Recipe: Amish Cook's Banana Muffins

These muffins are perfect for breakfast or snacks on the go.  They're moist, sweet, and dense with a golden crust.  We had these everyday for breakfast this week, and had enough to send one for the school bus driver each day.  I liked how long they lasted in the cookie jar, as my Banana Oat Mini Muffins need to be eaten within a few short days.

This delightful recipe comes from one of my new cookbooks "The Amish Cook's Baking Book" which is filled with back-to-basics baking, and gorgeous photography.  Each recipe is simple, and the book includes a section for Children's Baking.  Our daughter is old enough now to try a few recipes on her own and this book would provide a good start.

HOMEMADE BANANA MUFFINS
from The Amish Cook's Baking Book

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup skim milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

I made a double batch.  Just rotate trays halfway through baking.

In a large bowl, stir together the baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg until evenly blended.  Add all the remaining ingredients, mixing only until the dry particles are moistened.  Fill the prepared muffin cups 2/3 full and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Printable Recipe

Happily submitted to
Family Friendly Fridays over at Mommie Cooks!
Frugal Fridays over at Life As Mom
Cookbook Sundays over at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen

Enjoy!

Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Muffins

This muffins are scrumptious!  Fresh lemon paired with earthy and sweet blueberries is a perfect combination.  My family always eats the whole batch the same day I make them.

LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
from The Boston Globe

Butter (for the pan)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over for stems and leaves
Extra sugar (for sprinkling)

Set the oven at 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, including top surface. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.

In a bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Gradually add the egg whites and mix until blended. Beat in the vanilla, lemon rind, and lemon juice.

With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter alternately with the milk.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, and use a rubber spatula to fold in the berries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle the tops with sugar.

Set the muffins on the sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden, turning the pan halfway through baking. Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Printable Recipe
 
Enjoy!

 

from "The How and Why Wonder Book of Sea Shells"

Written by Donalf F. Low

Illustrated by Cynthia and Alvin Koehler

1961, by Wonder Books, Inc.

This book comes from my local library.

Recipe: Banana Crunch Muffins

Banana Crunch Muffins have lots of banana flavour with subtle crunch from the added granola.  This is a nice comination of flavours.  Our MOMS Club delivers meals to members who've just had a baby or are in need.  This week I delivered a breakfast tray to one of our moms.

The night before I made the muffins, I made some of Martha Stewart's Maple Granola.  I make this every week because we love it.  The next morning I made these easy Banana Crunch Muffins and added the granola.  I also cut-up a tray of fresh fruit and put some of the granola in a jar. 

I wanted to deliver an easy meal so the mom, husband and their toddler could nibble on it throughout the day.  With a new baby in the house, quick, easy, and healthful food is always a treat.

BANANA CRUNCH MUFFINS

from The Barefoot Contessa

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners (I used non-stick spray instead).

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend.

Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don’t overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola  (this was my topping), or coconut, if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly (actually cool alot or the tops of the muffins will seperate from the bottoms when you flip the tray over - lesson learned), remove from the pan, and serve.

Printable Recipe
 
Enjoy!


from the book "Wind Song"
by Carl Sandburg
1960 Curtis Publishing Company

Recipe: Jelly Muffins

These reminded me of my Jelly-Filled Doughnut Muffins but so much easier so I'll have to give them a try.  Once my camera is fixed, I'll post updates and photos of all these vintage recipes.


This recipe comes from the book "Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book" printed in 1976.  Like all recipes from this era it has shortening, but I would replace it with real butter.  Why did they use shortening in so many recipes back then anyway?

JELLY MUFFINS
from "Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book"

Shortening (or butter)
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3//4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
3/4 cup milk
Jelly

Set oven at 400 degrees.  Lightly grease muffin cups with a bit of the shortening on waxed paper, or use paper baking cups.

Measure the sifted flour in a small bowl.  Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Sift allof these into a large bowl.

Pur 1/3 cup shortening in small skillet; heat until it is melted.  Remove skillet from the heat. Let cool slightly.  (I would just melt a 1/3 cup butter in the microwave).

Break the egg into small bowl.  Beat with rotary egg-beater until fluffy.  Add milk.  Then, add melted shortening (or melted butter).

Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  Add all the milk mixture.  Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened.

Fill the muffin cups half full.  Drop 1 teaspoon jelly in the center of each cup.  Bake about 25 minutes.  Makes 12.


For a printable version of this recipe go here.

Enjoy!

Here's a picture of my husband's family (he's the littlest guy) from 1964.  Aren't they darling?

