Muffins for every occasion

About six months ago, I made a promise to post my Perfect Blueberry Muffins and never came through.  And here we are. 

Disclaimer: These are NOT healthy muffins.  Generally, I think anything called a muffin or fill-in-the-blank (like banana) bread are really just cupcakes and cake called by a different name to make you feel better about eating them.  Like breakfast cookies.  Really? Breakfast cookies?  They're just cookies, folks.

Best Blueberry Muffins - Makes 12 muffins

This is a recipe from Cooks Illustrated May 09 that I tweaked to double the blueberries, use yogurt instead of buttermilk, and add lemon zest to the streusel topping.  I usually use frozen blueberries for the cooked berry jam, and then fresh for adding at the end.  You can use all fresh; I just can't keep that amount of blueberries in my house long enough to make muffins because they get eaten by my three little fruit bats.  This recipe always takes longer than I think it should to make muffins, but when I eat them, all the time is worth it.

Lemon Struesel:
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
pinch table salt
1 1/2 tsp finely grated zest from 1 lemon
1/2 c. plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
5 tbsp warm, melted unslated butter

Muffins:
2 c. frozen blueberries, 2 c. fresh blueberries, picked over
1 1/8 c. plus 2 tsp sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp table salt
2 large eggs
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. low-fat yogurt thinned with 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Combine sugar, brown sugar, salt, zest, and flour in small bowl.  Drizzle with butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-sized pieces throughout.  Set aside. 

2. FOR THE MUFFINS: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle positing and heat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.  Bring 2 c. frozen blueberries and 2 tsp sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/2 c, about 10 minutes.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl.  Whisk remaining 1 1/8 c sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds.  Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined.  Whisk in milk, yogurt, and vanilla until combined.  Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining 2 c. fresh blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (batter will be very lumpy with a few spots of dry flour; do not overmix)
4. Scoop batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly).  Spoon scant tablespoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter.  Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion.  Sprinkle streusel topping over muffins.
5. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time.  Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.


I really truly believe that one should not bother making healthy desserts (and muffins are dessert).  Why ruin such a good thing?  Just don't eat them often, but when you do, add the butter, sugar, and white flour.  In fact, I was super proud of myself when I made the above blueberry muffins last week, and as I was getting out the baking stuff, Tanner exclaims, "Are we having a party?!"  We weren't, but I loved that he thought baking was only for parties.  However, I wanted to make an actually healthy baked good with the bananas that get brown on my counter.  So, here is my recipe that I am working on for healthy muffins.

Banana Muffins that are healthy, for real

1/2 c. walnuts
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp honey
1/4 c. apple sauce
4 bananas, mashed
2 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. whole oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toast walnuts on baking sheet for about 5 minutes until fragrant.  Grind in food processor/chopper until very small pieces and the mixture starts to become like peanut butter (but it doesn't need to be smooth).  Place cupcake liners in standard muffin tin and spray with cooking spray (when I just used cupcake liners, it sticks a lot to the liner).  Mix wet ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients.  Combine.  Cook at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

Miso Soup

See this?  I made it!!!  I'm getting pretty good at figuring out ingredients in things that I taste, but there are a number of things that I have tasted and retasted, and have had absolutely no idea where to start in duplicating the flavors.  And miso soup is one of those things.  And after some research and a trip to the oriental market, I did it!  Spot on.  I would like to thank Alton Brown and also the sushi book that I borrowed from the library.  And it is no wonder I didn't know how to make it.  The broth has four ingredients and the only one I'd ever even had in my kitchen was water.  And making california rolls was similarly not as scary as expected, once I had a recipe and ingredients.  So, I'm excited to have crossed another thing off the list of things I eat in restaurants but don't know how to make.    There are still a few more out there, like Pad Prik King (Thai food with this smooth sweet spicy paste and green beans and kaffir lime leaves), Malai Kofta (indian meatless meatballs in yummy cream sauce), tres leche cake, and a good warm cheesy spinach artichoke dip.  I'm sure there are more things I am at a loss on, but those are some that come to mind.  Oh, and I will provide recipes upon request, but am optimizing my time with two boys asleep at the same time, so wasn't going to type it all out right now.

Other than that, I'm still working on getting ready for my warrior dash coming up in less than a month, and I booked tickets to go to mississippi for a week for spring break, like two days after the dash.  And am excited to see everyone in my family but Ammon!  As in, I'm not seeing Ammon; not I'm seeing him, but not excited about it.   

