Mac & cheese bites

9 years ago

Hi folks, I have a question about making mac & cheese bites - I only have 2 mini muffin pans (and 2 reg. size). Last time, I just used them all, but greatly prefer the mini ones for this purpose. If I wanted to make a whole batch bite size at one time, do you think I could place mini muffin liners right next to each other in a baking pan so I could heat them all in one shot and have them generally retain their shape? Last time I brushed the pans with butter and put a little parm cheese on the bottom. They came out of the pans well enough. How would it work with mini paper liners?
This is for a multi family Bunco party, and we want all finger foods. Thank you!

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Comments (8)

grainlady_ks
9 years ago
After I purchased my first 12-cup mini muffin pan, many years ago, I realized how inadequate that was so I purchased two pans that hold 24, and that may be your ultimate answer if you need to make this recipe very often.

I tend to avoid baking paper liners because stuff sticks to them, and would use foil mini muffin liners - if you can find them. For Mac & Cheese Bites, other than buying more mini muffin pans, it may be your best answer. I think I would place them on a low-rim (1") baking sheet rather than a 2" cake pan. Let us know how it went....

-Grainlady
elba1
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you! The event is tomorrow night. I may just try to get more mini muffin tins. Although I don't use them very often, 2 twelve cup is never enough. Of course, maybe that's why I don't use them very often!
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lascatx
9 years ago
I bought 2 of the 24 cup minis and it makes using them a lot easier. If I am going to bake more than 48, it's a big enough project that I'm going to at it a while anyway. But it makes those quicker too.
elba1
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks. Interestingly, it had not even crossed my mind to buy more - I figured I already had two. I went to Home Goods today and bought 2-24 cup minis - I'm sure they will work out great! I also bought a larger springform pan, as my son will be combining two recipes to make a brownie bottom cheesecake, with a top layer of raspberry mousse, and our 8 inch pan is not large enough.
elba1
Original Author
9 years ago
Glad I went out and bought them! 45 out of 48 mac and cheese bites got eaten! It was so much easier to have the 2 larger pans. We also had spinach artichoke pizza, calamari bake dip and roasted eggplant/red pepper spread with crackers, mushroom rolls, 7 layer dip and tomato guacamole dip with tortilla chips, crab cakes (and raw veggies and grapes). My son made a brownie bottom cheesecake topped with raspberry mousse for dessert.
Thanks again!
mustangs81
9 years ago
I'm glad the two large worked out for you and your menu sounds great. Makes sense to have to large minis.

BTW-the eggplant/red pepper spread (Ajvar) is what I use for Roasted Red Pepper Bisque.
tami_ohio
9 years ago
Elba1, would you share your recipe for the mac and cheese bites, please. DH loves them, and I have no clue. We tried breading and deep frying them once, but what a job! It sounds like your way may be easier.
elba1
Original Author
9 years ago
Mustangs, I'll have to keep that in mind - I know my son would like it!
Tami, sure - you start with your basic mac & cheese recipe however you like to make it (I use the Best Recipe cookbook version) al dente.
Brush tins with melted butter.
Sprinkle a bit of parm cheese (I use Romano) in the bottom of the cups.
Fill the cups with mac & cheese, packing gently. You can refrigerate at this point until ready to bake.
Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Let cool 5 min, then remove with a spoon.
They came right out, and it's really neat to have mac & cheese as a finger food!
The one family is vegetarian (technically pescatarian) and there are a couple nut allergies in the group, so the menu can get tricky, but everyone left full and happy :).

Mac & cheese bites

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Mac & cheese bites

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