Favorite Muffins

Another from my grandmother.  This recipe is plain, it's simple, it's yummy!  For the first time, I don't plan on changing a thing.  Great quick muffin that can be used to go with your favorite soup, breakfast, or dessert (strawberry shortcake anyone?).





Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/2 cups four
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Prehead oven to 400.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Beat egg, stir in milk and oil.  Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened.  Batter should be lumpy.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from pans.

Applesauce cake

I have now made this recipe three times and it has been a huge hit with everyone!  This is definitely a new fall favorite.  But lets be honest, I like fall flavors all year round :) However, per my usual habits I changed a few things.

- Used butter instead of shortening
- Reduced the amount of clove to 1 tsp
- Increased the cinnamon to a heaping 1 Tbsp
- Did not add nuts or raisins.
- Use no sugar added plain applesauce.  The recipe itself calls for more than enough sugar that you don't really need to add more to it!

The last time I made it, I also baked it into loaves instead of a cake pan and put a Cinnamon icing on it top.  For the cinnamon icing I used 2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 4 Tbsp milk, 4 cups confectioners sugar.

Ingredients:
  2 1/2 cups flour
  2 tsp baking powder
  1 heaping Tbsp cinnamon
  1 tsp cloves
  1 tsp salt

  2/3 cup butter
  2 cups sugar
  2 eggs
  2 cups applesauce

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, then mix in applesauce.  Add in dry mixture til fully incorporated.  Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 til done (amount of time depends on what size pan you use.  For loaves I did 30min, for a 9inch round pan it took closer to an hour.

Chicken Teryaki

I made this and well, Tom liked it so much he ate himself sore!  It's SO easy and SO yummy!  Basically dump in the crock pot and go!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked long grain rice

Directions:

Place chicken in a 4 qt. crock pot. 

In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. 

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. 

Remove chicken to a bowl leaving liquid in crock pot.

Skim fat from cooking liquid.

Turn crock pot on high to heat up remaining liquid.  

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth.

Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened. 

Turn crock pot down to Keep Warm.

Add chicken back to sauce.

Serve over rice. ( I like to seam some broccoli to go with it)

Banana Bread - the Original

Before my grandmother passed away, she let me go through her recipe cards and pick out my favorites.  Having her recipes in her handwriting is one of my greatest treasures.  One of my goals is to try out all the recipes.  So, when a bunch of bananas got over-ripe... Banana Bread!  Now this is more like banana cake. It has a TON of sugar.  This time I stuck to the recipe, mostly - I added cinnamon and used butter instead of shortening and no nuts because then Tom wouldn't eat it.  But otherwise withheld my usual inclination to change everything.  I wanted to see what the original recipe was like before I went mucking with it.

Well, the result was SUPER YUMMY!  It's all I want to eat!  However, next time I'm going to cut the sugar in half and be more purposeful about how I put it all together; cream butter and sugar, mix dry ingredients together first, etc.  We'll see if there's a difference and I'll post it here!

Click on picture for larger view.

What the card says:

   1 1/2 cups sugar

   1 3/4 cups flour

   1 tsp vanilla

   1 tsp salt

   1 tsp soda (aka. baking soda)

   2 whole eggs

   1 cup chopped nuts

   1/2 cup shortening (or butter)

   1 cup mashed bananas

   4 tablespoons milk

 Bake in a 350 oven for 40 - 45 min.  Use tube pans or loaf pans.

Blueberry Muffins

These are by far the best blueberry muffins I've ever had.  It's the whole package of flavor and texture!

Pictured without topping

Ingredients:

   2 cups flour
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon salt

   1 1/2 tablespoons flour
   1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

   1/2 cup butter, softened
   3/4 cup sugar
   2 eggs
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
   1/2 cup milk

Topping:

   2 tablespoons flour
   5 tablespoons white sugar
   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   2 tablespoons butter, cold


Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
• Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. 
• In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, and set aside. (This will keep you from having purple muffins)
• In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs (one at a time), vanilla and lemon zest. 
• Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk, flour last. 
• Fold in blueberries. Remember, fold gently, don't stir. 
• Spoon batter into prepared cups.
• Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 5 tablespoons sugar ,and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons cold butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
  1/2 cup sugar
  1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  1/3 cup butter, softened
  1 egg
  1 tsp vanilla
  1 1/2 cup flour
  1/2 tsp baking soda
  1/2 tsp salt
  1 6oz pkg chocolate chips ( I buy ghiradeli)

Directions:
  Preheat oven to 375.
  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  Cream butter, shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla in a mixer.  Add in flour mixture.
  Fold in chocolate chips.
  Spoon walnut size amount 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Fiddlesticks

Another version of baby biscotti for  Luke.  See the banana fiddlestick recipe here.

