Chocolate Orange Coffee Cake

I recently came across a great recipe for coffee cake. It's one of Food Network's mix-and-match recipes, so you can easily customize it according to what you might have on hand. Below is the version I made, mixing in oats and orange zest in the topping and filling the middle with chocolate chips. It reminded me ever so slightly of orange & chocolate buttermilk scones (I'm a sucker for any breakfast treat with citrus zest!). I served this for breakfast the weekend that Caleb's parents came to visit last month, and I found that Caleb and his dad were sneaking pieces all weekend long, breakfast time or not.

Chocolate Orange Coffee Cake
for the topping:
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

for the batter:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with foil, leaving an overhang; butter the foil.

Make the topping: Whisk together flour, brown sugar, oats, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender until incorporated. Set aside. (Can store in the fridge, covered, for one day.)

Make the batter: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and at the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. The batter will be thick.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top in an even layer. Spoon the remaining batter over the chocolate chips and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the prepared topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes in the baking dish, then lift out the cake using the foil and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

source: recipe from food network

Sour Cream Pancakes

We've had quite the weather this past week! We got snow on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving us stuck at home on Wednesday and Thursday! That's the first we've had snow days since we moved to South Carolina, since we are in South Carolina after all! We headed back to work on Friday, but Wednesday and Thursday were a wonderful treat. We got a few things done, but we mostly watched the snow come down, talked, read, stayed cozy, and ate these pancakes. It's not your typical buttermilk pancake recipe, as there's no milk and hardly any flour. But they were a delicious treat for something different, and a perfect breakfast on a snow day. We had an earthquake on Friday, and yesterday it was a balmy 60+ degrees. Whatever Mother Nature is sending your way, I hope you have a great Monday :)

Sour Cream Pancakes
1 cup sour cream
7 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream with the dry ingredients until just barely combined (don't over-mix). Whisk in the egg mixture until just combined.

Heat a griddle over medium-low heat and melt some butter in the pan. Drop batter by1/4 cup servings onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles start to form on the surface and edges are starting to brown. Flip to the other side and cook for another minute. (Pancakes will be a little on the soft side.)

Serve with butter and syrup.

source: recipe from the pioneer woman

Baked French Toast

Many Sunday afternoons you can find Caleb and me having brunch at home after church. Most of the time we have omelettes or buttermilk pancakes, but recently I tried this baked French toast. I was able to put it all together and stick it in the fridge before church, so when we got home all I had to do was pop it in the oven for a little while. I'm a sucker for anything in individual servings, but this would also be perfect to serve weekend house guests, since you are able to do the work ahead of time. Happy Monday!

Baked French Toast
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 small French baguette (I used whole wheat), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5-6 cups)

Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl. Whisk briefly. Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean pod. Add in the cinnamon. Whisk well until the mixture is evenly combined. Stir in the cubes of bread until evenly coated.

Lightly grease four individual oven-safe serving dishes. Divide the bread-egg mixture evenly between the dishes. Cover dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the dishes. Place dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffed up and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve as desired with a dusting of confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, or fresh berries.

source: recipe from annie's eats

Weekend Breakfast Ideas

My breakfasts during the week consist of a green smoothie that I throw down while I'm emptying the dishwasher/blogging/packing my lunch.  It's the farthest thing from a relaxing meal, so I love the idea of a slower paced, slightly more decadent breakfast on the weekend.  These are a few of the ones that have caught my eye recently. I've already made the lemon poppyseed pancakes and the baked french toast, and both were recipes I will make again. Here's to a wonderful week, filled with leisurely breakfasts!  

Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Sugar Donuts

Apple Cinnamon Mini Monkey Breads

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Baked French Toast

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

Croissant French Toast

This past weekend I had the sudden urge to make French toast for breakfast.  I'll usually take pancakes over French toast any day, but I really wanted some French toast made with croissants.  We don't go to church until 10:45 on Sunday morning, so I was able to get up in enough time to make us a breakfast of French toast before church.  I loved that the croissants made this French toast a little lighter and airier, and it was the perfect start to our Sunday.

Croissant French Toast
5 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp finely grated orange zest
4 croissants, split horizontally
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Whisk eggs, half-and-half, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl to blend.  Add croissants to egg mixture; turn to coat evenly on both sides.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat.  Brush with melted butter.  Lift croissants from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.  Cook croissants on griddle until browned on both sides and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Place 2 halves on each plate and serve with toppings of choice.  Makes 4 servings.

source:  recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, December 2011

Chocolate Chunk Muffins

So much has happened the past few days!  On Thursday we finished packing and cleaning up our old house and loaded the truck. Friday we drove down and unloaded the truck, which was quite a task since we now live on the 3rd floor! Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we unpacked, bought new furniture, and tried to find our way around town.  Also on Monday we celebrated our 1st anniversary (thanks for all your kind congratulations!).  So, I apologize for my lack of blog activity but things were a bit crazy!

