Oatmeal Spice Muffins

You can check it out here. That site is my best friend's blog.

These are super easy too. A bit rich to just eat for breakfast, but I was thinking you could have it with something else. I sometimes eat part of my breakfast in the car on the way to work. I feel like I never have enough time in the morning. I will eat eggs with toast and cereal at the table and then eat a banana or granola bar in the car. Sometimes I completely space on breakfast and just eat cereal. One of these with some fruit in the car could work.

Mine actually yielded 12 muffins. I guess I could have filled them higher and would get 10 muffins.
217 calories per muffin. Not bad!

1 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 cup milk (I used 1% as well)
1 large egg
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (could also use allspice or pumpkin pie spice)
1 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

In a bowl, combine the milk and oats. Let this sit for one hour so the oats can set up.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, add the egg, melted margarine, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Add flour and stir. Add the oat and milk mixture. You just want to stir everything enough to thorough combine, but do not over stir. According to my friend, the muffins can turn out hard if you over stir. Not good!

I ran out of paper muffin cups so I greased a muffin tin really well with cooking spray. They slide right out so it should work for you too.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Voila!

Note: I feel these would be really good even if the chocolate chips were not used. Add more spices and it would be like an oatmeal spice muffin. Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and it be lovely!

Homemade Granola

4 cups cereal (I used Honey Bunches of Oats)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup sunflower kernels
1 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
1/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease a jelly roll pan. In a large bowl combine everything up to the pumpkin seeds.  In a saucepan, combine everything else and turn heat on low. Stir continuously until the mixture bubbles. It should have the consistency of a glue-like texture. In several stages, drizzle small amounts over the dry mix and stir. Keep doing this until all of the gooey mix is gone and dry mix in evenly coated. Spread evenly on a jelly roll pan and bake for about 20-30 minutes. I would keep checking the granola every 6-10 minutes because it can burn quickly. Cool completely. Add dried fruit if desired. Break up but do not break up clusters. Clusters are good. Store in an air tight container. Can store in the refrigerator too so that it lasts longer.

Very Apple Bread

If you love apples, you will love this bread.  This bread would be great in the fall with a hot cup of tea. For Father's Day, I am making this bread for my grandfather and father since they both love apples.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar (I considered doing 1 cup brown, 1 cup white but I didn't. Maybe next time)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup plain applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pulp free orange juice
2 cups apples- peeled, cored and chopped (2 medium apples- I used Gala)
1 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add dry ingredients to one bowl and wet ingredients to another. Combine into one bowl. Add apples and walnuts and stir. This will yield three 8x4 loaf pans or two bigger loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

This would also be great as a dessert if you topped with cream cheese frosting.

Sausage and Potato Scramble with Scrambled Eggs and Blueberry Bread

We love brinner in this house.  I love breakfast food, just not the time breakfast is usually eaten.

I have a very small oven with only one rack and this is the order I cooked everything in.  You can make the bread the day before, but it is amazing warm! I got this recipe from A Better Homes and Garden Cook Book except I added the vanilla.

Blueberry Bread:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk or orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry separately and then wet separately.  Add wet to dry and stir.  Fold in blueberries and nuts (optional).  I made mine without nuts because I was out. I did have pine nuts, but that would be disgusting.  Grease a loaf pan and pour batter into the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

While that was baking I straightened up the kitchen table.  This also killed time because I was waiting til my husband was almost home to start on the rest. I got this recipe from one of those grocery store mailers that has coupons and recipes.

Sausage and Potato Scramble
1 lb country style sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 (20oz) bag home fries potatoes
Vegetable Oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Oven is already heated to 350 degrees.  Chop onion and green pepper and add to a skillet. Add sausage and cook until sausage is done.  Transfer to a deep 8x8 or 9x9 dish.  You can make the home fries in the same skillet. You make these according to the package which is where the oil comes into play.  I do not know if it was me, but I found these a bit difficult.  I feel like my skillet was too small even though it is a large cast iron skillet. I ended up making them in small batches and when done adding them to the 9x9 dish. Once done place the dish into the oven for about 10-15 minutes.  Take out and top with cheese and cook until melted.

Stevo's Scrambled Eggs
4-8 eggs depending how much you want
A bit of milk
A few shakes of Lawry's Seasoning Salt
Pepper
Cheese (optional)

Add all ingredients to a bowl except the cheese. Add to skillet. Stir so the eggs break up and "scramble". Add cheese and keep stirring. Voila!

Fritter done

My husband suggested the name for this post.  These are super yummy and very fast to whip up.

3 cups oil for frying
1 cup flour, sifted (this takes two seconds so don't discard this recipe because of it- ahem my sister)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or shortening, melted
1 (12 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained very well

Heat oil in cast iron skillet or other pan until hot. Drop spoonfuls into oil. When they float flip over. Keep flipping until golden brown.  Drain on plate with paper towel to catch oil. If you are not great at frying remember that the second batch will cook quicker. The oil is hotter by this point.

