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Friday, December 2, 2022

Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner, the perfect small batch dinner bake!

Muffin Tin Meals are the perfect small-batch version of their larger counterpart,  sheet-pan recipes! I love sheet-pan recipes when we have company, but for the two of us, this small batch Muffin Tin version works very well. Come and take a look at our Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner!


When a sheet pan won't fit...

Especially when traveling in our small RV, the kitchen space is minimal. And while I love a good sheet-pan recipe, honestly a sheet pan will not fit in my small but trustworthy oven. But a muffin tin does, which is how I came to make a Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner for us to enjoy. The other great thing about Muffin Tin Dinners is that there are no leftovers, which is also a good thing, because there isn't much room to store leftovers in my small fridge...

Small batch cooking is one of the hardest kitchen management lessons I have had to learn. When you have years of cooking for hungry teenagers in your background, cooking for two is a real challenge. Possibly the only thing harder than small batch cooking is bread baking in different atmospheres, that one I have to work on each time we travel or move to a new elevation! 


Obviously you can adapt and make any recipe in a muffin tin, in the same way that so many great recipes have been adapted to a sheet-pan method. But for this first run, I decided to make a long standing favorite, meatloaf and will be showing you how to make a full dinner in just a muffin tin. Let's get started shall we?

Some additional thoughts on this process:

You will need cooked potatoes for this Muffin Tin Dinner. You may use leftover baked potatoes, or simply microwave a couple potatoes to use. Which is what I did. 

Carrots work great in this dinner, but feel free to substitute broccoli, cauliflower or large chunks of zucchini. 

To dress up the carrots, feel free to drizzle some real maple syrup over them before they go into the oven!

For easy clean-up, I used pan spray in each of the muffin cups! 

Need to make dinner for more than one or two? Simply use a second muffin tin...


Ingredients needed for this process:
  • ground beef
  • slice of whole wheat/grain bread
  • egg
  • dried onion
  • salt & pepper
  • milk
  • BBQ sauce or catsup
  • cooked potatoes
  • sour cream
  • milk
  • butter
  • grated cheese
  • carrots
  • olive or avocado oil
  • pan spray
You will also need the following:
  • 6 large cup muffin tin
  • medium size mixing bowl
  • small mixing bowl
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • kitchen knife
  • cutting board
Now we are ready to begin!



Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner
by the seat of my pants!
350-degree oven

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1 slice whole wheat bread
1/4 c milk
1 t dried onion
salt and pepper to taste
BBQ sauce or Catsup
4-5 carrots
olive oil or avocado oil
2 medium size cooked potatoes
1/4 c sour cream
2 to 3 T milk
garlic salt
pepper
1/4 - 1/2 c grated cheddar or Colby Jack cheese



Break the whole wheat bread into small pieces and place in the bottom of the small mixing bowl. 
Add the milk, let stand for a minute. When the bread has soaked up the milk, work it between your fingers to break it ups a bit. Next crumble the ground beef into the bowl with the bread. 
Add the egg, dried onion and salt and pepper. 



Mix well, divide into two and place into two of the muffin tin cups, drizzle with the BBQ sauce or catsup.

Peel the carrots, and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the sliced carrots into the medium sized mixing bowl. Drizzle with a bit of the oil, season with salt and pepper. Divide the carrots between two of the muffin cups. 



Dice the cooked potatoes (no need to peel) add the to the same medium sized mixing bowl used for the carrots. Season the diced potatoes with garlic salt, and pepper.
 
Add the sour cream, half the grated cheese and enough milk to mix together. The mixture will be chunky.



Divide the potato mixture in the last two muffin cups. Top with the remaining grated cheese. 



Bake for 45 minutes or until done in your oven. Let cook briefly then serve.



Storage options for Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner. Should you have leftovers store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze.

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner has been included below. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

 
Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner
by the seat of my pants!
350-degree oven

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1 slice whole wheat bread
1/4 c milk
1 t dried onion
salt and pepper to taste
BBQ sauce or Catsup
4-5 carrots
olive oil or avocado oil
2 medium size cooked potatoes
1/4 c sour cream
2 to 3 T milk
garlic salt
pepper
1/4 c grated cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Break the whole wheat bread into small pieces and place in the bottom of the small mixing bowl. 
Add the milk, let stand for a minute. When the bread has soaked up the milk, work it between your fingers to break it ups a bit. Next crumble the ground beef into the bowl with the bread. 
Add the egg, dried onion and salt and pepper. Mix well, divide into two and place into two of the muffin tin cups, drizzle with the BBQ sauce or catsup.

Peel the carrots, and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the sliced carrots into the medium sized mixing bowl. Drizzle with a bit of the oil, season with salt and pepper. Divide the carrots between two of the muffin cups. 

Dice the cooked potatoes (no need to peel) add the to the same medium sized mixing bowl used for the carrots. Season the diced potatoes with garlic salt, and pepper. 

Add the sour cream, half the grated cheese and enough milk to mix together. The mixture will be chunky. The mixture will be chunky. Divide the potato mixture in the last two muffin cups. Top with the grated cheese. 

Bake for 45 minutes or until done in your oven. Let cook briefly then serve.

Storage options for Mini Meatloaf Muffin Tin Dinner. Should you have leftovers store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze.

~~~~ 

Would you like to comment?

  1. It's Judee from http:www.realfoodblogger.com . I love this idea- portion control and lots of choices.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Judee, it was fun to put together. I hope to come up with a few more!

      Delete
  2. Melynda, I love this idea. I live alone and it's so hard to cook for just one when you've been cooking for a family for so long. I've really got to keep this in mind.
    Visiting today from FF#19,20&21

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paula, I agree cooking "small" is so much more difficult. I hope to do more of these, it works well for the two of us. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.

      Delete
  3. This looks delicious! It is something my fiance would love as well. I will definitely have to check out more of your recipes. Hope you are having a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sherry, thank you very much! And ditto on the weekend greetings!

      Delete
  4. What a great idea!! An awesome way to control portion sizes too! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 92. Shared.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dee, thanks so much! I hope to come up with some additional meals!

      Delete
  5. I love this! There are only two of us, and my husband is not fond of meatloaf anymore. And getting pickier as he ages. But he does eat meatballs. So this may just work! Thank you for this clever idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think a lot of foods could work with this technique, I know I am hoping to come up with more! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.

      Delete
  6. I love this idea!! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Helen, and thanks for hosting, I sure appreciate it!

      Delete
  7. what a fabulous idea to have them cooked in a muffin tin! such fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sherry, thanks so much! Have a great week ahead, take care.

      Delete

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