Cranberry Crumb Muffins

It is December! Time for oranges, cranberries, gingerbread, cinnamon, mmm... I LOVE it!!! Time for baking and listening to Amy Grant sing about the season. We put our tree up on Black Friday, are down shopping, will have Christmas cards out this week, and am baking and delivering my holiday cookie plates this Saturday. I think it will be about 30 this year. Not to bad. Going to make all my favorites toffee, fudge, sugar cookies, peanut butter kiss cookies, and one of Paul's favorites homemade oreo sandwiches rolled in crushed candy canes. I have been experimenting with cranberry muffin recipes. One was cranberry upside down muffins. One was a cranberry orange combination, and one was a cran-apple combo. These were my favorite and they were probably the healthier version. Next, I am going to try fresh cranberries in my waffles. Yummy! I will let you know how that turns out. Speaking of waffles, last year we tried these gingerbread waffles that were yummy...don't forget to try them this season.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins
Source: Eating Well

Put the following ingredients in your cart:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg
3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal,
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), coarsely chopped

Put your apron on and get bakin'...

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

In your mixer combine 1/2 cup sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add in the rest of the dry ingredients. Gently fold in cranberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining l teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.

Bake the muffins about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving

Strawberry Orange Muffins

Wow!!! Sorry for my lack of posting! Spring Break has just been too much fun. I was determined to make this week super fun for my kids (and cheap) and it has been a blast! Can't say I even touched my Spring Cleaning. Oh well...there is always next week, right? I can't do it all...I am not Martha.

Speaking of the devil...My mom is a little like Martha Stewart. (besides the jail thing, and the blond thing, and the men's shirt thing...) We always tease her about her perfectionism. Last summer, during our family reunion, the Keith Family Amazing Race #5 (more details about this to come), she made these muffins. My mom can turn a quick brunch into a five star feast. She experimented with these healthy muffins...and they were a HIT!! The second I got back home to Colorado I called her requesting this recipe. The streusal topping is amazing!! These are worth the long list of ingredients and the extra effort...don't let the recipe intimidate you....

Strawberry Orange Muffins

Source: Eating Well Magazine

Throw the following ingredients into your cart...

3 tablespoons almonds

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

3 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest, divided (see Variation)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup white whole-wheat flour , or whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries , (about 8 ounces)

Put your apron on and ...

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Process almonds, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and stir to combine.

Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl with buttermilk, orange juice, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the almond topping, gently pressing into the batter.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes more before serving. juice.

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins

Sundays. Bless this day!! I just took a nap cuddling my 4 year old on the couch. It won't be long til he is too old for such nonsense. I guess I shall cherish these moments for now.

Where did that come from?! I am like, the least sentimental person EVER!

I make these muffins whenever we have bananas and blueberries in the house. It is like the magic combo of ingredients. They are healthy, easy, and delicious. My boys don't seem to mind the whole wheat. I love a recipe that you keep falling back on. (like this granola I posted. Since I have posted it, I have made it three times! ) These muffins are a keeper.

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins

Source: How Sweet It Is

Put the following ingredients in your cart...

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup blueberries

Put your apron on and...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with liners or spray with pam. Mix sugar, applesauce, and egg until creamy and smooth. Add bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir til mixed thoroughly. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cheese Muffins

Paul is a bread man. If there is fresh bread, rolls, etc. with dinner, he is already a happy man despite what is really placed in front of him. My boys have inherited this gene. Enter the cheese muffin...savory, not sweet. Thrown together in the mixer in 5 minutes, bake for 20...no yeast, no rising. No preplanning, rolling, no sweat. I hope they change your life like they have changed ours. Thank you pioneer woman!

Cheese Muffins

Source: Ree Drumond... The Pioneer Woman

Put in your shopping cart the following ingredients...

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 Tab. sugar

1 Tab. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese (I use whatever I have...Cheddar, Swiss slices, whatever...)

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

Put your apron on and get baking...

I mix together my dry ingredients first. Then I add the wet ingredients into the mixer. Mix well. I add my cheese last. Pour into greased muffin tin. Makes 12 muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in 375 degree oven. Test one to make sure they are not doughy inside.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Last weekend was my husband Paul's 30th Birthday. I surprised him and took him indoor skydiving. What a blast! I took pictures while he and his long-time pal Mike "flew." It was a crackup. Next time, forget the cost...I am doing it!

Paul is a simple creature. All he wanted for his birthday was home cookin'. I couldn't convince him to go out. He requested these muffins the morning of his birthday. They are our favorites. I love the sugared tops and how rounded they turn out. Beauties! The hint of lemon in the muffins really add something! I double the lemon zest that the recipe calls for. Here is my version:
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Source: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything who got it from The Sisters Cafe

Put in your shopping cart the following...

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
zest of two lemons
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup frozen blueberries (I use fresh blueberries tossed in flour)

For the topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 Tab. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs, milk, and butter. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in blueberries gently. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes in a sprayed muffin pan. Combine melted butter and lemon juice for the topping. While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in butter concoction and dip LIGHTLY in sugar. Makes 12 muffins.