Category Archives: Muffins

May 20, 2013

Muffin Monday: Rhubarb Delight Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Rhubarb Delight Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

3/4 C. Demerara Sugar (You could just use 1 1/4 Brown Sugar if you don’t have the Demerara Sugar)

1/2 C. Vegetable oil

1 Egg

2 1/2 C. Flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt

1 C. Milk

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C. Rhubarb (finely diced)

Topping Mixture:

1/4 c White Chocolate Chips
1/2 Almonds
1/2 C. Sugar
2 T. Butter

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put muffin pants into the muffin tin and spray lightly.

2. Mix the first four ingredients together (the Sugars, Oil and Egg)

3. Add Flour,Baking Soda and Salt all at once.

4. Combine Milk and Vanilla in a measuring cup.

5. Add Milk to the batter and stir until completely mixed.

6. Fold in the diced Rhubarb.

7. Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. (This recipe made 12 large muffins.) Set aside and make the Topping.

8. In the measuring cup you used for the milk and vanilla melt the butter.

9. Grind the Almonds in a blender or nut mill.

10. Combine the Nuts, Sugar and ground Almonds together in the measuring cup. Add the White Chocolate Chips.

11. Spoon the topping onto the muffins, dividing evenly.

This is what one of the muffins looks like pre-baked

12. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Using the toothpick test to determine if they are done.

13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring muffins to a cool surface. Let cool for an additional 5 to 10 minutes before you enjoy.

Sorry these muffins aren’t very healthy. I’m going to try to make them again with out so much sugar. But every spring the god’s give us rhubarb and you’ve got to do something with it, right? Your house will smell amazing while these little darlings are baking. And the will power you show by not munching on them the second they come out of the oven will off set the will power you don’t show by indulging in their sweet wonderfulness (maybe twice.)

These are simply fantastic muffins and would make a great dessert.

They are awesome on their own, but if you want the ultimate treat you could add one to a bowl of black cherry ice cream and just go straight to heaven.

Serving suggestion.

Muffin Monday: Berry White Chocolate Muffins (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?) (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday! Bread Pudding Muffins
Muffin Monday Banana Granola Chocolate Chip(ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday Almond Cranberry Muffins
Muffin Monday Raisin Muffins
Muffin Monday Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins
Muffin Monday Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

Best rhubarb muffins recipe ever (nami-nami.blogspot.com)
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Muffins (thefauxmartha.com)
Springtime Rhubarb-Streusel Muffins (dairyfreeswitzerland.wordpress.com)

2 Comments | tags: Almond, Muffin, Rhubarb | posted in Food, Muffins, postaday, Recipe, Rhubarb, Thought of the Day

May 13, 2013

Muffin Monday: Bread Pudding Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Bread Pudding Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup Chopped Dry Dates
1 cup Water

1/2 cup Slivered Almonds

6 cups Bread Cubes (you can use any kind of “bread” you have around the kitchen, including cake or muffins that are past their prime.)

2 Eggs

2/3 cup Dry Milk
1 cup Warm Water
1/4 cup Butter

1/4 c Demerara Sugar (or Brown Sugar)

1/4 c Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Salt

You’ll need a 12 count muffin tin and a roasting pan that is about the same size.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter the bottoms and sides of the muffin cups in the muffin tin.

2. Combine the Dates and the warm water and set aside for 5 minutes.

3. Grind the Almond Slivers in a blender, food processor or nut mill until you get an almond meal.

4. Shred the bread into 1/4″ chunks. You don’t want the bread cubes to be too big.

5. In a 2 cup liquid measuring container add 1 cup of warm water to 2/3 cups of dry milk. Stir until the dry milk is liquified. Drain the juice from the dates into the milk. Top off with additional water (so you have 2 cups of liquid) and stir.

6. Transfer the milk mixture to a large bowl.

7. Put the butter in the measuring cup and melt the butter in the microwave.

8. Add the butter into the milk mixture.

9. Add the sugar, maple syrup to the liquid.

10. Crack the eggs one at time into the measuring cup and beat slightly then add to the liquid.

11. Add the softened dates, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and ground almonds to the liquid and mix thoroughly.

12. Slowly incorporate the bread cubes until they are completely saturated.

13. Prepare a water bath for the muffin tin. To do this place a couple of cups of water in the roasting pan and test by putting the muffin tin inside. When the water comes about 2/3rd’s the way up the sides of the muffin cups you have enough water in the pan. The muffin tin should sit on top of the roasting pan, so there is water at the bottom and sides of the muffin cups.

14. Fill the muffin cups with the bread pudding mixture. Using a spoon press down on the mixture to compress it into the muffin cups. (I had more than enough for 12 muffins.)