We LOVE our new place!  I feel completely at home here already which is such a blessing!  Everything is unpacked, and we feel very settled.  Yesterday afternoon as I was waiting for the internet guy to come, I decided it was time to bake in the new kitchen.  I'm a firm believer in chocolate for breakfast: pain au chocolat, chocolate milk, chocolate chip pancakes, etc.  These chocolate chunk muffins almost taste like a chocolate chip pancake.  Without the mess of syrup.

Chocolate Chunk Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Grease regular muffin tray or line with muffin liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, stir together sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter.  Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Stir in chocolate chunks. Divide batter among baking cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until done.  Makes 12-14 muffins.

source:  recipe from bakerella

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I've made a number of banana breads in my life, but never had I tried a chocolate banana bread.  Not until this week.  I wondered if the chocolate would overpower the bananas, but it didn't.  This bread is moist and perfectly blends the chocolate and banana together.  A new favorite banana bread for sure!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
2 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer in large bowl), beat the butter at medium speed until soft, about 1 minute.  Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat another 2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating a minute after each addition.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas.  Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.  Still on low, add the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into buttered 9x5 loaf pan and place on insulated baking sheet or two regular baking sheets on top of each other.  This will keep the bottom of the bread from over-baking.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent and bake another 40-50 minutes (total baking time is 70-80 minutes), or until knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool pan on cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it.  Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

source:  recipe from joy the baker, from Baking: From My Home to Yours


Other favorite banana breads:
Banana Zucchini Bread
Best Banana Bread
Caramel Pecan Banana Bread

linking up with this chick cooks, delectable tuesday, tasty tuesday party, full plate thursday

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

A couple of weekends ago Caleb and I completed another thing off of our summer bucket list - we went berry picking!  We went to a berry farm where they have blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.  We intended to pick all three, but because it was early in the raspberry season and some greedy woman had gotten there before us and picked the raspberry bushes clean (seriously, I saw her lugging her huge hoard of raspberries around), we came home with just blackberries and blueberries. I let the blueberries sit at room temperature for 24 hours to finish ripening (as instructed by the berry farm people), but after that I couldn't wait to bake with them!

{fresh blueberry almond coffee cake}

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 large egg white*
1 cup sliced almonds

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Combine butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in whole eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until just incorporated.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon batter into buttered 2-2 1/2 quart baking dish and spread evenly.

*To measure the half egg white, lightly beat an egg white with a fork in a measuring cup, then pour out half of it.

In a small bowl, combine egg white, remaining 3 Tbsp sugar, and almonds, stirring to coat almonds.  Spoon almond topping over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.  Cool in pan on a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

source:  recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook

Basic Herb Quiche

One of the things I love making in the summer for dinner is quiche.  It's easy to throw together, it makes for a bit of a lighter dinner, and it's delicious.  This recipe is quiche in its simplest form, but it's one of our favorites.

herb quiche

Basic Herb Quiche
1 refrigerated rolled pie crust
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2-4 Tbsp of dried parsley, depending on taste
4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 oz Gruyère cheese, grated

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Place pie crust in pie pan.  Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, 12-15 minutes.  Remove and reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in parsley and remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.  Gently stir in the onion mixture and the grated Gruyère.  Pour the egg mixture into the crust.  Bake until just set and knife inserted into the center comes clean, about 35-40 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.  Serves 8.

source:  recipe from woman's day, May 2011

Streusel Sour Cream Coffee Cakes

Hands down best way to start a week?  A cup of a coffee and a muffin.  Or a donut. Or a scone.  You get the picture:  Monday morning comes around, go get yourself a baked treat and a cup of coffee.

Streusel Sour Cream Coffee Cakes

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest

Stir together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Blend in 1 1/2 sticks of butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-sized lumps of butter.  Transfer 3/4 cup of mixture to a medium bowl and blend in cinnamon, remaining 1/2 stick of butter, and remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar with pastry blender until crumbly.  Stir in pecans.  Refrigerate streusel topping for 15 minutes.

Whisk together sour cream, egg, yolk, vanilla, baking soda, and orange zest in a bowl.  Stir into remaining flour mixture until just combined (batter will be stiff).

