The basics to a dinner cupcake!

That's right. You read that right.

Cupcakes. For dinner.

Now, before you get excited I should clarify that these aren't your sugar laden delights that you normally get. These are portion controlled deliciousness that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Inspired by a pin I found on Pinterest a few years ago I have now gotten to a point where I can make a dinner cupcake just using my imagination!

(Credit for the inspirational pin goes to Emily Bites,  who posted a pin similar to this one. Emily Bites also had a bunch of other fun and delicious low cal/diet friendly recipies!)

To make any dinner cupcake, you will need wonton wrappers. They can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store (I find mine over by the yakisoba noodles and tofu products. Don't worry, they're not made from tofu!)

Otherwise, the only other item you'll need is a muffin pan (regular size - not minis or jumbo). The rest is up to your imagination! I try to follow the same formula: protein, fat and filler.

(Before I go further - fat is not all bad! It's all about moderation and the kind of fat. Plus these awesome cupcakes are portion controlled so the fat content isn't crazy.)

Let's just quickly break it down:

Protein: I try to get a meat in there like shredded chicken ... ground turkey ... even just as simple as pepperoni slices *if my filler is big, in example.  I used left over pulled Mexican pork for my dinner taco the other night. I will say this - I highly recommend you cook your meat first, or use pre cooked meat. The wonton may burn if you have to cook the meat along with the baking of the cupcake.

Fat: 9 out of 10 times, this is cheese for me. Something about melted cheese that makes me smile! (And my kids). If you have it on hand, laughing cow cheese works wonderful. Sometimes even mixing in the cheese with your meat works! (I did Buffalo Chicken ones for super bowl last year and mixed in cream cheese for baking. Then sprinkler blue cheese on top).

Filler: Not always necessary (i.e. my Buffalo Chicken cupcakes don't have a filler) but a nice touch if it feels right!  (I used beans in my Mexican pork ones the other night).

After you select your ingredients, comes the easy assembly. Pre heat your oven to 425 ... place 1 to 2 wonton wrappers down in a cup, creating a bowl. Fill with your meat, filler than fat. It does not have to be in that order per say ..  but I recommend the cheese being the top layer.  Then lay down two more wrappers, creating another bowl. Same step as before,  fill it up and it's ready to bake. Just stick it into your oven for 12 to 16 minutes (just keep an eye on them so the sides don't get TOO crispy!)

That's the gist of it! Pretty simple right :-)

You can make these however you like - Let your imagination run wild!

Garnish your cupcakes with fresh avocado, sour cream, ketchup! Whatever your heart desires.

When I made these on Sunday, I ate about 3/4 of mine (obviously not a whole lot of space).  Most adults will find two to three cupcakes does the trick!

This also makes great party food (just as I mentioned above I made some for Super Bowl last year).  Pair them with another side, like a soup or salad. Eat them alone as the main star.  The dinner cupcake has so many possibilities, you'll find yourself soon like me trying to experiment with new fillers and such ...

I guarantee your family will not be upset to act as your guinea pigs ;-)

I hope this helps, and if you have any questions please feel free to post them below!

Bon appetit!

Thanks for reading,

Nichole
*Be The Thermostat,  Not The Thermometer*