15. Carefully put the muffin pan into the water bath and place both into the center of your hot oven.

16. Bake for 25 minutes. The Bread Pudding Muffins will start to pull away from the sides of the pan when ready.

17. VERY CAREFULLY remove both pans from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Remove the Muffin Tin from the water bath and let rest another 5 minutes.

18. Place a tray over the muffin tin and invert to release the muffins. If they stick run a knife around the edge of the muffin cups and try again.

19. Let cool an additional 5 to 10 minutes before enjoying. These are moist and dense so refrigerate any leftover Bread Pudding Muffins. (Reheat for 30 seconds in the microwave to rewarm when you’re ready to eat them.)

These are great for breakfast instead of french toast of pancakes or as a dessert. You can serve plain or with a touch of whipped cream or a splash of maple syrup.

Muffin Monday Banana Granola Chocolate Chip (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?) (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday Berry White Chocolate Muffins (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)

Muffin Monday Almond Cranberry Muffins
Muffin Monday Raisin Muffins
Muffin Monday Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins
Muffin Monday Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

8 Comments | tags: Almond, breadpudding, Maple Syrup, Muffin | posted in Baking, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

May 6, 2013

Muffin Monday: Berry White Chocolate Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Berry White Chocolate Muffins*

Ingredients:

3 cups White Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Granulated Sugar or Demerara Raw Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 cup Skim Milk

1/2 cup Yogurt

2/3 cup Canola or Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

1 cup of White Chocolate Chips

1 cup Blackberries

1 Cup Blueberries

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 f. Spray muffin tins lightly. (This is a large batch so either prepare two 12 muffin pans — for smaller muffins — or one 12 and one 6 muffin pan for larger muffins.)

2. Place the Berries in a blender and process. Add the Sugar, Milk, Yogurt, Vegetable Oil and Vanilla Extract and blend completely, creating a pretty Superbowl Winning BALTIMORE RAVENS purple berry slurry.

3. In a large bowl combine the Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt.

4. Pour the berry slurry into the dry ingredients and mix.

The Berry Slurry and the dry ingredients just as I start to hand mix the two together (and remember that I wanted to take a picture.)

What the mostly mixed batter looks like.

5. Fill the muffin tins with the batter (divide evenly into 12 muffin cups if you want smaller muffins, divide evenly into 18 muffin cups if you want larger muffins — I went for larger muffins).

6. Top with 6 to 8 White Chocolate Chips per muffin.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Test with the toothpick test. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning them out onto a cool surface. Let sit at least 5 more minutes before enjoying.

These muffins were delicious and not too sweet. They were moist, but not gooey. Muffin taster Andrew S. liked the way the White Chocolate complimented the berries. My other tasters (fellow members of the contemporary band at my church) were too busy scarfing them down to give me a comment — which I take as a good sign.

Muffin Monday Banana Granola Chocolate Chip (ritalovestowrite.com
Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?) (ritalovestowrite.com)

Muffin Monday Almond Cranberry Muffins
Muffin Monday Raisin Muffins
Muffin Monday Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins
Muffin Monday Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

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UPDATE: Jenny B. (one of the other members of the Contemporary Band at my church) has weighed in to say of the muffins that “THEY WERE AMAZING!!!!!!” Thanks for the endorsement Jenny!

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*I know there should be a comma in the name of this muffin recipe, but I just couldn’t resist. I’m guessing that should Soul/Funk/Disco pioneer Barry White eat one of these muffins he’d probably comment … “I’ve heard people say that too much of a good thing can’t be good for you, baby, but I don’t know about that… I can’t get enough of these muffins babe.”

Yeah, you’re going to be humming that all day. You can thank me later.

13 Comments | tags: Baltimore Ravens, Barry White, Berry Muffins, Berry White Chocolate Muffins, Blackberry Muffins, Muffin | posted in Baking, Berries, Berry White Chocolate Muffins, chocolate, Food, Muffins, postaday

April 29, 2013

Muffin Monday Banana Granola Chocolate Chip

By ritalovestowrite

Bananna Granola Chocolate Chip

Ingredients:

2 Bananas

1 cup of Granola

1/2 cup of Milk

1 Egg
1/4 cup Peanut Oil

3 tablespoons Demerara Sugar (or raw or brown sugar)

1 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

Part 1: Pre-heat the oven to 425 f. Put muffin pants into the muffin tin and spray lightly.

Part 2: Mash Bananas in a large bowl. Mix in Granola and Milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

Part 3: Mix Oil and Egg in a measuring cup. Add the Sugar.

Part 4: Add the Whole Wheat and Buck Wheat Flour and the Baking Powder.