Ingredients: 

   3 cups of flour
   1 cup of sugar
   2 eggs

   1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
   2 Tbsp butter, softened
   1 tsp vanilla extract
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 Tbsp ginger
   1 tsp salt
   1/2 tsp cinnamon
   1/8 tsp nutmeg
   1/8 tsp of cloves
   1/8 tsp allspice

Directions:

• Sift together flour, baking powder and spices, set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar until well incorporated (it won’t cream perfectly). 
• Combine eggs, pumpkin and vanilla, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Add flour mixture and stir well. If dough is still really wet to the touch, you can chill it for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to handle or dust with flour.
• Divide the extremely wet dough into four equal parts, shape into logs as best you can using flour to prevent dough from sticking to your hands. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Spread into1/4 inch half-inch deep loaves. 
• Bake for 20 mins, remove from oven and let cool til you can handle loaves without burning yourself. Using a serrated bread knife, slice into 1/4 inch pieces. 

Adapted from Cuppylicious

Vanilla Biscotti

My husband is only supporting my biscotti addiction.  He requested some plain Vanilla Biscotti.  So I took up the challenge and apparently the results were so good that he won't even share them with me!

(One note: When I made these I did a double batch and used 3 vanilla beans instead of 2. I was planning on sharing them with family at a bday party yesterday but Tom said they were all his!)

Ingredients:

   2 1/2 cups flour
   1 cup sugar
   1 vanilla bean
   2 eggs
   1/2 cup butter, softened
   3 tsps vanilla extract

   1 tsp baking powder
   1/2 tsp salt (or less)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
• Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. 
• Crack eggs into a small bowl, scrape vanilla bean with the bake side of a knife into eggs.  Add vanilla and wisk.  Add to sugar/butter mixture and beat until smooth. 
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix just until just blended.
• Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cutting board. With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning over once.

Cinnamon Almond Biscotti

I admit it.  I have a biscotti addiction now!  I blame my friend Cuppy, from whom I got this recipe which I then altered slightly, because I alter everything :)

Ingredients:

   2 1/2 cups flour

   1 cup sugar
   1 cup toasted, unsalted almonds
   2 eggs
   1/2 cup butter, softened
   2 tsps vanilla extract
   2 tsps ground cinnamon

   1 tsp almond extract
   1 tsp baking powder
   1/2 tsp salt (or less)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Toast almonds on a baking sheet for 10 mins at 350, flipping them halfway through.
• Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
• Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add eggs, almond extract and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix just until just blended. Fold in almonds.
• Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cutting board. With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning over once.

My baking must haves - Utensils/Gadgets

I'm not one for having to have a cool new gadget to do something in the kitchen when what I've got works just fine.  I once owned a garlic press, I got rid of it because it was a pain to clean and therefore wasn't really saving me anymore time than just using my knife.  But there are a few things that I have to have!

• Stand Mixer - whether you have a Kitchen Aid or a Sunbeam, doesn't matter.  When it comes to creaming butter and sugar or getting air into your batter.  Just flipping that switch and letting it run, so much easier!!

• Beater Blade - This is a time save!  It's works with your Kitchen Aid (they make them for the tilt-head and lift mixers so if you get one, make sure you are getting the right one).  It mixes AND scrapes the bowl all that same time!  Yeah!

• Measure-All Cup - For all the pain in the butt ingredients like mayonnaise, peanut butter, molasses, brown sugar, shortening; this is the best!  Pampered chef makes one, but oxo now has one too.

• Real Cake Pans - you know, not the little flared out ones you can buy at the store.  I'm talking the straight edge 2 or 3 inch deep pans. I mean, how else can you get a cake to stand up straight! And how else can you torte a cake unless it's thick enough to do so! (This is the cake decorator in me coming out)

Again with only having four :)  So, what are your must haves?

My baking must haves - Quality Ingredients

I have long been someone that not only likes to bake yummy stuff but I also want it to taste the best it can.  So there are certain ingredients that I refuse to get the cheap stuff on.

• King Arthur Flour.  The difference between it and the cheap stuff is amazing in my opinion.  I also love their whole wheat varieties for that added wholesome earth-y-ness.
• UPDATE:  I still love King Arthur flour, but I found this Ultra flour at Costco is great too! (oh, how I love Costco!)

• Watkins Double Power Vanilla.  I have yet to find any vanilla that beats the strong vanilla flavor that this product does.  Especially in cakes, cookies, and ice cream.  It's one step below the vanilla bean!
• I now make my own ;)

• Real Butter.  I never use margarine or some other butter substitute.  It's not better for you and well real butter just tastes SO much better.  I generally get unsalted because my taste-buds are salt sensitive.  In fact, most recipes that call for salt, I usually use about half what they call for.

• Store-brand Shortening.  Why, you ask? Because the whole 0 trans fat craze ruined Crisco!  If you try making buttercream icing with Crisco, unless you get it really warm, your icing will not spread evenly, will crack and break, and you will end up with a mess.  And how often do we really eat cake??  Go for the real deal!

So, these are my top four.  I tried to come  up with a fifth one because everything is always the top five or the fav five...but my brain couldn't think of one.  What are yours?

