Hash Brown Muffins

October 13, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

I was inspired to “think potato” by my sister-in-law, the cook extraordinaire of my family. Her fascinating article on WW1 propaganda highlighted the use of potatoes as a means to conserve other foods that would be shipped to our troops during wartime.

Maite’s recipe for potato balls reminded me that potatoes are delicious when fried. On her site, Artbites, she gives superb advice on cooking from scratch.

Crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, hash browns taste so good! Especially in muffin form.

Use mini muffin pans for bite-size morsels and Voila – “Tater Tot Muffins.” Kids will love eating this mini version at mealtimes or for snacks, which are much healthier and tastier than frozen tater tots.

Eat warm or cold. Freeze individually or in batches, and you will have breakfast for the whole week.

Hash Brown Muffins (makes 12)

3 ½ cups shredded Russet potatoes, rinsed and squeezed dry in a towel; or 1 (16 oz) package of pre-shredded potatoes
1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Add the eggs, stir, and then add cheese and stir again.
4. Fill each muffin cup ¾ full.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and tops and edges begin to get crispy. (For mini tater tot muffins, use a mini muffin pan and bake for 55 minutes).

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

October 12, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

Instead of crying over the pantry full of baby food that my toddler had outgrown, I incorporated the “passé” puree into a sophisticated muffin.

I love giving sweet potato muffins to my family, guilt free. The Vitamin A in the sweet potato and the fiberous whole wheat flour compensate for the bursts of the delicious sweetness of the chocolate morsels. These speckled muffins are beautiful-looking and will complete the Halloween-inspired playdate.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 30)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup (16 oz.) mashed or pureed sweet potato (without butter, salt, or milk)
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 – 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (1 12 oz. package)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, sweet potato, milk, and oil until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, and stir just until combined.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, until 3/4 full.
7. Bake 16 to 20 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.

Pizza Muffins

October 8, 2014February 22, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

What child doesn’t like pizza? Mine! I’m continually perplexed that the even the smell of pizza doesn’t excite my kids. However, I’ve discovered that pizza in muffin-form is a gazillion times more interesting and fun.

This muffin doesn’t ooze or drip. The melted cheese on top looks like frosting on a cupcake. Try adding chopped mushrooms, onion, peppers, or sardines to the batter. Eat these muffins hot or cold. Serve for lunch or snack with a side of spaghetti or pizza sauce for dipping.

Pizza Muffins (makes 18)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (or mozarella or both), shredded and divided
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups with olive oil or cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, basil, oregano, and sugar. Stir well until blended.
3. Mix in tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
4. In another bowl, beat egg, whisk in buttermilk, and stir until combined.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until half full.
6. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top of muffins.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean.

Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffins

October 6, 2014February 6, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Just the smell of my grandmother’s pumpkin cake recipe brings memories of Autumn that make me think about apple orchards, the first day of school, and carving Jack-O’-Lanterns. I have turned her cake into nutritious muffins by adding a mix of golden and dark raisins and chopped nuts. If you bake these for Halloween, you might want to omit the nuts and raisins for young children. The recipe makes a great cake in a 10-inch Turk pan.

Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffins (makes 30)

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 can pumpkin puree (16 oz)
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, and pumpkin.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time and whisk well after each.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the mixture.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Wash and dry raisins and then sprinkle with flour and then shake in sieve to remove excess flour.
7. Stir in raisins and nuts.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Chicken Pot Pie Muffins

September 27, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama3 Comments

Chicken Pot Pie is an especially comforting comfort food in the form of a muffin. Even to those who did not grow up with the pot pie as a staple, these muffins are reminiscent of the moist buttery biscuit that generations of Americans have loved.

This recipe is full of nutrients in the form of chicken, cheese and vegetables. The possibilities of vegetables are endless. Go heavy on the peas if your kids love peas. At first, my kids questioned the blatant vegetables on top, but the buttery flavor of the muffins won them over and I’m not sure they even realized the muffin was made of…chicken.

As these muffins come right out of the oven, rub a small pat of butter over the tops. Serve these muffins warm from the oven with a pat of butter. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze.

Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter.
4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Fold in cheese, chicken, and vegetables (reserve about a tablespoon of vegetables for sprinkling on muffin tops). Do not over-mix batter or muffins will become hard.
6. Distribute chicken mixture into the muffin-pan cups.
7. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of vegetables on tops of batter.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

24 Karat Muffins

September 17, 2014October 15, 2014 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Yes it’s true, a 24 karat muffin counts as a serving of vegetables! I grew up eating carrot cake at my Grandma and Zayda’s. This recipe is a family heirloom now transformed into muffins. Loaded with tasty ingredients like pineapple, golden raisins, and walnuts, the combination of carrot and pineapple is wonderfully fresh. Thanks to this recipe, my son has discovered a love of golden raisins.

