Fruit and Oat Muffins

This was created to use up a whole bunch of different odds and ends in my kitchen, so it's a jumble of flavors. My kids loved them and all had several right away and all of them where gone within the hour.

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. honey

1 egg

2 brown bananas, whole

3/4 c. white flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 oz. apple sauce

Preheat the over to 350

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. When combined, beat in the honey, egg, and 2 bananas.

Next beat in the soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

Then beat in the white flour, whole wheat flour, and oats. Add the apple sauce and mix just until combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners and fill 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350. I only had to bake these for 15 minutes because I used mini muffins. This made 3 1/2 dz. mini muffins.

Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar

1 c. cake flour

1 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 c. half-an-half

1 stick butter melted

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the eggs, half-an-half, butter, and vanilla and then mix to combine everything. Do not start mixing until all the wet ingredients are in the bowl. 

Slowly drizzle in the boiling water and mix until combines.

Pour batter (it will be thin) into 2 greased 9-in cake pans and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Cook on a wire rack. 

Frost as desired. I like white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Honey Cornbread

 I found cornflour in the Hispanic section, I used a bag of Maseca masa. I love to make tamales with their tamale flour, it's slightly courser ground.

1 c. flour

1 c. finely ground cornflour

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/3 c. oil

1/4 c. honey

1 egg

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the honey and oil. 

Whisk in the egg and then the milk.

Mix the two together and stir until fairly smooth,

A few lumps are normal.

Grease your muffin pan really well or use paper liners.

This makes exactly 12, so divide the batter between the cups and bake

for 15 - 17 minutes until golden brown on top

Variations I have tried: (and liked)

Saute 2 chopped jalapeno peppers and add to the batter

A handful of shredded cheddar cheese

Soak 1/2 c. raisins in water for an hour, pour water and raisins 
in a blender until chopped a bit but not pureed, 
drain and add to the batter with a dash of pie spice

1/2 can corn, drained

Garlic powder

Bacon, cheddar, and sauteed green onions

Pizza Bites

 (They don't look like much, don't let that fool you)

These are simple little pizza bites that are great for a fun kids dinner, a picnic, or as an appetizer. We LOVED them. Feel free to play around with different toppings in the center. Whatever you normally like on your pizza will be good. Next time I am going to try meat lovers, and add sausage and bacon. 

I also want to freeze some and see how they do. I will update later with the results. If it works this would be a great treat to have on hand to pull out for quick snacks. UPDATE: They worked great frozen. I froze them overnight and then I microwaved one from frozen and it got hard as a rock. But I defrosted the rest, and that only took 30 minutes, and then microwaved it for 20 seconds and it was warm and soft. So it takes a little pre planning to eat them from frozen, but not too much.I just put them flat on a tray and froze them until they where solid, about 2hours, and then put them in a freezer safe plastic bag.

You can use whatever dough and sauce recipe you prefer but I have included mine as well, just in case. 

I don't remember the pkg size of the pepperoni, it said it had 90 pepperoni. After the 48 reserved, I think it was about 3/4 c. chopped.

1 batch pizza dough

1 Batch Sauce

1 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/4c. cheddar cheese, shredded

2 pkg pepperoni

1/4lb deli sliced turkey pastrami

 1/2 bell pepper, chopped

Reserve 48 pepperoni's. Chop remaining pepperoni and turkey pastrami. Mix the mozzarella, cheddar, pepperoni, pastrami, and bell pepper. When the sauce is cooled add it to the cheese mix. 

Roll the dough out really thin and cut into 2 inch squares. Spray 4 mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Press one dough square into each muffin cup. Fill with cheese and sauce mixture. Top each cup with one reserved pepperoni. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or just until the dough looks cooked. Let cool in pan ten minutes before removing.

Makes 4 dozen.

Triple Apple Muffins

2 1/4 c. flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt (scant)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c. apple sauce
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. apple juice concentrate
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. wheat germ

Mix the dry ingredients, stir in the the wet ones. Pour into muffins pans and bake at 30 for 25 minutes or until done.

