Bran Muffins with Raisins

Muffins make mornings so much easier.  Seriously.  I love how many varieties there are and how convenient they are to just grab on the run.  When I know I'm going to have a busy week I definitely have some on hand.  

This time I decided to make one of my favorites, bran with raisins, not believing that my daughter would eat them in a million years.  But guess what? She did.  She liked it. I was amazed.  I don't know what it is about bran muffins that I like so much.  I think it's the deep, rich nutty flavors, and sweet bites of raisins. I just love them.

I see lots of recipe where this muffin is made using raisin bran cereal but I didn't want to make that kind.  I wanted mine with some actual wheat bran in there. I guess I need to make both kinds and compare side by side. I'll add that to my to-do list.  In the meantime, I'm gonna go have another muffin.

Bran Muffins with Raisins

Recipe from Creative Loafing Charlotte

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup toasted wheat bran
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 cup molasses or honey (I used molasses)
• 1/4 cup oil (I used canola)
• 1 whole egg
• 3/4 cup raisins

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400º
2. Butter a 12 cup muffin pan or line with papers
3. Combine the dry ingredients in one medium bowl. (excluding raisins)
4. Combine the wet ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer or a separate medium bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine just until moist, add the raisins and mix just until combined.
6. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes.
7. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

This is a classic dessert recipe that I remember from my childhood.  Strawberries and Rhubarb are meant to be together.  The sweet from the strawberries compliments the tartness of the rhubarb making this dish irresistible. 

I think I've mentioned in the past my aunt Cathy has this top secret Strawberry-Rhubarb pie recipe that she refuses to share with me.  Well, she refuses to share it with anybody so it's not just me at least. Since I can't have her pie whenever I want it, I'm glad to have this crisp on hand.  

This is a great recipe for an outdoor cookout or party because it will do just fine outside when it's hot.  If you had some way to top it off with some vanilla ice cream you'll probably get some marriage proposals, or at least some admirers. 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Recipe from "The Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook" page 127

Ingredients for the topping

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp canola oil

Ingredients for the filling

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved or left whole
• 4 cups 1 inch pieces of peeled rhubarb
• 1 1/4 cups turbinado sugar
• 3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Cooking Directions

1. Put oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 350º
3. Butter a 9" deep dish-dish pie plate and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
4. For the topping: In a large bowl combine all of the topping ingredients and use a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in the cold butter.  When fully incorporated, set aside. 
5. For the filling: In a large bowl combine all of the filling ingredients and mix together well so all the fruit/veg is fully coated. 
6. Pour the fruit into the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top. 
7. Place the pie dish onto the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.  The fruit should be bubbly around the edges and the topping should be a golden brown color. 
8. Let cool slightly but serve when still warm. 
9. Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

Muffin Melts

Breakfasts around here are one of the times that I like to try new recipes best.  The reason for this? Because I'm not a huge breakfast eater.  I like dinner food for breakfast, for the most part, however I do not indulge in that most of the time.  I force myself to eat "normal" breakfast food.  

This recipe was a nice go-between for me.  It has all the ingredients of breakfast food but with the added flavors from the Dijon and Worcestershire sauce.  The Pioneer Woman calls these make ahead muffin melts, and that's a good way to describe them, because they do take a little bit of planning beforehand to get them on the table.  I cut the recipe in half and still had leftovers, which were also very good reheated.  I liked the different layers of flavor, and the chewy English muffin on the bottom. Great recipe for a crowd and easy to transport. 

Muffin Melts

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon
• 12 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 6 English muffins, split

Cooking Directions

1. Fry the bacon slices until chewy and slightly crisp.
2. Chop the bacon into pieces.
3. Peel and cut the hard-boiled eggs into a rough chop.
4. Add the cheese, bacon, eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce into a bowl and combine.
5. Cut the English muffins in half and pile on the topping, evenly over the 12 sides of muffins.
6. Broil for 3-4 minutes in the lower portion of your oven. The cheese should be melted.

Spring Break!

I thought I'd share with you a little of what our Spring Break looked like.  We didn't have any plans to go anywhere specifically so we just winged it.  We had so much fun, we should wing it all the time!

We started off with some Tiger action.  There is a little park in NC called "Tiger World" and they also just happened to be doing an Easter egg hunt so we brought our Easter basket to join in on the fun.  My daughter loved it!  She's a huge animal lover so this was right up her ally.

Tigers always make a good start to a vacation, in my opinion.

Next we learned how to roller skate.  OK, well my daughter learned and I tried to remember.  My husband picked it right back up but it took me a while.  By the end of the day my daughter and I were feeling much more confident about it.

There's no way I was going to post a picture of myself skating so this one will have to do. :)

Biltmore Estate, just magical.  This was the highlight of spring break for me.  I've wanted to come here for years and we finally made it. My daughter (who will be 6 in a month) did really well.  She even had her own audio tour gadget and followed along.  

Hard to believe that George Vanderbilt had so much land and such a big house for just one person to start out.  Even after he married and they had a daughter, this is a lot of house for three people. You've got to put this place on your to-do list one day.  Asheville is great town in a beautiful part of NC. 

This "little" ice cream sundae was called "Strawberry Fields".  Yea, it was about the size of my hand (with fingers spread out) and even though my husband didn't plan to have any….I needed help.  It was peach ice cream with whipped cream and strawberry drizzled over the top.  So.Good.

