Grab and Go Breakfast: Muffins

My husband likes to grab his breakfast and head out the door in the morning. I like baked goods because I can freeze them to have a good stock and selection available. I can either thaw them the night before or he can microwave them for a few seconds in the morning.

These muffins were a great find. I love that they make a really big batch of muffins so that I have a well-stocked freezer.

Addictive Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raising
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
6 eggs
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease three 12 cup muffin pans, or line with paper muffin liners. Soak raisins in hot water for ten minutes to plump, then drain.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, and applesauce, until smooth. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Stir the raisins and walnuts into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Source: I found this on Allrecipes.com. It was submitted by MIDNITEJASMINE. You can find it here.

Notes: I wondered how I would feel about the raisins in this recipe. I thought about omitting them or substituting chocolate chips (and I actually love raisins!). However, I decided to follow the recipe as-is before tweaking it. I LOVED the raisins in these muffins! However, they could easily be omitted if you hate them, or you could substitute chocolate chips. 

 

Muffin To It

I have mentioned before that I make a lot of baked goods such as muffins and quick breads for my husband to eat for breakfast since he is usually on the go. Here is a super easy and tasty muffin recipe that I discovered recently.

Grandma's Honey Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, butter, and honey. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Serve warm.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Source: Taste of Home April/May 2007, submitted by Darlis A. Wilfer of West Bend, Wisconsin. You can find it here.

Notes: I cooked these 20 minutes because of my son's egg allergies, so mine are a little more browned than maybe they should be. Even so, these were really yummy.

Hospital Food

Well, both my sister and I did it! We had our babies. And both of us had our babies on our actual due dates (no inductions...we went into labor on our own)! What are the chances of that, eh?

Oh, and I have to say that labor is A LOT easier the second time around! Thank goodness!

There are a lot of things that I don't like about staying in a hospital. One of those things is the food. I didn't have anything bad, mind you, but it's definitely not great food. But I will say this, hospitals have the best ice for chewing in the whole wide world. They also have a sweet little drink that I like to call a "Hospital Cocktail."

The nurses gave me a "Hospital Cocktail" after I finished my labor to help get my blood sugar level back up. It is a yummy mix of fruit juice and lemon-lime soda. I tried to guess the ingredients on my own (and almost got it right), but I eventually just asked one of the nurses what the drink consisted of.

Now, I don't want you to have to go to the hospital to have this yummy drink, so I'll share it with you right here!

Oh, and as a bonus, I'm sharing a recipe for chocolate bran muffins. Any of you out there who have ever been pregnant know that (and I apologize if this is too much information) you get a little backed up after labor and anything to help you get regular again is a welcome thing. These bran muffins are just the ticket. Honestly, they work better than laxatives. Again, sorry if it's TMI!


Hospital Cocktail

Ingredients:

Sprite, 7-Up, or other lemon-lime flavored soda
Cran-Raspberry Juice
Orange Juice
Apple Juice

Directions:

Mix equal parts of all ingredients to make desired quantity. Serve over crushed ice.

Chocolate Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups of All Bran cereal
2 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)
1 pkg Krusteaz fat free brownie mix

Directions:

Soak All Bran in water for 10 minutes (until most, but not all of the water is absorbed). Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

Makes 24 muffins. 1 WW point each.

Source: I got this recipe from my mom. I think she got it at a WW meeting.

Notes: You can experiment with the flavorings/extracts. Almond, coconut, orange, etc. are all fun. Also, I used Fiber One cereal because I couldn't find All Bran. It worked pretty well, but it required a little more water. I would say to add about 1/2 cup more water (but not more than that, otherwise they will be too gooey). Also, I couldn't find the Krusteaz fat free brownie mix at my grocery store, so I used a Betty Crocker Low Fat brownie mix instead. It worked great.

 

Top of the Muffin to you!

You know, I really love muffins. Some people even call me love muffin. Well just my husband. Okay just kidding, he hasn't ever called me that. But the point is, muffins are very tasty! I have been making muffins fairly regularly while I have been pregnant. Bran Muffins, to up my fiber intake and sweet muffins to just hit that sweet tooth without pigging out on cake or donuts or something that is probably less healthy for you. Not that these muffins are necessarily healthy, but they do fill you up and that's better then a candy bar I say!

The fist muffin, pictured above is the tried and true Bran Muffin. Oh bran muffin, what would I do with out you?

I actually got this recipe off of the Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran package.

1 cup Bob's Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raisins ( I omitted the raisins. Not a fan!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup molasses or honey (I used honey)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 T oil
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Combine bran, flour, baking powder and soda. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk, molasses or honey, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan and bake 15-20 min.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

I'm not exaggerating, these are the most delicious muffins I have ever tasted. I love them so much. I think that this might be one of my favorite recipes period. I just love the lemon/almond flavor and the ricotta makes a nice moist texture. You've got to try these. I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentis, from the Everyday Itailian show on the food network. I have to say, pretty much all of the recipes of hers that I have tried have been super yummy and easy. I need to buy her cookbook!

Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds

Directions

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy).
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.


And last but not least, The Banana Crumb Muffin. These muffins are a great way to use up over ripe banana's. They are very yummy and the brown sugar topping makes it feel like eating dessert. I like to add a few tablespoons of Wheat Germ to boost the fiber. It doesn't change the texture or flavor much. I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Banana Crumb Muffin

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.