(Dairy-Free) Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I stole these babies off of the lovable, popular food blog, Skinnytaste.  I was attracted to them because they use almond milk, agave nectar, blueberries, and oatmeal- four things I eat for breakfast nearly every morning. Yum. 

These muffins, might I warn you, DO in fact, taste "healthy"-- not always the rule, but generally speaking, most healthy muffins (those lacking in oil or butter for their moisture) sometimes turn out a bit more on the "rubbery" side. These are surprisingly NOT rubbery, but do have a texture that is a bit indicative of healthfulness, which, I very much like, which, some people, perhaps the more masculine population, would prefer not. 

Either way, whoever your eating audience may be, give them a whirl. Someone will love them. And that someone might just be you.

Ta TA. 

{Dairy-Free} Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oatmeal

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim milk)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp agave

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 egg whites

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

Baking spray

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a muffin tin with liners and lightly spray with oil.

Place oats in a food processor or chopper and pulse a few times. Soak oats in milk for about 30 minutes.  In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, agave, apple sauce, vanilla, egg whites, oil and mix well.

In a third bowl combine whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and whisk to combine.

Combine oats and milk with sugar, applesauce mixture and mix well. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into the muffin tin and bake for 22-24 minutes. 

Olive Oil Muffins

I have the public library to thank for the bounty of good recipes I get. My two little darlings and I have a routine: we go there and get them the Mt Everest-stacked high stack of children's books, 1 cookbook for me, and then we bring them all home, read the life out of them, and then three weeks later, return, and do the same thing all over again. It's a system I'm quite fond of.

Fate must collide with my luck whenever I return to the library because I always seem to have impeccable timing when all the "good" cookbooks are back in stock there. One of Giada de Laurentiis' newer cookbooks sat waiting on the shelf and I instantly checked it out. This gem of a recipe was located right inside towards the front and it grabbed my attention immediately, almost as if the words, "olive oil muffins" were flashing at me like Las Vegas neon lights. Desire and curiosity go well together.

You would never really expect to soil your muffin batter with olive oil, would you?? Me neither. Yet, it provides moisture: light, spongy, somewhat flavorful, moisture. I love the unpredictable crunch from the smooshed up almonds and the fresh zest of lemon and orange in abundance. I would sit and zest the skin off lemons and oranges all day if I had no other life- there is nothing to compare with that aromatic scent of citrus... AHH. It's what heaven will smell like.

Lastly, everyone who has sampled these muffins seems to say the same things: "Wow. I would've never thought.... soo delicious.. ...so moist...... so flavorful". And if you think I mis-typed the recipe, well, I didn't.... the muffins really DO call for balsamic vinegar too, which seems a bit counter-intuitive, but fret not, you don't taste it whatsoever.

Yup. I can't keep this recipe to myself. I hope you'll try them asapers!

Olive Oil Muffins

{Giada De Laurentiis}

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons whole milk

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Powdered sugar, for sifting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vinegar and milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Crush the almonds with your hands as you add them to the batter and stir until mixed. Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins onto a platter and let cool for 5 more minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the muffins and serve.

Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins

Greetings, Monday morning. It's zucchini week; the mighty green squash of summer that we all anticipate eating with great excitement by now. Let's get something clear: I am a lover of zucchini bread- don't mistaken me at all on it- it will always be one of my top ten favorite quick breads to make. However, by October, I've had my fill - and I can only eat sauteed zucchini so many times before I start gagging on it.

So this week is all about some variations on how to use zucchini more creatively and in some perhaps, unexpected ways. I hope you enjoy it!

First up: zucchini banana flaxseed muffins. Clarification: different in my mind than a normal zucchini bread recipe. For one thing, ripe mashed banana, flaxseed, whole wheat flour, and ZERO oil or butter take over the recipe. They add a new flavor and new texture without all the fat or calories. I mean, if it's any indication, my otherwise adorable picky toddler ate three in a row- but let's not talk about his diaper 5 hours later.

These muffins have such great *moistness* (yes, this word makes me cringe too) to them, you will never know they weren't made with a cup of oil. AND, there is a subtle banana flavor with a hint of cinnamon leaking through. The zucchini, well, it's flavorless in this but adds to the moist (argh, said it again!!!) texture of this muffin.

In sum, this recipe has me swooning from left to right and from low to high. It's just good and healthy and satisfying, all in the same bite. Oooh ooh ooh I love 'em.

Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins

{Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, September 2011}

Nonstick cooking spray

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) (Kate: I used whole wheat flour- works great)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini)

1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana)

3/4 cup whole milk (Kate note: I used 1 % milk, worked wonderfully)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add zucchini and banana and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Rhubarb Muffins with Coconut Streusel

When I was a young little thing, my parents had rhubarb next to the raspberry bushes- which had a lot of traffic in the summer time- the former, did not. I always thought the rhubarb plants were infested with some disease of sorts, for what stems morph into a bright red color? I was certain it was a plague. Later upon finding out that the stems of these bushes were not just edible but actually tasty when mixed with the right components, skeptical me shunned it away for years and years.

Finally in my latter-twenties, I discovered just how delicious rhubarb really can be! It's beaming with culinary potential; I first had it as in a rhubarb-strawberry crisp and my oh my , life as I knew it stopped for those few seconds of heaven. Though you might not ever find most people gnawing away at it in its raw form, I hear it's quite wonderful when prepared and baked/cooked with the right stuff.

Case in point! I am Rhubarb's newest convert.

This muffin recipe is a new favorite in our house. I thought they were pretty darn good after tasting one right from the oven but then I had an overly enthusiastic yet sincere confirmation from my husband. And then if the toddler approves, you know you've really done something right!

I also must say, that naming this recipe "muffin" is a tad exaggeration-- they are just as sweet and rich as a cupcake loaded with frosting. Just thought I should clear up any vernacular confusion-- after all, this recipe does use up 3 sticks of butter-- not a common feature in most muffin mixes!:)

Enjoy! I know I sure am!

(The only way I know of Anna Pump is all the hype Ina Garten gives her on her show and also in her cookbooks.... the latter happens to be one of my all-time favorite chefs/cooks/culinary-superstars, and anyone that Ina recommends I trust!)

Rhubarb Muffins with Coconut Streusel

{Anna Pump: Summer on a Plate}

16 Tbsp butter (8 ounces), melted (2 sticks)

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

Grated zest of two oranges

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp baking powder

3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb (Kate note: I highly recommend slicing the rhubarb thinly but then dicing it!)

Coconut Topping (the streuselJ)

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1 cup sugar

1 cup walnuts (optional)

4 ounces (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes)- (Kate note: 1 stick was far too much- I would cut it in half and use only 2 ounces of butter).

Preheat your oven to 375. Line a muffin pan with liners and set aside.

Make the coconut topping first. Combine flour, sugar, and the coconut together. Using a pastry blender or forks, cut the butter in and stir so that the butter resembles little pebbles. Set aside.

Make the batter. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, milk, and heavy cream. Add the orange zest and stir lightly. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar and gently stir that into the wet ingredients. Fold in the rhubarb and spoon batter into muffin liners until each is about 2/3 of the way full. Scoop a spoonful of the coconut topping onto the top of each muffin. Bake for about 18-23 minutes, or until the tops barely yield when pushed down on by finger.

Allow cool 10 or so minutes in the pan and then remove and cool on a wire rack (important step!).

Double Gingerbread Sour Cream Muffins {a little late on posting}

A reader recently and gently reminded me that I needed to post this recipe up.

From Christmas.

Doesn't it seem like a life time ago to you? Christmas?

Well.. I'm quite sheepy about having forgone the opportune season to post such a perfectly seasonal muffin recipe. These are some of my favorite muffins in the world-- but I issue a caveat: you must like ginger. MUST MUST. Or else these will be misery in each bite of your mouth. If you are ginger's next top fan, you'll be quite happy!

I feel compelled to wish you a Merry Christmas, but the mild weather and longer sunshine hours tells me to simply wish instead, a Merry April. I hope whereever you are, tulips and daffodils are beginning to blossom and color. Oh dear I really am plum ready to pack coats and hats away forever.

Double Gingerbread Sour-Cream Muffins

{Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Baking Issue 2010}

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp ground allspice or cinnamon

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 8-ounce sour cream (the full fat stuff please!)

1/3 cup milk

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup mild-flavor molasses

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp finely snipped crystallized ginger (if you have a Trader Joes, you can find it there. If you are not so blessed, then Target carries Archer Farms crystallized ginger in tiny containers by the spice section).

Preheat oven to 400. Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin cups; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture becomes coarse crumbles. Make a well in the center of this.