Food lists

Foods I would miss terribly if I moved away from here:
1.  Farmer's Market fruit, so many I won't list them
2.  U-Pick Satsuma Tangerines at Cal-Poly
3.  Apple Farm Blueberry Muffins (I am on a quest to create amazing muffins, so I don't have to pay $50 to eat breakfast here)
4. Splash Cafe Clam Chowder Breadbowl
5. Taco Temple Fish Tacos and desserts
6.  La Parisienne Bakery's Pear Tart
7. Olde Port Fisheries Smoked Salmon
8. Alissa Bright's cakes
9.  Sunshine Cafe Tempeh Tacos
10. Dockside II's Mariner's Salad with seared ahi

Foods I miss because I live here:
1.  Outback Special, 12 oz.
2. #31 (Lemongrass Chicken) from Rice Noodles (Sacramento)
3. Sonic's Strawberry Limeade
4. Togo's Turkey and Avocado Sandwich
5. AQ Chicken's Buttery Rolls (Arkansas)
6. Marketplace Grill Spinach Dip (Arkansas)
7. Gandolfo's Urban Cowboy (Utah)
8. Cafe Rio Burritos (Utah)
9.  Carin Christensen's Pudding Cake (Arkansas)
10.  EVERYTHING my dad makes

We read something recently that said that most people only make 6-10 different meals for dinner.  This has really intrigued me.  I can't imagine going through only this many.  But if I did, these would be my ten most commonly made dinners, not including things like quesadillas, ravioli, and potstickers.  Recipes are available upon request.

1. Chinese Chicken Salad (Romaine, Chicken, Peanuts, Mandarin Oranges, Crushed Ramen Noodles, Dressing)
2. Spiced Grilled Chicken Breasts and Roasted Cauliflower
3. Chicken Fajitas
4. Pasta Fajoli (Soup with Noodles, Tomatoes, Bacon, White Beans, Parmesan Cheese, Tomato base)
5. Orange Chicken Stir fry with Broccoli, Red Peppers, and Cashews
6. Barbecue Chicken Salad (Romaine, Tomatoes, Jicama, Corn, Black Beans, Chicken with Barbecue Sauce, Thin Ranch Dressing)
7. Taco Salad
8. Homemade sauceless chicken and veggie pizzas on trader joe's pizza dough
9. Philly Cheese Steaks
10. Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Maple/Balsamic Sauce, rice pilaf, and some random veggie

Tow heads and more

Love

The schoolbus.  After taking a week of baby steps to get Ethan comfortable with walking between his school bus and his classroom, he is officially riding.  And it saves me about an hour every single day.  That's a big deal.  First grade rocks.  And he can eat school lunch.  It all just feels so real now.

Also, Boston Cream Pie by Amy Wade.  Here's the recipe if you don't have it. 

CAKE:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz)
4 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease and flour a two 9” cake pans.   Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.   Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.   Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.   Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 to 3 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.   The batter should look thick and well combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.   Bake the cake until toothpick comes out clean, 35-45 minutes (I am not positive on this cooking time.  You will need to check it as you cook it).   Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.   Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto the rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.  I cut off the brown bottom and sides but if you don’t it will be fine, just not as moist.

INNARDS:

1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix (5.1 oz)

1 1/3 c. milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

 Mix whipping cream with vanilla with electric mixer until it is the consistency of whipped cream, several minutes.  In separate bowl, mix pudding mix with milk.  Fold in whipped cream into milk and pudding mixture with spatula.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:

½ c. butter

1/3 c. powdered sugar
7 tbsp. cocoa (1 tbsp less than ½ c)
pinch salt
½ c. corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

 In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.  Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds.  Frosting can be used immediately or held in refrigerator.  When ready to use, microwave about 15 seconds so that it is just thin enough to pour on cake.

 When assembling, make sure cake is cool.  Then spread custard in center of two layers (put on very thick layer, do not press down on top layer of cake when you put it on).   Pour chocolate on top letting drip down sides.  The chocolate portion makes about twice as much as you will need, but I have not adjusted the recipe yet to the right amount.

Laugh

Carter's peculiar little relationship with his friend Abby.  His relationship with his friend Maverick is pretty simple.  They're buddies, they like to play and get into trouble.  Abby, not so simple.  For his birthday, Carter's single requirement for what he wanted on his cake?  Something to scare Abby.  Some examples he gave, "Dead skeletons, scary ghosts that pop out..." 

