Muffin Tin Chef

This cookbook was given to me by a lovely lady; who knew I would appreciate what this cookbook has to offer. Some cookbooks are based around a theme, an ingredient or time. This cookbook is based around  a bakeware item... the muffin tin. 

Everyone has a muffin tin and how often do we use it. The other day we received the Lakeland catalogue and there are plenty of tin moulds to fill any creative kitchen. All the recipes revolve around the usage of the common muffin tin regardless if it's, silicone, metal, stoneware, or cast-iron. If you have a basic muffin tin than cooking and re-creating these recipes would be quite simple. You will view classic meal time options like... meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, falafels, burgers, and desserts differently. 

I have booked marked plenty of recipes to try. My husband had a bit of a laugh as I placed a yellow sticky note to the majority of the pages. I guess it would seem a bit funny to bookmark so many pages... so many recipes so; however it will take the flipping through the pages trying to find a recipe guess work out of it for me later. I want to make the Cheesy Sage Biscuits for Thursday nights dinner.

Even though I have made muffins, yorkshire puds, and eggs in the muffin tin I have. I was quite taken with the Fruity Energy Bites. Dried fruit and seeds to give you a boost and also they require no oven just the freezer to set. Which is a blessing in this sweltering heatwave. Whether you are running off to work, school or in a need of a healthy snack these bites are perfect for a quick energy boost.

Fruity Energy Bites

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Serves 12

1 1/2 cups pitted dried dates, chopped

1 cup dried Mission figs, chopped

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios

1/3 cup hemp seeds

1/4 brown rice syrup

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or coffee extract

In a food processor, process the dates, figs, apricots, pistachios, and hemp seeds until finely chopped. Add the brown rice syrup, cocoa, salt, orange zest, and vanilla or coffee extract, and process until the mixture clumps together. Pack the mixture into 24 mini muffin cups and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Unmould and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 

... And here is my moment of kitchen zen.  

Hope everyone had a good weekend. - JD