In another bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, milk, brown sugar, and molasses. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture until just combined (batter should be lumpy). Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp granulated sugar with the finely snipped crystallized ginger. Sprinkle over each muffin batter.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 4-5 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Muffins

Okay, really? Without mincing words, these little babies reign supreme in all things pumpkin. Like you, I have a constant craving during September, all the way through at least November, for my tongue to touch something with this orange squash delicately baked in it. Pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream.. you know. Pumpkin is ubiquitous during this extraordinarily fun time of the year!

And these pumpkin streusel-topped muffins coming with that extra bonus of cream cheese inside are like the fun it would be to make a BMW drive faster. Not that I've experienced that. But imagination goes far and being absolutely lovely and delish and a really nice change from the common- not boring-but very typical, I'm sorry to add, pumpkin muffin. I am hooked to this recipe here on out. It requires hardly any additional effort compared to other basic pumpkin-loaded treats.

Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Streusel Muffins

{ Recipe directly taken from Annie's Eats}

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1¼ cups vegetable oil

For the topping:

½ cup sugar

5 tbsp. flour

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Excuse the delay on posting some recipes.

I was recently honored with a new cookbook for my upcoming birthday (cough cough:)) in June that has me all excited. If you're curious, check out the website and order one- you won't be sorry!

Anyways, when I flip through a new cookbook and like the looks of what I see, it becomes my go-to for the next month. Case in point! We've already tried 5 recipes from this gem and so far, it's all been spectacular! Tonight we tried out Bob's Famous Rootbeer Malts. Oh heaven help me!

There was a very nice rainy afternoon last week that screamed for muffin-making, thus, blueberry cream cheese muffins were our first tester and hmmm mmm mmm, yum!
The outcome was fabulous, but seriously, I nearly consumed the entire bowl of batter; think sugar cookie-like in taste. My toddler downed two right from the oven. We were all in blueberry muffin bliss.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Keeping Up Cookbook

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk or milk

1 1 /2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen)

1 tsp lemon zest

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, cut into small cubes

Cream together butter and sugar until light. Mix in eggs and vanilla. With the beater stopped, add dry ingredients and turn mixer on slowly while adding buttermilk slowly until it all comes together (do not overmix). By hand, gently fold in blueberries, zest, and cream cheese cubes, breaking up any large cream cheese cubes with a spatula. Spoon batter into 16-18 well-greased muffin cups. Make crumb topping.

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp cold butter

Prepare by stirring sugar and flour together. Cut int butter with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like. Sprinkle generously on the top of muffin batter. Bake muffins in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Easy Does It

Today's recipes are simple as gravy and your toddler could probably make them as easily as you could, but I'm starting a new label today (horray!) called, "toddler likes" to keep track of things Henry likes and enjoys (as it's been explained in previous posts, I'm just trying to broaden and expand Hejo's eats). I justify allowing him to eat these Cherrio gooey treats bc in my mind, it's sure a heck lot better than feeding him mass manufactured treats with 10 different foreign ingredients in 'em.

The blueberry muffins are a screamin hit. Love love love.

And admittedly, my paws can't keep off them Cheerio things either.

Wild Blueberry Muffins with Brown Sugar Topping

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup milk

1 cup frozen wild blueberries (they are the small itty bitty ones- found at Trader Joes or Costco)

Prepare muffin tins with liners and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar until well combined, and add eggs, incorporating until it's all nice and mixed. Add extract. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, powder, and salt. Add into butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Fold in blueberries.

Using an ice cream scoop, place one scoop of batter into each muffin tin, and sprinkle 1/2-1 tsp brown sugar over each top of batter. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

My recipe made 10 muffins.

O'Henry's (so appropriately named)

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup natural PB, unsalted

4 cups Cheerio's (may use any cereal you like)

Bring the sugar and syrup to a boil. Add PB and cereal and spread out into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Flatten with wet fingers. Cool and cut into squares. Brush teeth well after consumption.

Plum-Coffee Cake Muffins

{Bliss Tree.com}

The plum is such an overlooked fruit, don't you think? We esteem the peach and the berry to have such elite status during peak summer months that the poor plum hardly gets a shot! Well, I happen to have some other plum recipes up my sleeve which I'm crossing my fingers aren't total kitchen wrecks.... But for starters, this is a safe, fools- proof recipe and all I can chime in is be sure your plums are ripe (the skin should yield a bit when it's pressed) and don't forget the 1/2 tsp of salt.

