MUFFIN PAN

Shape Crab Cakes

Poach Eggs

Bake Hard-Shell Tacos

Make Crispy Tortilla Bowls

Bake Apple Pie Roses

SHAPE CRAB CAKES

Anyone who loves crab cakes knows that the best ones have very little filler. But that also makes it difficult for them to hold their shape. With my muffin pan hack, not one crab cake will fall apart!

Lightly pack the crabmeat mixture into muffin pan cups, then freeze until the cakes are barely firm.

Scallion Crab Cakes with Sesame Mayo

Active 25 min;
Total 1 hr;
Serves 4

¾ cup mayonnaise

1½ cups panko

½ cup thinly sliced scallions

1 tsp. finely grated lime zest

1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over

¾ tsp. toasted sesame oil

½ tsp. Sriracha

1 large egg

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a large bowl, whisk ¼ cup of the mayonnaise with ½ cup of the panko and the scallions, lime zest, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Fold in the crab. Lightly pack the crab mixture into the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Freeze until the cakes are barely firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup of mayonnaise and 2 teaspoons of lime juice with the sesame oil and Sriracha. Season the sesame mayo with salt and pepper.

3. Invert the crab cakes onto a large baking sheet. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg. Spread the remaining 1 cup of panko in another shallow bowl. Dip the crab cakes in the egg and then dredge in the panko, pressing lightly to help it adhere.

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add 6 of the crab cakes and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden, about 4 minutes; return them to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and 6 crab cakes.

5. Bake the crab cakes until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with the sesame mayo.

MAKE AHEAD The crab cakes can be prepared through Step 1 and frozen for up to 1 week. Let the cakes thaw for 30 minutes before proceeding.

POACH EGGS

Pour a little water into the cups of a muffin pan. Crack an egg into each cup and bake until the whites are just firm and the yolks are still runny.

Open-Face Egg and Griddled Ham Breakfast Sandwiches

Total 30 min;
Makes 12

1 dozen large eggs

Kosher salt and pepper

6 oz. thinly sliced baked ham

1 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and chives

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

6 slider buns, split and lightly toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Pour 1 tablespoon of water into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Crack an egg into each cup and season with salt and pepper. Bake the eggs for 13 to 15 minutes, until the whites are just firm and the yolks are still runny. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the eggs to a plate.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook the ham over moderate heat, turning, until hot, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, toss the herbs with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange the split buns cut side up on a platter. Top with the ham, eggs and herbs. Serve open-face.

Chickpeas with Eggs and Mustard Greens

Total 30 min;
Serves 6

6 large eggs

Kosher salt and pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 shallots, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 Fresno chile, seeded and thinly sliced

Two 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

4 oz. mustard greens, stemmed, leaves torn

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Pour 1 tablespoon of water into 6 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Crack an egg into each of the 6 water-filled cups and season with salt and pepper. Bake the eggs for 13 to 15 minutes, until the whites are just firm and the yolks are still runny. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the eggs to a plate.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic and chile and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and stock and bring to a boil. Add the mustard greens and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into 6 bowls, top with the eggs and serve.

Warm Lentils with Smoked Trout and Poached Eggs

Total 30 min;
Serves 6

1½ cups green lentils

8 oz. boneless smoked trout fillet, skin removed, trout broken up into large flakes

5 oz. baby spinach

⅓ cup snipped chives

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

6 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, cover the lentils with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the trout, spinach, chives, lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Pour 1 tablespoon of water into 6 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Crack an egg into each of the 6 water-filled cups and season with salt and pepper. Bake the eggs for 13 to 15 minutes, until the whites are just firm and the yolks are still runny. Spoon the lentil salad onto plates. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the eggs to the plates and serve.

