Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Recipe from Kitchen Confit

2/3 c. sugar

juice and zest from 1 lemon

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. melted butter

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1/2 c. confectioners sugar, sifted

1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a bowl and mix to combine.

In a seperate bowl, combine sour cream, eggs, vanilla and butter, and whisk to combine.

Make a well in dry ingredients and add wet ingredients.

Mix until just blended.

Stir in poppy seeds.

Divide among muffin cups.

Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until tops are golden.

When cool enough to handle, transfer muffins to wire rack.

Whisk confectioners sugar and lemon juice to make the glaze.

Drizzle over muffins.

Cranberry Orange Almond Muffins

These muffins were amazing... Are amazing.  I was really worried about the tartness of the cranberries, but the orange and almond flavor mellowed it out nicely and the honey gave it just the right amount of sweetness.  These were great plain, which I prefer, but would be fantastic with butter or a drizzle of extra honey if you want something sweeter.

Cranberry Orange Almond Muffins

Recipe modified from Chef in You

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. all purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Zest from 1 orange

3/4 c. honey

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2/3 c. orange juice

2 eggs

1/4 c. applesauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Combine flours, baking powder, salt and orange zest in a bowl and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine honey, orange juice, extract, eggs, applesauce and olive oil.

Whisk wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

Make a well in dry ingredients and add in the honey mixture.

Gently fold into each other, careful not to over mix.

Fold in cranberries and almonds.

Divide among 12 muffins.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

German Muffin Pancakes

These delicious beauties are incredibly easy to make.  Served with any fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar (or whip cream), these make for a great show stopper breakfast, with minimal effort.

We all loved them!

German Muffin Pancakes

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

1 c. milk

6 eggs

1 c. flour, sifted

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. butter, melted

Blend all ingredients (except for butter) in a blender.

Slowly add in melted butter to temper the eggs.

Grease 18 muffin tins and distribute batter evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

They will rise significantly while baking, and then shrink back down once you take them out, creating perfect little 'craters' for you to fill with fruit.

We topped ours with fresh blackberries and raspberries, then dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, but these would be great with any combinations of fruit / toppings!

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are perfectly moist and delicious - not overly sweet like some muffins can be.

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 3/4 c. flour

2 3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar

1 large egg

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/3 c. applesauce

1 c. blueberries

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

Streusel Topping:

1/4 c. sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

In a small bowl combine blueberries with the 1 Tbsp. of flour and sugar; stir to coat.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk slightly.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients.

Stir until just moistened.

Gently fold in the flour/sugar coated blueberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups.

Combine the streusel ingredients together and cut butter into it using a fork.

Sprinkle evenly over muffin batter in cups.

Press down slightly with flat end of a spoon.

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Raspberry Muffins

These are perfectly moist, sweet and delicious.

They would also be amazing with blueberries (or both).

Cream Cheese Raspberry Muffins

Recipe from Taste of Home

3oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

3 Tbsp. buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 c. raspberries

Cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth.

Add egg and egg white; mix well.

Beat in buttermilk and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, just until moistened.

Fold in raspberries.

Bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes.

Yield: 8 muffins

Banana Bread

Nothing is better than fresh banana bread.  This recipe is so easy and delicious - it turns out perfect every time!

Banana Bread
6 mashed bananas
1 c. shortening
2 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs
4 c. sifted flour
1 c. crushed walnuts OR chocolate chips (optional)
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Cream shortening and sugar.
Add unbeaten eggs and beat until well blended.
Sift together dry ingredients several times.
Mash bananas until thick liquid consistency.
Alternate dry ingredients and banana mixture, beating well after each addition.
Add walnuts or chocolate chips if desired.
Bake in well greased loaf/muffin pans.

2 Large loaf pans: 1 hour at 350
4 Medium loaf pans: 40 minutes at 350
Muffins: 15 minutes at 375.
Did you know that you can also make banana bread with dehydrated banana slices?  Click here to find out how.

