Whenever I need to make a purchase (a “big ticket” item or even a less-costly item), I like to do some research on it. My favorite place to go is www.bestreviews.com. These folks are as good as Consumer Reports, but without the price of subscription.
I know we need to be careful when trusting review sites—some are funded by the products they review, so their reporting can be slanted at best and heavily biased at worst. But here’s what BestReviews has to say in that regard:
“We want to be your one-stop shop for comprehensive, in-depth product reviews of the top brands and models of every product on the market while also pointing you to the best prices on the internet.
“We use consumer feedback and expert guidance…Our reviews are clear, straightforward…We do our own testing. We take an unbiased approach to testing, rooted in our commitment to discovering the true quality of each product so we can provide you complete transparency. Regardless of whether we purchase a product on our own or request it from a manufacturer, we only write reviews about products that meet our high standards and are worth your consideration.”
So, BestReviews…I trust ‘em. This said, I went to them looking for the best-of-the-best muffin tins. Their BEST CHOICE (rated 9.9 out of 10 stars) is the USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan, 12-Well, Aluminized Steel. They say they love it because it’s lightweight, provides a quick release and easy clean-up, its nonstick coating is PTFE/PFOA/BPA free, and is made in the USA. The only snag for me is the price—it’s $29.95 on amazon (and $31.99 at Walmart). I’m guessing it’ll come up for sale soon and I intend to request it for Christmas.
Now why all the bla-bla-bla about a muffin tin? Because it can do so much more than turn out muffins or cupcakes. Were you aware you can make actual meals in it? Martha Stewart recently shared a few ideas for this very use. Her suggestion for Tomato Hand Pies, for instance, is a good place to start. If you pair this with a salad and hearty side, you’ve got a full-meal deal.
I’ll close with her recipe and some encouragement to take a serious look at 1) using your muffin tin for more than the obvious (muffins and cupcakes), and 2) consider going to www.bestreviews.com the next time you need to make a purchase. What with Christmas shopping coming up, you may find this site truly helpful.
But back to the muffin tin dinner idea. Martha says, “Left in the baking tin and covered with cheesecloth, these tomato hand pies are ready to pack. They can be baked a day ahead and refrigerated. The pies will come to room temperature on the trip to a buffet or on your counter as you prepare the rest of a meal.”
Yield: 12 pies
Ingredients:
all-purpose flour (for surface)
1 pastry recipe (below)
2 1/2 pounds medium tomatoes cored and sliced ¼ inch thick crosswise
1 medium onion quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano plus small sprigs for serving (optional)
1/3 cup chopped pitted oil-cured black olives
4 to 5 ouncesfeta cheese crumbled (¾ cup)
1 large egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
PASTRY FOR MUFFIN CUPS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoonsalt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cups ice water
Directions:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to 1/8 inch thick. Using a paring knife, cut out twelve 4 1/2-inch squares, and fit into cups of a standard muffin tin, leaving an overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide tomato and onion slices between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until tomatoes begin to shrivel and onion slices are golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Transfer to a bowl.
Divide half the chopped oregano, olives, and feta among the dough-lined tins. Top with tomato-onion mixture. Sprinkle remaining oregano, olives, and feta on top. Fold corners of dough toward centers. Brush with egg wash.
Reduce heat to 375. Bake pies until top crusts are golden brown and middles are bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes.
Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack. Tuck oregano sprigs into hand pies if desired.
MUFFIN CUPS
Pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until dough just comes together (no longer than 30 seconds).
If making tomato hand pies, divide dough in half, shape each into a square, and wrap in plastic. If making herb-leek tart, flatten dough into an oblong disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
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