This recipe is great for substituting the corn for apples, bananas, peppers and so on. We really want to try apples and bananas.  I felt that it could have used a tad more sugar but my husband said they were perfect. I sprinkled some powdered sugar on mine.

Popovers

If you had not had a popover then you are in for a treat. Very light and oh so yummy!  Great with jam and some hot tea.  You start with an egg batter which is similar to the batter used in Yorkshire Pudding.  Popovers are light and hollow pastries. Can be made in a popover pan or individual custard/ramekin cups.  Could be made in a muffin pan, but they will not rise as much and you would need to space them out in the pan using ten of the muffin cups instead of twelve.

2 large eggs
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil for each tin in the pan (1 tablespoon total)

Add the eggs and milk to a bowl and blend.  Add flour, butter, and salt.  Beat with mixer until batter is bubbly and smooth.  Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.  While the batter is resting, add 1/2 tsp oil to each tin in the pan.  Adjust the rack in the oven to the lowest setting.  Put the pan in the oven and turn temperature to 450 degrees.  High heat is crucial to the rise of the popovers.  You fill the pan when it is hot and want to do this as quickly as possible to get the pan back in the oven.  Do not open the oven door either.  The depth of the popover pan and high heat allows the popovers to rise. You can still make perfectly tasty popovers in a muffin tin but they will not rise that high. The variation will be at the end.

You want to transfer the batter into something you can pour from.  I have a mixing bowl with a spout and handle (which I highly recommend).  After the batter is done resting, remove the pan from the oven and quickly pour batter evenly into each tin.  Place tin in oven and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven door for the duration. After 20 minutes, turn heat back to 350 and cook for another 15 minutes.  Popovers will be golden brown.

Muffin Tin Variation:
Use a 12 cup muffin tin but you will only use the outer 10 muffin tins.  You will need a tablespoon of oil plus 2 extra teaspoons of oil to coat the tins. Divide oil evenly to the 10 tins.  Follow the rest of the directions as above.

You can make the batter 1 day ahead of time.  Follow the recipe up until you would put the pan in the oven. Let the batter rest and then tightly wrap bowl with plastic wrap.  Let the batter come to room temperature and stir before adding to hot pan.

Here is a picture of what the popover pan looks like:

140 calories per serving.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Bread

(makes 1 loaf)

My mom and grandmother requested this although I never made it before.  Very yummy and great with a cup of hot mint tea. 


2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil, plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup pecans (or almonds, walnuts), toasted
1/2 cup mini chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan.  Spread pecans or the nut of your choice on a baking sheet and place in oven for 5-10 minutes.  Keep a close eye so they do not burn.  This will bring out the flavor of the nut. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In a medium bowl combine the egg, milk, and oil.  Make a well in the flour mixture and add egg mixture all at once to the well.  Stir until moistened.  Fold in nuts and chocolate chips.  Pour into pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean .  Let cool before storing.

Pumpkin Walnut/Pecan Bread

(makes 2 loafs)

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups white sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
(or 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice if you do not have all the spices. I used Penzy's Pumpkin Pie Spice)
1 cup walnuts or pecans
Handful of mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking pans. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and vanilla until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger (or pumpkin pie spice). Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Fold in walnuts/pecans. Pour into the prepared pans.  Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the loafs if you desire. Lightly press them into the batter. Bake 50-55 minutes or until center comes out clean with a toothpick.

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 over ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup water
1 cup oil
1 tsp pumpkin spice plus a pinch extra
1 cup walnuts, toasted
3/4 to 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all the wet into one bowl and the dry in another and mix thoroughly. I mashed the bananas first with a potato masher then added the rest of the wet ingredients. I slowly added some wet to dry and mixed. I know it is usually the other way around, but the bowl I was using for the wet was too small. Grease two loaf pans and split batter between the two. Bake for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you use less bananas it will take less time. To toast walnuts place to baking pan and place in oven for 5-10 minutes or so. They can burn easily so keep an eye out. Can also toast them in skillet as well. I wasn't going to add the chocolate chips, but my husband really wanted them.

Zucchini Nut Bread

This is my mother's recipe and it is quite good. I never liked zucchini growing up, but always loved this bread. You can make it with or without nuts, but I prefer nuts.

2 cups grated zucchini, skin on (3-5 depending on size)
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs lightly beaten
3 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts or pecans)

Slice zucchini and place in food processor. Grind until smooth. I add all the dry in a bowl then I add all the wet including the zucchini. Mix until creamy. Divide between two small loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

I usually freeze one so we can have it for later. I made this recipe (sans nuts) for my friend, Tiffany, since she was so kind and made us banana bread. Then I made it again (with nuts)!