Back in "Business"

A year ago I decided to stop keeping up with this blog.  For the last year, I have been referring to this  blog for all my favorite recipes.  It's kind of like my online recipe book.  It's actually easier to document my favorite recipes on here for easy reference, and I know that a few of y'all were disappointed that I wasn't sharing my favorite recipes......so I decided to start sharing again!  I can't promise the pictures will be pretty OR staged (i will try my best to make it look appetizing), but I CAN promise that any recipe I post is a keeper!!!  I've got lots of crockpot recipes to share, and some clean eating meals as well!

Here is a quick and easy recipe I made TWICE last week.  It is adapted from the Banana Nutella Cake with Nutella Frosting over at Two Peas & Their Pod.  Although I haven't made the frosting, I'm sure that it is AMAZING.  The cake is perfect without the frosting (and added calories) so I'll keep it that way for now.  I made it into muffins for a breakfast play date!  Please see the original recipe by clicking the link above if you are interested in making the frosting.  :O)

Banana Nutella Chocolate Chip Muffins/Snack Cake

Makes a 9x13 pan or about 18 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar (i used half stevia/half sugar)

2 large eggs

1 cup plain greek yogurt (i used fage 0%)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1/2 cup nutella

handfull of chocolate chips if you want!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan or muffin tin.

Cream the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla.  Mix in the bananas.  

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add the dry mixture only until blended.  Throw in the chocolate chips and give it a quick stir if you are using them! Spread the batter evenly in the pan.  I didn't measure the Nutella, I just dropped little spoonfuls on top of the cake and swirled it in with a knife.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes for the cake and 15-18 minutes for the muffins, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Raisin Bran Muffins

Lately I Have had an obsession with Raisin Bran Cereal. Our grocery store recently had a HUGE sale on Kellog's cereal so I stocked up! I wanted to make a semi-healthy muffin out of it...so here is the recipe I came up with. Next time I will add more raisins, but other than that I loved the muffin! Brooke is a huge fan so I will be freezing some and hiding them away for breakfast. Hope you enjoy!

Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/3 c sugar

3 T brown sugar

2 1/2 c. raisin bran cereal

1/3 c canola or vegetable oil

1 egg

1 1/4 c buttermilk (don't have any? make our own...so simple...go HERE)

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 c raisins (optional)

Raw Sugar or White Sugar for sprinkling before baking (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line a muffin pan with liners, or spray with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, soda, salt, sugars and cereal (and extra raisins if using). In a separate bowl stir together oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla.

Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir. Let sit for about 30 minutes to soften the cereal.

Divide batter between 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Berry Muffins

Things have been busy around here this week. Not much time for blogging! Here is a tasty Muffin recipe...another one of my favorites. As usual, I add the struesal on top for added crunch. Have a wonderful weekend!

White Chocolate Berry Muffins

Taste of Home

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 c raspberries (frozen or fresh)

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Streusel (optional) - go HERE for recipe

Directions:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beat in well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to cream cheese mixture just until blended. Fold in raspberries and chips. Top with Streusel.
• Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Apple-Pecan Muffins

These Apple-Pecan Muffins are AMAZING....and better yet....they are low-fat! This recipe was passed on to me from my friend Kellie McAllister. I wanted to share them on here, because they are wonderful. I am always looking for new recipes, so if you are willing to share any recipes with me, please email! Thank you Kellie!

Ingredients:

3/4 c plus 2 T packed brown sugar

1/4 c chopped pecans (I used double the amount)

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1 c flour

1 c whole grain pastry flour or whole wheat flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/4 c canola oil

2 large eggs

1 c unsweetened applesauce

1 t vanilla extract

3/4 c low-fat buttermilk

1 golden delicious apple, cored, peeled & cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray

2) In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp. of the brown sugar, the pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking soda, and salt.

4) In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar an the oil until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared muffin plan, filling each about two-thirds full, and sprinkle evenly with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

6) Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Enjoy warm or let completely cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

This recipe makes about 15 muffins. They are about 215 calories each. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins topped w/Streusel

Yummy Cream Cheese Filling

The perfect recipe for fall if you love pumpkin as much as I do! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins topped with Cinnamon Streusel

Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

3 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tbsp. and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:

½ cup sugar

¼ cup and 1 tsp. flour

4 tbsp. butter, cubed

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Banana Berry Muffins topped with Streusel

This is my favorite Muffin recipe! The Streusel topping is optional...but I highly recommend it! If you have another muffin or bread recipe that you love, this Streusel tastes great on just about anything!

Banana Berry Muffins topped with Streusel

For the muffins...
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (or two medium-sized bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

For the Streusel topping...
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:
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.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tray with muffin cup papers.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together with a wire whisk.
Add butter, eggs, bananas and vanilla.
Mix on low until just combined.
Fold in blueberries...batter will be thick!
Add Streusel topping to each muffin.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Makes 12-15 muffins.