Chocolate Delight Muffins

I stumbled across this recipe a while back and have been making it ever since.  Actually, I saw another blogger make them, but I can't remember who.  Original source is below.  If I owe you a shout out, let me know.  

I recommend this recipe because it is so full proof.  It is uniformly moist, but also uniformly firm and not crumbly.  You can freeze them and they defrost in the same condition as you started.  You can pack them in lunches and expect that they don't easily compact.  Hand them out to the kiddos; they are very good kiddos, afterall.

First, I use the muffin papers. In my world, muffins travel.  The papers make them tidier.  Oh, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, the dry ingredients. 

• 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour or 1 c. AP flour and 3/4 c whole wheat flour.  I've done it both ways.  Spoon it into the measuring cup, but do not pack.  Level off the top.  
• 3/4 c. packed brown sugar.  Pack brown sugar into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon.
• 1/2 c. unsweetened baking cocoa powder.  Spoon in and level but do not pack
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/4 salt.

Use a spoon or whisk to combine the dry ingredients. 







Melt a 1/2 c. (1 stick of butter) on the stove and set it aside to cool.  



In a separate bowl, the wet.

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg 

1 t. vanilla

Whisk it and then add it to the dry.  If you are my generation, you may have been told to mix only until the dry is just incorporated and to avoid over mixing so as not to have peaked muffins.  I was traumatized by that until one day I decided there were worse things than peaked muffins.  I haven't had any trouble.  Mix them as much as you want.  It's fine. 

 Add the melted butter. Stir to incorporate.  Melted butter is truely a beautiful thing, isn't it?   Add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips. 

I remember my early muffin lessons taught to fill muffin tins 1/2 full. 

These get filled a bit more.  I have the ambition that they will be perfectly neat, but there is always a drip somewhere.   

Into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  And for goodness sake, set the timer.  There is no reason not to and it's just easier.  I used to think that a "real" cook knew when things were done and didn't need a timer.  Then I got a real life.

Remember that chocolate is good for you.  Oh, here is the original source of the recipe. Good old Betty Crocker.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-delight-muffins/a7d125ce-08c0-4afb-8a31-6770b63e6eda

Presents For My Littlest Valentines and Melynda's Cottage Cheese Buns

Can you keep a secret? 

This one is for Step Granddaughter.

I found this guy at Goodwill.

A small box of chocolates.  You Rock.

Not really sure what this thing is except that it probably has M and Ms in it.  She'll have fun figuring it out. 

And one Peeps because I'm a Peeps freek and I'll probably be teaching that.

Not a bad little package, do you think? 

And for Brilliant Baby , a.k.a the Rock Star.

Also from Goodwill.

Foil Wrapped Chocolates.  He unwraps Kisses and hands the foil back to Papa, so this will be age-appropriate.   

 Another Peeks went into his package.  The rest are in my drawer.  Osbornes, stay out! 

Purr-tect Valentine.

Another fun package.  Both went up high in my closet for tomorrow.  Let's just say I had a little Fun with that.

Now.  Other important matters.  I've been meaning to try Melynda's Cottage Cheese Buns for some time.  They went great with our roast last night.  The batter is sticky, but So Pretty and Fragrant.  Yummy 

 http://momssundaycafe.blogspot.com/2010/07/sunday-morning-kitchen-cottage-cheese.html

Daughter-in-law grew up in a house that did no baking.  She watched and we talked about yeast and smelled the dough.  A pleasant time.

Babies like them.  I brushed a little melted butter on top.  But otherwise, it's all Melynda.  Thanks!

Banana Crumb Muffins

 I think muffins were among the first things I was taught to make.  They are lesson packed, measuring, mixing, recipe reading.  They are fast and don't make a mess.  Make a muffin today!  Or better yet, teach someone else how.

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour.  I don't sift.  Do you? I scoop it in, then level it off. 

 You don't want to pack it.  Keep it as light as possible. 

Now 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. baking powder and 1/2 t. salt

Same process, dip in and level off straight at the top.

3 large ripe bananas or 4 medium to smallest ones.  mash them with a fork. 

Not a pretty job, but it can be fun.  Are you having fun?

 Add 3/4 c. granulated sugar, 1 egg and 1/3 c. butter melted.

There's that whole beautiful melted butter thing.  Can we have a moment of silence? 

Oh, and my favorite sous chef stops by just in case I need some help.  Or drop something good on the floor.

By now, you may be getting tried of pictures of the baby.  If so, you'll need to find another blog to read because I can't get enough of this kid.

And no, he isn't sticking out his tong.  He is giving me the raspberry.  Who teaches him this stuff.  In his hands, he has a shot glass inside a jam jar.  I couldn't make up this stuff.

When they are ready, maybe I could have one, Meemaw.

And here he is with the action end of the turkey baster.  Blowing and humming into it like a kazoo.  Who needs any other entertainment than a baby and a cat?

