Blackberry Muffins

I'm not sure if it's me just cutting back a bit on sugar here in this household, but the oldest boy, who's 6, said these were "the best muffins you ever made, mom." ((swoons))

OK, so this is my super easy and trusty (and not too sweet) muffin recipe that will accept any form of fruit, nut or chocolate. Or all of those things. In one batch. I usually just use what fruit is on sale that week - berries, bananas, plums, apples & nectarines are a few of my faves. I've also used half whole wheat flour and half white flour and it comes out just fine! You can substitute apple sauce for the oil too. And if you want to be even more stealthy, sneak in some ground flax or wheat germ. Shhhh, I won't tell.

Anything Muffins

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
dash of salt
3/4 fruit or whatever
1 egg
4 Tbsp. oil
1 c. milk
topping: 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed together

Preheat oven to 400. Mix dry ingredients together and then add fruit to it, so the pieces are coated in the flour mixture. In a small bowl mix the egg ,oil and milk together. Add the wet stuff to the dry and mix only until the mixture becomes all one consistency. Let set about 5 minutes and then fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Top each with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon sugar topping. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

I hope you will give it a try and let me know how they came out!

Best Banana Bread

I don't have any stories about this recipe except that it comes from my mom and that I've been eating it for 30+ years. Sometimes perfection does not need to be messed with! (Oh, okay, I DID add the cinnamon to her recipe because I LOVE cinnamon!!) Thanks, mom. Someday we will get that cookbook put together!

Best Banana Bread (my mom's recipe)

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs well beaten
2 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp vinegar to milk)
1 cup banana pulp (about 2 large bananas)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with sour milk and banana pulp. Don't overmix.
5. Stir in nuts.
6. Bake in greased loaf pan for 50-60 minutes.

For 4 mini loaves, bake for 25 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I'm finding it very hard to type that it's been over a month since my last post. Really? That is just lame. However, no time to make excuses or feel guilty. It's time to get cookin'. I'm just hoping that I can find some inspiration to keep it going in 2009.

I did manage to find the strength to join Weight Watchers in December. It's slow but steady and I'm feeling better about my choices. I've also been getting to the gym more to offset things like Pancake Sunday, our weekly family tradition.

This week, instead of the normal Bisquick variety, I wanted to try something new and happened upon this recipe in last week's Contra Costa Times food section. I'd like to think its a healthier version because of the whole wheat flour....but I kind of doubt it. They tasted great and the lemon flavor gave it a fabulous zing!

Lemon-Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 T. sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup egg substitute*

2 cups buttermilk*

2 T. canola oil

3 T. light pancake syrup

1 t. vanilla extract

1 T. grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups small blueberries

1. In a medium bowl, place the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Blend with a whisk.

2. In a mixing bowl, place the egg, egg substitute, buttermilk, oil, syrup, vanilla and lemon zest. Beat on medium speed until smooth.

3. Add flour mixture and beat on medium-low until just smooth. Do not over mix. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.

4. Preheat nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat until a drop of water skittles across it.

5. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle. Sprinkle blueberries on top of each pancake. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 60 seconds or until bubbles form on pancakes. Turn over with spatula and cook until the pancakes are golden brown. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

Recipe serves 6.

5 WW points per serving. 285 calories, 4 g. fiber, 6.5 g. fat

*Because I had no buttermilk, I substituted with 2 cups of 1% milk mixed with 2 T. lemon juice (and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using). I also substituted 2 egg whites for the fake egg stuff. I love using the internet to find substitutions - anything to avoid making a trip to the store with two crazy-kids-who-want-every-package-of-cookies-and-candy-they-see in tow.

Baked Egg Puffs (with butternut squash)

Okay, so here's the deal. When I first heard about it, I wasn't sure how I felt about Jessica Seinfeld's book "Deceptively Delicious." I think it's important to serve your kids vegetables in their whole form, rather than trying to "hide" them within a dish. I can see arguments for both sides.....and I decided that it's okay to hide the veggies as long as you offer more veggies visibly obvious on the plate as well. Let's face it, every night after scraping green beans, zucchini or broccoli off your kid's plate into the sink, it's hard not to wonder if your child is actually getting all the nutrients they need. Seriously, my kids are professional gaggers when being coerced to "just taste" their veggies. (I have to hold in my laugh at this tactic)

The book was also riddled with controversy because Mrs. Seinfeld was accused of plagiarism and defamation of character from a woman who a few months prior to Seinfeld's release, wrote a very similar book called "Sneaky Chef." It seems that the concepts and recipes were practically identical, but it was Seinfeld's book that raked in the dollars. That is the reason I checked the book out from the library instead of buying it. The Seinfeld Empire does not need any of my cash!

The main concept of the book is cooking and pureeing veggies and freezing them in 1/2 cup portions, so that when you make a recipe like this, you just pull the veg out of the freezer and throw it into the recipe. I can't imagine cooking the squash just for this, but if it was already prepped, then it's is a snap. I may try another butternut recipe since I have several baggies in the freezer now. I could see how you need to build up your stock of purees in order to try more of these sneaky recipes. Try finding time to do that!

I am going to post the recipe exactly as written and I hope nobody accuses me of plagiarism. The book shows theirs all puffed up over the edges, whereas mine fell flat once I turned the camera on. They were still very tasty - fluffy yet substantial and sweet enough for toddler palates. They were so easy, I could even make them on a weekday morning.

Baked Egg Puffs (with butternut squash)

2 eggs

4 egg whites

1/2 cup butternut squash

2 T. grated cheese

2 T. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 400. Coat 4 (1/2 cup) ramekins with cooking spray and set on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, squash puree, cheese, flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Divide the mixture among the ramekins and bake until the tops are puffed up and the eggs are no longer runny in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

The hype was worth it....these little puppies were amazing. Steel-cut oats are the less processed version that I'm more familiar with - rolled oats. Rolled oats have been steamed, flattened, steamed again and then toasted dry. A steel-cut oat is simply cut into three or four pieces and then dried. The result is a chewier and nutty tasting hot breakfast. I used honey, cranberries and raw almonds in mine. From a quick Google search, I found out that you can store the leftovers for several days, so I'm good to go for awhile. (This recipe makes enough to feed a small army) It's guaranteed to last you until lunch!

I used an adapted version of Alton Brown's recipe as follows:

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

2 tsp. butter or margarine

1 cup steel-cut oatmeal

3 cups hot water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

Directions: Toast oatmeal in the butter, stirring until fragrant and lightly toasted. Add hot water and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and any additives you like and simmer for another10 minutes.

Additives as desired: Honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, sky's the limit

Morning Coffee

Went for a walk this morning and found a huge bush of Mexican Sage growing wild. I thought the color was amazing so I picked a few for this photo. I also think black coffee is more visually appealing, but I'm a wimp and I drink mine sweet and light. This shot was taken in natural mid-morning sunlight coming through the kitchen window.


We saw the 6th stage of the Amgen Tour of California Bike Race this morning. We were watching along Foothill Blvd. as the peloton whizzed by at record speed. It's not really something I follow, but it was fun standing on the sidelines clapping our thunder sticks and cheering for them as they rode by in a pack of over a hundred racers.

Tomorrow a big storm is rolling through, so I am hoping we can find some fun indoor activities with the kids....until next time!