Tag: Muffin Mama

Macaroni and Cheese Muffins

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Hooray for handheld mac and cheese! This spin-off of the traditional macaroni and cheese is an invitation for kids to eat with their hands. The layered textures are fun—the bottom, soft and decadent, melts in the mouth; the crunchy top is munchable. These muffins freeze well, re-heat easily and make tasty lunchtime treats.

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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).

French Toast Muffins

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French toast is the ultimate comfort food. I craved it, and ate it, throughout my entire pregnancy. No wonder my kids have been fans of French Toast ever since they started solid food. These “cakes” taste exactly like my favorite French toast but with a finer texture. They are super portable – can be toted to the office or packed for a morning playdate or Sunday picnic.

Both toppings below are equally delicious. The first is a cinnamon and sugar glaze, and the second combines the traditional tastes associated with French Toast: drizzled maple syrup and powdered sugar. As on French toast, apply the topping by drizzling. Or, dip each muffin into a puddle of maple syrup and a mound of powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture.

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French Toast Muffins (makes 10)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together egg, milk, and melted butter.
4. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until just moistened (batter may be lumpy).
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Top each muffin with one of the two coatings (recipes below) and serve warm.

Topping 1: Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

1. In a bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, melt butter.
3. Dip tops of finished muffins in the melted butter, and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Topping 2: Maple Sugar Coating

maple syrup (good quality)
confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. With a toothpick, poke a few holes in muffin tops.
2. Use a spoon to drizzle syrup over muffin tops.
3. Sprinkle powdered sugar on tops.

 

My Muffin Obsession

Muffin Mama3 Comments

Ok folks, here’s how it all started…

My muffin obsession began the morning my first-born son entered tumultuous toddlerhood. On this particular morning, my little Michael obstinately rejected a spoon of banana puree, pushing my hand away like an angry teenager.

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I realized that I would have to find some kind of portable, protein-packed nourishment that would delight, occupy, and ward off tantrums. I needed a fun food that Michael could feed himself…found it…

The Muffin.

And so it began. As I whipped up batches in less than ten minutes and served muffins 20 minutes after, I knew that I had discovered a gold mine. These muffins were my solution – a global solution – for any mother who’s pressed for time and agonises over weekly meal planning. Did I mention clean-up consists of washing two mixing bowls and some utensils?

As I stocked our freezer with mini meals, I relished the joy of hosting thematic playdates with muffins that brought smiles to children and made adults feel like kids again.

A few weeks into my obsession with muffin making, after devouring four mac and cheese muffins, my husband expressed some concern. I believe his exact words were, “I’m afraid we’re going to be eating only muffins for the rest of our lives.” Hmmm.

My mantra became: “a muffin for all moments.” Michael was gobbling up French toast muffins for breakfast, cheeseburger muffins for lunch, and Thai turkey meatloaf muffins for dinner. For snacks, he happily munched on cheesy broccoli corn muffins or peanut butter and jelly muffins.

When my younger son, Joey, approached 18 months, I experienced yet another round of toddling tantrums and muffin fever. Now, after several years of muffin-making, playdates, and hunger-inspired tantrums, I’ve decided to start this blog to share my tried and true recipes. I hope I can provide some solace and sustenance. Enjoy!

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