Cranberry Banana Maple Muffins

Yum, muffins.  We all know that I love them.  I know, they aren't always the best for you, but hey...a girl likes what a girl likes!  Maybe in addition to being Addicted to Recipes, I am also addicted to muffins!  I actually took a bit of a break from the muffin baking through December - with the holidays and all the places we had to be all the time, baking seemed to take a back seat for a while.  But it's January, and I'm back on track!

I was taking stock in my fridge and came on some cranberries that needed to be used, so these muffins were born!

Cranberry Banana Maple Muffins

1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oats (I used quick oats)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 bananas
1/2 cup butter, melted

1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, oats, baking powder, salt).

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (egg, maple syrup, bananas, melted butter).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix to combine.  Fold in the cranberries.

Spoon batter into lined muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

VERDICT:
Our oldest told me that these are his "favouristest muffins ever!" - which says a lot for our first time having these.  These were a hit with the whole family.  The sweetness of the maple syrup is there, as is the tartness of the cranberries.  Next time I would probably put in a few more cranberries (on the 1 1/2 cup side).  Enjoy!

Strawberry Basil Muffins

It's that time of year, when the strawberries are appearing at great prices in the supermarket, and the herbs are growing!  We have an abundance of basil these days, and while our oldest likes to eat it straight (aka freshly picked), I prefer to incorporate basil into my cooking.  I've never put basil into any baking, but felt the need to do so this week.  I knew that strawberries and basil are friends, so I thought I'd like to try the two together in a muffin.  A little internet searching and I came across this recipe, which I modified and updated slightly.  Here is my version:

Strawberry Basil Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla


1 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat eggs, add in the melted butter, yogurt and vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients, add to the wet ingredients.  Stir just to combine.  

Mix in the strawberries and basil, again, stir just to combine.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins (I use paper liners).

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or the muffins start to brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

VERDICT:
Another hit with my boys!  Next time, I might just add in a little more basil just to see how the flavour changes.  

Carrot Spice Muffins

Another weekend, another batch of muffins!  This time I went for a recipe with some bran and wheat germ and a little bit of "spice".  This one is tagged as "dark and nutritious with spicy overtones".  Verdict is below!

 

Carrot Spice Muffins (Source: Company's Coming - Muffins and More)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups natural bran

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 

2 eggs

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't put the walnuts in so that I could send the muffins to school/daycare)

1 cup chopped dates or raising (I used raisins)

 

Preheat oven to 400F.

 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, bran, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the middle.

 

In a separate bowl, beat eggs.  Add in the molasses, oil, milk, vinegar, carrot, walnuts and dates/raisins.  Stir to combine.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Stir just to moisten.  Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes (20 at my house). 

VERDICT:

My hubby said these were good, but not as good as the raisin muffins.  The kids loved these, and I thought they were nice.  A dense and moist muffin, a hit in my book.  I didn't find them that "spicy". Just all-around nice flavour. 

 

Raisin Muffins

Why yes, the muffin lady is back!  We do tend to make a batch of muffins each week, and pf course from time to time we like to try out new muffin recipes that we come across.  Sometimes those new recipes are based on things we have on hand (maybe a special fruit), or like me this week, based on my lack of desire to go to the grocery store, so I shopped in the pantry to see what I could come up with!

This time I came across a recipe for Raisin Muffins.  Sounds easy enough…and I had tonnes of raisins.  Here is the recipe:

Raisin Muffins (Source: Company’s Coming, Muffins & More)

1 1/2 cups raisins

1 cup water

½ cup butter

¾ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375F.  Prepare muffin tins (either grease or line with liners).

Measure raisins into a saucepan, pour in water.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer covered for 10 minutes, or until the raisins are plump and tender.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, uncover and cool.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and egg.   Cream well.  Add in the vanilla.  While creaming, drain the raisins, measuring out and reserving 1/2 cup of the raisin juice in the saucepan.  Stir the drained raisins into the batter.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Alternating between the flour mixture and the raisin juice, add each mixture into the creamed mixture until just mixed.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 17-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

VERDICT:

In my raisin-loving house, these relatively simple muffins were a huge hit.  My husband and the toddler both especially enjoyed them.  The cookbook did say that nuts could be added to the batter, though I opted not to (so that the muffins could be included in the kids’ lunches).  These are keepers for our crew!

Peach Shortcake Muffins

Oh how I LOVE peaches.  Just love love LOVE them.  They are one of my most favourite fruits.  I am so lucky that we live in a beautiful peach producing region.  Each summer we are able to purchase wonderful, juicy peaches from the orchards that surround our city.  So so lucky!

