Surprising Uses for a Muffin Tin

One of the surprising uses for a muffin tin is freezing liquids like stock and sauces, stews and soups, and foods you’ve blended or pureed and want to store.
A muffin tin cup commonly holds about 1/2 cup of liquid, which makes it useful for leftovers.

• Carefully pour the liquids into the muffin tin. Leave some space at the toso the liquid expands as it freezes.
• Let the liquid in the muffin tin freeze for about two to three hours.
• Remove the muffin tin tray and slide it into a freezer bag. You’ll minimize waste and be prepared the next time you want to make a soup, stew or baked goods.

You may also use a spoon or knife to pop the frozen liquid from the muffin tin cups and place the portions into a freezer bag.

Meatloaf cooks very well in a muffin tin. It gets nice and golden brown on the outside and comes out in a single-serving size. Here’s a simple recipe and directions for making muffin tin meatloaves: 

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Saute 1 cup of onions, 1/2 cup of carrots and 2 garlic cloves in a skillet.
• Mix the sauteed vegetables with 1 1/2-pounds of ground beef, 1 cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of mustard, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of bread crumbs and two large eggs.
• Oil each cup of the muffin tin and fill the cups with the meatloaf mixture.
• Bake for 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Make your pitcher of water enticing by adding oversized ice cubes that feature tasty and beautiful fruit. 

• Place pieces of citrus, thinly sliced cucumbers, edible flowers or herbs in your muffin tin.
• Fill the cups with water and freeze overnight to create stylish ice cubes.
• To use the ice cubes, quickly run your tin under warm water to loosen the ice cubes so they pop out.

Muffin tins make breakfast a breeze. Try one of the best muffin tin recipe ideas for baked eggs for the perfect on-the-go, protein-packed breakfast bite, or get a jump start on your morning oatmeal.

• For baked eggs, whisk eggs and pour them into lined muffin tin cups (use 1 1/2 eggs per cup).
• Add the cheese, vegetables and seasoning you like but don't overfill your cups.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

If you’d like to start your morning with a hearty bowl of oatmeal, simply make one large batch, spoon individual portions into your muffin tin and freeze. Store your mini oatmeal bowls in a freezer bag. When it's time to warm them up, place one in a bowl or cup and add a tablespoon or two of water or milk. Pop in the microwave.

A muffin tin's cups aren’t their only useful feature. Flip them over and you’ll have a perfect way to create your own tortilla shells to fill. 

• Turn the muffin tin tray upside down.
• Oil the bottom and creases of the pan’s raised cups. Nestle soft tortillas in between the raised cups to create a four-sided shape.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Let cool for another 10 minutes before filling with your favorite fixings.

Use your muffin tin to make an easy, fun and delicious no-bake crispy chocolate cluster bites. All you’ll need are chocolate bars or chips, and whatever flavored textures you like best, such as nuts, coconut flakes, rice crisps or berries. 

• Using a double boiler, temper your chocolate by melting it in a bowl placed on top of a bowl of boiling water. This will ensure that the chocolate, when hardened, is nice and shiny.
• While the chocolate is melting, distribute the nuts and other ingredients into the muffin tin cups. Pour the melted chocolate into the cups, but don't cover the ingredients completely.
• Let the chocolate harden by placing the tin in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
• Take out the chocolate and serve in paper baking cups.

Whether you're grilling indoors or outside, muffin tins make great serving trays for sauces and toppings. They are perfect for separating condiments, are easy to carry and can be placed in the center of the table or next to the grill. 

Muffin tins are well suited for planting seeds and creating other pretty plant presentations. You'll love the neat rows, and the unfussy muffin tin appearance works well with low-maintenance plants such as succulents. A muffin tin filled with plants or seedlings adds rustic decor to a kitchen windowsill or home office desk.

This task is one that muffin tins are uniquely suited for: dyeing eggs. Follow these steps for beautifully dyed eggs without a lot of mess.

• Cover your surface with newspaper or packing paper.
• Fill each cup with water to about three-quarters full. You want the eggs to be able to fully submerge without the water in the cup overflowing.
• Add 20 drops of coloring and 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each cup.
• Dip hard-boiled eggs into the colors using a large spoon.
• Twirl eggs around making sure all sides are covered.
• Dry on plastic wrap or wax paper.