Freezing Muffins

I decided to double my blueberry muffin recipe. One batch for now and freeze the other batch for later. You can cook any muffins according to their instructions. After they are done baking, place on a cookie sheet and freeze 1-2 hours. Then place in a gallon ziplock bag and place back in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, just set them out to thaw. If you like them warm, pop them back in microwave for 5-10 seconds. 

I used the following blueberry recipe.

Blueberry Muffins:

• Ingredients

• 
  

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture.
Fold in blueberries.
Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.                                                                                                  
To Make Crumb Topping:
Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

A Week of Lunches

Okay this is not a post to flaunt how I prepare our weekly lunches. Everyone has their own way of doing things. A few of you have requested a post on how I make a week of lunches. Sunday is my day to make lunches for the whole entire week. This actually only takes me the max, an hour and half. Not too bad when you don't have to make lunches every. single. day. Also, this helps us to eat and snack healthy throughout the week. If I don't prepare I will go for unhealthy snacks or lunches. I will do my best to post our weekly lunch. 

The Kids Lunch

• Mini chocolate chip muffins http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2012/08/chocolate-chip-muffins.html  Our kids love this recipe. 
• Carrots
• Yogurt

Our Lunch

I put a package of chicken in the crockpot and pour any marinade over it. Cook between 6-8 hours. Take out and cool. 

Lunch:

• Chicken and sautéed vegetables. This week I did peppers, zucchini, squash and onions.
• Oranges
• Carrots
• Trail mix (for Jeremy)

Snack:

• Apples and peanut butter. I divide peanut butter into separate containers.
• Zone Perfect bars. 

Breakfast:

Betty Crocker's Banana Bread. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-bread/51427396-6764-4b0a-a73a-78c683c703d2

The kids love to have some kind of breakfast bread or muffins for breakfast.

The key to this bread is immediately wrap it in foil when it comes out of the oven and place in the freezer. It will make the bread really moist. Also, we love throwing in a package of chocolate chips. 

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

This recipe is from my mother-in-law. She made this the other day and my children each ate 4!  I made a batch for school lunches this week. 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans (I left these out due to peanut allergies in the kids classes)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1/4 cup  Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 TBS. chopped pecans (left this out due to allergies)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. Generously grease 18 muffins tins or line with paper baking cups. Combine dry ingredients; add pumpkin, brown sugar, vegetable oil, milk, egg,  and vanilla, stirring just until moistened. Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full.

Combine remaining ingredients; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Serve warm.

Yields: 1 1/2 dozen

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

Recipe is from Our Best Bites. 

This was a hit at our house. So good! I love them warm, right out of the oven. 

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix (I didn't have yellow cake mix I only had white and it turned out fine)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (I used cinnamon)
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lin 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients and then beat on high for 3 minutes.

Toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice and then add the flour and toss to coat evenly. Fold the apples into the cake batter and then divide evenly in the lined muffin tin.

Whisk together all the streusel topping ingredients except the butter. Add the butter and cut it in with two  knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.

Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (this really will depend on your oven) or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Makes 24 muffins.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is a family favorite in our house.  One batch is gone in a day. 
Recipe is from food.com

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed 
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2/3 cup milk 
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled 
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 (11 1/2 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

 Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease twelve muffin cups. 
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. 
In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended.  Make a well in center of dry ingredients. 6Add milk mixture and stir just to combine.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.  Now bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.  Remove muffin tin to wire rack.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Remove from tins to finish cooling.  Serve warm or completely cool. 
These muffins freeze well.

Overnight Baked Blueberry French Toast

This recipe was adapted from The Yummy Life.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) whole grain French bagette (or similar bakery bread loaf)
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups  milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries; or 1 (12 oz) bag frozen blueberries, thawed, rinsed & drained
• STRUESEL TOPPING:
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Cut bagette diagonally into 1" slices. Layer slices in two rows in baking dish. 

