Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are my all time favorite pumpkin muffins.  I make them every year.  This is a lighter version substituting applesauce for oil.  This recipe makes 24 muffins.  I often cut it in half, otherwise I would eat way too many of them!

These are from Food.com

Ingredients
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil ( or substitute applesauce for this too)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 (16 ounce) cans pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet mini chocolate chips

Directions
Mix first 5 ingredients together; separately, mix dry ingredients.
Blend the two mixtures together, fold in chips.
Generously fill 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. (I have found the paper liners don't work very well.).
Bake at 400 degrees F. for 16-20 minutes.

Spoon Bread (corn)

This recipe comes from Deep South Dish.  I love corn bread, and had been on a search for a really good one.  And I found one.  Then when I went to make it for our St. Patricks Day mystery dinner, I couldn't find my recipe!  Thank goodness for the internet!  This recipe is real close to the one I had.  We all thought it was really good.  Another thing I love about it...You can use Jiffy corn bread mix, OR she gave a substitute (made from scratch) for the mix, which is what I did.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 cups of frozen corn
1 (15 ounce) can of cream corn
1 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of shredded mild cheddar, Monterey jack, or your favorite cheese, optionalInstructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch dish

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, salt, pepper, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the frozen corn and remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish, and bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30-45 min. (start checking at 30 min) or until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2009/11/corn-spoon-bread.html

best banana bread ever!

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (you can use cooking oil)

Preheat oven to 350. IN first bowl combine dry ingredients and make well.
In 2nd bowl combine wet ingredients. Pour into the well of the first bowl
Stir just until moist and pour into greased pan. Bake 50-55 min.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe!! I hope you enjoy it too.

pizza dough

I love home made pizza dough.  I just use my bread maker.  Here is the recipe:


1 cup plus 1 Tbs water
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp regular active dry yeast


Put all ingredients in your bread maker in the order listed and set it for dough cycle.  2 hours later you have dough ready to go!
It makes 2 pizza crusts.

Bread and Dipping Oil

Some time I'll put my favorite bread recipe up.  This was just an all natural, no preservative multi-grain loaf from the local store.  This post is more about the dipping oil.  This is a great, simple appetizer or side with dinner.  It's a little more exciting than just plain bread.

Garlic (often I use Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic for super quick and easy)
parmesean cheese
salt
fresh cracked pepper
Olive oil

If you're using fresh garlic, put it through a garlic press or finely mince.  Warm Olive oil in a small pan and saute' garlic just until lightly browned and fragrant.  About 1 minute.  You don't want it too dark, but definitely want it golden.  Remove garlic to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

Once garlic is cooled, put some on each dipping plate.  Add a tbs or 2 of parm. cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drizzle Olive Oil on top until covered.  Wah-lah... dipping oil!  This is great with some additional fresh herbs as well, rosemary, thyme, or whatever you are in the mood for.  Be creative.  You could also add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

French twist

Here's a twist on french toast and stuffed french toast.  That may not make sense, but here's the recipe.  I just felt inspired one morning.  It's really quite simple, but it was just different enough.  Not too sweet either

Vegetable Oil
4 slices whole wheat or whole grain bread
3 eggs
2 tbs milk
dash of cinnamon
sliced strawberries
cream cheese

Preheat large skillet to med-high with a good amounts of vegetable oil.  It should more than just coat the pan, I don't usually measure, but I'd guess with about 1/4 cup.  Hey, I didn't say this was a non fat recipe... but did you notice the whole grain bread?  Whisk together the eggs, milk and cinnamon.  Once the skillet is ready, dip your bread in the egg mixture, coat it well and place in the skillet.  It should sizzle!  This makes a nice golden crunchy outside.  As far as I'm concerned, this is the secret to great french toast!  Once it is browned, flip it and brown the other side.  Then keep it in a warm oven until toast is done.  Spread cream cheese on and top with strawberries.  My daughter wanted a sandwhich, so she had a strawberry sandwhich and thougth that was pretty groovy.

Scallion Cornbread Muffins

These were very good.  I wasn't sure I would like the scallions in them.  I have another corn bread recipe that I like pretty well and it actually has corn in it.  It's just the right blend of sweet and not sweet.  I was pleasantly surprised with these!

Vegetable oil
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tbs sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs buttermilk
2 tbs oil (substitute unsweetened applesauce if you want to cut down on fat)
1 large egg whisked
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Preheat oven to 450.  Lightly grease 6 cups of a standard size muffin pan wiht vegetable oil.
combine dry ingredients and make a well.  combine wet ingredients and scallions and pour into well.  Stir until just blended.  Fill muffin cups 2/3rds full and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 10-13 minutes.

I actually got 6 muffins plus 6 mini muffins.  When I had more batter, I knew the kids would like small heart shaped muffins. Excellent with cucumber-celery salad and buttermilk chicken.  Sorry no picture of this one, everyone gobbled them up!

Healthy Morning Muffins

These muffins are great for breakfast, healthy and filling! They come from my favorite food mag "everyday food"

nonstick cooking spray

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins

3 tbs evoo

1 large egg

1/3 cup skim  milk

4 medium carrots, shredded

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

Preheat ovent to 400.  Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or use muffin paper cups.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps.  Stir in oats and raisins.  Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 23-25 minutes.  Makes 12.

Garlic Herb Bread

There's nothing like home made bread with some comforting soup.
This recipe makes a small or 1 lb loaf. I used my bread machine on the dough cycle. I don't like the shape the bread machine makes, so I shape it, and bake it myself.

3/4 cup water
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use a nine grain all purpose, it bakes like white)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1/8 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp dried basil leaves
1 3/4 tsp regular active dry yeast.

Put it in your breadmaker in the order listed and set it on the dough cycle. When it's finished, remove and place on a lightly floured surface, shape to a loaf, and put in a loaf pan. Turn oven on the lowest setting and just let it start to warm up, then turn it off. Place the bread in the oven for 30 minutes or so to rise. Remove, preheat oven to 350. The bake for about 30 minutes.

If you dont' have a bread maker, start with your water, olive oil and yeast, mix well, then add the remaining ingredients. After the dough forms you can knead, and then shape it before you start the rising process.