Part 5: Fold in Chocolate Chips.

Part 6: Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before enjoying. (Makes 12).

Muffin Monday Almond Cranberry Muffins
Muffin Monday Fruit Buckwheat Muffins
Muffin Monday Raisin Muffins
Muffin Monday Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins
Muffin Monday Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

14 Comments | tags: Bake, Chocolate chip, Muffin, Whole-wheat flour | posted in Baking, chocolate, Food, Muffins, postaday, Recipe, Thought of the Day

April 22, 2013

Muffin Monday — Almond Cranberry Muffins (DF)

By ritalovestowrite

Almond Cranberry Muffins (Dairy Free?)

I had to suggestions for this week’s Muffin Monday blog — something with Cranberries and something Dairy Free. I think I achieved both goals with these yummy Almond Cranberry Muffins. [Will my DF eaters double check me, please?]

Ingredients:

1 cup White Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 cup Almond Meal or Almond Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

4 tsp JUST WHITES (or 2 eggs)

1/4 c Water (don’t add this water if you use eggs)

1 tsp Vanilla or Almond Extract

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

2/3 cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup Chopped Dry Dates

1 cup of Boiling Water

Step One: Put the cranberries and dates in the boiling water and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes to plump then drain. (You can reserve the cranberry juice add another cup of cold water and drink it. )

Step Two: Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Put muffin pants into the muffin tin and spray lightly.

Step Three: Mix the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and Just Whites in a medium-sized bowl

Step Four: Mix the 1/4 cup of water, the extract, the cooking oil, and the maple syrup in a small bowl (or measuring cup large enough to handle it)

Step Five: Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix.

Step Six: Add the drained Cranberry and Date mixture.

Step Seven: Spoon into the muffin tin.

Step Eight: Bake for 25 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown at the top and they pass the toothpick test. Cool for 10 minutes before eating.

This recipe made 9 muffins.

BONUS RECIPE:

Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

For those of you who like a little Chocolate just change the top two ingredients…

1 1/2 cup of White Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

Follow the recipe above.

These muffins had a perfect flaky consistency and moisture content. Although usually a Chocolate girl myself, I actually prefered the almond version a bit more. But both were delicious. Enjoy!

Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?) (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday! Raisin Muffins (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)
Muffin Monday! Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)
Muffin Monday! Date Zucchini Orange (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)

More I want to try:

Gluten Free Pumpkin Nut Muffins (createwholehealth.com)
Almond Meal Banana Protein Muffins (stayinghealthywhenhungerstrikes.wordpress.com)

Leave a comment | tags: Dairy Free, Muffin, Muffin Monday | posted in Baking, chocolate, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

April 15, 2013

Muffin Monday! Raisin Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Raisin Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups of white whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of sugar Truvia

4 teaspoons of Just Whites (dry egg whites) [or 1 egg]

1/4 cup of Water [don’t add the water if you are using the egg]

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup chopped prunes

1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup raisins

golden raisin sauna (Photo credit: shutterbean)

Demerara sugar to garnish

Step One: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with muffin pants and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Step Two: In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients. (NOT the raisins)

Step Three: Add all the prunes and wet ingredients to the bowl and mix just enough to incorporate. Batter will be lumpy.

Step Four: Last, but not least, add the raisins.

Step Five: Spoon into muffin tin. Sprinkle Demerara sugar on top of each muffin to garnish.

Step Six: and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven when tops of muffins are golden brown and the muffins pass the toothpick test. Let rest 5 minutes before enjoying.

These were my most dense muffins to date. I liked the addition of the prunes — which let me cut down on the sugar / truvia, but I think I’ll try these with some zucchini to make them a bit lighter next time. They were good, but definitely morn on the dense biscuit side of the biscuit/muffin/cupcake spectrum. I’d be interested to know what you think…

More Muffin Monday madness:

Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?) (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday! Zucchini Chocolate Almond (Vegan?) (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)
Muffin Monday! Date Zucchini Orange Muffins (ritaLOVEStoWRITE.com)

13 Comments | tags: Muffin | posted in Baking, Food, Muffins, Thought of the Day

April 8, 2013

Muffin Monday! Fruit Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan?)

By ritalovestowrite

Hi everybody! Back with another delicious muffin recipe. I like to use what I’ve got on hand… and since last week’s macarons left me with some unused almond flour I used it here in place of some of the whole wheat pastry flour. I also tried Demerara sugar for the first time. These are great for breakfast or a snack, but they are moist so eat them up quickly or refrigerate them.

I think this one is Vegan too. (Any of my Vegan buddies want to check me on that, please?)