In large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, separating slices as you pour so the mixture gets between them. Sprinkle blueberries over casserole while separating the slices so that some of the berries fall between them. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Struesel topping:

In medium bowl whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, oats, brown sugar, & cinnamon. Cut in butter. Mix until combined and crumbly. Add pecans, if desired, and mix. Set aside.

Remove baking dish from refrigerator and let sit for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle streusel evenly over top of bread slices. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through, lightly browned, and there is no visible liquid. Center should be moist but not runny. To prevent over browning, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over top during last 10 minutes, if necessary. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup or blueberry sauce.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Sauce

So yummy! This recipe was adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/blueberry-scones-with-lemon-glaze-recipe/index.htm

Ingredients

Blueberry Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones

Lemon Glaze:

• 1/4 -1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 lemon, zest finely grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

Cook in a small pot or cook it in the microwave. Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners' until dissolved in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water for the double-boiler method, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. 

Yummy Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick margarine or butter, melted


Directions:


Combine oil, sugar, egg, salt, flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat until well blending. Pour half of the batter into a greased 8x8 in pan. Mix cinnamon, nuts and brown sugar together. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar on the second layer of the batter. Pour melted margarine over the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for about 20 -25 min. 

Cinnamon Roll Cake (Rumbly In My Tumbly)

This recipe is from http://sorumblyinmytumbly.blogspot.com/2011/08/cinnamon-roll-cake.html

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While the cake is warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Cream Cheese-Stuffed Lemon French Toast with Strawberries (Our Best Bites)

This recipe is from http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/01/cream-cheese-stuffed-lemon-french-toast-with-strawberries/

Ingredients:

6 large, stale butter croissants
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 lemons
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
Strawberry Sauce http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/05/strawberry-sauce/
Sliced fresh strawberries (about 2 cups)
Sweetened Whipped Cream http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/sweetened-whipped-cream/

Instructions:

Slice the croissants in half lengthwise. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, zest of one lemon, strained juice of one lemon (about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons), and 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Spread the lemon cream cheese mixture over the bottoms of the croissants and then replace the tops, pressing down to flatten. Cut into halves (or even fourths if necessary) and arrange the pieces evenly in a 9×13″ pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the milk, eggs, lemon extract, zest from the second lemon, and remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Pour evenly over the croissants and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 8-10 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake covered for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the croissants are golden brown and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and top individual servings with Strawberry Sauce, fresh sliced strawberries, and, if desired, sweetened whipped cream. Serves 10-12.

Strawberry Lemonade Scones (Munchkin Munchies)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour* 

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (chilled, not softened), cut into cubes

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

1 generous tablespoon lemon zest

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

Topping:

sugar

Sanding sugar

Cream

Prepared lemon curd

1.   Preheat oven to 400 degrees  F.  In large bowl mix together flour,  sugar, baking     powder, and salt.  With pastry blender, cut in butter cubes until mixture has coarse crumbs.  Gently add both kinds of strawberries and the lemon zest. Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

2.    In a medium bowl, mix together eggs and cream.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Gently stir until moistened.

3.   Place dough onto a well floured surface.  Gently knead the dough by folding and pressing it about 7 times, turning the dough a quarter turn after each fold. Move dough to a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet (or stoneware baking sheet without parchment). Pat dough into a ¾ inch-thick circle. Cut circle into wedges and separate each slightly.

4.   Brush wedges with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 16-20 minutes until golden brown.   Drizzle scones with lemon curd and top with sanding sugar.  Makes 8-12 scones.

Overnight French Toast (Quick Dish)

Trying a new overnight french toast recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 loaf brioche or challah (French toast can also be sliced 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 8 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup pecans, measured then chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• (optional) maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping

Directions

1. 1In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
2. 2Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish overlapping if necessary.
3. 3Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices.
4. 4Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices.
5. 5Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
6. 6In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
7. 7Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry it out completely.
8. 8Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Blueberry Crumb Cake (Barefoot Contessa)

This is so yummy!!!!

6 Videos | Photo: Blueberry Crumb Cake Recipe
Ingredients

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  

For the cake:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,

crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.