Last summer, I totally did not get my fill of peaches. I'm not into canning (plus, last summer I had a newborn...my hands were full!) - I prefer peaches when they are fresh.  We bought what seemed like tonnes last summer, but alas, it wasn't enough as I have been craving peach season ever since.

My parents were away earlier this summer, they were camping south of our city, and did me the ever so kind favour of bringing us back a case of the early peaches, as the fruit is always ready earlier a few hours south of us. That first case was so very good, and I am just waiting for the signs to go up at the local orchards letting me know I can get more peaches.

I had just a few peaches left from the first case, so I decided to bake some muffins.  I didn't have enough for a pie, otherwise peach pie it would have been. Instead, I went with Peach Shortcake Muffins, from the Robin Hood Baking Festival baking brochure from 1996.  Yes, 1996.  No, I am not a hoarder.  I collect recipes!!  Here is the recipe:

MUFFIN:
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
6 tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup milk
1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped peaches

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ginger.  Cut in the butter or margarine with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.  Add in the milk and peaches.  Stir to combine, but do not overstir.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups (greased or lined).  Sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until set and golden.

Note - Canned peaches may also be used.  And, try substituting other fresh fruits for the peaches, such as strawberries!

VERDICT:
So delicious!  I just love these muffins!  So does our 1 year old, he's a big "bread" kid, and these were a hit with even the littlest man in our family!

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Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Last month I took part in the Grow.Swap.Share blog swap hosted by My Favorite Finds and White Lights on Wednesday.  It was such a fun experience to swap blogs with another blogger, and to host someone who shared a craft with my readers.  The recipe that I shared as part of the swap was for Banana Oatmeal Muffins.  I wanted to share it with you today, just in case you missed it!
We are huge banana bread eaters in our house.  So much so, that our oldest son knows that it takes 3 bananas to make banana bread.  It's quite funny actually...sometimes he "convinces" us to save the bananas so that we can make bread.  Well this week, once again, those last 3 ripe bananas were staring at me.  But this week I was craving muffins, not banana bread, so off to the trusty cookbooks to search out a recipe.  I found one for Banana Oatmeal Muffins, here is the recipe: (Source: Company's Coming: Muffins & More)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup milk
3 bananas, ripe and mashed

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Mix in oil, milk and bananas. 

In a second bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add to the wet ingredients, mixing only to moisten.  The batter will be lumpy.  Fill lined or greased muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 18-23 minutes or until muffins are done.

VERDICT:
An easy muffin to make, and very popular with my boys.  The recipe made 12 regular muffins for us and 9 mini muffins for our son - which are the perfect snacking size for him both at home and at preschool.  These didn't last long in our house, that's for sure!  As J would say, this one's a keeper!

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Carrot Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

My son's preschool held their Easter party this week and each family contributed a little something to the "Easter Buffet".  Originally I wrote down that I would bring "something sweet" with good intentions to make some fun Easter treat, but time got away from me (we re-did our oldest son's room this past weekend...and our house is still a mess!) so I opted to go for something a bit healthier but still with a little sweet.  I decided on an old favourite of ours, and one that is always popular with the kids, Carrot Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing.  Hey...it's Easter, we needed a little bit of carrot!  And it turned out that one of his classmates (and teacher) were both celebrating their birthdays this week, so a cake was brought to the Easter party - I'm glad I changed my "something sweet" choice...imagine all those 4 and 5 year olds after a tonne of sweet?!

And, since it is Easter I did feel the need to dress the muffins just a little.  Off to the Dollar Store and I found the cutest little chicks that were the perfect size for mini-muffins.  Here is the recipe, slightly adapted from Company's Coming - Muffins & More:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup natural bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup crushed pineapple and juice
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts (I didn't add the walnuts this time as my son's classroom is a nut-free zone)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine flour, brown sugar, bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir together well, and make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Add in oil, carrots, pineapple, juice, raisins and walnuts.  Add to dry ingredients, into the well.  Mix, but only to moisten.  The batter will be lumpy.  Fill lined or greased muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (regular sized muffins) or 10-11 minutes (mini muffins).  Cool on wire rack.  Frost if desired.

Make 12-14 large or 24-30 mini muffins.

Cream Cheese Frosting (from Company's Coming - Desserts)

4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups icing sugar

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Beat well.  Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy.  Spread over muffins.

VERDICT:
These are delicious muffins.  Nice and moist, and a nice blend of "stuff" inside.  Not overwhelming with too much carrot, pineapple ot raisins.  And the cream cheese icing, which is optional but a nice a way to dress them up a bit, is always so so so good!  My son and I enjoyed cleaning off the spatula and mixing bowl when we were done icing the muffins    :-)