Banana Muffins

1 stick butter, softened
8 over ripe bananas, peeled
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. agave
3 eggs
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. all purpose white flour
3/4 c. oats
2 t. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream butter until smooth. Add the bananas whole and beat until mostly mashed.

Add the sugars and agave, then the eggs.

Beat in the vanilla, soda, salt, and spice until well mixed.

Add the oats, then the whole wheat, and lastly the white flour.

Fold in the walnuts if using

Let batter sit for 30 minutes. Fill muffin tins and bake at 360 for 20 - 30 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen



These muffins are great by themselves, but even better drizzled with penuche frosting.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 c. quick cooking oats
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 sweet apples, cored, peeled and grated on the large side of a cheese grater

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla, and mix into the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated apples. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Pumpkin Biscuits

4 c. flour, plus more for kneading
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
dusting of nutmeg
dash cloves
2 sticks cold butter
1 (29 oz.) can pure pumpkin

Unwrap the sticks of butter and put in the freezer for about 4 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 425

Combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and spices in a bowl. Take the butter out of the freezer and using the large side of a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. Make sure you work really quickly with the butter or it will start to melt in your hand.

Stir in the pumpkin.

At this point the dough should still be quite sticky. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of flour over the top and dump out onto your kneading surface. Knead just enough to knead in the flour and make a dough that is just barely not sticky.

Beak the dough in half and flatten into 3/4 inch thickness. I used my hands for this but you can use a rolling pin. Cut the biscuits into whatever size circles you want and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 - 12 until starting to turn golden on top.


\

Rosie said it looked like a twelve eyed monster with tons of legs

I cut them out really small, thats why they look almost round

4 c. flour, plus more for kneading
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
dusting of nutmeg
dash cloves
2 sticks cold butter
1 (29 oz.) can pure pumpkin

Unwrap the sticks of butter and put in the freezer for about 4 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 425

Combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and spices in a bowl. Take the butter out of the freezer and using the large side of a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. Make sure you work really quickly with the butter to it will start to melt in your hand.

Stir in the pumpkin.

At this point the dough should still be quite sticky. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of flour over the top and dump out onto your kneading surface. Knead just enough to knead in the flour and make a dough that is just barely not sticky.

Beak the dough in half and flatten into 3/4 inch thickness. I used my hands for this but you can use a rolling pin. Cut the biscuits into whatever size circles you want and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until they are lighter in color and have risen a bit

Pumpkin and Lots of Other Stuff Muffins

Apples are great in this, as is the chocolate, I just don't like the two flavors together so I do one or the other. Raisins, coconut or nuts would also be great in the batter.

I really recommend the almond milk for these, it really makes a difference, but if you dont want to use it milk subs great. Because the milk I originally made these with was sweetend vanilla almond milk if you don't use it add 1/3 cup white sugar or 2 Tbsp agave and a tsp of vanilla extract.

Don't chop the chocolate too fine, large chucks are great in these muffins


Pumpkin and Stuff Muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt (scant)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 egg, lightly beaten
1 can pumpkin
1/2 c. sweetened vanilla almond milk (regular works fine too just add an additional 1/3 c. white sugar)
1/2 c. canola oil
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1 large carrot, grated
6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped OR 1 apple peeled and grated

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, pumpkin, milk and oil; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in oats and carrots. Stir in chocolate.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Cinnamuffins

I was making cinnamon rolls for some friends today and I had three left, and was out of pans (I made a lot) So I plopped the in muffin liners and then dropped those into muffin tins. Now just to wait and see how they turn out...

Later that day: Yup, they taste good. I just wish that I had still Pam sprayed the inside of the muffin liners a bit, and shorten the baking time from what you think.


Plus I realized I forgot cream cheese for frosting, so I had to turn to my favorite penuche frosting recipe from my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 c. powdered sugar

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and milk, and bring to a boil. Cool slightly, then beat into powdered sugar until smooth. Pour frosting into a plastic bag, cut a hole in the side, and drizzle over slightly cooled sweet rolls.