Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

December 8, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

The quintessential Fall flavor has become a poster vegetable for Winter baking. These pumpkin muffins are full of gooey deliciousness inside (so don’t think “mess” when you see “cream cheese filling”).

Roasting and puree-ing the meat of a pumpkin is a time-consuming endeavor (I’m not speaking from experience); this is why Libby’s invented canned pumpkin puree. For the canned pumpkin, you can also substitute sweet potato.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (makes 16-18)

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese (regular or reduced fat), room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 18 muffin cups or line them with paper liners.
2. Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat until smooth; set aside.
3. Muffins: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
4. Fill muffin cups about one-third full with the muffin batter, then put about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top with about 1 more tablespoon of the pumpkin batter, or until cups are about 3/4 full.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm.

Honey Corn Muffins

November 24, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

There is nothing worse than dry cornbread that gets stuck in your throat. That’s the reason I use a mix– I trust it. But trust me, these plush muffins are soft, fluffy, sweet, rich and moist.

Yellow. Handheld. Still crumbly like cornbread. Moist and fluffy with a wonderful honey flavor. The recipe is so easy. Kids love the bright yellow color, not to mention the wonderful honey flavor. Bake a batch for Thanksgiving dinner or just because.

Honey Corn Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 stick (8 Tbsp) salted butter, melted and cooled
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix milk, eggs, honey, oil, butter and Greek yogurt.
4. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Drizzle with honey and add a pat of butter before serving.

Pecan Pie Muffins

November 21, 2014November 27, 2014 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

This twist on a classic Thanksgiving indulgence is sweet, buttery, and energy-packed. Gooey on inside and crisp on the outside, pecan pie muffins disappear fast.

The recipe calls for finely chopped pecans, placed at the bottom of each muffin, where beautiful speckles disperse texture throughout. These muffins have crisp buttery tops and and are moist and fudgy inside.

These are easy to make – throw together while waiting for turkey to exit the oven.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or alongside fruit. Drizzle with chocolate or caramel.

Muffinize a pecan pie and bring smiles to your Thanksgiving table. Pecan pie muffins are a handheld delicacy, to devour without a single fork.

Pecan Pie Muffins (makes 10)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 425. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine butter, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Pour butter mixture into dry mixture and stir just until moistened.
5. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of finely chopped pecans into each cup of muffin pan.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to distribute batter evenly over pecans in each muffin cup.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave muffins in muffin pan for five minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack.

Spinach and Ricotta Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

November 17, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama4 Comments

This meatloaf muffin is the perfect spin-off of a culinary classic, which many children despised during the early twentieth century.

The muffin is densely packed with wholesome protein and vegetable, but it does not feel or taste heavy. The filling makes it moist, with creamy ricotta cheese in every bite. The confetti-looking pieces of speckled spinach add pizazz.

The ricotta/spinach combination works perfectly. Consider the two an inspired duo, helped along by the saltiness of Parmesan and good old-fashioned salt and pepper. The muffins stand alone beautifully and can be served with salad or a side of baked fries. The topping is optional for those who like marinara.

If meatloaf is on your menu this week, try this lighter version. If you intend to serve leftovers, omit the mozzarella on top because it does not reheat as well as the rest of the ingredients.

This recipe is great to make with beef or a mix of turkey and beef.

Spinach and Ricotta Turkey Meatloaf Muffins (makes 12)

1 Lb ground turkey
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (or 14 Ritz crackers, crushed)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Topping (optional)

1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix thoroughly with hands the turkey, spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
3. Distribute turkey mixture into the muffin-pan cups and press with back of spoon.
4. Spoon the marinara evenly over muffin cups. (optional)
5. Sprinkle mozzarella over marinara (optional).
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

November 14, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

These bright yellow, hot pink speckled, Strawberry Lemonade Muffins are candy for the eyes. They don’t spill! And they contain some protein from the eggs and milk.

