Tradition! Tradition! (Insert “Tevya” from “Fiddler On The Roof” voice Here)

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Jan

Chocolate Orange Muffins

Back when my older kids were little, I started a tradition that still goes on today. It will probably continue when I am too old to see the stove and burn everything and there is a more than even chance that it will continue after my death. No, not because they will take over the duties but because they will dig me up, put a wooden spoon in my hand and set me in front of the stove. What is said tradition? Making so many darn Christmas cookies that we all start to gag at the thought of eating yet one more cookie. I make the same 7 or 15 8 kinds each year then add about 7 or 15 8 new ones. Add to this an assortment of home made candies, scones, muffins and such and we spend the holidays in a haze of sugar induced illness. But it’s so darn fun!! Or something. It gives me an excuse to get out my fat girl pants and loose shirts cause Lord knows nothing else will fit anyway.

So I have started looking for some new recipes for all of the above things. I have a few boards up on Pinterest with a vast assortment of things to make for the Christmas season. Were I to actually make all of the things I have pinned, every person in my family would weigh about 600 pounds. But, moving on… or back… or sideways, not sure which… one of the recipes I found was one for Chocolate Orange Muffins because something about the combo of chocolate and orange just strikes me as Christmasy. The one I found came from food.com but I have changed it up quite a bit. As I’ve mentioned before, I am genetically incapable of making a recipe the way it’s written. This could be why I mess up boxed mac and cheese and hamburger helper. I always want to “fix” them. But this recipe got “fixed” quite nicely if I do say so myself. They may just be on the Christmas buffet. Well, not this batch… that would be rather disgusting.

These are quite good. Moist with a nice orange flavor that is complemented by soft gooey bits of chocolate. The ganache makes these almost cupcake like but yet they aren’t too sweet for breakfast or to have with a cup of coffee.

Chocolate Orange Muffins With A Chocolate Orange Ganache Drizzle

Zest from one large orange (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
10 ounce bag dark chocolate chips, 1/3 cup reserved
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract (or about 4 drops of orange oil)
1/2 cup good quality orange marmalade
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional but it goes well with both the orange and the chocolate)
2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream (for the ganache and the amount can vary, thus the range)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 16 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar
Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract and orange extract/oil. Add the sour cream & orange juice. Mix well.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda
Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently mix the flour mixture into the wet ones. Do NOT overbeat. Then fold in the chocolate, holding back that third cup. You’ll use that for the ganache.
Spoon the muffin batter into the lined cups, getting each one almost full. Make a little dent in the top of each and spoon a bit of the orange marmalade on each muffin.
Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and the top no longer looks “wet”.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the ganache- in a small microwave safe bowl, mix together the reserved chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Heat on 70% power for 45 seconds, then stir well. If it looks rather curdled and not shiny and smooth, ad more cream, a LITTLE bit at a time. It should get smooth and satiny looking. If it’s still too thick to drizzle though, continue adding cream a bit at a time until it’s thin enough to drizzle.
Drizzle the ganache over the cooled muffins. Inhale one…or six. I won’t tell.

Change Is Good??

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Jan

Alternately titled “Eating My Words”

More than once in past posts, I have mentioned various foods I don’t like. Liver, Hazelnuts, peanut butter (well, peanut butter is a sometimes thing in the occasional PB&J sandwich but not the great love that I know it is of many bloggers *suddenly hears a ghostly voice saying “Get me a beer and a sammich, bi***!”).

Most the these hates are come by honestly and not just the odd prejudice. Peanut butter is something I didn’t really even care for as a kid; even the smell bugged me. Liver…well, I was brought up when the mothers of our generation were still doing the “you will sit there at that table until you eat every bite of your food” so many was the time I found myself gagging down cold liver *shudders*. As for hazelnuts, I was blessed to be able to live in Germany for 3 years during the time my ex husband was stationed there and it seemed like every….single….piece….of….chocolate…was infused with either a hazelnut paste or just the flavor. I grew to hate hazelnuts lol.

