CALIFORNIA ARTICHOKE BITES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drain the marinade from one jar of artichokes into a sauté pan and reserve the marinade from the other jar. Add the onion, garlic, and oregano to the sauté pan and sauté until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. If all of the liquid has evaporated, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade. (The remaining marinade may be discarded.) Remove the sauté pan from the heat, and let cool slightly. Chop the artichokes.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine the artichokes, eggs, bread crumbs, Green Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Add the 2 cups cheddar, parsley, and cooled onion-garlic mixture. Mix thoroughly but gently. Coat an 18-cup, shallow, mini muffin pan with vegetable oil spray and divide the artichoke mixture evenly between the cups. Top the artichoke mixture with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
• 3. Bake at 325 degrees for about 18 minutes for the muffin pan. The mini-frittatas should be puffed and golden. If needed, broil for a minute or two to lightly brown the cheese topping. To serve, simply remove from the muffin cups, and arrange on a platter. Can be served warm or at room temperature.