I couldn't help but take a picture of this shop.  I desperately wanted to buy something but the ice cream had done me in.  I will make it back here eventually. 

The gardens, just one of many actually.  There were several greenhouses too. Imagine coming back here at Christmas time when they have it all lit up!  I can't wait to see that!

One more of the side view of the house, walking the grounds.  I think we took this picture on our way to the Bass pond.  Yes, they have their own Bass pond. 

The rest of our vacation was just simple things like the park, farmers market and things like that.  We had a great break.  Now back to reality.  I hope you all enjoyed your time off (if you got time off).  I'm back in the kitchen so I'll post some yumminess soon!

Popovers

Happy Good Friday everyone!  Easter is just around the corner so I thought I'd give you a fun idea to make with your kids.  This popover recipe was from my daughters cookbook "Cooking with Kids" from FamilyFun.  I know most of you out there probably don't have a popover pan and neither do I so I just used a cupcake pan instead.  I don't think they got as high as they would have with a regular popover pan but they tasted so good!  Just like I remember when my mom used to make them.

The outside was very flaky and the inside was sort of hollow and moist.  That's where you melt the butter and put the jam.  In case you were wondering.

My daughter had so much fun helping me, and that's what this recipe was all about anyway.  It's fun to get the kids in the kitchen with you.

Popovers

From FamilyFun Cookbook "Cooking with Kids"

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• scant 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Cooking Directions

1. Grease 6 muffin cups or a popover pan. Make sure to grease the rims too.
2. In a medium bowl, or your stand mixer, whisk the eggs until frothy.
3. Add the milk and whisk again.
4. Next add the flour and the salt and whisk for 30 seconds, until smooth and lump free.
5. Whisk in the melted butter and let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 425º and put the rack in the center position.
7. Whisk that batter once more just before pouring it into the prepared pan. Pouring the batter into a 2 cup measuring cup will make pouring easier.
8. Fill each cup 2/3 full of batter.
9. Bake for 25 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375º  (350º for dark pans) and bake for another 10 minutes. DO NOT open the door to check on them.
10. The popovers should be golden brown when done. When they have been removed from the oven, use a sharp knife to poke a tiny hole in the tops to let the steam escape.
11. Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before removing them.
12. Carefully tear open and top as desired.

Butter Mints

My daughter and I had a great time making these little mints.  Such pretty colors to work into the dough with your hands.  It was like play dough that you could eat!  These mints were a lot easier to make then I thought they'd be.  No banking necessary.  You will need a little bit of hand strength to work in the colors, but it's a fun process and we both enjoyed it!

If you've ever bought the butter mints from the store you know what these are.  Only, these are much better.  After my husband ate one he couldn't believe how "smooth" they were.  They literally melt in your mouth.  The mint flavor is just as you'd expect for an after dinner mint but not so strong that you taste mint for 20 minutes after eating one.  Just perfect.

By the way, this is the second recipe I've made from this cookbook I borrowed from the library and I truly love it.  If you're a baker and you love old time recipes this book is for you (this is not a paid endorsement). "The Back In The Day Cookbook" by Cheryl and Griffith Day.  So awesome, the photo's are fantastic and the recipes have been awesome. I have to go out and get my own copy. 

Butter Mints

Recipe from page 211 of "The Back In The Day Cookbook"

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 7 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbsp peppermint extract
• liquid gel food coloring, choose 4 colors

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter and salt. Beat for 2 minutes.
2. Add confectioners' sugar, sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Mix on low until a dough forms. Add about 6 cups of the confectioners' sugar and mix before adding the last cup (you might not need it). The texture will be dry to the touch but should hold together in a ball.
3. Remove the dough ball and separate into 4 equal pieces.
4. Use the food coloring to drop one drop of each color on the four separate balls. Use your hands to knead the color into the dough, add more drops until the desired color is reached.
5. Once the color you desire has been reached, roll the dough ball into a long rope about 1 inch in diameter. You can dust your work surface with confectioners' sugar if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Cut each dough rope into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.
6. Line a 9x13 inch dish with wax paper or parchment paper and layer each color using wax paper or parchment paper in between so they don't stick.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. The mints will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 week.

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

I can hardly believe that Easter is right around the corner.  I'm not prepared, as usual.  I just thought these little cookies were so adorable I had to make them.  My daughter won't eat coconut but that's OK, I will. 

I love a good macaroon.  If you're coconut, there is nothing like a good chewy macaroon. Ton's of sweet coconut flavor which is already sweet enough, add the center of Nutella and top it with some candy eggs and you have got a very decadent treat. 

Adorable for your Easter table, even if the adults are the only one's eating them!

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 bag Easter Egg Candy (I used Cadbury White Mini Eggs)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º
2. Line two cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
3. In a medium bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt and stir together until smooth.
4. Add the coconut and stir.
5. Drop about two tablespoons of the mixture onto the cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make a hole in the middle and shape like a nest.
6. Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, or until the coconut is turning golden brown. Remove and deepen the hole in the middle again. 
7. Let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 
8. Let the cookies cool all the way before decorating. 
9. To decorate, add about a small amount of Nutella in the middle hole.  Top with eggs. Serve. 
10. Store in an air-tight container on the counter.