Now the topping for the muffins.  1/3 c. brown sugar.  You pack brown sugar into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon.  1 T. flour.  1/8 t. cinnamon, 1 T. melted butter.

Put a paper muffin cup in each cup.  Fill each cup about 3/4 full.  They use ice cream scoops on the food channels, which is cute.  But I use a measuring cup.  Sprinkle the topping over each muffin.  Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes then move to a wire rack. 

I don't remember where I got this recipe, so I can't give proper credit.   It was during my yellow index card and blue gel pen phase and that's been quite a well ago.  I've been making it for a while.  

Remember to teach someone to make muffins. 

Popovers

I love popovers.  Now you can make really simple popovers or you can make really fancy popovers.  Emeril and Ina make fancy, nice popovers.  Google it.  

I make pretty basic popovers.  

This is my popover pan.  I love my popover pan. I bought it a few years back at Goodwill for like $3. 

Before that, I made popovers, like my mother before me, in a muffin tin.  My mother coveted a popover pan, but never had one.  This blog is in honor my mother. 

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Once the oven is at temperature, put 1/4 to 1/2 t. of butter in each cup and place the pan in the oven for a few minutes. 

Long enough to melt and slightly brown the butter.

 

Now, mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs and 1/2 t. salt.

Use a whisk.  No need to drag out the mixer.  This is a week night thing.

A few lumps are fine.  Don't stress about this. 

Return the mixture to a small pitcher with a spout for pouring.  Fill each up half full.  In these larger cups of a popover pan, there are 6.  You can do the same thing in a muffin tin and get 12.  They are just 1/2 the size which is really not a bad thing. 

Notice how the batter is pouring into the browned butter and the browned butter is creeping up the sides.  Did I tell you this was a nice thing?  Really.

Careful.  It's all hotter than Blazes.

Now, back into the oven for 20 minutes.  Set the timer and turn on the oven light.  Don't let anyone peek.  Wait the full 20 minutes.

Silly.  I've only had this oven a few months. 

The popovers puff up.  In my oven, I'll need to remove a rack so they have room to puff.

Now is the time to slit the top open with a knife and slip another 1/2 t. or more of butter into them.  They are hallow and ready to take whatever you want to cram in there.  I'm telling daughter-in-law that my mother served them for breakfast sometimes and filled them with homemade apple sauce. 

We've put them in a basket and passed them at the dinner table many times.  But tonight, daughter in law, step grand daughter, brilliant baby and I sat up to the counter and ate most of it as we talked over important matters.  Husband and step son watched in amusement. 

This post was shared with Whatcha-Makin-Wednesdays at Scrap Addicts

http://www.scrapaddict4sure.com/2010/12/whatcha-makin-wed-dec-21-23.html

Remember to share what you have.

Apple Bran Muffins

It's good to have a gallon zip lock in the freezer with muffins or breakfast cookies in it.  It's good for me to have something wholesome to throw in my bag on the way out the door.  It's good to have something to hand out to visitors, big and small. 

Now a secret.  One of my guilty pleasures:  blueberries muffins from Safeway.  But they are huge and very sweet.  It's got to be about like eating a piece of cake.  We really don't need much cake.

So I started out my morning meal planning for the week and making Apple Bran Muffins.  This is not an original recipe.  It was in a Taste of Home magazine this year.

Apple Bran Muffins
3 c. AP flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c. milk
4 eggs
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
2 t. vanilla extract
3 c. All-Bran cereal
2 c. peeled and finely chopped tart apples
1 c. walnuts (optional)  I left them out because daughter-in-law has some concerns about the kids and nuts
1 c. Raisins (optional) Another secret:  I don't really like raisins

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  With a big spoon stir to combine, turning the mixture inward, just until all dry ingredients are moistened. 

Put muffin papers into the cups of the muffin pan.  I use an ice cream scoop to fill them.  If you don't use muffin papers, spray the pan well.  But the muffin papers work well when you are planning to freeze them or use them later.  

I decided I wanted them a little fancier so I made my muffin topping and sprinkled on half before baking.  Gave me some nuts and a nut less version

Topping:  1/3 c. packed brown sugar, 1T. all purpose flour, 1/8 t. cinnamon, 1T. butter soft or melted, 1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans. 

Bake these at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes.  Cool thoroughly before packaging for the freezer.

 

Just in time for a little bit of baby sitting.

What a good boy you are, Caleb.  Meemaw loves you, Caleb.  Now close the cabinet door.  Yeahhhh,  (clap, clap)  Good job, Caleb.

And Caleb likes the muffins. He ate several stubby little fists full.  Or the dog did.   This is such as serious picture.  Caleb is going to be an actor or an athlete.  As long as you are looking at him, he usually has a huge smile on his face. 

A package went home to Caleb's parent's house and a package went into my freezer for the week ahead.  No stops at Safeway for us this week. 

 Remember the small things.