Muffin Mania

Today I woke up and did a 3 mile run in my new Reebok Realflex.  They are comfy OUT OF THE BOX!!  I could barely believe it. I had my vibrams ready to go but they went unneeded. YEAH.  I love my vibrams just need a bit of extra support/cushion when my ankles are screaming when I do back to back days.

My vibrams and my new Reeboks

Then it was off to music class.  D1 is in the stage where she will just REPEAT EVERYTHING.  AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN.  "mommy I like that."  "Mommy, I like that." "MOMMY, I LIKE THAT."  Uggh.  D2 was pretty crabby as well. I was annoyed before we even left the house.  Class went well and on the way home the MIL called and asked if she could have D1 for the day. SURE!  This allowed me to just deal with D2 for Muffin Day.  I dropped her off but was running late.  Speeding home, I got pulled over.  DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My first speeding ticket in over 5 years.  DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!  Its gonna be a doozy too.  UUGGHHHH.

I finally got home and beat the girls here which made me slightly happy.  I started both ovens to start the baking frenzy and started prepping for lunch.  There are a bunch of us that adore Pinterest.  We have been pinning muffin recipes and just love the sound of them all.  Someone suggested baking some.... so I suggested that they come over and we bake and trade!  One friend's daughter named it "MUFFIN MANIA" and it seems to fit perfectly.

For lunch I made Edamame Rice Bowl.  This is a recipe i use a lot.  It's from Vegetarian Times Magazine.  ITS AMAZING.  I have YET to find someone that doesn't LOVE it.  You wouldn't think the ingredients go together but its DIVINE.  Here's the recipe!

EDAMAME RICE BOWL

4 cup brown rice (cooked)

1- 8oz bag frozen SHELLED edemame
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

10 pitted kalamata olives sliced

3 TBS chopped Cilantro

1 TBS olive oil

1 TBS lime juice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1.  Cook rice to package directions.

2.  Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil, add edemame, and cook 2 minutes, or until tender; Drain and set aside

3.  Toss together rice, edemame, cranberries, feta, olives, olive oil, lime joice, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Then I made "pizza in a pot"

Pizza in a pot


2 cups Spaghetti Sauce
1 cup Ricotta
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella
Torn basil for garnish
Dash of EVOO


Add spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, ricotta and pepperoni in a oven proof bowl.  
Cook at 350 until cooked all the way through
Add Mozzarella, basil and EVOO


Serve with Crostini.

It was now Muffin Mania.  There were 4 adults and a friends 10 year old daughter that helped ALOT.  We all had a blast.  We made:
Pumpkin Donut Muffins (recipe below)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
White Chocolate Apricot Muffins
Yogurt, Banana & walnut (my healthy ones!) (recipe below)
and we had Choc Chip Banana muffins

The baking crew!

Assembly

Finished product

Baking!

My Pumpkin Donut Muffins

My assortment

The healthy (140 calories) Yogurt, Banana & Walnut muffins

Everyone brought their own ingredients and muffin pans.  We each baked and then split up our booty.   We cut up each kind and taste tested them all.  We each baked and then split up our booty.  We all went home with an assortment of muffins.  Into the freezer they went!  I suggested that we do this quarterly and I did not hear an objection!  A new tradition has begun!

Here are my recipes:

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• 3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR (SPOONED AND LEVELED), PLUS MORE FOR PAn
• 2 1/2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
• 1/4 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
• 1 TEASPOON COARSE SALT
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG
• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND ALLSPICE
• 1/3 CUP BUTTERMILK
• 1 1/4 CUPS PURE PUMPKIN PURÉE (FROM A 15-OUNCE CAN, NOT THE WHOLE THING!)
• 1 3/4 STICKS UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 3/4 CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 2 LARGE EGGS

Glaze: 
• 4 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED (USE 1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS IF JUST COATING THE TOPS)
• 3/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
• 2 1/2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and buttermilk. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl as needed.
6. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.
7. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack.
9. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with melted unsalted butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 day.

Yogurt, Banana & Walnut muffins (146 calories!)

• 1 1/4 C OATMEAL
• 1/2 C Brown RICE FLOUR
• 1/4 C GROUND FLAXSEED
• 1 TSP BAKING POWDER
• 1 TSP BAKING SODA
• 2 EGGS, BEATEN
• 1/4 C PLAIN YOGURT
• 3 MEDIUM, RIPE BANANAS, MASHED
• 1/2 C AGAVE SYRUP
• 1/3 C GRAPESEED OIL
• 1/4 C WALNUT PIECES (I used about double this)

Directions

1.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.

In a large bowl, whisk together oatmeal, flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and baking soda.

3.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, bananas, syrup, and oil. Add flour mixture and fold in walnuts.

4.

Divide batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.