For pastry, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until combined. (If necessary, knead mixture with your hands.) Press a 1-inch ball of the pastry dough evenly into the bottom and up sides of each of 48 ungreased 1-3/4-inch muffin cups. Set aside.

2. For filling, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring milk and soup mix just to boiling. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in light cream or half-and-half. Add cheese, eggs, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon a scant 1 tablespoon of filling into each pastry-lined muffin cup.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is puffed and both the pastry and the filling are golden. Carefully remove from muffin cups. If desired, garnish with chives or thyme sprigs. Serve warm. Makes 49 appetizer servings.

To Make Ahead: Wrap baked and cooled quiches in foil, place in a freezer container, and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use, preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place frozen foil-wrapped quiches on baking sheet. Heat in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until warm.

To serve 50: Prepare the recipe twice.