The color of these muffins is a natural yellow, so brilliant that it will bring smiles and brighten your day. The flavor is buttery lemon with moist strawberry topping, which makes them as refreshing as the original strawberry lemonade beverage. Not the time to teach your children to share! Simply enjoy.

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
3 Tbsp lemon juice
zest of 2 large lemons (about 2 Tbsp)
1 cup strawberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk.
4. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Stir.
5. Fold in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
6. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
7. Sprinkle tops of muffins with chopped strawberries. Prod into batter.
8. Bake for 4 minutes at 400 (this helps muffins to rise), then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
9. Allow muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.

Stop Force Feeding Your Kids And Start Muffinizing

November 13, 2014February 22, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

This article was featured in Real Woman on November 13, 2014.

Instead of battling with your kids to get them to eat healthier foods, try baking them into their diet, muffin style. You (and the kids) will love the results.

I discovered the hard way that kids can be utterly maddening—inscrutable—when you’re trying to force fruits and veggies and other generally healthy foods into their diet. So I changed gears a few years ago—instead of trying to move the immovable object or stop the irresistible force, I baked my way into getting nutritious foods into my children.

Basically, I muffinized. (Muffinize (verb): to cook (something, such as broccoli and cheese in a muffin pan). If your kids roll their eyes over the same-old turkey burgers, turn the burgers into muffins.

Nutrition
Muffinizing pumps in nutritious foods without announcing health or sacrificing taste. Carrot muffins contain vitamin A (carrots) and anti-oxidants (walnuts). Quiche muffins are full of (loathed) vegetables but I have yet to find my son picking spinach from his. Chocolate ricotta muffins are full of protein. Spinach ricotta frittata derives protein from the eggs and ricotta cheese. Dinner is complete with a Thai turkey meatloaf or cheeseburger muffin. Dessert is full of healthy fat from the avocado in a chocolate avocado muffin.

Happiness
To encourage the child to eat healthy food, one must be mindful that the work of childhood is play. And it’s not just about the taste. Muffinizing food makes eating fun, especially for kids. A crunchy top adds interest to the multi-textured macaroni and cheese muffin. The tired PB&J sandwich comes alive in a peanut butter muffin with a surprise jelly center. The melted cheese “icing” on a pizza muffin is more alluring than the standard slice. And it’s easy. No straw required. No utensils necessary. Hardly a napkin needed.

Permission to eat with hands is liberating, and not only for kids but also for grown-ups who divvy muffins while driving from school to soccer practice. A handheld frittata muffin is a lot easier to manage than a dripping tuna melt.

Taste
Yum. ‘Nough said.

For nutritious muffin recipes, go to www.MuffinMama.org.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins

November 11, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

A flawless combination: dried cranberries and white chocolate. These muffins are loaded with both. Soft and fudgy on the inside, and wonderfully crunchy on top. Every bite is dense, sweet, and buttery. Pure heaven.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 18)

1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of dried cranberries
3/4 cup of white chocolate chip

For sprinkling on tops:
1/4 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix brown sugar and butter.
3. Add to the brown sugar and butter mixture, the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
6. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.
7. With an ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups ¾ full with batter.
8. Sprinkle tops with extra dried cranberries and white chocolate chips (optional).
9. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Berry Vanilla Muffins

November 4, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Celebrate Election Day or the Fourth of July with the colors of the American flag.

Full of fresh blueberries and raspberries with a hint of creamy vanilla, these muffins are moist and refreshing for a patriotic picnic.

Berry Vanilla Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
4. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Fold in blueberries and raspberries.
6. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Caramel Apple Muffins

October 30, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama3 Comments

These muffins are great not only for Halloween but also for using fruit in a dessert. The warm caramel is gooey and, combined with cinnamon and apples, delicious.

Caramel Apple Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup caramel candy squares, diced (about 12)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine egg and milk. Stir in butter and vanilla extract.
4. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just to blend.
5. Stir in applesauce and caramels.
6. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Serve warm.

