Tag: Baking Therapy

Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins

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Do not despair, these muffins are another way to use up bananas that have gone to the dark side. Besides making these muffins soft and squishy, bananas bump up the nutritional factor of Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins. Peanut butter makes them more protein-dense, and Nutella adds that one-of-a-kind flavor. These beauties exit the oven perfectly domed, swirled, and once topped with Nutella drizzle, the muffins will disappear in minutes.


Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins (makes 12)

4 overripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup Nutella

*Optional: 1/4 cup Nutella to drizzle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray muffin pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. With an electric mixer, beat together the bananas and peanut butter.
3. Mix in sugar, egg, and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
5. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until a batter forms.
6. Scoop out 1 cup of the batter and set aside.
7. To the big bowl of batter, mix in the Nutella until the batter is uniformly brown (be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients thoroughly).
8. Distribute brown batter into muffin cups evenly.
9. Add a dollop of the light brown batter set aside to each muffin cup, and swirl with a toothpick.
10. Bake for 20 minutes.
11. *Microwave Nutella for about 15 seconds and drizzle over muffins.

 

Banana Blueberry Muffins

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Quick to throw together and bake, these Banana Blueberry Muffins are light, moist and ready to bring sunshine to any kind of quarantined-day-of-the-week. Their golden-brown tops crisp beautifully and are sure to wow your house guests/Zoom-onlookers.

Like most banana bread recipes, the use of overripe bananas is key. To that end, I usually buy too many bananas and let a few sit on the counter for a week or so. As bananas ripen, they become easier to mash and their sweetness intensifies. If you don’t have a week to spare, roasting them in the oven will create the same “overripe” results.

These muffins can be made in a pinch using just two mixing bowls, which is perfect for last-minute-baking when you don’t feel like hauling out the mixer.

Banana Blueberry Muffins (makes 12)

3 large ripe bananas
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas.
3. Add sugar and egg.
4. Add butter and blueberries.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
7. Use an ice cream scoop to distribute batter evenly into muffin cups.
8. Bake for 12 minutes or until muffin tops turn golden-brown and a knife inserted comes out clean.

Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffins

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Just the act of baking Frittata Muffins makes you feel like you are hosting a lavish brunch, even if you’re not. The epitome of a homey, picturesque Sunday brunch, the smell they create in your kitchen is not just inviting, rather, intoxicating.

This recipe involves minimal steps. Each Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffin makes a no-mess meal that packs perfectly into any superhero lunchbox or more mature version. Dense with protein from the ricotta/spinach duet, these muffins are dainty and loaded with flavor. Although they do not contain butter, their golden edges are crisp and fried-like. Frittata Muffins are delicious right out of the oven, at room temperature, and even cold. They work well for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner.

Now, go plan your next brunch or make a triple batch for grab-and-go!



Spinach Ricotta Frittata Muffins (makes 12)

4 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese (low far or full fat)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup spinach, chopped (*or one 10oz box frozen chopped spinach)
1/4 tsp salt
onion powder (to taste)
garlic powder (to taste)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. *Thaw spinach in microwave and squeeze out extra juice.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and stir in ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Stir in spinach, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to spoon mixture into muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins are set and golden on top.

**Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Mac and Cheese Muffins

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God knows, we all need comfort food, let alone more dinners that aren’t “same old.” We may not have answers about the current crisis, but Mac and Cheese can provide a needle of normalcy in the haystack of chaos.

While we are isolated with more (super-imposed) together time than ever before, these muffins offer home-cooking that our families long for, while at home 24-7.

Mac and Cheese Muffins have been a highlight at my family’s Thanksgiving dinners, and lately, we have a lot to be thankful and hopeful for, especially our health.

The muffins’ layered textures melt in the mouth —the crunchy top is crisp and buttery. These muffins freeze well, re-heat easily and make tasty lunchtime treats.

Macaroni and Cheese Muffins (makes 18)

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 cup milk (whole or skim)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp pepper (to taste)

Crunchy Topping

1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil, and salt.
2. Add cheese.

Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes (until slightly firm).
3. Remove pot from heat, drain macaroni, and return macaroni to pot. Stir in butter and beaten egg until pasta is evenly coated.
4. Add to the pasta the Cheddar cheese, milk, Parmesan, mozzarella, and cottage cheese. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir.
5. Distribute mixture into each cup of prepared muffin tin.
6. Sprinkle the Crunchy Topping mixture over the tops.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until tops are nicely browned.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from the tin (this allows the cheese to set and muffins to take shape).

Pasta Muffins

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There’s something satisfying about squirreling away peanut butter and canned soups in a pantry. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has turned my house into a suburban bunker, my entire mentality toward wasting food has changed. However, ingredient recycling is not a new phenomenon. We’re familiar with French Toast as a method of resurrecting stale bread, Fried Rice a way to convert leftovers into meals, and Smoothies, a chic solution for overripe bananas.

Making Pasta Muffins is a great way to recycle leftover pasta! I stumbled on this recipe when I found myself this week with limited time and day-old pasta no one was excited about. This recipe is so easy – there’s no way to mess it up. Once cooled, place the muffins in plastic bags and freeze a stash for later. They can be warmed up in seconds.

Pasta Muffins (makes 12)

4 cups cooked pasta, tossed in cream, butter, or marinara sauce (if spaghetti, cut into about 2 inch strands)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cheese, shredded
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I like Italian seasoning)
1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked meat, finely diced (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, and meat (optional).
3. Add mixture to pasta and toss.
4. Scoop pasta into muffin cups.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Remove from tins, serve, and enjoy!