Position your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F. While the oven heats, generously coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and sides of each cup thoroughly—this prevents sticking and ensures easy removal. I like to use olive oil spray specifically because it creates a nice golden edge on the bites.

Crack the room-temperature eggs into a blender and add the cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Blend on medium speed for 30-45 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform with no visible cottage cheese lumps. The room temperature eggs blend more smoothly than cold eggs, which I've found creates a more consistent texture throughout the bites.

Divide the blended mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full to leave room for the bites to rise slightly during baking. Immediately sprinkle the finely snipped fresh chives over the top of each cup—distributing them evenly ensures you get a burst of fresh flavor in every bite.

Place the filled muffin tin in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. The bites are done when the centers are just set with no jiggle when you gently shake the pan, and the tops are lightly golden. The exact time depends on your oven, so start checking at the 20-minute mark.

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the bites cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes—this rest time allows them to firm up enough to remove cleanly without falling apart. Run a thin knife or small spatula around the edge of each cup to loosen, then gently pop them out and transfer to a serving plate or storage container.