Healthy, Easy Snacks For Fall

October 21, 2014February 22, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

This article was featured in SMRT Parenting on October 21, 2014.

With the arrival of Autumn, the crisp, cool air brings pumpkin-flavored everything and the end of watermelons and barbeques. Suddenly, lazy days of summer are replaced by schooldays and hectic schedules full of carpooling, sporting events, and extracurricular activities. There is a new kind of strain on the family as everyone is feeling rushed.

The Stash
Come Fall, sit-down meals become fantasy and the snack stash becomes reality. Busy Moms at the wheel are handing out breakfast, lunch and dinner from stashes on passenger seats. There are baggies of pretzels waiting in purses for opportune moments. Babysitters and grandparents are armed, ready to hand out raisins to younger siblings confined to observation decks at gymnastics meets.

But snacks are not just a way to give sustenance. By giving snacks, parents hope to nurture and give comfort. Even so, many agree that empty-calorie choices are more tempting and readily available (and also more embarrassing to be seen with in public!).

The Quest
Thus, parents are on the lookout for that protein-packed, portable, kid-friendly food that is healthy, but tasty, and does not require slaving in the kitchen.

Found it.

The Muffin is the all-in-one meal, simple to prepare, design, and eat. The muffin is delicious and healthful, not to mention, wholesome enough to ease any guilt over the sacrificed family meals of summer.

The Alternative Snack Stash
From my experience, having a stash of homemade muffins in the freezer, waiting to be toted to soccer practice, feels a million times better than the alternative bag/bar/box of empty carbs.

You don’t have to be Betty Crocker. Just whip up the ingredients and plop them into a bowl. Twenty minutes later, you are not only a “homemaker,” but your kitchen smells fabulous.

The muffin of today is the casserole of yesteryear and lessens the load of busy Moms everywhere who can rest assured that their kids are munching on nutrition. Choose from pumpkin cream cheese, turkey meatloaf, sweet potato, or corn dog muffins. There’s no more casually handing out fast foods! Instead, you have a chicken potpie muffin for the back of the minivan.

The Possibilities are Endless
If you like a certain food, muffinize. And while you’re at it, make it healthy!

Muffinize [muh-fin-ahyz] (v.) to make a muffin out of
If you don’t like banana, choose another fruit. If you don’t have raspberries, add blueberries. If you want fiber, bake with oats or bran. There is whole wheat, if you bake organic. If your child is allergic to nuts, leave them out. If you like pizza and tuna melts but don’t want the mess, start muffinizing!

Portability
Muffins fit neatly into little hands and perfectly into the on-the-go lifestyle of grownups. Freeze a batch over the weekend and you’re a microwave minute from breakfast during the week. Now, you’ve got a mess-free package that won’t ruin the upholstery. You’ve got a protein-packed pocket to eat anywhere, including the sidelines of older brother’s karate tournament.

A Fun Way to Enjoy Familiar Foods
Muffinizing inspires us to rejuvenate tired foods. The crunchy top of a multi-textured macaroni and cheese muffin urges the child to enjoy a new pasta experience. The tired PB & J sandwich comes alive in a peanut butter muffin with a surprise jelly center. Carrot muffins are loaded with nutrients from carrots, pineapple, and walnuts. Crustless quiche muffins are full of (loathed) vegetables but I have yet to find my son picking spinach from his. Use the abundance of Fall to make muffins from pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Sprinkle dried cranberries into turkey meatloaf muffins for Thanksgiving dinner. Express yourself by thinking of new, different, tasty combinations.

Muffins bring smiles. In the car or as a gift, muffins are the epitome of snacks. A platter of muffins makes a unique impression, and eating muffins…goes without saying (yum).

For nutritious Fall muffin recipes, go to www.MuffinMama.org.

Muffin Mama

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

Tag: Easy Muffin Recipes