Caramel Banana Pecan Muffins

                            

Yet another muffin recipe to share today.  This one might not look like anything to write home about but it most certainly is.  It starts with a banana and cream cheese laced batter then adds crunchy pecans, banana slices, and (hoo-boy!) caramel bits.  Sprinkle it all with some cinnamon sugar, bake it up, and voila--muffin-induced coma.  Yes please!

Caramel Banana Pecan Muffins
{recipe source: dwellonjoy.com}


1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 T sugar
1 t cinnamon

1 3oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 medium very ripe banana, peeled and mashed (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t kosher salt
Kraft caramel bits (found mine at wal-mart by the choco chips. etc.)

1 medium ripe banana, peeled and thinly sliced
1 T butter melted

Line 12 cup muffin tine with liners.  Spray with cooking spray.  In small bowl combine chopped pecans, 2 T sugar, and 1 t cinnamon.  Set aside.

In mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and 2/3 cup sugar until creamy. Add the egg and mix to combine.  Beat in mashed banana and vanilla just until combined.

In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to bowl/wet mixture one spoonful at a time while mixer is stirring on low just until combined.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the pecan mixture.

Spoon about a Tablespoon of the batter into each muffin cup.  Sprinkle on some caramel bits and a slice or 2 of banana.  Spoon another Tablespoon of batter on top.  Mix remaining pecan mixture and 1 T of melted butter together.  Sprinkle some over each muffin cup.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.  Cool in pan for a few minutes before removing.  (Can add a caramel drizzle to each baked muffin if you want.)

Orange Poppyseed Muffins

I should just start a weekly feature with new muffin recipes. Muffin Monday's anyone? I can't help myself and so I think I'll just have to stop apologizing for the lack of food diversity as of late and simply say there will most likely be plenty more where these came from. Orange. Poppyseed. with glaze. sold. Delightful, essence of spring, drippy sweet, warm muffin. Please make. Done.

Orange Poppyseed Muffins

{recipe from makeitdo.com via pinterest}

2/3 cup granulated sugar

zest and juice of 1 orange

2 cups flour

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 t vanilla

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 T poppy seeds

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 T fresh squeezed orange juice

2 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper cups.

Melt butter and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, zest the orange and add granulated sugar. Using your hands, run the orange zest and sugar together until well blended and fragrant. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Mix until well blended.

In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, eggs, vanilla, orange juice, and melted butter until well blended. Pour liquid mixture over the dry ingredients. Gently stir to combine. Do not over mix, a few lumps are fine.

Spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of center muffin comes out clean.

While muffins are baking, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, 3 T orange juice, and melted butter until smooth.

Remove muffins from the pan, place on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet beneath to catch extra glaze. Allow to cool a few minutes before drizzling glaze over muffins.

Double Chocolate Muffins

Why stop at single chocolate when you can go double chocolate? We reeealllly liked these. They're obviously closer to a dessert than a breakfast item and that's what we used them for: snacks and after dinner dessert. I opted to sub in some whole wheat flour in a half-hearted effort to wholesome them up, and although it was probably a lost cause health-wise, I really liked the extra texture it added. And by leaving some of the white flour, they still retained an overall light and tender consistency. I think all whole wheat, for a more dense muffin, would work wonderfully as well. Perhaps working in some applesauce in place of the some of the oil would also be a decent alternative.

Totally worth the splurge and my brain would like to think they're still better than a cupcake, so there.

Double Chocolate Muffins

{Slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe. Makes 24 regular size muffins}

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup white flour

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 eggs

1 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk (Come to think of it I may have accidentally left this out-and shockingly they were fine! How funny!)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 t vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 and line 2 12-spot muffin tins with cupcake liners, each sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl and then add chocolate chips and toss. In bowl of stand mixer combine all wet ingredients. When mixed well pour all dry ingredients in at once and mix briefly on low. You don't want to over-mix muffins, so it's OK if the wet and dry ingredients don't look as combined as you think they should. Stop just short of your mixed comfort level!

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins-1/2 to 2/3rds full. Bake at 325 for 16-22 minutes. (The original recipe says 16-18, I checked at both 16 and 18 and still kept them in 2-4 minutes longer). They're done when a toothpick test comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove tins from oven and cool on wire rack. I think they're best at almost room temp, when the chocolate chips are just starting to harden again.

Keep leftovers in an airtight container on counter for up to 2 days.

Scrumptious Honey Buttered Scones

If you haven't eaten hot scones particularly with melt-y honey butter than you haven't lived! We don't eat much deep-fried fare in our house, but I make an exception with these scones. And it's so worth it! As for the honey butter, for those of us who've had the out of this world experience of fresh Lion House rolls slathered with their amazing honey butter-let me just tell you this honey butter easily gives theirs a run for it's money. It's that good. Plus it doesn't have anything weird and, let's be serious, kind of gross like egg whites in it-as I've heard some honey butters do. 3 simple ingredients whipped together and you're in heaven! Sweet, fluffy, honey-filled heaven!

PS Watch for the next post featuring a savory way to enjoy these scones, so versatile right?!

Scrumptious Honey Buttered Scones

{Honey butter recipe source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

4 cups flour

1 cup dried milk (sweet! a food storage item use!)

2 cups warm water

8 t baking powder

2 t salt

Large amount of oil for frying

Mix warm water and milk together in small bowl. In bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add warm "milk" until dough comes together and isn't ridiculously sticky. Roll a golf ball sized amount of dough into a thin circle, using some flour to help with sticking. Slash 3 slits into dough with knife-this helps to alleviate some serious bubbling air pockets during frying. Heat oil in fryer or deep-ish pan/pot over med-high heat. To test if it's ready, drop a pea size amount of dough into hot oil. If it immediately sizzles and quickly floats to the surface the oil is ready for frying. Fry scones one or two at time, but don't crowd the pot, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with honey butter, jam, etc.

Honey Butter

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

In electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add marshmallow creme and honey and mix until well blended. Serve at room temp. May keep in fridge or freezer.