Pumpkin Streusal Muffins

We are deep into Fall. The air is getting crisp and the colors are breathtaking. I love this time of year. With the cool air comes the need to get in my kitchen to bake. I've been looking for muffin recipes to stock up in the freezer. My son loves them for snack at school. Anyway, I found this little treasure. If you're looking for a Fallish pumpkiny muffin, here you go my friend. :) Pumpkin + Buttery Streusal, you can't go wrong.

Pumpkin Streusal Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose baking flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil (You can use applesauce!!)

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Streusal:

1/4 cup all-purpose baking flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup butter

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, pie spice and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter.

For topping, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar and pie spice; cut in shortening until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Source: Taste of Home

Have an aweome Monday!!

Love, Monica

Banana Crumb Muffins

I needed something quick for a brunch and just so happened to have some ripe bananas on the counter. I love when bananas get dark. I kind of secretly hope the kids won't eat the bananas so I "have" to make a banana treat. I wanted to try a new recipe and found these little treasures. I love the streusal on top. They make this muffin perfect.

Banana Crumb Muffins

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 (Sometimes I use applesauce)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

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.

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.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Source: All Recipes

These are perfect for a quick breakfast or after school snack. Hope you're having an awesome week. Fall is in the air. I love Fall. I just wish it would stay Fall for awhile. Here's to hoping!

Make sure you enter our Giveaway! Chances are good right now! Do we have 12 entries yet Erica? ;)We are giving a gorgeous apron made by The Rubied Apple. Check out her Etsy store here.

Love,
Monica

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins...Phew.

Now that's quite the name. I made these for a brunch and loved how they turned out. Put a little chocolate in anything healthy and kids will eat them up. I love a muffin. They are so easy to whip up and most always so yum. Bookmark this one, you'll take care of that need to bake, get rid of some ripe bananas, and kill that chocolate + peanut butter craving. Oh my. :)

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. applesauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
6 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1-2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with a fork to blend. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until smooth. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated and fully blended. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oh baby. Enjoy!!

Source: Annie's Eats

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

*drool*  These were so tasty.  I made them on a Saturday morning so I could share them with the whole family.  We gobbled them right up.  They were actually really simple to throw together.  That's why I decided on making them.  A great weekend breakfast or treat. 

Isn't it pretty?

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

3-3 1/2 c. flour (I used 3 1/2 c.)

Filling-

5 Tbsp butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Icing-

1 c. powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

In your mixing bowl combine brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and egg.  Mix well.  Pour in buttermilk and then the flour.  Mix until thoroughly combine.  You don't want this super sticky, so it's easy to handle.  Use your hook and knead it for a few minutes.  If you don't have the hook then knead on a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two until nice and smooth. 

Roll your dough out into a 12x24 inch rectangle.  Spread with softend butter for filling and spring with brown sugar and cinnamon.  

Roll your dough starting at the wide side and roll towards you.  Make sure it's good and tight.  Cut in half, and then cut the halves in half again  Giving you 4 pieces.  Then you want to cut those into 3 rolls.  Giving you 12 muffins total.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or use paper liners.  Place your muffins in the cups and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown.  Let them cool on a cooling rack.  When they are completely cool, make your icing and and drizzle the tops.  I just dunked mine in the icing and it was perfect. 

Enjoy!

Source-Sprinkled with Flour

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

This recipe was a real winner in my house.  We ate them all within a day.  The recipe doesn't make very many, but I'm ok with that.  I didn't want these sitting around the house for more than a day.  Why?!  Because I would have made a pig out of myself until they were gone. 

I love finding delicious recipes with zucchini hidden in them.  I don't know how healthy the muffins are with the added chocolate chips, but knowing my kids are getting a little bit of veggies with a treat makes me happy!  :o)

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. apple sauce  (If you don't have the apple sauce then use 1/2 c. vegetable oil total.)
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. grated zucchini
1/4-1/2 c, chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix well.  In a smaller bowl combing egg, oil, apple sauce, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir to combine and then add it to your dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips and zucchini. 

Pour into muffin liners, about 2/3rds full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  This made 12 muffins and then I poured the remaining batter in a ramekin and ate it myself!  :o) 

Have a great Wednesday!  Me and the family are off to the fair to see Justy show her sheep.  Woo!  Wish us luck.  Ciao!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

My brother was telling me how his girlfriend had made him the most amazing muffins.  I had to try them, and of course she shared her recipe with me, and I get to share it with you guys!  She is such an awesome cook, and I have tried to get her and my brother to guest blog on here, but they always have an excuse...Ha!  So hopefully some day they will grace us with their presence.  My kids and honey LOVED these.  They were even great 2 days after and still so moist.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Mix together
3 to 4 large bananas mashed
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 c. melted butter

In another bowl combine
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Pour dry ingredients into banana mixture and stir to combine.  Add 3/4 c. chocolate chips or if you prefer, leave it plain.  Line muffin tin with liners and fill 3/4 full.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  ENJOY!