Recipe: Jelly-Filled Doughnut Muffins

While watching Food Network last week with hubby we saw something called a doughnut muffin featured.  My husband exclaimed, "Wouldn't those be awsome filled with jelly!".  So, that's what my sweethearts got for Valentines Day as their special treat from me.  I did an internet search, which took quite a while, and found the recipe here at MedicineNet.com. I know, an unexpected place to find it, eh?

Oh, these were so delicious with their crunchy outside and moist chewy insides.  The texture reminded me of refridgerator rolls fresh from the oven.  You know how you can "knock" on the tops but the inside is still fluffy?  The jam inside gave a nice burst of flavour to these and the glazed tops added a bit of sweetness.

The muffins did take time to make.  Between the kneading, rising, punching, filling, folding, rising, baking and glazing there was alot of steps.  I think once I make it a few times it'll be a snap but will require some planning before hand to make sure I have enough time to do it.

JELLY-FILLED DOUGHNUT MUFFINS

Adapted from Elaine Magee's new cookbook, Fry Light, Fry Right: Fried-Food Flavor Without Deep Frying

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
4 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 cups unbleached white flour (use 1/2 cup more, if needed, in kneading step)
1 packet active dry yeast (or about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup jelly of your choice (boysenberry, raspberry, and cherry work well

Preparation:
1. Place milk in a microwave-safe glass and microwave on high until fairly hot to the touch, about 1 minute. (Or put in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until just hot).

2. Place 2 tablespoons of the canola oil along with the cream cheese, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Slowly pour the hot milk over the cream cheese mixture, and continue to beat until well blended.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Here's the dough before needing and adding extra flour.  It felt like a jelly fish - ew!

4. Stir together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture slowly to the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Beat in the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

I added about an extra 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup flour while needing and it came together nicely.

5. Place the dough in a large mixing bowl that has been lightly coated with canola oil or canola margarine. Turn the dough over to coat the entire surface with oil. Cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.

After placing in muffin cups, I poked a hole in each one.

6. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the canola oil to the bottom of each of 16 muffin cups. Punch down the dough and split it into 16 equal-sized balls (about the size of golf balls). Using your hands, press each ball into a 1/2-inch thick circle, and then spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of jelly into the middle. Bring up all the sides of the dough to wrap the jelly, squeezing the dough ends together well to seal. Place each ball in a muffin cup, and roll around to cover the entire surface with oil.

Fill each one with jelly (I used strawbettery), then fold over.

7. Let rise in a warm place until almost double in size, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the doughnut muffins are nicely browned. Remove from the oven to cool. Top with a vanilla glaze if desired (made with 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoon water, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract).

Later this week, I'll post the Lobster Newburg recipe that I made last night.
Enjoy!  Sarah
 
Happily submitted to Mouthwatering Mondays over at A Southern Fairytale.  Check out her recipe for Pasta With Scallops, Shrimp, Basil and White Wine Sauce.  I can't wait to make it :) 

Happily submitted to Muffin Tin Mondays over at Muffin Tin Mom.

Recipe: French Breakfast Puffs

I love how fancy these muffins sound.  They remind me of a biscuit as they are moist, yet crumbly with a light sweet taste.  The buttery cinnamon sugar topping really adds to the flavour.  They were so easy to make that I made two batches but we still ate them all in one day (and sent a few to the neighbours).  It was a great way to start the weekend :)

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens "Our Best Recipes" page 218

FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

Ribbon winners from state and country fairs across the country are some of the best recipes around.  In 1972, these marvelous muffins turned heads at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Vermont.  We were so dazzled, we included the recipe in our magazine.

1-1/2 cups all purpose-flour

1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease twelve 2-1/2 inch muffin cups, set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  In a small bowl, beat egg with fork, stir in milk and the 1/2 cup melted butter.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stir just until moistened (the batter may be lumpy).

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon.  Remove muffins from oven, remove from muffins cups (I let mine cool about a minute first so they wouldn't fall apart).  Immediately dip baked muffins into the 1/4 cup cup melted butter then into sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Serve warm.  Makes 12 muffins.

Enjoy!  Sarah

Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins

Oh boy these are delicious! They're moist, light and easy to make. Dear son got up extra early this morning so we decided to do some baking in our pajama's.

This recipe is from one of my most loved cook books "All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook". I don't necessarily love the book because of it's light recipes but because there's lots of delicious recipes all through the book. I took a photo of how many recipes I've flagged as my favourites.

We doubled the recpie and it made 3 dozen muffins which left us lots to package as treats for friends. We have an elderly neighbour in need, a friend home with three children under 3 (one is a preemie so they can't go anywhere), and a teacher who's pregnant. I'm sure they'll all enjoy these goodies :)

I found a copy of the Pumpkin Muffin Recipe on a really great recipe site My Recipes.

Happily submitted to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As Mom... check out everyone's tips on Make Ahead Meals this week!