Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

We're without a car today so we're (I'm) in the midst of a cleaning/organizing focused housebound day.
Sawyer wanted to take a break and make cookies... I conceded, suggesting muffins instead. Warm and hearty sounds better on a cold, snowy, housebound day.




Here's what we whipped up and they are YUMMY!
They're made with whole grains and have very little fat so these muffins are a guilt free treat!













Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

whisk together in large bowl:
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups oats (any oats will work, but if you use old fashioned or steel cut oats you'll get a heartier texture)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon

combine in smaller bowl:
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup low-fat or non-fat buttermilk
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture, stirring until just moist. Don’t over mix!
Carefully fold in about ¾ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Spoon batter into lined or sprayed muffin cups. Makes 12-16
Bake in preheated 375°F oven 16-18min. Makes 12-16 muffins.




















I'm not a huge fan of big blueberries in muffins, I just used them to finish off the ones I had in the freezer. I think these would be really good with some dried apple bits rather than the berries, or any other berry you'd have on hand. They're a really hearty muffin with a bit of sweetness to them that would go well with anything. Chocolate chips would be awfully tempting too!

Beer Bread

I love this bread.
You can alter the flavor a tad by using different beers; darker, or a sweet honey beer, or try out whatever you have on hand. My favorite is a local Irish beer. Yum, it makes it so good!

This is the simplest bread recipe I have, and it is hands down my favorite.
It uses as little as three ingredients. That's it. Flour, sugar and beer. How simple is that??
It goes together in a couple of minutes, bakes easily, and goes with so many meals.
Some of my favorite pairings... this chili, this soup, and this pork and veggie dish. It's awesome just as a snack too.

Beer Bread

• 3 cups flour (sifted)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) can/bottle of beer
• 1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

NOTES: Sifting flour for this bread recipe is a must-do. Most people just scoop the 1 cup measure in the flour canister and level it off. That compacts the flour and will turn your bread into a hard biscuit. If you do not have a sifter, use a spoon to lightly spoon the flour into the 1 cup measure. Try it once the "correct" way and you will see an amazing difference in the end product. I do not have a sifter, so I scoop into a mesh strainer.
You can use non-alcoholic beverages instead of beer. That is fine to do but it's recommended you add a packet of Dry Active Yeast or 2 teaspoons of Bread (Machine) Yeast so that you get a proper rise.
The final result should be a thick, hearty and very tasteful bread, NOT A BRICK! ;). Just be sure you sift your flour and it's easy peasy!!

Berry Banana Mini-Muffins

Made these muffins last night in an ongoing effort to get Sawyer to eat something substantial for breakfast...
both kids gobbled down four of these mini muffins this morning!

They have a great fruity flavor and are so moist and tender. And it helps that I know there's antioxidants and fiber in every bite!!

Berry Banana Mini-Muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup freshly shredded carrot
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup frozen wild blueberries

Lightly coat 48 mini-muffin cups with no-stick cooking spray (you can also make regular sized muffins, just bake about 5 minutes longer than called for); preheat oven to 400*.
In medium bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In second medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, carrot, buttermilk, honey and oil.
Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Pour in egg mixture and stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way.
Bake about 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in muffin pans for 5 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen mini-muffins.
Yum!

We Had a Regular Bakery Going on Round Here

I was on a baking binge the other day and just thought I'd share what Savannah and I whipped up. All of our favorites...

The Best Banana Bread
3 very ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3-1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

-Combine all ingredients together; EXCEPT you need to mix together the milk and baking soda separately before adding to the other ingredients.
-Pour batter into GREASED loaf pan
-Bake 1 hour at 325* check center done with toothpick

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Baking Cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2/3 cups (10oz pkg) Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

-Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
-Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy.
-Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
-Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well.
-Stir in peanut butter chips.
-Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutesat 350*. Do not overbake. Cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.
-Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

** I also make these substituting Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips for the peanut-butter chips sometimes. Awesome!!

Breakfast Cookies
1 cup shortening or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups Special K cereal
1 cup oatmeal
Raisins

-Beat together shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla till light and creamy.
-Mix together flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl.
-Gradually blend flour mix into creamed mixture.
-Stir in cereal, oatmeal and raisins.
-Bake 8-10 minutes at 375*
-Let stand 2 min before removing from cookie sheet.