Muffin Tin Recipes for Any Time of Day

Over the past three weeks we have been sharing various recipes to use pantry staples in new ways for main dishes, appetizers, and desserts. To culminate the recipe series, the following recipes encompass ideas for all meals of the day and are all made using muffin tins (mini muffin tins, regular muffin cups, and tins flipped upside down for an even bigger size of “cup”). They allow you to use leftovers in innovative ways or to create portion-perfect deliciousness!

I hope you have enjoyed some fresh ideas for using what you most likely already have on hand over the past several weeks. Some of the recipes below were shared by a fellow Bargain Blessings reader. Thanks, Hazel. Feel free to share your favorite pantry staple and leftover re-mix recipes with us, too. We can all use a recipe re-fresh from time-to-
time! Bon appétit!

Egg Biscuit Muffins (use regular muffin tins)

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated biscuits (8-10 biscuits)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup shredded cheddar

4 slices bacon (or turkey bacon)

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a pan or in the oven until it’s almost done. Chop into small bits and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together eggs and milk, a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper to taste and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, using a rolling pin, roll out each biscuit until it’s slightly bigger than the circumference of your regular muffin tin. Grease the muffin tin with cooking spray and push one biscuit into each muffin cup being sure to push it all the way down and to the sides. Leave the ridge hanging over the edge.

4. Divide the cheese evenly in each of the biscuit cups and then pour egg in, filling each cup only 1/2 way. They will look empty, but you must account for the biscuits puffing up! Sprinkle bacon atop of the egg.

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden and eggs are set. Use a butter knife to loosen each muffin and serve warm.

Note: If your egg does overflow, just let it bake the rest of the way and then remove the extra egg when you are loosening the muffins. Also, add chopped vegetables such as green peppers before baking or in place of the bacon for a vegetarian variety.

Breakfast Cupcakes (use regular muffin tins)

Ingredients:

½ lb. sausage

12 eggs

½ cup chopped onion

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. garlic powder

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in sausage; cook and stir until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink (about 10 to 15 minutes); drain.

3. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in onion, black pepper, salt and garlic powder. Mix in sausage and cheese.

4. Spoon 1/3 cup of mixture into each muffin cup.

5. Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean (about 20 to 25 minutes).

Note: Vary the recipe by adding a variety of other vegetables or other cooked meat. These freeze easily for grab and go breakfasts!

Muffin Tin Mini-Meal Tartlets (use mini muffin tins)

Ingredients:

Refrigerated Pie Crust Sheets

Cooked leftovers (meats, cheeses, etc.)

Directions:

1. Unroll the pie crust, use a drinking glass, and cut circles out of it. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray, and press one pie crust circle into each.

2. Fill them up with whatever you would like, and bake at 450°F for 9-12 minutes.

Some ideas include:

Thanksgiving Mini-Meals – cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing and gravy. Dollop cranberry sauce on each after baking.

Pizza Mini-Meals – sausage or pepperoni, pizza sauce, cheese

Italian Mini-Meals – meatball slices, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese

Tartlet Treats (use back side of regular muffin tins)

Ingredients:

Refrigerated pie crust sheets, softened

Fresh or frozen fruit (sliced and thawed as needed)

Fruit glaze (if desired)

Whipped topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll pie crust sheets, and place them on a flat work surface. With a 5-inch round cutter or an inverted bowl, cut out circles from each crust.

2. Fit each circle over the back of an ungreased muffin cup. Pinch equally spaced pleats around the side of each cup. Prick throughout the dough with a fork to prevent bubbles.

3. Bake cups for 9-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely (about 30 minutes). Remove pie crust bowls from the muffin cups.

4. Add fruit to each bowl and top with whipped topping just before serving. To make the tartlets more like traditional tarts, mix fruit and fruit glaze together and refrigerate until chilled before adding them to the pie crust bowls and topping with whipped topping.