This led to me not really able to get into the current Nutella craze. You know what I mean…. every day you can come across 25 blogs sporting nutella recipes

But you know how your tastes change over time? Well, one fairly recent day, I was in the store and saw one of those nutella snack packs with the little breadsticks and bought it on a whim ~~as my husband looked at me as though I had lost it because he knows I hate the stuff~~. What can I say? I was shopping while hungry. Liver probably would have looked ok. I opened it for a snack later that night and tentatively took a taste. And fell in nutella love. ~~And then had myself voluntarily committed because I hate hazelnuts.~~ Now, mind you, it’s not something I eat every day and it’s never going to be on my top ten list of favorites but I do enjoy the snack packs now and a periodic spoonful of nutella.

So today I had an idea. I was going to make raspberry muffins and then thought to myself “Self… you’re freaking boring” So I thought I’d add chocolate. Then myself said to…well, myself… “self, this is looking better but you’re still not quite there. Try again”. At that point, I slapped myself around a few times to shut me up because it was getting a bit freaky in my head what with myself talking to myself. After a few slaps, the idea to put nutella in the muffins came to mind. I blame the temporary insanity on the slaps…and copious amounts of caffeine…and genetics. Continue reading →

Snickering Over Doodles

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Jan

Snickerdoodle Muffins. Yum!!

I think I’ve mentioned before that I was a weird kid haven’t I? Not that this comes as a surprise to any of you who read my blog. I have to say though, I came by it honestly. It was all the fault of my brother and sister. They corrupted me. Yep, yep yep. All laid at their psychological doorsteps. There was the time they filled the washing machine with tons of soap and it overflowed everywhere. When confronted by our dad, they said that I did it. Hello?! I was so young I don’t really even remember this happening, it’s just one of those passed down family stories. Point being, if I was that small, how the heck did I reach the washer? But, dad bribed me to “tell the truth” with an offer of jello. I’m a sucker when it comes to jello so I fessed up. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get the jello.

That was just one of the many ways they warped my poor tender psyche. There were also words which have stuck with me to this day and still make the five year old stuck inside my feeble minded middle aged body giggle hysterically. Like the word doodle. To you and you and you it means a sort of random drawing right? I don’t want to know what it means to YOU, you sick puppy.

Not to me though. Nope. Done been warped, I tell you. It’s all his fault *points to my brother and wonder if he sees this*. Doodle to me still brings up mental images of a coloring book I had as a child that, on the cover, told me, in gaily colored words, that one of the fun things to do inside was to “doodle”. And I giggled. My brother giggled. My sister giggled. I’m pretty sure the dog giggled. Because to us, doodles were a certain part of the upper female anatomy. We were kids… thinking of that part made us giggle. Lots. How did the word doodle come to mean boobs… breasts… cleavage, knockers, hooters…well, you get the point. I have. No. Earthly. Idea. I need to ask my brother. He’s even older and more decrepit than I, so he may know how that word came to be the word for boobage in our admittedly strange household. Continue reading →

Blackberry, You Taste So Sweet

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Jan

Blackberry Lemonade Muffins

It’s become a challenge to find a video that will go with each blog post. Why do I do it you ask? Because I’m extremely strange first of all and also because once I start something. I become rather obsessive. This my friends, is why you get a really lame video with almost every post now hehe. I like to think of it as my being your doorway to new musical tastes. Or insanity. Whichever. You know you liked The Carrot Song.

I have a thing for berries also. I wait every year for them to show up fresh at stores for a decent price and not having the taste of…well… nothing at all. Out of season berries really suck donkey toes. So when I can’t get them, I use frozen. It’s not quite the same but it’s pretty darn close and it keeps me from going into “Lack of Berry Convulsions”, otherwise knows as LOBC. Don’t ask me how you pronounce that. Just roll with it cause you love me.

I like muffins. So does
this lovely lady who happens to be one of my favoriteist (yes, that too is now a word cause I said so) people.

