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.

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Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Roasted Fennel, Tomato, and Chickpea Soup

This is a very nice soup.  Next time I make it I will use tomato puree rather than diced tomatoes but that is personal preference.  I don't like chunks of tomato in soup.




Roasted Fennel, Tomato and Chickpea Soup
Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped fennel bulb (about 1 small bulb)
2 cups chopped onion
Cooking spray
1 (15-1/2 ounce) can organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth
2 (14-ounce) cans organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut into 8 wedges

Preparation:

1.  Heat oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Arrange fennel and onion in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray, toss to coat.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.  Add chickpeas to vegetable mixture.  Bake an additional 20 minutes or until fennel is tender and chickpeas start to brown, stirring after 10 minutes.

3.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic to pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  Add vegetable mixture, broth, and the next 3 ingredients (through salt) to pan and bring to a boil.  Cook for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Remove from heat, and garnish with parsley.  Serve with pita wedges.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook