The Perfect Muffin

The batter for these muffins is so creamy and luxurious.  Must be the butter!  I typically make muffins with oil but now I see why people use butter.  Cakey, light, airy and delicious, these muffins are something to be celebrated. Almond, poppy seed lovers unite over the subtle yet pungent flavor and texture of this perfect breakfast treat.

FYI: My muffins baked for 20 minutes.

Here is the recipe.

Ham and Cheese Mini Corn Muffins

These are the perfect snack for after school or make them into a meal with some fruit on the side and a vegetable.  My family loves them!  They freeze well and are perfectly popable.

The simple recipe follows:

Ham and cheese mini corn muffins

3/4 C cornmeal
1 1/4 C flour
2 t baking powder
1 egg
1 C water
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C oil
5 slices deli ham, diced
1/2 C shredded cheese

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased mini muffin pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes.  Makes 32.  

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Pancakes

My pancakes were not salted caramel but hot fudge.  I did not have caramel sauce so I used homemade chocolate syrup instead.  I was intrigued by the name and idea so let me know if you use caramel sauce and how they turn out!  Mine were really yummy!

FYI: I did not add any sugar or vanilla to my batter since the homemade chocolate syrup already has a lot of both.  I also added 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice instead of ground cinnamon for extra spiciness.  

Here is the recipe.

Chocolate Gingerbread Pancakes

If you like chocolate and gingerbread, you're going to adore this combination. Spicy from the obvious use of spices, sweet from the brown sugar, bitter from the cocoa powder, and salty from the obvious use of salt, these cakes taste as delightful as they smell cooking on the stove.

My kids love gingerbread pancakes and chocolate (of course) so I was eager to try this new recipe.  It was a huge hit!  Sandwich 2 pancakes together with some cookie butter spread and these are off the charts delicious.

Here is the recipe.

Cake Fridays

Pistachio-Cherry Bundt Cake

This the lightest bundt cake I've ever had.  Be sure to beat it for 2 minutes in a stand mixer to incorporate a lot of air.  The pistachio flavor really comes through and compliments the almond extract beautifully.  I made a glaze by stirring 1 C powdered sugar and just enough maraschino cherry juice to thin it out.  It was divine.  

Make this spring inspired cake for your next get together and everyone will be begging for the recipe.   

Here is the recipe.

Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

I can't say enough good things about these pancakes.  With their fringed edges and custard centers, you will be reveling in every bite of strawberry, citrus goodness.  Put four warm cakes on your plate, drizzle honey over each, and add a big cloud of Greek yogurt to the top.  You'll have a feast for the eyes and taste buds. Perfect for Mother's Day brunch, these pancakes are something you will crave over and over again.  I'm hooked and I'm sure you will be too :)

Here is the recipe.

Molasses Triple Chocolate Cookies

If you like a strong, spicy molasses flavor, you will adore these cookies. Solid, chewy, and oozing with melted chocolate, you'll need a napkin and a tall glass of milk or a big bowl of vanilla ice cream to accompany these gems.  

FYI: I used 2 1/2 C flour total.  I replaced the 5 oz bittersweet baking chocolate or dark chocolate with 5 oz mini Twix bars, cut in half.  I also omitted the cinnamon-sugar coating.      

Here is the recipe.

Secret Ingredient Donuts

Chocolate Syrup Donuts

1/2 C homemade chocolate syrup (see yesterday's link)
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/3 C oil
3/4 C almond milk

Whisk in large bowl.  Add the following ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine:

1 C bread flour
1/2 C AP flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Spoon into greased donut pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on some or all of them!  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.  Makes 14 donuts.  

Oatmeal Mondays

This Monday I am featuring a sauce.  It is a homemade chocolate syrup. This is delicious stirred into regular milk, poured over warm oatmeal, drizzled over biscuits, cakes and cookies.  The possibilities are endless! Heat this up on the stove and enjoy its many uses.  

Here is the recipe.  

Mile-high Pancakes

Soar to new heights with these pancakes because they are amazingly fluffy! They actually inflate as they cook on both sides in a warm, buttered skillet. Lofty and elevated in their appearance, these are every bit what you'd expect from buttermilk pancakes but are made with sour cream instead.  Who knew that sour cream could produce some of the highest pancakes I've ever made?!

I added a mix of peanut butter chips and semisweet chocolate chips to my batter but feel free to stick with the chocolate chips only.  These look like mini sky scrapers on your breakfast plate, far reaching to sky-high, alpine heights. They are tangy and rich in flavor with a soft, puffy texture.  You've got to make these!  

Here is the recipe.

Cake Fridays

I made these cupcakes with leftover Easter candy: milk chocolate hollow bunnies and mini Kit Kat bars. They turned out great!  The only problem was the Kit Kats pressed inside the batter before baking burned slightly.  It could be my oven though.  Nonetheless, these cupcakes can be decorated as shown here or you can add any flavor frosting.  I will probably frost mine to hide the slightly burned candies.  Enjoy :)

Zucchini Pancakes

I struggle to try to get my kids to eat zucchini.  This is a great way to sneak a vegetable into one of their favorite things: pancakes!

Here is the recipe.  

Mini Blueberry Bagel Bread Pudding

We had a bag full of 10 mini blueberry bagels that I picked up in the deli section of Kroger.  I made peanut butter sandwiches out of some and left some plain to create this yummy bagel bread pudding that tasted just like a peanut butter, honey and jelly sandwich.  Serve with orange segments alongside bacon and you have the perfect balance of sweet and salty.  My kids ate this for dinner but it can be served for breakfast or lunch too.    

Here is the recipe:

3/4 C milk
3 eggs

Whisk in 2 C glass pitcher.  Set aside.

Quarter 6 plain mini blueberry bagels
Quarter 4 peanut butter filled mini blueberry bagels

Toss bagels in greased 8x8 glass pan.  Pour egg mixture over the top and press bagels down to immerse in liquid.  Bake covered with aluminum foil at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes until egg is cooked and bagels are toasted on top.  Drizzle warm bagel bread pudding with honey straight out of the oven.  Makes 6 servings.  

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe courtesy of Penzeys Spices

1 3/4 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 C sugar
1 C milk
1/3 C plus 2 t vegetable oil
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 C mini chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add wet ingredients and stir until combined.  Fold in 3/4 C of the chocolate chips.  Do not overmix.  Pour the batter into the paper cups, about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the muffins with the remaining chocolate chips.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool on a rack and eat warm.

FYI: My batch of 15 muffins baked for 13 minutes.  These were very sweet so next time I will add buttermilk in place of milk to achieve that tangy flavor. Overall, this is a simple recipe that yields delicious muffins anyone would love to eat.  Enjoy :)  

Oatmeal Mondays

I couldn't wait to make these muffins because they are the perfect all natural, healthy breakfast treat.  Just stir oats, 3 mashed bananas, milk, eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, and a mix-in of your choice.  This can be dried or fresh fruit, nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc.  I added 5 T mini chocolate chips (3 T seemed too little) to our muffins because I'm on a chocolate chip muffin kick. Next time I plan to add 5 T golden raisins or dried cranberries since the mini chocolate chips were a bit messy.  My batch of 16 muffins baked for 15 minutes.  Enjoy :)

Cake Fridays

I made these for Easter and they were a huge hit!  I got the idea from here and here.  I combined the two, using bunny mix M&M's, edible Easter grass, and pretzel twists.  

My only advice would be to add the pretzels right before service because they get stale if you press them into the cupcakes ahead of time.  I made vanilla cupcakes and chose a pink frosting but any cake flavor and frosting color will do.  I just wanted these to look bright, cheery, and super springy!