Generously butter 18 muffin cups; butter tops of muffin pans as well.  Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.  Sprinkle each with streusel topping and press it lightly into batter.  Bake at 350 degrees until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.  Cool in pans on racks for 30 minutes.  Loosen cakes with a sharp small knife, then carefully remove from pan.  Makes 14-18 cakes.

source:  recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

It had been a while since I had picked/seen/eaten raspberries, so when I washed these all I could see were all those little hairs.  Why do raspberries have those little hairs on them?  I was tired of wondering so I googled.  Apparently they are the remnants of pistils, the female portion of the flower, and they may help protect the fruit from insect damage.  Good to know.  I guess?  Anyway, we think these muffins are really good, and I'm glad to have a good raspberry muffin recipe.

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups raspberries

Line muffin pans with paper liners or lightly grease.

Whisk lemon juice, milk, oil, and egg in a medium bowl until well combined.

Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and white chocolate in a large bowl.  Add the raspberries to the dry ingredients and gently stir to coat the berries in the flour mixture.  Then gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Pour the mixture into the muffin tins about two-thirds full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for a few minutes in pan before removing to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes 15-18 muffins.

source:  recipe from gimme some oven

I'm linking up with sweets for a saturday at sweet as sugar cookies!

Sausage Balls

Don't you love the feeling of arriving home after you've been gone?  In the last six weeks, I think we've slept 10 different places and have only come home for about four days at a time before leaving again.  It's been fun to travel but I'm excited that we are home for a solid two weeks before it's time to leave again!  

Today I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that I have to do to catch up on life here (i.e. our fridge is empty) plus a huge project that I have to finish by tonight (yikes!).  So, today is an easy, delicious recipe.  I make a batch of these sausage balls, then stick them in the freezer to pull out to supplement a bowl of cereal for breakfast or for a snack when dinner is running late.

Sausage Balls

Put one pound of grated cheddar cheese (at room temperature) in a bowl.

Add one pound of regular breakfast sausage (at room temperature).

Dump 3 cups of Bisquick into the bowl.

Mix these ingredients together until well combined.

Form into walnut-sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, then remove

to cooling rack or waxed paper.

What recipes do you use that freeze well?  I'm always looking for more!

Banana Macadamia Muffins

So here it is: a muffin with bananas, coconut, pineapple, AND macadamia nuts. Say whaat?!  They're pretty much screaming aloha as they come out of the oven.  All of the different flavors blended so well together and made for delicious, moist muffins.  Enjoy!

Banana Macadamia Muffins
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until moistened.  The batter with seem very stiff.  Fold in the mashed bananas, the coconut, and the pineapple.  Combine well to ensure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins two-thirds full.  Sprinkle with macadamia nuts.  Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pans before removing to wire racks.

source:  recipe from Simple & Delicious, June/July 2011

Ultimate Crumb Cake

I don't know how many times I've watched my dad eat Entenmann's Ultimate Crumb Cake.  On the weekends, on vacation, any time after he would make a trip to the grocery store for my mom; he just loves it.  And every time, he comments that there should be more crumbs.  When I saw this recipe for New York Style Crumb Cake, I knew I wanted to make it for my dad and make sure there were extra crumbs.  So I halved the cake part of the recipe and kept the full amount of crumbs.  Yes, this was an incredibly rich coffee cake.  If you're not into that, double the cake part of the recipe, and bake it in a 9x13 pan instead.  But if you can handle the crumbs, make this.

crumb cake, heavy on the crumbs

Ultimate Crumb Cake

For the crumb topping:

3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butted, melted

For the cake:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk

Make the crumb topping:  Mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Pour warm melted butter over mixture, and mix together until medium to large clumps form.

Make the cake:  Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, then vanilla.  Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.  Continue to beat until well combined.

Spoon batter into greased baking dish (2.5 qt) and spread evenly.  Sprinkle crumb topping mixture evenly over batter.

Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.  Transfer pan to wire rack.  Let cake cool slightly, about 15 minutes.  Can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

source:  recipe slightly altered from Martha Stewart Living, March 2011

Caramel Pecan Banana Bread

It's day 3 of our stay at the beach, and we are so relaxed.  Wake up, eat, lay on the beach, take a dip in the pool, eat, lay on the beach, get in the hot tub, eat, read, talk, eat, sleep.  Seriously - this is the life.  Caleb and I have had a couple of hard weeks with work and other things, so it's been great to get away from it all and just enjoy ourselves.  As much as I love cooking, it is nice to have those hours of my day free again!  I had asked my mother-in-law if she wanted me to cook anything ahead of time to bring, and all she wanted was this bread.

caramel & pecan topped banana bread

Caramel Pecan Banana Bread
2 cups flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 ripe large bananas
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped pecans
half a package (5.5 oz package) Werther's chewy caramels, chopped

In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In medium bowl, mash the bananas.  Add the eggs, melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla and combine well.  Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined.  Don't overmix.

batter topped with pecans and caramels

Pour batter into greased 9-inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle the chopped caramels and chopped pecans over the top of the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until bread is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

source:  recipe adapted from joy of baking

Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins

I needed something new, and I realized I hadn't made an apple muffin yet.  Enter these muffins.  The OCD-ness in me really wanted to rename these Apple Butterscotch Cinnamon muffins so the adjectives would be in alphabetical order, but it sounds awkward.  So as much as leaving it ACB irks me, these are yummy muffins.  After taking a bite Caleb said, "these are fluffy!"  I think that is a good thing when it comes to muffins.  I don't like when they're heavy and dense; they tend to dry out faster.  Happy Monday!

Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped apples (in pretty small pieces)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix lightly with a fork to blend.  Stir in the oats and mix together.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth (your Kitchenaid mixer with the paddle attachment works great too).  Beat in the applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat just until incorporated so as to not end up with dry muffins.  Fold in the butterscotch chips and the chopped apples with a spatula.  Divide the batter evenly into muffin tins lined with paper liners.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 18-22 muffins.

Source:  recipe adapted from annie's eats

Banana Zucchini Bread

I was excited to see zucchini at the grocery last week!  Caleb loves zucchini breads, and since zucchini will be available for a while as we get into summer, I'd like to try some different zucchini recipes.  I started with a tried and true recipe.  This bread is a recipe of my mom's, and Caleb literally devours half of the loaf in one day.  You think I'm kidding, but I'm really not.  I think I only had two slices of the entire loaf!  This is a simple recipe, and it makes two loaves--which comes in handy around here.

Banana Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Beat eggs until light and fluffy.  Add oil, brown sugar, white sugar, zucchini, mashed bananas, and vanilla.  Blend together until well combined.  Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Divide batter between two greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Then cool on wire rack.

One loaf for now

And freeze one loaf for later!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Last week I decided I needed to make some muffins.  We had had scones or banana bread for the past couple of weeks, but I needed muffins again.  I had bookmarked this recipe a little while ago and realized I had all of the ingredients on hand!  I love recipes like that - just simple, basic ingredients so you can whip it up whenever you have the craving.  I was a little nervous that when I ate one of these I would have that guilty-because-I-feel-like-I-just-ate-dessert-for-breakfast feeling.  But I didn't.  Of course the chocolate chips add sweetness, but I didn't think the actual muffin was too sweet for breakfast.  Caleb said I definitely needed to add these to my permanent recipes.  I try so many recipes that I get from all over the place, but if it's something I know I will want to make again and again, it gets permanent residence in the book.  Enjoy!


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chocolate chips

In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.  Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, eggs and milk until smooth.  Add in the flour mixture and stir just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Divide batter evenly among paper-lined muffin tins (or get some silicone baking cups - they're the best!) and fill to almost the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Store at room temperature in airtight container.

Source:  recipe from annie's eats

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Cranberry White Chocolate Scones

Ooh these scones.  These are the scones that made me fall in love with scones.  I compare every other variety of scone to this one, and it always comes out on top.  This delicious recipe is from my sister Lauren; I can take no credit.  I have nothing more to say; just make these scones and thank me later.

Cranberry White Chocolate Scones
1 3/4 cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup craisins
4-6 Tbsp half and half, plus additional
1/3 cup cold butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
coarse sugar crystals

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.  Cut in butter using pastry blender until mixture looks like fine crumbs.  Stir in egg, craisins, chocolate chips, and just enough of the 4-6 Tbsp of half and half so the dough leaves the side of the bowl.  Place dough on lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat.  Knead lightly 10 times.  Roll/pat into an 8" circle and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Cut into eight wedges with sharp knife that has been dipped in flour after each cut.  Don't separate wedges.  Brush top of scones with half and half and sprinkle with sugar crystals (or can use granulated). Bake at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes, or until golden.  (The thicker the scones, the longer they take to bake - make sure the middle of the circle is not gooey.)  Immediately remove from cookie sheet; carefully separate wedges.  Serve warm, or can store in airtight container and serve later.