Muffins are yummy. They can have all sorts of bad for you things in them (not that my muffin today does; just saying) and yet you can get away with eating 12 of them because they’re muffins. Not cupcakes, not cookies, but muffins. And if you add fruit in them, you then earned the right to call yourself the healthiest cook ever. Or something. Do that rolling with me thing again. Continue reading →

I Need To Go Back To Work

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Jan

Ok, it’s been nine days since I had the stroke. I still walk like a monster from a 1930′s horror movie when I walk (yeth mathter…what do you need, mathter? *insert insane cackle here*) and my hand has a tendency to curl into it’s own version of the hand fetal position BUT I am able to do housework more or less (ever tried military crawling to hand wash wash a bathroom floor? OMG, I had to have looked hilarious!) so it’s time to get back to work here. Well, work may not be the best word since I love what I do in here and love all the people insane enough to read it

So I wanted muffins today. I printed one out ages ago from food.com for apple pie muffins. When my daughter was here this past weekend helping us get the bedroom painted (ok, I didn’t do crap myself… I have wonderfully laughable humorous visions of what would have happened had I tried to wield a paintbrush or roller… paint on the walls (in God knows what way), paint on the ceiling, paint on the kids, paint on the cats, paint up my tush when my hand spasmed -P ). As I was saying (tangent alert, tangent alert!) when they were here, my daughter saw it and said that she had tried it and it wasn’t very good. So that meant i just HAD to make it… but better. I’m ornery that way. Not sure you noticed that in me *cough cough*

I tihnk I did pretty good with them. I realized when I put them in the oven that I had forgotten to add the egg. Umm…oops? But ya know what? It didn’t matter. They were still moist and rich from the other changes I had made. So hey, less fat and cholesterol works for me and I’m sure it does for you too. These are mildly spicy (sweet spice, not hot spice) and I think next time I’ll add more cinnamon then I did this time. Also, I think raisins would be excellent in here. They’re moist with a light apple flavor and would be a great breakfast muffin, especially if you add some raisins and maybe some flax seed or wheat germ to up the nutrition. They aren’t pretty and dainty but they taste great! So let’s have it here… enjoy!

Spiced Apple Pie Muffins

Topping-
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
Muffins-
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 medium apples, finely chopped (I used my food processor and didn’t peel them, just deseeded them)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins (optional; haven’t done it yet but know it would work)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with liners. This made 12 muffins and 3 mini loaves for me so if making all muffins, I’d say it would make about 16 to 18.
In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (including the brown sugar).
Add in the oil, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix just until combined.
Fold in the apple pieces. Again, mix just until combined.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter. Bake at 350 for about 22 minutes or until firm on top and golden brown.

“I need to go back top work for the American people”

And I really never did have sexual relations with that woman

There’s A Reason I Do Certain Things

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Jan

Triple Berry Muffins

Like using muffin/cupcakes liners when making those baked goodies. Muffin pans hate me. They really do. It’s a vast right wing conspiracy! I did NOT have sexual relations with that woman!

Sorry; I was channeling the Clintons. But really… muffin pans hate me. It never fails. I make a tasty batter… I spoon into HEAVILY greased pans… they come out looking completely beautiful.

Then they stick. Did I mention that muffin pans hate me? They are evil sentient life forms that delight in my agony.

Muffin pan liners however are wonderful angelic sentient life forms that make my muffins come out easily and not in 37 pieces (we ate all those straight from the pan or as piles of muffin mush in bowls… still tasted great lol). Yes, I know that sometimes the sight of a whole muffin with no liners is prettier but muffin pans hate me. I’m not sure if I mentioned that yet.

So I bet you’re wondering what the recipe will be today right? Don’t stop now; click here!

I Will Not Go Quietly Into That Dark Night

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Jan

You heard me darn it!!! I’ll fight and scream and kick and wail loudly if any tells me that it is time to stop using pumpkin in my cooking because Autumn is over. Give me Pumpkin or give me death. Ok, just give me more pumpkin.