Zucchini Bread

Just in case you were wondering... this is the best zucchini bread recipe.

My favorite part?  No oil!  That's right... its even healthier than most!

Zucchini Bread
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. applesauce
2 - 2 1/2 c. grated zucchini
3 tsp. vinegar
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 sp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon

Add sugars, eggs and applesauce, and beat well.
Add zucchini and vinegar, stirring to combine.
Add dry ingredients and blend well.
Grease and flour bread pans or muffin tins.

Cooking times vary for the size of pan.
This recipe makes:
2 medium bread pans (350 for 40 minutes)
OR
1 large bread pan (350 for 60 minutes)
OR
24 muffins (375 for 18 minutes).

**This bread also freezes very well.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Don't you love how you can just throw the word 'bread' onto the end of a recipe and assume that it is good for you?

This little number should probably more appropriately be labeled as a 'cake'.

But it isn't my recipe so who am I to change things up?

Either way, it is decadent.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Recipe modified from Our Best Bites

Bread:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. applesauce
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
3 c. grated zucchini
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips
Topping:
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and flour 2 large loaf pans (or 3 medium, or muffin tins) and set aside.

Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
With a stand or hand mixer beat applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.
Gently stir in the grated zucchini.

Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help keep them evenly distributed.)
Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter and stir just until combined.
Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Divide the batter between two large bread pans.
Sprinkle topping over each.
Bake 2 large loaf pans for 50-60 minutes.
For 3 medium sized loaf pans bake for 35-40 minutes.
You can also make muffins,  Bake those at 375 for 15-18 minutes.

Let bread cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from pans.

Lemon Ricotta Biscuits

This is such a great recipe!  

The ricotta cheese makes these super moist, and the light lemon flavor is perfectly paired with the almonds.  These are good enough to be eaten alone, but not so sweet that they seem more like a cupcake than a muffin. 

Lemon Ricotta Biscuits
Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 c. whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/3 c. thinly sliced almonds

Line 12 muffin cups, and preheat oven to 350.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon zest in separate bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the ricotta.
Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract.
Add dry ingredients and stir just until blended.
Divide batter among muffin cups.
Sprinkle with almonds, and top with sprinkled sugar.
Bake until just pale golden on top, about 20 minutes.

Brown Sugar Muffins

These have such a nice sweet taste; the perfect addition to fruit for breakfast.

Brown Sugar Muffins
1 cube softened butter
1 cube brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour

Cream butter and shortening.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.
Bake at 375 for 18 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.
Yields ~18 muffins.

Apple Spice Muffins

This was my third try making these, and I finally perfected them!  They are so so good!

Apple Spice Muffins

1 ¼ c. flour
¾ c. sugar
1 ¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. quick cooking oats
½ tsp. nutmeg
¾ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ Tbsp. water
2 eggs
2 c. peeled, cored, chopped apple
¼ c. vegetable oil
½ c. applesauce
Cinnamon sugar

Prepare muffin pan by spraying with Pam. In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, oats and spices. In separate bowl, mix beaten eggs, apples, oil, applesauce and water. Pour egg mixture all at once into flour mixture: stir just until flour is moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over each muffin (about 1 tsp. each). Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until tested done. Makes one dozen.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

My sister in law gave me a copy of her ward cookbook for my birthday... such a perfect gift!  These babies were my first recipe taken from it.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Recipe from LaChelle Hansen

Streusel topping:
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp cold butter, cut in pieces
(If you love the streusel, like me, I would recommend doubling this - it wasn't quiet enough for my liking)

Muffins:
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. sour cream (I used 1/2 c. sour cream, 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen raspberries

For streusel topping, in a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Cut in the cold butter until mixture is crumbly.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator while you mix the muffin batter.
For cake, preheat oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, yogurt, vegetable oil and vanilla; mix well.
Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Add berries and fold gently.  If using frozen berries, do not thaw.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops generously with streusel topping.
Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Yields 18 muffins.