The Muffin Tin Cookbook (27 page)

I make this often in late summer, when I have lots of big, ripe tomatoes on hand. If you have some fresh basil and oregano, chop about 1 tablespoon of each and use that in place of the dried Italian herb mix. You can also just layer in 1 basil leaf in each layer you make. Another variation is to add some crumbled bacon.

Makes 9

1 8.5-ounce can creamed corn

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

⅛ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup flour

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

½ cup skim milk

½ cup heavy cream

⅛ teaspoon chopped red bell pepper

½ shallot, chopped

The easiest way to manage all the components to this dish is to place the muffin tin in your roasting pan on the oven rack, then slowly pour your hot water into the pan. This way you will avoid sloshing water into the puddings.

Makes 20 mini or 7 regular

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

1 egg

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

2 ounces goat cheese

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 garlic clove, minced

¹⁄³ medium zucchini, chopped

¼ medium onion, chopped

Make this in mini muffin cups for an appetizer. An easy way to make this recipe without a lot of chopping is to place all ingredients, including the unchopped onion, garlic, and zucchini, in a food processor and process until combined.

Makes 8

1 cup skim milk

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ cup flour

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¾ cup cooked, chopped broccoli

3 eggs, separated

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

You can use foil muffin cup liners for this, but they do not perform as well as the silicone liners. Do not make this in a muffin tin without liners, because you cannot remove the soufflés without them deflating. See the sidebar for Corn Pudding in this chapter for tips on how to manage roasting pan, water, and muffin tins easily.

Makes 12

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into quarters

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped pecans

⅛ teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

Brussels sprouts develop a slightly sweet taste when they are roasted, and this is deepened by the other ingredients in this dish.

Makes 8

1 tube of 8 refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 small shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 ounces baby bella or white mushrooms, sliced

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced, stems removed

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon sherry

⅛ teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch thyme

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

¼ cup extra sharp shredded provolone cheese

Use fresh shiitake mushrooms. Shiitakes are a mushroom often used in Asian cooking and are sometimes sold dried, but dried mushrooms do not work well in this recipe.