He wanted to write a little card for her this week and so I wrote down what he wanted, and this was it:  "I wish you will have a nice time all by yourself at preschool."  And he wouldn't sign his name.  Just from "your friend."  I guess even at 4, those between-the-sexes relationships are a little complicated.

Learn

Tow head.  Origin (quoted from wisegeek.com): "Certain fibrous plants such as flax or hemp can be woven into cloth, but only after the fibers have been painstakingly combed out and twisted into a usable thread. Part of the combing process yields a tousled mass of light yellow fiber known as tow, although many people mistakenly render it as toe. Because these pale and tangled fibers resemble fine blond human hair, the term toe head or tow head is often applied to natural blondes, especially young children."  Example:

He's just so sweet.  I love this little guy.

Little Loath

I don't have a specific loath from recently.  I am so happy to not have hives or be sick, it's hard to think of anything bad.  So, here is a general little loath from life. 

As a background, of my four siblings, one throws up when tired and over-exercised, one throws up from strong smells, and one used to throw up when eating in nervous situations, like dates.  I will name no names.  So, it should come as no surprise that my biggest pet peeve has to do with food.  I really don't like to listen to other people chew.  I mean most people don't like to listen to loud slurping, dribbly-chin eating.  But if I am sitting on the couch, and someone else is eating anything at all nearby, it bugs me.  I can handle it.  I've never gotten sick or anything.  It is just one of those weird things.  But here's one that doesn't gross me out from awhile ago, since I've been short on pictures lately.

 

Honeyless Hives

LOVE

My list of top coolest websites that can easily eat up all your time, in no particular order.  Please add any that will enlighten me:

Grooveshark.  I have found no song yet that is not on here.  I don't know if it is more shark than groove, but am happily clueless listening to any song, any time.

Pandora.  I know this is list is in no particular order, but this would be #1 if it was.

Etsy.  Take the taste test.  And you can search for things by color?  How fun.  Just don't have your credit card ready, or get a side job to cover it.

Wikipedia.  There really is never again any need to leave a bet on correct facts unsettled.

Flixster.  Mostly for me for previewing upcoming movies and showtimes, and getting the rotten tomatoes rating which I find quite reliable at keeping me from watching movies like Skyline ever again.   I know there is a never-ending quiz section, but am worried I will never play with my children again if I start that.

LITTLE LOATH

Itchy Hives. And going to the doctor. This is the first time I've gone to the doctor for me (other than the ob/gyn) since my junior year of college. That's like 11 years ago. I was on such a great streak! But the itchy bumps all over my legs and backs of my arms convinced me. And of course, only adding to my desire to never go again, they cleared up an hour before my appointment, and then came back about an hour after. So, it appeared psychosomatic, and I got no more information from the doctor than a google search provided. But I suppose now I'm assured I'm not spreading some weird disease to anyone. But I don't know what is causing the hives. The only suspect is NyQuil, since I took that in the last few days (yes, I've also been sick), and that is the only change I can think of.   Allergic to NyQuil?! What a cruel world that would be. As long as it's not wheat, dairy, or chocolate, I will survive.

LEARN

Every blog needs recipes.  So, here's one for you to learn, since I couldn't think something I learned this week.

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

This salad requires good garden-fresh or farmers market tomatoes.  Do not substitute ones from the grocery store.  It will not be the same.  I use black olives even though other kinds are more traditional for Greek Salad, but I just don't like the more pungent tasting olives.  Also, please adjust amounts as necessary; this was my guess at what I put in.  You may be more partial to tomatoes or something.  Also, it doesn't keep well.  So, enjoy immediately, or wait to mix it up and add dressing right before you eat.

Serves 4 as a large side dish

4 medium tomatoes, cut in large chunks
2 English (hot house) cucumbers, half peeled, and sliced
1 small can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 oz feta cheese, in large crumbles
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice (the juice from 1 or 2 lemons)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried or fresh oregano (or fresh mint or basil)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Put tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onion, and feta in large bowl.  Whisk remaining ingredients for dressing in separate small bowl, and then pour over salad, and gently combine ingredients.


LAUGH

That Ethan calls the liquor store, the liquorice store. I'm guessing since we buy candy there. Why correct him? He'll learn eventually.