P.S.  Guess who is here visiting?!  I'll give you a hint...it starts with a M, and ends with a onica!  WOOOHOOOO!!!  :o)  

PW's BLUE-berry Muffins :o)

Yes, Ladies and Gents, It's a boy!  :o)  I really couldn't think of any blue food besides blueberry muffins.  And I was fine with that cause I LOVE the things.  I'm so excited to bring another little boy into this world, and it will be interesting to see whose coloring he gets.  My first boy is a spittin' image of his daddy.  He has light coloring.  My daughter has my coloring dark hair, dark eyes.  So, who knows what this lil' guy is gonna look like.  EXCITING!  Justy made sure to ask me if there was any way that we could send the boy back and get a girl.  Funny!  I don't think so!  She seems pretty happy about it now, probably cause I told her she'd be the only girl and be spoiled.  :o)

Anyway...you can never go wrong with blueberry muffins.  And they have REAL berries in them. Not those weird little hard candy like blueberry thingies...you know what I mean!  Those are fine when your single or in college, but when your a pregnant woman...you need the REAL deal.  :o)  These are so yummy and moist and I could probably eat them all, but I probably shouldn't.  But...I still might.  Already downed 3!  And yes, feeding for two, IS AN EXCUSE!  I don't care who you are or what you say.  

Recipe is from PW's blog-
3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour (I don't know why, but I just followed the rules)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt
Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt
2 cups fresh blueberries
cap-ful vanilla
brown sugar to sprinkle on tops or a coarse sugar

Preheat oven to 385 degrees.

In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.
Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times.
Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of muffins.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes
Let cool on wire rack

Stir as little as possible.  You don't want to over mix these.  I was very pleased with the results and this will now be my go-to recipe for blueberry muffins.  Have a great Thursday, and thanks so much for visiting our blog.  It means a lot!  Love you all!

Oh, and don't forget to scroll down a bit and enter our giveaway.  Only got til 7 PM tonight!  DO IT!  DO IT NOW!

Monday Match-Up

This weeks Monday Match-Up was almost not gonna be featured this week.  Why?  Cause I had a pregnancy panic attack in the grocery store Saturday when they didn't have THEE most important ingredient for my dish.  I was ticked!  So, I thought of another recipe and went strolling around the store thinking it'd all be ok...til I got to the deli wall and they were out of FETA CHEESE!  Are you freaking kidding me?  I called my sister in a panic and she helped calm me down, somewhat.  The dishes we were gonna do are gonna have to wait for another week.  Ugh...the joys of a small town grocery store.  :o)

Anyway...this week we decided to do a Paul Deen recipe.  I love that white haired lady.  She is my hero.  But this recipe is SO not my hero.  I was watching her the other morning and she made these PB & J muffins, and I thought they'd be interesting.  I wasn't impressed with it.  I mean, it wasn't disgusting or anything, but I was expecting a lot more flavor.  They were super easy to put together.  I couldn't wait to bite into one.  And taste that raspberry jelly hidden in the center. The cake was moist, but I thought there would be a lot more peanut butter taste.  O'well...live and learn.  The compound butter is what was the best part.  I slathered the heck out of my muffin with the stuff and then it was DELISH!  Go here to get the recipe if you want to try it.  Who knows?  You might really enjoy it.

PB&J Muffins w/Raspberry Compound Butter

Hopefully Monica had better luck with her Paula Deen recipe!  *crosses fingers*

Well you're in luck sister. I did have good luck with mine. Only, I didn't realize I wasn't doing a Paula Deen recipe until it was too late. I'm close! This recipe is by Paula's son Bobby Deen. He grew in her womb. Ha ha. I'm counting it!

Anyway, I was browsing the Paula Deen section on The Food Network website looking for a recipe that caught my eye. Once I saw the words "rice pudding" I didn't get any further. Oh blah, you say? Maybe. But I don't say blah to any kind of pudding, especially the rich delicious puddings, I say Mmmmmmmmm. The kind of Mmmmmmm that makes my heart sing. You know the moment on Ratatouille when Anton Ego the critic takes a bite of the Ratatouille and is taken back to his childhood? That kind of Mmmmmmm. That's how I feel about most puddings. They make me happy.

Whoa! Sorry, I went nuts there. Anyway, this recipe didn't look insane so I thought I would give it a go. Even in the dead heat of summer, I love me some rice pudding. This was fun to make too. The recipe calls for use of a double broiler. I don't have one, but I have learned a little trick in all my baking endeavors. I use a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water. It worked beautifully. I put the milk, water, salt, and rice in the bowl, covered with tinfoil and let it cook. I was a little unsure if it was going to work but it did. Once the rice was cooked I added cream, sweetened condensed milk, and craisins. I let that cook and thicken over my modified double broiler for 30 minutes and added orange zest and vanilla.

So did I have that Anton Ego moment? It was close, it was close. I think with a tweak here an there, this could be my perfect homemade rice pudding. Yum. You can find the recipe here. Enjoy!

Monica