BAKE HARD-SHELL TACOS

Fold tortillas in half and stuff them between the cups of an inverted muffin tin to form shells. Bake until crisp.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

Active 40 min;
Total 1 hr 30 min;
Serves 6

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1½ tsp. cumin seeds

1½ tsp. ground coriander

2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

14 oz. tomato puree

1 oregano sprig

2 bay leaves

4½ lbs. skinless whole chicken legs

Twelve 5-inch flour tortillas

3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

Kosher salt and pepper

Cilantro leaves, lime wedges and sliced onion, for serving

1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and coriander and cook over moderate heat until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, tomato puree, oregano and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cover partially and simmer until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. In batches, fold the tortillas in half and stuff them between the upturned cups of an inverted muffin tin to form shells. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp.

3. Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and oregano sprig. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken tinga in the taco shells with cilantro, lime wedges and onion.

MAKE AHEAD The chicken tinga can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.

MAKE CRISPY TORTILLA BOWLS

I love ordering taco salads at restaurants, but I’ve never made them at home because the last thing I want to do is deep-fry. But now I can bake four tortilla bowls at once and they come out crunchy without all that oil.

Invert a muffin tin. Gently stuff tortillas between upturned muffin cups to form bowls. Bake until crisp.

Shrimp Taco Salad Bowls

Total 45 min;
Serves 4

Four 10-inch flour tortillas

⅓ cup mayonnaise

2½ Tbsp. fresh lime juice

½ tsp. ground cumin

8 cups shredded green and red cabbage (1 lb.)

1 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 pickled jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced (¼ cup)

Kosher salt and pepper

¾ lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

¾ tsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Sliced radishes and diced avocado, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Invert 2 jumbo muffin tins on a work surface. Gently stuff the tortillas between the upturned muffin cups to form 4 bowls. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp; let cool. (If you have only 1 jumbo muffin tin, do this in batches.)

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin. Add the cabbage, 1 cup of cilantro and the jalapeños and toss. Season the slaw with salt and pepper.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until just white throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

4. Fill the taco shells with the slaw and shrimp. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, radishes and diced avocado. Serve.

MAKE AHEAD The taco shell bowls can be made up to 6 hours ahead.

VARIATION You can fill a bowl with guacamole. I like to call this “guacabowle.”

BAKE APPLE PIE ROSES

Apple pie roses totally won the Internet. They were on Instagram, Pinterest...everywhere, because they’re so pretty! I must have tested this excellent version almost 100 times to make sure that the puff pastry bakes all the way through.

STEP 1 Roll out a sheet of puff pastry and cut into 12 rectangles. Freeze until just chilled.

STEP 2 Spread apricot preserves on each pastry rectangle.

STEP 3 Arrange a layer of apple slices on the top half of the rectangle, overlapping them slightly.

STEP 4 Sprinkle the apple and pastry with cinnamon sugar.

STEP 5 Fold the pastry over the apple slices.

STEP 6 Loosely roll up the pastry and apples to form a rose.

STEP 7 Transfer each apple pie rose to a cup in a muffin pan and bake.

Apple Pie Roses

Active 40 min;
Total 1 hr 45 min;
Makes 12

All-purpose flour, for dusting

One ½-lb. sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ cup apricot preserves mixed with 1 Tbsp. hot water

2 Granny Smith apples—halved lengthwise, cored and very thinly sliced lengthwise to form half-moons

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into twelve 2-by-7-inch rectangles. Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until just chilled, about 5 minutes.

2. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and salt. Work with one piece of pastry at a time, with a long side facing you: Spread 1 teaspoon of the apricot preserves on the pastry. Arrange a layer of apple slices on the top half of the rectangle, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle the apple and pastry with the cinnamon sugar. Fold the pastry over the apples. Starting at a short side, loosely roll up the pastry and apples to form a rose; transfer to one of the prepared muffin cups. Repeat with the remaining pastry, preserves, apple slices and cinnamon sugar to form 11 more roses.

3. Bake the apple pie roses for about 50 minutes, until puffed and golden. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Dust the apple pie roses with confectioners’ sugar and serve them warm or at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD The apple pie roses can be stored in an airtight container overnight. Rewarm if desired.