Category: Lunch

Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffins

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Just the act of baking Frittata Muffins makes you feel like you are hosting a lavish brunch, even if you’re not. The epitome of a homey, picturesque Sunday brunch, the smell they create in your kitchen is not just inviting, rather, intoxicating.

This recipe involves minimal steps. Each Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffin makes a no-mess meal that packs perfectly into any superhero lunchbox or more mature version. Dense with protein from the ricotta/spinach duet, these muffins are dainty and loaded with flavor. Although they do not contain butter, their golden edges are crisp and fried-like. Frittata Muffins are delicious right out of the oven, at room temperature, and even cold. They work well for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner.

Now, go plan your next brunch or make a triple batch for grab-and-go!



Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffins (makes 12)

4 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese (low far or full fat)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup spinach, chopped (*or one 10oz box frozen chopped spinach)
1/4 tsp salt
onion powder (to taste)
garlic powder (to taste)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. *Thaw spinach in microwave and squeeze out extra juice.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and stir in ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Stir in spinach, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to spoon mixture into muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins are set and golden on top.

**Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Mac and Cheese Muffins

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God knows, we all need comfort food, let alone more dinners that aren’t “same old.” We may not have answers about the current crisis, but Mac and Cheese can provide a needle of normalcy in the haystack of chaos.

While we are isolated with more (super-imposed) together time than ever before, these muffins offer home-cooking that our families long for, while at home 24-7.

Mac and Cheese Muffins have been a highlight at my family’s Thanksgiving dinners, and lately, we have a lot to be thankful and hopeful for, especially our health.

The muffins’ layered textures melt in the mouth —the crunchy top is crisp and buttery. These muffins freeze well, re-heat easily and make tasty lunchtime treats.

Macaroni and Cheese Muffins (makes 18)

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 cup milk (whole or skim)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp pepper (to taste)

Crunchy Topping

1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil, and salt.
2. Add cheese.

Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes (until slightly firm).
3. Remove pot from heat, drain macaroni, and return macaroni to pot. Stir in butter and beaten egg until pasta is evenly coated.
4. Add to the pasta the Cheddar cheese, milk, Parmesan, mozzarella, and cottage cheese. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir.
5. Distribute mixture into each cup of prepared muffin tin.
6. Sprinkle the Crunchy Topping mixture over the tops.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until tops are nicely browned.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from the tin (this allows the cheese to set and muffins to take shape).

Pasta Muffins

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There’s something satisfying about squirreling away peanut butter and canned soups in a pantry. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has turned my house into a suburban bunker, my entire mentality toward wasting food has changed. However, ingredient recycling is not a new phenomenon. We’re familiar with French Toast as a method of resurrecting stale bread, Fried Rice a way to convert leftovers into meals, and Smoothies, a chic solution for overripe bananas.

Making Pasta Muffins is a great way to recycle leftover pasta! I stumbled on this recipe when I found myself this week with limited time and day-old pasta no one was excited about. This recipe is so easy – there’s no way to mess it up. Once cooled, place the muffins in plastic bags and freeze a stash for later. They can be warmed up in seconds.

Pasta Muffins (makes 12)

4 cups cooked pasta, tossed in cream, butter, or marinara sauce (if spaghetti, cut into about 2 inch strands)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cheese, shredded
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I like Italian seasoning)
1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked meat, finely diced (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, and meat (optional).
3. Add mixture to pasta and toss.
4. Scoop pasta into muffin cups.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Remove from tins, serve, and enjoy!

Blender Banana Muffins

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For the easiest ever #quarantinebaking, this recipe is dedicated to those who have overripe bananas and no flour in their post-Covid pantry.

Just blend and bake!

These gluten-free muffins call for just FIVE ingredients. After 15 minutes in the oven, they’ve filled your kitchen with wonderful smells and created a protein-packed snack or muffinized meal. You can substitute different kinds of nut butters if you’re allergic to peanut butter and experiment with different toppings like coconut, chocolate chips, and dried fruit or raisins.

Blender Banana Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups peanut butter
4 large eggs
4 medium-size bananas, very ripe
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey (optional)
*optional toppings: dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, coconut, raisins, craisins

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray muffin pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. Place ingredients in blender and blend until fully incorporated.
3. Pour batter into muffin tin.
4. Add toppings* to each muffin cup. Use the back of a spoon to push toppings into batter slightly.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean. Leave in pan for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to wire cooling wrack or serving platter.

 

Spaghetti Muffins

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My kids love spaghetti. There’s something about the challenge– attempting to twirl the strands onto a fork and slurping up the strays. Pure fun. And what could be even more fun? Picking at the crispy, crunchy, toasted tops of spaghetti muffins.

Here is a great way to recycle and reformat leftover spaghetti. The topping is the icing on the cake of handheld spaghetti nests. They are whimsical for kids and delightfully suited to adult tastes, too.

If you have any leftover, they toast wonderfully.

Spaghetti Muffins (makes 12)

4 cups cooked spaghetti, tossed in cream, butter, or marinara sauce (option: cut spaghetti into about 2 inch strands)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cheese, shredded
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked meat, finely diced (optional)

Topping
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, and meat (optional).
3. Add mixture to pasta and toss.
4. Scoop pasta into muffin cups.
5. Sprinkle Topping over each muffin cup.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
7. Allow to cool.
8. Remove from tins, serve, and enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

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Been-there-done-that? These blueberry muffins are worth it.

As a Mom of three kiddos, I’m always looking to streamline. Since my almost-one-year-old can eat a whole box of blueberries by his lonesome, I muffinize® by pumping healthy ripe blueberries into an easy batter that makes super moist muffins with a delicate crust.

