Muffin Tin Chef by Matt Kadey (good beach reads .TXT) 📕

riff on an iconic side dish. If desired, gussy these up by adding diced ham or bacon. If avoiding gluten, use a gluten-free flour blend. You can omit the curry powder if you prefer to serve these with plain sour cream. Serves 6 V

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup buttermilk or low-fat milk

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon grainy or Dijon mustard

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Steam or boil the potatoes until very tender. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and mash with the butter, buttermilk or milk, flour, sage, mustard, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Make sure to leave the mixture slightly chunky. Divide the potato mixture among 12 medium muffin cups. Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and curry powder. Serve the mashed potato cups with the curry cream.

SAVORY SMOKED SALMON AND CHEESE MUFFINS

These savory muffins are ideal for a quick lunch fix. Similar to the other savory muffins in this chapter, these are best served warm. Try to use wild smoked salmon, which is a more sustainable option than farmed. Serves 12

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour

1/2 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or other granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 cup melted coconut oil or other oil

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp

2 ounces smoked wild salmon, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, chives, sugar, smoked paprika, if using, garlic powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and whisk in the milk, sour cream, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine. Fold in the bell pepper, cheese, and smoked salmon. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups and bake until golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool several minutes before unmolding.

JALAPEÑO CHEESE ROLLS

These slightly spicy cheesy pizza rolls are a great option when you need lunch in a hurry. You can use store-bought pizza dough or make your own using my no-fail recipe (see page 71). Serves 4 V, F

10 ounces whole wheat pizza dough

1 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and finely diced or shredded

1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper

1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a floured work surface, roll the pizza dough into a rectangle about 12 x 8 inches. Spread the chicken, red pepper, jalapeño, oregano, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and salt on top. Resist the urge to add too much topping, which can make rolling the dough difficult. Tightly roll up the dough and pinch the ends to seal. Slice into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Drop the balls into 8 medium muffin cups and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

SPINACH DINNER ROLLS

This recipe requires some extra kitchen time, but one bite into these amped-up rolls and you’ll be glad you put in the effort. To save time, frozen spinach can be used. Just make sure to squeeze out the excess liquid. Serves 6 V, F

3/4 cup milk

1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1 large egg

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 pound spinach (about 2 bunches), stems sliced off

1 cup finely diced feta cheese

In a small saucepan, warm the milk until just before it simmers. Transfer to a large bowl, stir in the yeast and let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the egg, olive oil, sugar, thyme, and salt. Stir in the all-purpose or bread flour and the whole wheat pastry flour until the mixture clumps together.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead until the dough is 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 large 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.

Meanwhile, blanch the spinach by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the pot and boil until bright green in color, about 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to the ice water for about 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible between several sheets of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Chop the spinach.

Punch down the dough by pushing down in the center of the dough with your fist and then pushing the edges into the center using your fingertips. Transfer to a floured work surface and press into a square. Roll the dough into a roughly 20 x 10-inch rectangle, with the long end at the bottom of the work surface. Spread the spinach on top of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the