These muffins are so moist and delicious, you don’t need icing!

*Note: Omit walnuts and raisins for young children. To make a full-size cake, bake for 50 minutes.

24 Karat Muffins (makes 24)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 (4 oz.) jars of carrot baby food
3/4 cup canola oil (or saflower or peanut oil)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup white raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small can (8 oz) crushed pineapple (1 Cup)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar for 3 minutes. Add carrot baby food and oil.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
4. Add flour mixture to egg mixture (reserve a tablespoon to mix with raisins or nuts)
5. In a separate bowl, dredge walnuts and raisins in flour mixture.
6. In a separate bowl, mix vanilla and pineapple.
7. Add everything together, mixing walnuts and raisins in last.
8. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cheeseburger Muffins

September 12, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

I grew up eating McDonald’s, so I consider it a supreme culinary accomplishment to recreate the perfect nuances of the McDonald’s cheeseburger in a compact, succulent muffin.

This is the pinnacle. This muffin brings together the perfect combination of ketchup, mustard, cheddar, and a buttery-meat taste of what we all crave in a cheeseburger. You can substitute turkey for hamburger meat. Serve warm with a side of sliced pickles for a healthy version of a fast food childhood memory.

Cheeseburger Muffins (makes 18)

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp mustard
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large frying pan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, milk, butter, eggs, and mustard; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
5. Fold in beef mixture and cheese.
6. Distribute cheeseburger mixture into the muffin-pan cups, ¾ full.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
8. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Chocolate Avocado Muffins

September 9, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

Trust me, you are going to want to eat these muffins morning, noon, and night, whether you like avocado or not. If the rich, deep chocolate flavor is not reason alone, the healthful properties of these muffins add more fuel to a daily diet of avocado in a chocolate muffin. These muffins are unbelievably rich; your kids will detect no hint of green.

Fun Facts about Chocolate and Avocado

-Both chocolate and avocado are full of antioxidants. In fact, avocados are among the most antioxidant-rich foods.

-Fat is an important part of a healthy diet, especially for children. The healthy fat of the avocado helps lower cholesterol.

-Avocados are an excellent source of fiber and folic acid. They contain several kinds of carotenoids, including lutein, which is essential for eye health.

-Aside from being irresistibly delicious, chocolate contains serotonin, which stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure.

Sink your teeth into these muffins!

Chocolate Avocado Muffins (makes 18)

1 avocado, ripe
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup canola oil or unsalted butter, melted and at room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
2 2/3 flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups frozen raspberries (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix avocado and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, mixing just until moistened.
5. Fold in optional ingredients (raspberries or chocolate chips or both).
6. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Green Monster Smoothie Muffins

September 2, 2014February 6, 2015 Muffin Mama2 Comments

My kids won’t touch spinach, but in a muffin, anything goes. I personally never got into the smoothie rage. I don’t like drinking my food and my kids are scared of monsters.

These super green muffins are sweet-like-cake and packed with protein and vegetables. Plus, calling anything “monster” piques a child’s interest.

Green Monster Smoothie Muffins (makes 12)

3 ripe bananas
2 cups baby spinach
1 6oz container greek yogurt
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
¾ cups flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup canola oil
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a blender, puree the bananas, spinach, yogurt, peanut butter and honey.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, egg, oil, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Pour the smoothie mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
7. Allow muffins to cool before removing them from the pan.

Crustless Quiche Muffins

August 30, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

In an attempt to tempt Michael to try spinach, I decided to mix the “loathed” vegetable with one of his favorite foods: eggs. Not only did he approve, but he gobbled down two! This recipe is also great for serving to last-minute company.

These individual, crustless quiches are perfect on-the-go meals. Whip up a batch (or two) on Sunday evening, and you have an easy go-to breakfast for busy weekday mornings. They’re also really versatile – this version features spinach and a combination of cheddar and mozzarella, but cooked broccoli and cheddar or crispy bacon can easily be substituted or added!

Note: Crustless quiches can be placed in a large ziplock bag or individually wrapped and frozen.

Crustless Quiche Muffins (makes 12)

4 large eggs
1 cup (or 1 10oz box) frozen chopped spinach or other vegetable
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I use a combination of mozzarella and Cheddar)
1/4 tsp salt
onion powder (to taste)
garlic powder (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. Thaw spinach in microwave and squeeze out extra juice.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Spoon mixture into the cupcake liners until 3/4 full.
5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

Muffin Mama

Recipes for little hands (and grown-ups, too)

Category: Vegetable