French Toast Muffins

I'm not sure but I may be obsessed with muffins.  I've posted countless muffin recipes on my blog, lusted after pictures of luscious looking muffins, pined over amazing muffin recipes.  Am I alone?  I think not.  Muffins are a beautiful thing.  They're relatively easy to make and if you make them correctly they can be delicious.  Muffins are also a single serve option for feeding a crowd.  Sadly, the muffin is too often over looked.  But not by me. I've made these muffins twice now.  Last week, I made them and added some chopped up cooked bacon to the topping.  My husband and I loved them that way but my son was having none of it.  I had several relatives and friends side with him, so I got up early this morning and baked a batch sans the bacon. But let me be perfectly honest with you folks.   I baked the muffins in large muffin pans so I got only 8 big muffins instead of 12 smaller ones.    I hope he likes them.  I'll know soon enough.  

French Toast Muffins

Recipe from Framed, originally from Food.com

French Toast Topping

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

6 slices cinnamon bread, crusts removed, cut into ½ inch cubes

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Muffins

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup butter, melted and cooled

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flower

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Topping

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine all the French toast topping ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.  Combine milk, melted butter, egg and vanilla extract in another medium bowl.  Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until mixed.

Spoon batter into a greased or lined 12 cup muffin pan.  Spoon French toast topping evenly over batter; press down slightly.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Immediately, brush muffins with maple syrup.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over glazed muffins.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.  Serve warm.

Lemon Blueberry Jumbo Muffins

I made these muffins especially for my husband. He had requested jumbo muffins. Since he bought me two jumbo muffin tins for Christmas, I figure I owe him some muffins. I found this recipe which was originally written to use raspberries. I would say you could even substitute strawberries cut into quarters or eights. I just took the muffins out of the oven. Watch these muffins carefully. I baked them at 400 degrees for 22 minutes and they came out slightly charred. Next time I make them, I will bake them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes and go from there. I also added a topping to make them more lemony which is optional.

Of course, you could make these muffins in regular size muffin tins which would probably make at least 12 muffins or you could even make them in mini muffin tins which would probably make at least 24 muffins.

LEMON BLUEBERRY JUMBO MUFFINS

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)

1 cup sugar (I used 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar)

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup half-and-half (I used buttermilk)

½ cup vegetable oil (I used safflower oil)

1 teaspoon lemon extract (I used 3 teaspoons lemon juice)

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries (or raspberries)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar (optional)

Topping (Optional):

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In another bowl, combine the eggs, cream, oil and extract.
3. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
4. Fold in berries.
5. Fill greased jumbo muffin cups two-thirds full.
6. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar (if using).
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
9. Combine butter and lemon juice for the topping.
10. While muffins are still warm, dip the tops into the butter and lemon juice, then dip in sugar.
11. Serve warm.

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com submitted by Carol Thoreson

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Cinnamon Mini Muffins

These muffins are great for a breakfast treat or any time. They will go quickly.

CINNAMON MINI MUFFINS

Servings: 24 Muffins

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

TOPPING:

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup butter, melted

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and allspice, mix well. Combine the egg, milk and butter in another small bowl, mix well.

Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined mini muffin cups.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until muffins test done. Let muffins cook for 5 minutes.

For topping: combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip the tops of the mini muffins into slightly cooled, melted butter then dip into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

French Breakfast Muffins

These muffins are the bomb. Try them. Easy and delicious for breakfast or any time.

French Breakfast Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins:

· 2 cups flour

· 2/3 cup sugar

· 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

· ½ teaspoon salt

· ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

· 1 large egg

· 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

· 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:

· ½ cup sugar

· ½ teaspoon cinnamon

· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Instruction:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter the bottoms (only) of 12 standard-size muffin cups and set the pan aside.

2. Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl and combine them with a whisk.

3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the egg until it’s frothy. Blend in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture.

4. Using a wooden spoon, mix the batter just until it’s evenly blended, then spoon it into the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

5. Bake the muffins on the center rack for 15 minutes. Then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack until the muffins are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, and then remove them from the cups.

6. Before the muffins lose their warmth, prepare the topping. Mixing the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter and transfer it to a separate small bowl. Set both bowls next to the muffins.