Seriously though, I’ve mentioned before that I’ve never been one to cook by the seasons. I mean sure, we have more salads, fruits and veggies and grilled foods in the warmer months but that’s not because it’s trendy and seasonal (have I mentioned that rebellious I hate being a conformist thing?) but because it’s the only time of the year we can afford decent fresh produce and because there are constant sales on meat. That being said, I admit it; I make pumpkin cranberry bread in the middle of Summer as well as roast turkeys then (I have a slight turkey addiction) and I have been sighted like Bigfoot, grilling in January (hmmm; do you tihnk Bigfoot grills out?). I don’t know… it’s just always seemed silly to me to give up the foods I love because according to tradition, you don’t cook certain things when it’s cold or others when it’s hot. Mind you, I also admit that I can’t bring myself to make, say, a pecan pie unless it’s the holidays. Somehow that one seems meant for the holidays and ONLY the holidays.

So what do I have for you today? I have some yummy Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Muffins. They originally came from
Annies Eats . I think I’ve mentioned before that I absolutely love her blog. This lady has two kids, is also a doctor yet still finds time to keep up with a well written food blog and make things that leave me drooling. She puts me to shame.

I haven’t changed the original recipe a whole lot though I named them differently (seems only polite) and differed on a few ingredients as well as method. I’m sure her’s were a thousand times better but what is a recipe for but to put ones own style on it? No matter what though, I think you’ll love these. They are sweet and not overly spiced and are even better the next day. They’re a perfect breakfast or dessert muffin.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Muffins

Filling-
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Muffin-
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (use freshly grated if you have it. It makes such a difference.)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 1/4 cups vegetable or canola oil
Topping- (I actually used some left over streusel I had frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold

For the filling- Combine the cream cheese,powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside while you make the muffins.
Make your topping- In a small bowl, using a pastry cutter or fork, combine the topping ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either grease 24 muffin cups or line them with paper or foil liners.
In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour through baking soda) and mix well.
In a large bowl combine the remainder of the muffin ingredients (eggs through pumpkin). Mix well on medium speed.
Dump your dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed, just until combined. Remember; never over beat muffins or quick bread. You’ll get tough muffins with a lot of tunnels through them..
Fill each muffin cup with just enough batter to cover the bottom. Then Then top each cup with a small spoonful of the cheesecake mixture. Fill the muffin cups with the rest of the batter. I ended up with 24 muffins and two mini loaves.
Sprinkle each muffin with a small amount of the streusel topping.
Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and the tops don’t look moist, about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Baking Therapy

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Jan

Ever have one of “THOSE” days? Maybe you know the kind I mean.

You get up with a headache… keep forgetting to make yourself a cup of tea or take pain meds (coffee maybe for you strange people) because every time you think of it, something distracts you…like the washer refusing to spin for the 679th time in a week, one of the kittens you kindly let in from the cold last night has pooped all over the floor… twice, the spider your husband kindly killed for you this morning left parts of it’s guts on a book… that you just picked up.

Then you get a call from the garbage company. You are informed that they can no longer do household service for your garbage because your neighbor, from whom you have legal easement to get to your own property, has decided she is going to refuse to let the garbage truck go on the road to get to our property. This means that rain or shine, hot or cold, you will have to cart your garbage 1/4 mile to the road every Thursday night. When asked politely later in the day (honest… I was polite; it’s the only way I COULD be and not hate myself. I even brought her muffins) why she didn’t just talk to you first before calling the garbage company and complaining, you find out that she basically holds a grudge against you because you aren’t family. They were the ones you bought your home from a few months ago and she is resentful that they moved and that SHE didn’t get the house.

Then, to add a little insult to injury, you bite your tongue…drinking that tea you finally made. Which makes you spill it on your shirt and teaches your three year old a new swear word… which he uses when the mail lady is kindly bringing your mail to your front door.

THEN… what; you thought that was it?? Silly you. THEN…. when you check online to see when the package you were expecting from Foodbuzz that was supposed to get delivered today is on it’s way, only to have them tell you that they delivered it at 12:52 this afternoon. While you were here … with a perfect view of the front porch they ostensibly left it on.

So what’s left to do after a day like that?

Baking therapy.

The only thing other than valium and a few stiff drinks that is going to calm you down and give you a few moments of peace. Well, that and Vivaldi playing in the background.