Pumpkin Pancakes

I made these over the weekend, and lets just say... OMG YUM!  Tom and I both were in heaven.  Amazing flavor and they are so thick and dense you only need to eat two to feel full.  You make these and you may never go back to plain pancakes again!

Ingredients:
   1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
   2 tablespoons sugar
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
   1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
   1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
   1 cup milk
   1 cup pumpkin puree
   2 tablespoons butter, melted
   1 egg

Directions:
1. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter and egg in a separate bowl. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.
3. Melt additional butter in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake (you will have to kinda scooch the batter around to get it to spread out) and cook approximately 3 minutes per side.
5. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Microwave Coffee Cup Scramble

I found this in the Better Homes & Garden magazine and it's proven to be a go to for a quick breakfast when the normal cereal isn't enough but there just isn't enough time for pancakes.

Ingredients:
   2 eggs
   2 Tbsp milk
   2 Tbsp shredded cheese
   salt and pepper

1. Coat 12 oz mug with cooking spray.  Add eggs and milk, beat with fork til blended.
2. Microwave on high 45 sec, stir.  Microwave til eggs are almost set, 30 to 45 sec longer.
3. Top with cheese, season with salt and pepper. (Tom likes to put hot salsa on his and loves it)

Tamale Pie

So I'm all about crockpot meals. Just makes life easier with a toddler around.  This is hardly what anyone would call mexican, but it's still yummy!

Step 1: In a large skillet warm in a Tbsp of olive oil a spoonful of minced garlic (I buy the big jars or pre-minced garlic).  Then brown 2 lbs ground beef (or any ground meat of your choosing).

Step 2: Dump meat into crock pot.  Add in 1 can each of black beans, diced tomatoes (not the Italian style), whole kernel corn, and one packet of taco seasoning (or any seasonings you want such as cumin, chili powder, pepper, etc).  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Step 3: In a bowl combine one box of corn bread/muffin mix and 2 eggs.  Spoon in small dollops over meat mixture. Do not dump in all at once, you will not be able to spread the mixture over the meat and you will get lopsided tamale pie!  Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick comes out of the center of cornbread clean.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let stand 5 minutes to melt.

Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and anything else you think would taste yummy.

Banana Fiddlesticks/Biscotti

I adapted a recipe in order to create banana fiddlesticks for Luke.  Those with toddlers who use the Plum line of baby foods know what I am talking about and know they are expensive.  Making your own is definitely the way to go and baby biscotti are great ;)


The dough is extremely wet and sticky, but that's what I am going for as when I make these for Luke I don't bake them dry but leave them soft they way he prefers them.  

You will need:
  1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
  1 egg
  2 tbsp. brown sugar
  1 tsp. vanilla extract
  2 cup all-purpose flour
  1/2 cup sugar
  1 tsp. baking powder
  1 tsp. cinnamon
  1/2 tsp. salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease your baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Combine the mashed bananas, egg, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.  Mix until well combined.  In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir together to mix.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
   
    For baby biscotti (aka fiddlesticks), divide the dough into four equal parts, shape into logs as best you can using flour to prevent dough from sticking to your hands.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.   Spread into1/4 inch half-inch deep loaves. Bake for 20 25 mins, remove from oven and let cool til you can handle loaves without burning yourself.  Using a serrated bread knife, slice into 1/4 inch half inch pieces.  Place the slices back onto the baking sheet on their side and bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven, flip the biscotti over to the other side, and bake for 5 more minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.


(I was originally baking the biscotti again after cutting them when making fiddlesticks but found that they got really chewy, which Luke did not care for.  So the above strike-thru's are where I have modified my original recipe.)




    For normal biscotti, divide the dough into two equal parts, spread into two logs on the baking sheet, about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep, leaving at least 4 inches or more between the two logs.  Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven, reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and let cool for 10 minutes.  Using a long, thin knife slice the biscotti into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces on the diagonal.  Place the slices back onto the baking sheet on their side and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, flip the biscotti over to the other side, and bake for 10 more minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.


Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Hearty Beans & Rice

I created this off a recipe I saw in a slow cooker magazine.  It's like a cross between BBQ beans and Red beans & rice.  In fact, next time I make it I'm going to replace the steak seasoning with creole seasoning.  I also recommend reducing the spicy brown mustard from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup as the flavor was kinda obvious, but it was still tasty!

WARNING: You will need a large crock pot in order to do this!

Step 1:
Brown 2 lbs of ground beef (or any ground meat of your choosing) in a pan.  (Prior to browning the meat I recommend heating up some minced garlic and sweating a whole medium to large diced onion)

Step 2: Dump the following into a crockpot and stir:

   2 large cans of baked beans (I like Bush's original)
   2 cans kidney beans, drained
   2 cans pinto beans, drained
   1 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, sliced (or more, whatever will fit in your pot)
   1 cup BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
   1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
   1/4 cup steak seasoning (I used McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning)

Step 3: Cook on Low all day and serve over rice.