Muffin Tin Chef (9 page)

 

EGGPL ANT PARMESAN,
page 68

 

MINI MACARONI AND CHEESE,
page 70

Sure, mac 'n' cheese is pure comfort food. But too often it's a calorie landmine courtesy of the gooey cheese, which is why making individual servings in a muffin tin is the perfect way to control portions. Kids are sure to love this reinvention bejeweled with crunchy panko crumbs.
Serves 4 V, F

Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and stir in the cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and stir in the milk and yogurt. Add the egg mixture to the pasta mixture along with the sun-dried tomatoes, chives, cayenne, if using, nutmeg, mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook until browned, stirring regularly. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese into the toasted bread crumbs, sprinkle over the pasta mixture, and bake until set, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding.

On the following pages you'll find a trio of ways to jazz up pizza night or a potluck. Consider getting the kids involved in the assembly of the pizza cups. If you want to serve up more than one flavor, you could even use half of the dough for one recipe and the other half for another. Certainly you can use store-bought pizza dough to save time, but I often find the results are better when you make your own. And this no-fuss crust recipe doesn't require a culinary arts degree to master.
Serves 6, makes enough for 12 muffin-size pizzas

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose or bread flour, and cornmeal to the bowl and mix until the dough begins to come together. If it's too crumbly, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds together. (The dough should look somewhat dry). Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If an indentation remains in the dough when pressed with your finger, it's ready for rising. Place the dough in a bowl with a little oil, turn to coat, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place until roughly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

In a food processor, pulse together the spinach, Parmesan cheese, walnuts or pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to taste until the spinach is finely chopped. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream through the feed tube and blend until well combined.

Divide the pizza dough into 12 equal balls. Flatten one ball into a 6-inch round and stuff into a medium muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining rounds. Spread pesto in the bottom of the dough cups and top with the bacon, tomatoes, and white cheddar cheese. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. Garnish with additional pesto.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, marinara sauce, garlic, olives, basil, red pepper flakes, if using, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the pizza dough into 12 equal balls. Flatten one ball into a 6-inch round and stuff into a medium muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining rounds. Divide the chicken mixture among the dough cups and top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding, and garnish with additional basil.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Roast, steam, or boil the squash until tender. Transfer to a medium bowl, mash with a fork or potato masher, and mix in the sage, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the pizza dough into 12 equal balls. Flatten one ball into a 6-inch round and stuff into a medium muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining rounds. Spread butternut puree in the bottoms of the dough cups and top with arugula, roasted red pepper, and goat cheese. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. Serve with the caramelized onion.

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA,
page 74

 

CURRY TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE,
page 76

Using whole-grain penne instead of nutritionally lackluster egg noodles and real mushrooms over canned cream-of-mushroom soup gives these individual tuna casseroles a healthy lift.
Serves 6 V, G

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and shallot or onion; cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste; heat until the peas are tender, about 1 minute.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the cooked pasta, cooked vegetable mixture, tuna, 1 cup of the white cheddar cheese, and the milk and lemon juice. Divide the mixture among 6 jumbo muffin cups, making sure the contents are tightly packed. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese and bake until set and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Home-style burritos in a toasty bowl. Mexican food lovers rejoice! If you find your tortillas are too big to fit properly in the muffin molds, use kitchen shears to cut away about an inch around the edges.
Serves 6