Zucchini Spelt Muffins

This recipe originally came from Blendtec.  I modified it a bit and make it in my Vitamix. 

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
3 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup wholegrain spelt flour (I get this in the bulk bins at Fred Meyer)
2/3 cup oat bran (I get this in the bulk bins at Fred Meyer)

Options:
1/2 cup raisins
chocolate chips
dates and walnuts

Add first 6 ingredients to blender in order listed and secure lid.  Pulse 10-12 times.  (note: zucchini will not be completely grated -this will occur when dry ingredients are incorporated.)  Add remaining ingredients to blender and secure lid.  Pulse 3-5 times until dry ingredients are barely incorporated; don't overblend.  Stir in option of your choice.  We like chocolate chips, obviously!  Allow batter to rest 5-10 min.  Pour batter into prepared muffin tins (3/4 way full).  Bake at 375 for 16-20 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes between 12-18 muffins depending on size of zucchini.

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salsa

This is one of my favorite snacks.

Note: These measurements aren't exact, for once in my life I just "threw stuff in" you can add more of what you love and less of what you don't.

1-1.5 cups frozen corn kernels I put them in a strainer and rinse them to unthaw them a bit
1 can black beans rinse and drained
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1-2 avocados cubed
3-4 roma tomatoes chopped
3 green onions chopped (white and green parts)
1 lime juiced, more if you like
I used about 2 tsp of Wildtree's Italian Salad Dressing Mix you can use Good Seasons or any brand you have on hand.

Mix it all up gently and enjoy with chips, on salad or with any mexican dish.

Toffee Apple Dip

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2-1 (11oz) pkg Heath milk chocolate toffee bits

Beat cream cheese, sugars and vanilla together until fluffy. Stir in toffee chips. Serve with sliced Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples. YUM!

Tasty Carmel Apples

(recipe and pic from Jen Chandler)

5 large, firm, green apples (store in room temperature)

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 1/2 Tbsp. Crisco

1 (14 oz.) bag Kraft caramels

Parchment or Wax paper

Rice Krispies*

Cinnamon and sugar

Wash and dry apples and remove stems. Push stick through top center of apples about 1/2 way down. Unwrap caramels and combine with water in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until creamy. Immediately roll apples in caramel, coating completely. Place on parchment paper for a few seconds then pour some Rice Krispies in pie plate and roll carmel covered apple in them to coat. Place back on wax paper.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening also in a microwave-safe bowl for same 30 seconds intervals, stirring each time. Roll apples, covered in caramel and Rice Krispies in the white chocolate chips, then cover/sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place on paper in the fridge until serving. Cut into slices for easier serving and eating. They are rich, one will feed 2 or 3 people.

SOUR CREAM POPPY SEED STREUSEL MUFFINS

{these come from Our Best Bites are are one of the BEST bites I've ever had}

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 Tbsp. grated orange rind

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 8-oz. container sour cream (light works great)

Streusel

1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 c. flour

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare streusel by combining streusel ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. To prepare muffins, combine sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk and remaining muffin ingredients in a small bowl and add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups or 24-36 mini muffin cups, either lined or sprayed. Sprinkle evenly with streusel mixture. Bake at 375 for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool.

SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I found this recipe on the Idea Room Blog and they are hands down the best blueberry muffins I've ever had.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 1/4 cups sour cream (10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (wild)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin. I used the Demarle straight muffin tray so there was no need to grease. Love that!

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

3. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. (Small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick. Do not overmix.)

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and insert toothpick into the center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes. Serve as is or with the cinnamon sugar topping below.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
While muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, and working one at a time, dip top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins

CHAD'S SALSA AND GUAC

The Sunday after my husband was called to be in the Bishopric our home teacher and his wife asked if they could make us dinner. Their little boy ended up getting sick, but they were so nice that they made us dinner anyway and dropped it off. Does it get any better than that?

The meal was mexican and the best part of it was they made fresh salsa and homemade guacamole. It was to die for. The funny thing is that I don't like tomatoes, at least not whole or a big slice of one on a sandwich, but I love them diced in anything mexican! I of course asked him for the recipes and he gave them to me reluctantly saying I wasn't going to be as impressed when I saw how simple it was, but I assured him that wouldn't be the case. I made them tonight and wanted to share in case there are any guac and salsa lovers out there.

