Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins

I'm baaack!

Back like Jack!

At least for today. The last 6 weeks have been  complete and utter torture. I literally have survived off of popsicles, saltine crackers and orange juice. But as expected, weeks 12-14 offer relief and a silver lining. This silver lining comes with an abundance of yummy treats, savory dinners and more yummy treats.

 Some of us can wait longer than others. (Swayze's little paws reaching up for her "cookie.")

By the way, how were your holidays?

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain or vanilla non fat yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (more if desired)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Fold in yogurt. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into the creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two thirds full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins

What do you do for Thanksgiving breakfast?

Do you have a gourmet feast, filled with eggs, pancakes, waffles, skillet potatoes, fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juice?

Or does your family route for the bagels or muffins with coffee and juice?

Whatever your family tradition, this year you need to include these. It's all the wonderful spiced flavor of pumpkin, soaked in a sticky caramel pecan sauce. They are every bit as Thanksgiving as pumpkin pie.


Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins
`Makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups Pecan Halves and Pieces
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Light Corn Syrup
3 1/2 cups Flour
3 cups Sugar
1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 15 oz Can Pumpkin
1 cup Canola Oil
4 Large Eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients. Spoon 1 rounded tsp butter mixture into each cup of 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, and top each with 1 tbsp pecans.
Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients  in a large bowl, and make a well in the center of the mixture. Whish together the pumpkin, next 2 ingredients and 2/3 c water. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until a wooden pick is inserted and comes out clean. Invert immediately and arrange on wire rack. Let cool 5 min.

Personal Pan Fruity Pizza

Did you hear about that man that died on the plane the other day? Mid-flight?
How is it that said man was not lucky enough to have some random heart surgeon on board, who just happened to have carried on his medical bag? You always hear about people going into cardiac arrest or shock of some sort and mysteriously enough, a nurse or a doctor just happened to be on that flight! Uh-huh. Well, this man, RIP, was not so lucky! And... I'm thinking that the man/woman seated next to him, not so lucky either. Do you think that if he pressed the flight attendant pager they would allow him to move? Can you even imagine being the one sitting next to a dead man... ON A FULL FLIGHT! Where would  he move to? I am pretty sure that I would pee my pants/ go into a severe panic attack and require my own sort of medical assistance.
Anywhoo...

These dessert/breakfast (what's the difference anyway? I mean, really?) are a-m-a-zing! It's basically a cookie crust slathered with a sweet, creamy "frosting" topped with fresh fruit of your picking! Take one bite, and you may need medical attention, too!

Personal Pan Fruity Pizza
Serves 4
adapted from here

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats, heaping
1 tsp Baking Powder
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 cup Milk
1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Honey
Fruit for Topping like Nectarines, Kiwi, Strawberries, Bluebrries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, mix flour,oats, baking powder, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and stir. Make a well in the middle and add olive oil and milk, mixing with a spoon until a ball forms. Using your hands, combine it until it comes together and shape it into a ball. Separate it into 4 equal section. Flatten into a disc and roll the dough out until about 4 inches in diameter. Sprinkle both sides with cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 min. Let cool completely.

In a mixer bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and honey. Chop up fruit into bite sized pieces. Spread cream on top of crusts. Don't skimp. And top with fruit!

Try not to faint from my utter-goodness!

Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!

 

Vanilla Chai Pancakes by The Salem Food Trials

 

Banana Cakes by How Sweet It Is

                                       Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes by The Salem Food Trials

                                            Lemon Blueberry Pancakes by Pioneer Woman Cooks

Snickerdoodle Cake

So I should probably explain my obsession with Snickerdoodles, because you will likely hear, read multiple posts for these spicy little babies over time. See, it is not so much about the taste. While they are yummy; I would eat just about any cookie on God's green earth. It's more about the memories and aromatic scent these beauties leave lingering in the air. When I was little, living on Salem Rd, my brother Josh and I would park ourselves in front of the oven to watch the Snickerdoodles rise as my mother would bake them. Everytime I see, smell, eat, even THINK of Snickerdoodles, I will always remember those times. This cake is a recreation of the best, and my FAVORITE cookie. Your house will smell amazing, so be sure to invite company over as it bakes.

Snickerdoodle Cake
Serves:8-12

Ingredients:
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 cup White Sugar
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
3 eggs,  room temp
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
16oz Sour Cream

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon; mix well.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Generously spray a 9-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, being careful to cover all the nooks and cranies, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with about 1/3 cup of the cinnamon and sugar mixture, set the rest aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside. Beat the butter on medium speed for one minute or until fluffy. Add the white sugar and mix for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and blade and add the brown sugar. Mix for 2 minutes until the mixture is light brown and uniform in color. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream; beat well.  Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture Spread the rest of the batter into the pan and sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Best when served warm.
Note: You could eat this for breakfast... I'm just saying.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Bread

A yummier, nuttier, health(ier) peanut butter quick bread. The chocolate adds a little extra sinfulness to an already risque breakfast bread. :)

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Bread
Serves: 8

Ingredients: 
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cups Granulated Sugar 
4 teaspoons Baking Powder 
3/4 teaspoons Salt 
2/3 cups Chunky Peanut Butter (natural) 
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips 


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peanut butter and milk(s) and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool completely.