7. Working on one muffin at a time, quickly dip the tops in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, rolling each muffin in all directions to cover the entire top. If you’d like more topping, roll them in the cinnamon sugar for a second time while they’re still warm. Serve immediately.

www.familyfun.com

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

I made these muffins on Monday afternoon.  The kids got out of school early so my son had a bunch of friends over to play "Munchkin" which is some kind of card game they like.  They mostly played basketball and video games with maybe half an hour devoted to the card game.  No matter.  I wasn't prepared to cook for a crowd but I had planned to make these muffins so I went ahead and made them.  Once the kids got through with them, there were only 6 left.  My husband also enjoyed one or two over the next few days.  They are tasty and do remind me of glazed donuts but without the frying.  We all know how well I fry ~~ NOT!  I will probably make these muffins again without any changes to the recipe at all.  Well, I may reduce the amount of nutmeg down to 1/2 a teaspoon....  Maybe.  Other than that, they are perfect!


GLAZED DOUGHNUT MUFFINS

Ingredients:

For the Batter

¼ cup butter

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

For the Batter

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

¾ teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly grease a standard muffin tin or line with 12 paper muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable spray; this will ensure that they will peel off the muffins nicely.

2.       In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.

3.       Add the eggs, beating to combine.

4.       Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.

5.       Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.

6.       Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.

7.       Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

8.       In a medium bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water.  Whisk until smooth.

9.       When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden.  At this point, you can leave them as is or go for the double dip.

10.   Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap tightly.  Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Blueberry Bran Muffins

This has been an interesting week.  My nephew's girl friend went into the hospital for an emergency appendectomy and then my dad went into the hospital for breathing problems.  I coped by doing the usual - baking.  I was asked to make some muffins that had lots of fiber in them for my nephew's girlfriend as she was having some problems in that area after the surgery.  I did not want to make bland, dry muffins so I searched through many recipes and found this one.  It looked perfect.  It turned out excellent.  I even tried one and liked it.  I am not a fan of bran muffins.  Who is?  Anyway, if you want or need to make some muffins that are filled with fiber and taste, try these.  The recipe comes from www.allrecipes.com.  They are touted as being low fat but that was not my reason for making them.  They are moist and tasty bran muffins which is almost an oxymoron.  Oh, they are also quick and easy to make!

Yummy Blueberry Bran Muffins
Prep Time:  15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Yield:  12 muffins

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C).  Grease muffin cups or use paper muffin liners.  Mix together wheat bran and milk.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Beat in bran mixture.  Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Stir into bran mixture until just blended.  Fold in blueberries.  Scoop into muffin cups.

3.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or  until tops spring back when lightly tapped.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

Why am I posting a recipe for Tuscan Lemon Muffins when it is snowing outside??  Why, because the snow was unexpected.  We do not normally get snow in October.  In fact, we haven't gotten a snow storm this big since the Civil War.  That is over 100 years ago. Well, I was not in the mood for snow or snow-friendly recipes. So, I made Tuscan Lemon Muffins. I am still stuck in summer.  These muffins are tasty.  

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)

Ingredients:

7-9/10 ounces all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar

Preparation:

1.       Preheat oven to 375°.

2.       Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); make a well in center. Combine ricotta and next 5 ingredients (through egg). Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

3.       Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat with cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle Turbinado sugar over batter. Bake at 375° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

4.       Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Cooking Light, May 2011

Morning-After Cranberry Sauce Muffins

This is the first year I ever made fresh cranberry sauce.  The reason I made the sauce this year is that we were having 25 people over.  I did not want my guests to think that we eat canned sauce.  I did have to buy a few cans of the "jellied" kind of sauce because that is what my son and husband eat.  I tried to keep the cans hidden but I did not succeed.  I doubled the sauce recipe that I got out of my All*You magazine so I had lots of extra sauce. I will give you the recipe I used at the end of this post. The recipe for the muffins comes from http://www.seriouseats.com/. The post about the muffins credits the recipe to chef Michael Harr of Butterfield 9 restaurant in Washington, D.C.  I did not make these muffins the morning after Thanksgiving but since cranberry sauce does not spoil quickly it should be fine to use for a week or two after the holiday.  The muffins taste great.  I can't really imagine throwing out three cups of perfectly good cranberry sauce so this is a great way to use it up.  I almost forgot to mention that I don't actually eat cranberry sauce with my Thanksgiving turkey dinner. 

When I started mixing the batter for the muffins, I realized that there is no mention of cinnamon in the ingredient list but it is mentioned in the body of the recipe.  I also added a teaspoon of vanilla just for fun.  Oh, did I mention that I put the oatmeal into the food processor and "powdered" it first.  I found that the recipe makes about 18 cranberry sauce muffins.  The recipe on serious eats website did not say how many muffins the recipe would make.  I guess it depends on what size muffin tins you use.

Morning-After Cranberry Sauce Muffins
by Chef Michael Harr

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oats (powdered)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups of left over cranberry sauce (fresh or canned whole berry)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line muffin tin with paper baking cups.