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Fruit Buckwheat Muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cups buckwheat flour

3/4 cups almond flour

3/4 cups white whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup Demerara sugar (or other raw sugar)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup orange juice ( I used the juice of 1 orange and enough of the juice from the cranberries/dates — see below — to make one cup.)

1/2 cup of canola oil

2 tsp orange zest

2 tsp almond extract

[Image courtesy: SmellLikeFoodInHere.com]

1 1/2 cups dry cranberries

1 cup dry chopped dates

1 medium zucchini grated

sliced almonds

Part One: put the dry cranberries and the dates in a medium-sized microwaveable bowl. Add enough water to cover the fruit. Cover loosely with plastic wrap/lid. Microwave on high for three minutes, stirring after each minute. (Don’t over cook or the juice will boil over and you’ll have a mess — you don’t want a mess.) Remove plastic wrap/lid and cool about 10 minutes. Drain the cranberries/dates. (Reserve the juice. You can either use it with the OJ in the recipe — which is what I did — or you can add some cold water and drink it. Its pretty tasty).

Part Two: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with muffin pants and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Part Three: In a large bowl mix all the ingredients except the almonds together, adding the cranberries/dates, last. Mix just well enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Don’t over mix.

Part Four: Fill the muffin tins almost all the way full. Garnish with a few almond slices.

Bake for 25 minutes and test with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean pull the muffins out and let cool a bit before your devour.

These didn’t rise very much, so they are dense and filling.

This recipe made 18 muffins.

Moist, fruity and delicious. These are some yummy muffins.

Banana-Apple Buckwheat Muffins (illhavesecondsblog.wordpress.com)
Buckwheat Breakfast Muffins! (makeseedobe.wordpress.com)

17 Comments | tags: Buckwheat, Muffin | posted in Baking, Muffins, Thought of the Day

March 25, 2013

Muffin Monday! Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Welcome to the second edition of MUFFIN MONDAY on ritaLOVEStoWRITE! I got a lot of good feed back on last week’s blog so it looks like this muffin thing might be a go. See my disclaimer on last week’s Muffin Monday blog.

Here’s my vegan (I think) recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins. Let me know what you think…

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Chocolate Zucchini Almond Muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Flour

1/2 cup of Truvia (or 1 cup of sugar)

2 Teaspoons of Baking SODA

4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil

8 Tablespoons of Cocoa

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

1 Teaspoon of Almond Extract

[Image courtesy: SmellsLikeFoodInHere.com]

4 Teaspoons of Vinegar

2 Cups of Water

1 Zucchini, grated

1/2 cup of Sliced Almonds

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step One: Put the flour, Truvia/sugar, baking soda, vegetable oil, cocoa, vanilla and almond extract and mix. The interaction between the vinegar and the baking soda is what makes these muffins rise — it’s muffin magic!

Step Two: Add the water and the zucchini, and mix. The batter will be on the liquid-y side.

Step Three: Prepare the muffin cups (this recipe will make 18 muffins.) Put “muffin pants” into the tin and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. They should be almost full.

Step Four: Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top the muffins.

Place into hot oven and bake for 25 -30 minutes until a tooth pick stuck into the center of the muffin comes out clean. These are VERY moist muffins. It couldn’t hurt to bake them an extra 5 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy.

My expert college muffin testers agree, these muffins are well worth the effort. They give them two thumbs up. Ms. Lehmann says : “They are delicious and the most fluffy things I have ever eaten.” While Ms. Schmidt simply replied “Yummmmmmmmmy!” ..and was curious when I might be sending more. Ahhh girls– there’s always next week. 🙂

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Question to my Vegan friends… did I do it? Do these qualify as Vegan Friendly? No diary or animal by-product. I think I’m safe, but I need a bona fide Vegan to give me the blessing.

If you’ve got a recipe you’d like to share (with me and with the followers of this blog) please send me an email at ritaLOVEStoWRITE@gmail.com.

20 Comments | tags: Almond, Muffin, Zucchini | posted in Food, Muffins, postaday, Recipe, Thought of the Day, Vegan

March 18, 2013

Muffin Monday! Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

So… I thought I’d indulge in another of my passions — BAKING — one day a week. What do you think? Unless I hear some serious uproar in protest I proclaim Mondays “Muffin Monday” in all the land. You may have noticed the amended bit at of the legal portion of my Home Page… please note that although the recipes I’ll be highlighting in Muffin Monday worked brilliantly in my kitchen they may not work for you. I’m not calling you a bad cook or any thing, but SOMETHING might happen… and since I’m not there watching you add the ingredients one at time or setting the temperature I can’t be responsible for the end results. Having said that… give it a go and see if you like it. If you do please let me know.

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