German Peach Coffee Cake

When I came across the recipe in one of my mother's old cookbooks, I was completely drawn in. First of all, anything found in a tattered, dusty cookbook, immediately makes me feel like I tapped a goldmine. Second, was the German aspect of it. See, my mother spent much of her youth/adolescence in Europe. So again... a connection. Anyway, I thought this was definitely blog worthy.

German Peach Coffee Cake

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour

3/4 cups Sugar, divided

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Butter

1 15oz can Peach halves, drained

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Egg Yolks, beaten

1 cup Sour Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Press mix firmly into bottom and sides of lightly greased 9 inch springform pan.

Arrange peaches evenly over crumbs.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and sprinkle over peaches.

Bake @ 400 degrees for 15 min.

Blend egg yolks with sour cream and spoon over peaches.

Bake another 20 min or until golden.

Strawberry and Cream Bruschetta

This will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF! I could not believe how AMAZING this was. It was beautiful. Really, it was. Smooth, creamy, deliciousness. Now, I made this for breakfast. But after eating it, I realized, though your really should abstain, that this could be eaten anytime of the day. I started to imagine baby/bridal shower brunches. Then I started to think dessert. Heck, lunch even crossed my mind. But I stopped there. Really, I did. I have this thing about serving the "appropriate foods" at the "respective times of the day." (Whatever that means.) Anyway, make this. It's too simple not to.


Strawberry and Cream Bruschetta
Serves:4

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf French Bread, sliced
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Honey
about 6 strawberries
Strawberry Jam

Directions:
Butter slices of bread, both sides. Grill bread on a large skillet over medium heat and set aside.
Beat cream cheese, honey and sugar until smooth.
 Spread on top of bread. Brush with jam. Top with strawberries.
Lastly, SWOON!

Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins

This basic muffin mix recipe comes from my 7th grade Teen Living class. (Home-ec, as some would call it.)  I usually make these with blueberries, but after having begun the process, I realized I had no blueberries. Whoops. "Well, I have some bananas about to go bad, and oh yea, like 4/5 strawberries too! Lets bake these babies up!"


Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins
Yields: 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins:
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced bananas
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare Streusel topping . Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork or pastry cutter, until crumbly.
Grease bottoms only of muffin pan. Beat milk, oil, vanilla and egg in large bowl. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add dry mixture into liquid mixture all at once. Batter will be lumpy. Stir just until flour is moistened.  Fold in berries and bananas. Divide evenly among muffins cups. Sprinkle each with about 2 teaspoons streusel topping. Bake 20-25 min or until golden brown. Serve immediately with a cold glass of milk.

Double Berry Baked French Toast

I heart baked french toast. Do you? My only problem with it is that more often than not, it is always soggy! I hate hate hate soggy bread. I hate soggy anything. That said, this recipe for baked french toast, is not soggy. Just be sure to note that you will need to make this the night before, or get up at 2 or 3 am to eat it by 10am. (Go with the night before.) Have a great morning!

Double Berry Baked French Toast
Serves: 6

Ingredients
1 loaf french bread (store bought is ok)
4 eggs
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced

Directions
Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Slice bread loaf into 2-3 inch thick slices ( uses about 3/4 loaf)
Place the bread slices evenly in one layer on the bottom of the dish.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3/4 cups of the brown sugar.
Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, making sure to completely coat the surfaces.
Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle the walnuts and blueberries/strawberries evenly over the bread.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1/4-cup of brown sugar and 1/2 stick of butter until the butter is melted.
Drizzle the butter/brown sugar mixture over the bread.
Bake the bread mixture for 20 minutes, until liquid is bubbling and the bread is lightly golden.
Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Pancakes

Yumm! Pancakes! (SIGH) Cookies! (SIGH) Pancakes that taste like cookies, even yummier! What I love about pancakes, is how versatile they are. You can really thrown anything in the batter, and it will always be yummy. Pudding pancakes, anyone? I tried that 2 weeks ago for my pudding adoring hubby, and while I didn't particularly love the gooey-ness of them, he did! Anyway, now I am off topic. Cranberry White Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Pancakes were inspired by one of my top favorite cookies. They are PACKED with deliciousness, so how could a pancake with all of that not be DELICIOUS? I mean, right?!
Note: For every pancake recipe I share here, I will always use my basic pancake recipe, adapted from Mom's recipe. (And of course, she did not "have" a recipe.)



Basic Pancake Mix:
Yields: 10-12 pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup buttermilk*
approx 1/2 cup milk*
* If you do not have buttermilk, just use milk. I say approx, 1/2 cup of milk, because, I like my batter to be on the thicker side, but if you like runny batter, add more milk. Just start out with a little and stir, and add more until you reach desired consistency.

Heat a skillet or frying pan on medium heat.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and vegetable oil. Set aside.
In a small bowl, crack the eggs, separating them, draining the egg whites into the small bowl, and depositing the yolks ( ya know, the yellow part, hehe) into the flour mixture. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed, until fluffy. Set aside.
Begin to add milk to the flour, oil, egg mixture. Add a little, stir. Add a little more, stir. Continue until batter consistency. Lastly, fold in the egg whites.
Grease the pan with butter, and drop 1/4 cup of batter into the pan. Allow bubbles to form on top of pancake, when this occurs, flip the pancake, using a spatula. Allow to cook for about a minute. Continue until batter is gone. Unused batter can be covered and stored for 1 day.
NOW....
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Pancakes













Using the Basic Pancake Mix above:
  Add into flour mixture:
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  After folding in the egg whites:
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
1/2 cup of quick oats
Top pancakes with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, or cover in warm maple syrup.