2.  Put oatmeal into food processor until it is powdered.

3.  In a large bowl, combine regular flour, whole-grain flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; mix well.  In a medium bowl combine milk, oil, cranberry sauce and egg; blend well.  Fold into dry ingredients all at once; stir until dry ingredients are moistened.

4.  Fill muffin cups about three-quarters full.

5.  Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.  Break off that seductive muffin top, then inhale the rest!

Cranberry Apple Cider Sauce
from All*You Magazine

Ingredients:

3 cups apple cider
12 oz. fresh cranberries
(about 2 cups)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of salt
1 medium Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Directions:

1.  In a large saucepan, bring cider to boil and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 40 minutes.

2.  Combine reduced cider, cranberries, sugar, spices, salt and apple in medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Simmer sauce until thickened and cranberries have popped, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. (Sauce will thicken more when cool.)

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

French Toast Breakfast Muffins

This is basically the same recipe that my son brought home from his FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) class last week. FACS is the name that they use for Home Economics here in Maryland now.  The only differences are that his recipe called for two extra tablespoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder rather than 1-1/2, 3/4 cup of sugar rather than 1/2 cup and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I don't know why his recipe calls for making only 6 muffins and this one is for 12.  I will say that the muffins I made from his school's recipe came out quite large and stuck to the muffin pan.  I'm going to recommend that you not use muffin cups and just spray the pan really well with vegetable spray instead.   I was out of milk so I used buttermilk. There were lots of variations to the recipe online.  I found several that used maple syrup or vanilla in the batter.  Some even suggest that you dip the whole muffin in the butter and then roll it into the sugar/cinnamon.  Either way, they are really yummy! 


FRENCH TOAST BREAKFAST MUFFINS
Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together egg, milk and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until just moistened (batter may be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon. When muffins are finished baking, dip tops of muffins in the melted butter, and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

4.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Peach Muffins

This recipe is from Tate's Bake Shop.  I was introduced to Tate's when I bought some of their chocolate chip cookies at a local organic market.  They were great.  I went on their website and signed up for emails.  Each month I get a newsletter with a recipe.  This is the first time I actually made one of their recipes. 

I made quite a few more than 15 muffins from this batter.  I also had to bake it a bit longer than 25 minutes.  I think it was more like 30 - 35 minutes for baking these.  I added the struesel that was suggested.  The recipe I used from http://www.myrecipes.com/ made way too much streusel but it was still pretty darn yummy.  You could halve the recipe for the streusel. 


INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
1-¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
¾ cup melted butter
2 cups peeled, pitted, chopped peaches

DIRECTIONS:

(1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease fifteen 3 x 1 ½ inch muffin cups.

(2)  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.

(3) In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Whisk mix to combine eggs. Add melted butter.

(4) Fold liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in peaches.

(5) Bake muffins for 25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.


Optional: add your favorite streusel top before placing in the oven if you prefer a sweeter muffin.

Yield: 15 muffins

Streusel Topping
from http://www.myrecipes.com/

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy;
Gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating well;
Add flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg;
Beat just until blended.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Pumpkin Month - Pumpkin Muffins

PUMPKIN MUFFINS


1 15 oz can of pure pumpkin
(about 2 cups)*
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cloves


Preheat oven to 350.

In large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat until well mixed.

In separate bowl, combined the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and ground cloves.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.

Bake 30-35 minutes. Makes between 3 ½ to 4 dozens.


*Sometimes I add an individual size (4 oz) applesauce to the muffins.

Taste great with cool whip on top.

You can also make it in a bread pan – just bake it longer.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

I love blueberry muffins. When I saw this recipe, I had to try it. The streusel sounded so yummy to me. And it is really good. The muffins come out large. But since I have only got a regular size twelve muffin tin I simply filled only 6 of the cups instead of all 12. The muffins were not nearly as huge as I imagined they would be, though. I guess I was thinking they would be like the giant muffins I used to get back in the day when I worked in Manhattan. But no. I'm certainly better off that they are just big and not gigantic! I sure don't need the extra calories. Try these when you have time. They are really tasty.

I have pictures of the muffins but I'm getting an error message when I try to add the photos. I'll try again later. Yesterday, I couldn't get on the internet that's why I didn't post a blueberry recipe. I will try to add another one later today to make up for it. I am just experiencing a few technical difficulties! ~ I finally got the photos to post on my blog!


BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS
Makes 6 Jumbo Muffins
Active: 30 Min.
Total: 70 Min.

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup blueberries
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup milk
1/3 cup (5 Tbsp plus 1 tsp) unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp lemon juice

Streusel
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

Drizzle
½ cup confectioners sugar
2 to 2-1/4 tsp milk

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 6 jumbo –size muffin cups with paper liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make Streusel: With fork or fingers, mix flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add butter until blended and crumbly.