Blueberry Muffins (makes 12)

½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup milk
2 cups blueberries, washed, drained and picked over
3 tsp sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Use a hand-mixer to cream* butter and sugar until light. (*To cream butter without a mixer: use the tines of a fork to mash sugar into butter. With a spoon, stir mixture until light and fluffy. The butter is “creamed” when it has almost doubled in mass and it has lightened to a yellowish-white color.)
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add vanilla.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
5. Add creamed mixture and milk to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
5. Crush 1 cup blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter.
6. Coat remaining whole berries with flour and then fold them into the batter.
6. Distribute batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sugar over the tops of the muffins, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
7. Remove muffins from tin and cool at least 30 minutes. Store, uncovered, or the muffins will be too moist the second day, if they last that long.

Soft Pretzel Muffins

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If you grew up in South Philly you know that “Wawa” isn’t just the sound a baby makes. Your loved ones have probably sent you care packages with “Tasty Kakes,” and you know that a warm, chewy soft pretzel pulls apart at the knot and has just the right amount of salt crystals on top.

These muffins may be missing the traditional pretzel shape but they pull apart like the knotted version and their texture brings home the street vendor.

Serve warm, right out of the oven or leave on the counter and watch them disappear. These muffins are scrumptious by themselves, but you could serve alongside cheese or spicy mustard dip.

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Soft Pretzel Muffins (makes 12)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave.
2. Add water, sugar, yeast and mix to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add salt and flour and mix with a spoon until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl (If dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time).
4. On a flat surface, knead dough with hands and form a ball.
4. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Pull off golf ball-size pieces of dough and distribute into muffin cups (roll dough into mini ropes and twirl or just plop into individual muffin cups).
7. Brush tops of each muffin cup of batter with the egg wash and season liberally with the coarse salt.
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
9. Serve warm, right out of the oven with a condiment of your choice (cheese sauce, spicy mustard dip, ketchup, chocolate sauce).

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Whole Wheat Spinach n’ Feta Muffins

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Still warm and straight out of the oven, my 7 year-old grabbed one of these and said:
“Mom, this is like lunch and dinner in a muffin.” Bingo.
“It’s like a grilled cheese with spinach.” Right again.
“Mom, I’m amazed.”

These muffins, a complete balanced meal, not only satisfy salty cravings, but add fiber and smell divine. Everything works together: the carmelized onion, buttery spinach and pockets of creamy salted feta and cheddar.

These muffins will have you at first bite. Their crisp outside and soft inside make it impossible to stop.

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Whole Wheat Spinach n’ Feta Muffins (makes 21)

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped (1 large onion)
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a skillet, cook onion and butter over medium heat until onions are tender.
3. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
5. Add onion and spinach mixture, cheddar, feta, eggs, milk, and cayenne pepper (optional). Combine and mix thoroughly.
6. Distribute batter evenly into muffin cups.
7. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Mashed Potato Muffins

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While they bake in the oven, they may smell like French fries, but these muffins are a whole lot healthier. Their crisp, hash brown-y crust and fluffy potato middle will reinvent your leftover mashed potatoes.

Post Thanksgiving, load them up with leftover Turkey or take them to a new level with tons of cheese, bacon bits and chives. Keep them simple with just salt and pepper, or omit the chives on top for kids who prefer their muffin to look “clean,” without garnish.

MuffinizⓇ this classic comfort food and keep your forks in the silverware drawer.

Serve with sour cream.

Mashed Potato Muffins (makes 12)

3 cups mashed potatoes*
1 large egg
1 1/4 heaping cups Cheddar and mozarella cheese, shredded and divided
3 Tbsp chives, chopped and divided
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, egg, 1 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons chives.
4. Add salt and pepper and stir.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the potato mixture into the prepared muffin pan (use the back of spoon to pack potatoes down into each cup for a flattened top or leave as is for a more puffy/textured muffin top).
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and crisp around the edges.
7. Remove pan from the oven, sprinkle muffin tops with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and return them to the oven for 3 more minutes.
8. Remove muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
9. Transfer muffins to a serving dish, top them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chives (optional) and serve immediately.

Notes:
*To measure mashed potatoes, scoop and pack them into a measuring cup and then level it off.
*Mashed potatoes can vary in thickness. To thicken consistency, add an egg to the mixture.

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Cheese Meltin’ Muffins

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Just out of the oven, these muffins on the counter, my 7-year-old took one bite and said, “I love how it all melts together.”  They are gloriously cheesy, just waiting to be pulled apart.

The recipe is beyond easy. Use any cheese you have on hand. I was planning to use Colby Jack, but after returning from a road trip I discovered it was moldy, so I improvised with goat, mozzarella, American and parmesan.

Buttery crisp on the outside and molten inside, these muffins make a great snack for kids. Served with milk, they make a protein-packed meal. And, mini or regular sized, they make a wonderful portable appetizer for your next cocktail party.

Even better, they make great egg sandwiches. Leftovers may be halved, popped into the toaster and spread with jam. Delicious as-is, or with a bowl of soup.

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Cheese Meltin’ Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 heaping cups cheese (I used goat, mozzarella, American and parmesan)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
1 pat (1 tsp) butter (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cheese.
3. In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter.
4. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir to combine.
5. With an ice cream scoop or spoon, distribute batter into each muffin cup.
5. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until muffin tops start to brown.
6. As the muffins come out of the oven, rub a small pat of butter over the tops.
7. Serve warm from the oven with a pat of butter or jam.