So I baked. Just for you, dear reader. Ok, so it was for me, but it makes me feel better if I tell you that it was all for your pleasure. I made muffins. Two batches, because the first gotten eaten up by the kids and the neighbor you brought them to. They are quite yummy if I do say so myself. Though a little tip if somehow you were in my brain and were going to try something that I tried. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT, drizzle said muffins with honey BEFORE baking. It makes them spread in a very unattractive way and they get glued to the pan. Yeah, even the baking was part of “the day”. Thank God I made some of them without putting the topping on before baking them. They may not look exciting but they also don’t look like spread out cookies.

These are Cranberry Orange Marmalade. Not cranberry/orange but made with cranberry sauce and orange marmalade as well as juice and zest. They have a depth of flavor that regulr cranberry orange ones don’t have thanks to the sauce and the jam. These would be a perfect extra bread for Thanksgiving ~~or to give to neighbors you don’t really care for but want to keep decent relations with because you know it’s the right thing to do (even if she DID keep my plate)~~ if you have someone who doesn’t like the normal yeast roll. Or just because they are fitting for the season and rather festive tasting. Yes, something can taste festive. Don’t judge me. Just go make muffins. And… ~~she says while smiling like a Wal Mart Door Greeter~~ … have a nice day.

Cranberry Orange Marmalade Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice concentrate
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (home made or canned)
1/2 cup slivered almonds for sprinkling on muffins
honey for drizzling (AFTER baking )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 16 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and the orange zest.
In another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ones in all at once. Stir with a fork just until combined. Don’t over beat.
Fill muffin cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle with almonds
Bake at 350 until tops are firm and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how temperamental your oven is.
Let cool in pan for a minute then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.
When you put them on the rack, drizzle them with the honey.
Eat. Enjoy. Give some to your neighbors
Smile like the Wal Mart Greeter.

You Put Da lime In Da Coconut And Shake It All Up

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Jan

Hello everybody! Are we all in our places with bright shining faces? Wearing your pearls, makeup and high heels while listening to Mozart as you get ready to make something delicious?

If you are, you are quite possibly on the wrong blog page. Because here, I am in sweats and a t-shirt with no make up on (I’m honestly not sure if I even own any anymore) listening to The Backstreet Boys (Hey! Don’t judge. You can’t tell me you never listen to bubble gum music. Ok, so maybe I’m the only one listening to BSB’s. Still; don’t judge. I’ll cry. And make you eat liver. Or cows tongue.) Erhmmm, sir, does your wife know that you have on her pearls and high heels? I REALLY think you’re on the wrong blog page (*brain bleaches self*)

But I HAVE been cooking something delicious. Can you smell that? That lovely smell of the tropics coming at you from my kitchen? Well, sniff harder darn it! Because it’s there. yeah; there. Oh yeahhhhh… right thereeeee.

Sorry; got distracted for a moment.

Moving on. Wanna know where that smell is coming from? I made muffins! Lovely lime and coconut flavored muffins.

I was contacted recently by the lovely Miranda who was representing the company that makes Melt Buttery Spread and offered some samples of their product and the chance to make something yummy and review Melt™ (buahahahahaaaaa… the power. The poooooooowwwwwwwerrrrrr!. Sorry. I’m fine now.).

I of course said yes after looking at their site because the product sounded delicious. Melt is an organic alternative to butter made with Virgin Coconut Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Palm Fruit Oil and a few other goodies. Talk about healthy! Flaxseed oil is so good for you and coconut oil is something very representative of the “good fats”. So Melt Buttery Spread is great if you’re trying to watch your weight or cut your cholesterol. Before cooking with it, I tried it on a slice of crusty French bread and it’s pretty darn good. You can definitely taste the coconut oil and anyone who has been following my blog knows I love me some coconut oil.

Here are a couple of links from them to go check out. http://www.meltbutteryspread.com/virgin-coconut-oil/ and http://www.meltbutteryspread.com/butter-substitute/

I wanted to make something sweet (go figure huh?) and I wanted something that used the Melt Buttery Spread in a melted state because a lot of times butter subs don’t work well when baking. So I decided on muffins. Many muffins use either melted butter or vegetable oil so I knew I could sub Melt easily.