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
3 ripe plums, pitted and cut into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Line 10 of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, milk, and melted butter. (Make sure the melted butter is cool before you add it.)

Fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter evenly among the 10 lined muffin cups.

Divide the remaining half of the batter over the layer of plums.

Combine the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the muffins.

Bake the muffins for about 15-20 minutes. Let them hang out in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

blubs and bananas

Blueberry Lemon Muffins w/Glaze
& Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins


Henry and I got a bit muffin-baking crazy the other day and whipped out these two different batches. Blueberries in my fridge were reaching the almost-too-ripe-to-eat point and then the bananas on my counter were getting stinky-brown. Hence, the result was two different recipes and forty-something muffins later. I'm stuffed.


Blueberry Lemon Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp lemon rind
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of one or two lemons

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Beat butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy in another bowl. Add eggs, just one at a time, until well incorporated. Add the lemon rind, and then, alternating with milk, add flour mixture and be sure to end with the flour mixture. Gently fold in blueberries without over-mixing (if you sprinkle a bit of flour to the blueberries before adding to mixture, it will help prevent the blubs from sinking to the bottom of the bowl and finished product).

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake at 325 until just done (do the toothpick test in one to see). Remove and place on wire rack to cool slightly. Bring lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar to a boil. Pierce each cupcake with a few holes and spoon mixture over each. Let cool in pan. Mix powdered sugar with juice of one or two lemons (until you have a thin glaze-like consistency). Pour a spoonful over each cooled muffin.


Oatmeal Banana with Chocolate Chip

1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 medium bananas, about 1 1/3 cups, mashed
2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (mix these with just a touch of flour to prevent sinking)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, oil, and sugar until smooth. Stir in mashed bananas. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the banana mixture and mix just until moistened (don't overmix!). Fold in the lovely chocolate chippers.

Fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake at 350 for about 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool completely.

Oh Martha!

Cranberry Zucchini Muffins

{Martha Stewart "Baking Handbook"}
Makes ~10-12 muffins

Made these this afternoon-my thighs are now expanding from all the bites of this batter. Sorry, no photo today. But trust me, as you've well noticed, my photography is nothing to miss:)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup finely grated zucchini (1 - 2 medium)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 F and line 10-12 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture, and stir to combine; do not overmix.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffins are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, 25 - 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn the muffins on their sides in their cups, and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nibbling on Bran

Basic All-Bran Muffin Recipe
Makes 12


2 cups All-Bran Cereal
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1/4 cup veg. oil
1 1/4 cup all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup sugar

In a large bowl, combine the cereal and milk together- let it sit for a couple of minutes until the All-Bran softens. Add egg and oil. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together, stirring only until moistened. Scoop into greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

Variations:

Combine 1 square melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Spoon this mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin before batter. Bake as instructed.

Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and either vanilla and/or almond extract. Stir until smooth and drizzle over baked, cooled muffins. (You just have to play around with the milk and sugar measurements until you reach a desired consistency:))

To the batter, add 1 cup craisins and or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Twist on an Old Fave

Banana Butterscotch Muffins

I think banana breads tend to be slightly boring, dare I say so.... Hence, I defaulted, as always, to my one true love: chocolate chips. In this case, I used butterscotch-flavored ones and quite liked it. I later frosted these suckers with a caramel cream cheese frosting. Yum yum to my tum!

1 cup sugar
1/2 veg. oil
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butterscotch chips, chopped

Cream sugar and oil. Add in eggs and mashed banana. Add flour, soda and salt. Fold in the butterscotch chips (do NOT overmix, please:)), and scoop batter into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 until JUST done ( about 15 minutes or so).

Perfect for On-the-Go

Morning Glory Muffins

6 eggs

2 cups veg. oil (I used applesauce, worked fine)

4 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups flour (I used whole wheat, again, worked fine)

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 tsp baking soda

4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

4 cups grated carrots

1 cup raisins (I used craisins instead)

1 cup flaked coconut

2 apples, peeled, grated

1 cup chopped pecans

Beat the eggs in a mixer until smooth. Add the oil and vanilla and mix well.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Add to the egg mixture and mix just until moist. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon into oiled muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or so. Cool in the pans for just a couple minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you're feeling especially indulgent like I was, you can frost these with a cream cheese frosting (i.e. 2 blocks room temp. cream cheese+ powdered sugar whipped together) and make these babies a bit more scrumptious.