3. Place flour in medium bowl. Remove 1 Tbsp and toss with blueberries in a small bowl. To remaining flour, add yellow cornmeal, baking powder and salt; mix well, in another bowl, whisk sugar with eggs, milk, melted butter and lemon juice.

4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended; fold in blueberries.

5. Spoon about ½ cup batter into each muffin cup; crumble streusel on top. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack.

6. Make Drizzle: Mix ½ cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 to 2-1/4 tsp milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over muffins.


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Bran Muffins

My sister sent me this email and it made me chuckle. I thought I would share it. I also added a recipe for Bran Muffins just in case you really wanted one!


Bran Muffins

The couple were 85 years old, and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies.Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade. One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.

They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet.They gasped in astonishment when he said, 'Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now.'

The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. 'Why, nothing,' Peter replied, 'remember, this is your reward in Heaven.'The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth.'What are the greens fees?,' grumbled the old man.'This is heaven,' St. Peter replied. 'You can play for free, every day.'

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic desserts, free flowing beverages. 'Don't even ask,' said St. Peter to the man. This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy.'The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife.'Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?,' he asked.

'That's the best part,' St. Peter replied. 'You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick.This is Heaven!'
The old man pushed, 'No gym to work out at? ''Not unless you want to,' was the answer. 'No testing my sugar or blood pressure or...'

'Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself.'

The old man glared at his wife and said, 'You and your bran muffins. We could have been here ten years ago!'

Maida Heatter's Famous Bran Muffins

Yields: 18 muffins

Ingredients:
2 ounces ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark or light molasses or honey
2 eggs (large grade)
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups bran cereal (do not use flakes, Maida recommends Kellogg's All-Bran)
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts broken into large pieces
1/2 cup unsifted whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsifted all purpose white flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Method:
If your oven can not fit both muffin tins side by side on the middle rack, adjust the 2 racks to divide the oven into 3rds.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter 18 2 3/4 inch muffin forms. Note: Buttering the tins will create a very nice crust for the muffins, if using paper cups the crust may be diminished but the muffins will keep longer.
Melt butter over low heat. In a large mixing bowl combine the melted butter, sugar and molasses or honey and stir to mix.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk to mix.

Slowly add the egg mixture to the butter mixture stirring with a wire whisk to blend. Mix in the bran and raisins and let stand for a few minutes. Or cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir in walnuts.

Sift together flours, salt, and baking soda and add to bran mixture. Stir quickly with rubber spatula just enough to moisten dry ingredients.

With a large spoon, fill prepared cups with batter about 2/3rds full.

Bake for 15 minutes rotating muffin pans once to insure even cooking. Muffins will be done when they spring back from touch. Note: If muffin mixture has been refrigerated, cooking time will be 4 minutes longer. Take muffins from oven and remove from baking tins immediately and cool on rack.

Muffins & Stuff

When I started this blog two weeks ago, I promised to make posts about successful attempts at cooking and baking as well as unsuccessful ones. Well, last weekend I had a couple of successes and one attempt at a recipe that was less than successful. I'll start with the best one first. I made a recipe from one of my cookbooks called Breakfast All Day by Edon Waycott. I haven't tried many of the recipes in this book but am I ever glad I tried this one. It is a recipe that my son didn't even want me to consider making but I went ahead and made it anyway. These muffins are so yummy! I caught my husband sneaking one last night and I just ate the last one right before I started this post. The recipe is

Chocolate Buttermilk Muffins

3 ozs unsweetened chocolate
6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup dried cherries
Powdered sugar for garnish

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees farenheit. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter with the buttermilk. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg, vanilla, and sugar until light. Dissolve the baking soda in 1/4 cup of boiling water and add to the egg mixture, along with the chocolate. Mix until well combined. Ad the flour, cocoa, and baking powder and mix just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and cherries.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups and fill to the rim. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the centers are firm when lightly pressed with a finger or a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Dust the tops heavily with powdered sugar before serving. Makes 8 muffins.

I took these muffins out of the oven after 15 minutes. I inserted a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins and it came out chocolatey. I forgot that there are chocolate chips in these muffins. When I tried to put them back into the oven I had what I like to call a "muffin disaster." The muffins toppled out of the tin onto the door of my oven. I was able to save all but one muffin that got squashed. It was a sad day. Anyway, these muffins were well worth the extra work it took to clean up after the muffin disaster.

Tomorrow I will tell you about the luscious banana chocolate chip bread that I made.

The Creative Cook