One muffin I’ve been making for years is a Lime Coconut one I adapted heavily from one that is on food.com. These are moist and delicious and smell as fantastic as they taste. I use coconut milk in them (am I the only one who has to force myself to not just stick a straw in the coconut milk can, slurp away and then lick the insides of the can clean?? You’re judging me again aren’t you? Sigh.) which gives them suchhhh a good taste.

The Melt went wonderfully in these due to it’s own ingredients. Like I said, you can taste the coconut oil in the Melt so making something tropical is a natural fit. So give these muffins a try. They’re a quickly made treat. May not be fancy but oh my do they taste great! They’re perfect for breakfast or a light dessert. Then go to the Melt site and check them out. Good stuff!

Tropical Lime Coconut Muffins

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup Melt Buttery Spread, melted
1/2 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest (I didn’t realize I was out of limes so I subbed 1/4 teaspoon lime oil; worked fine.)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional but adds nice flavor)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
In a a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients, including the lime zest.
In another bowl, combine your wet ingredients.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ones. Mix with a fork until JUST combined. Never over beat muffins or you end up with a tough tunnel filled mess.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees until tops are nicely browned and firm to the touch.
Let cool in pan for a minute then turn onto wire rack to finish cooling.

This Is Not Another Muffin Post

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Jan

Ok, I lied. Yes it is. Blame the people who follow my facebook page. I had a muffin idea in mind and asked there if they would revolt were I to post another muffin recipe and they got all excited about one more. So you can see that it’s all their fault right?? Yes… you and you and you. I’m looking your way! They forced me!!! They really did!!! I could have said no and posted sayyyyy… a liver recipe but then I would have felt horribly guilty and probably would have been turned off of cooking for weeks as I sat in bed and read cheap romance novels and ate Cheetos and Twinkies. Wait, I do that anyway. Ummm… I would have eaten ho hos as a change. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Then I would have gotten queasy and felt worse for over eating and it all would have led to it being weeks… nay, MONTHS before I posted another recipe and THEN where we would all be?! So this was the lesser evil. Honest.

So all of this is why you are getting another muffin recipe. The fate of humanity hung in the balance. Society NEEDED this recipe.

Ok, I’m gonna shut up now and post the recipe.

These were me playing around. I had been craving something mapley (yes, that too is now a word) but didn’t want pancakes. So I decided on muffins. What I ended up with was a mildly sweet muffin with the flavor of maple. I topped it with an oat, raisins (or ray-rees as my two year old calls them), pecan and maple syrup praline-ish crumble. I have to say, I was pleased with how these turned out. They aren’t too sweet which makes them a good bet for breakfast (or a snack, or dessert covered in more syrup and 32 scoops of vanilla ice cream or dinner if you’re not very hungry, or dinner if you want to eat 15 of them). So basically these muffin are the perfect all around food. Aren’t you glad you have me here to make sure your dietary requirements are met? No no don’t thank me… just throw money. Large bills please.

This makes a lot of muffins (I got 24 regular sized ones and 4 large ones so it could be cut in half if you’re not feeding the hungry mongrel hordes)

Maple Muffins With A

Pecan & Maple Crumbly Praline Topping

4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans (can use more but I didn’t want a ton)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup melted butter
1 cup maple syrup (use the real stuff)
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
TOPPING-
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 24 muffin cups (and four big ones or do another partial batch of small ones after the first ones are done). In a medium bowl, combine the topping ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another bowl (yes, you have to dirty three bowls. I’m so sorry. But if you have kids or a husband give them clean up duty.) combine the milk, eggs, syrup, sour cream & vanilla. Mix until combined, then add the melted butter.
Fill the prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full with batter. Top each with a spoonful (it actually worked better when I just used my fingers and scooped it up) of the topping you set aside.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until a nice golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for a minute or two then put on a wire rack to finish cooling. If they don’t fit on the rack, eat them. I won’t judge.
Come back here and tell me how wonderful these were. Then say something mean to deflate my ego. Then watch me weep and feel very guilty that you caused me such pain.

From Cupcakes To Caviar

Cooking & Life From A mom On The Edge

Tag Archives: muffins