Fresh Salsa

6-8 roma tomatoes
1 small to medium yellow onion
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno
2 packets "Concord Foods" Salsa Seasoning Mix (I found them on a rack in the produce section)
lime juice

Dice tomatoes, onion, grn onions, cilantro, and jalapeno and mix in bowl. Add lime juice to taste. Then add seasoning packets and mix again. (If you want it spicier you can get the seasoning packets in hot and add more jalapenos).

Guacamole

4-5 avacados
1 packet "Concord Foods" Guacomole Mix (again I found them in the produce section)
lime juice

Dice and mash up the avacados. Add the seasoning and 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of the above salsa and mix. Add a little lime juice to taste.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we did.

BROWN SUGAR TOFFEE DIP FOR APPLES

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8oz) bag Heath toffee bits

Mix all ingredients together and serve with sliced apples or refrigerate till ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

EDITED TO ADD: Okay, I made this today for us to snack on during conference (the last batch was all given away), and it was a huge hit. It's like eating a candied apple. Mmmm!

ANNIE'S DELICIOUS BEAN SALSA

Annie’s Delicious Bean Salsa

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can red beans
1 (15 oz.) can white beans
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (11-15 oz.) can corn
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 large fresh tomatoes—chopped
1 Vidalia or sweet onion—chopped
4-6 green onions—chopped
8 oz. fat free Italian dressing
Fresh lemon juice—about 2 lemons (I used 1/3 cup)
Fresh lime juice—about 2 limes
Fresh cilantro to taste (I used 2/3 of a bunch)
Fresh minced garlic cloves—about 4
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Onion powder to taste

Drain and rinse all the beans. Drain corn and mix all ingredients together. Chill at least 6 hours or longer, it helps the flavors blend and is soooo good. Enjoy with pita or tortilla chips or by itself! Also, this makes A TON! I gave a bunch away and still had plenty for us. But it's not really something you want to make half of because you end up with 1/2 of 6 cans of beans, corn, etc. Enjoy!

SPINACH DIP

So, I thought this was one of those recipes that everybody had a copy of, but I took it to that baby shower I went to last weekend and couldn't believe how many people hadn't had it before and wanted the recipe. It is definitely my favorite dip to go with veggies.

Spinach Dip

2 cups mayo
2cups sour cream
1 bunch green onions chopped
1 can water chestnuts drained and chopped
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 pkg Knorr's Leek soup mix

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with fresh veggies or chopped up French Bread.

SESAME CHEESE MUFFINS

I got this recipe from a friend in our ward and we all love these. They're almost more like a biscuit than a muffin.

Sesame Cheese Muffins
2 T toasted sesame seeds
2 c. flour
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/3 c. veg oil
4 T. minced onion
2 T butter, melted

Combing flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; blend thoroughly and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. In small bowl, beat egg lightly with milk, oil, and onion. Gradually stir milk and egg mixture into flour and cheese mixture. Fill well greased muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Sprinkle the tops with remaining cheese and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle melted butter over the tops. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

My friend Alisha makes the best banana chocolate chip muffins. My whole family LOVES them. Especially my little man Hank who refuses to eat bread of any type. She posted this recipe on her blog but it's private and I know all of you don't know her, so I thought I'd post it here too! Seriously DIVINE! In fact, I may just have to go make some right now.

Best Ever Banana Muffins - from Alisha's kitchen

3 small ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. chocolate chips

In mixing bowl, beat eggs; add bananas and beat until smooth. Add shortening and sugar and mix well. Add flour, soda and salt and combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into mini-muffin pans (greased pans, if you are not using Demarle). Fills 24 mini-muffins. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Eat. Share with the little people in your life. Eat some more. Then take the rest to friends before you down the entire batch yourself. (Or throw them in the freezer, or do something, because believe me, these bite-sized babies are hard to resist.)

This recipe is a spin-off of my own, based loosely on "Grace's Banana Bread" from Favorites by Rock and Metcalf. It's a great recipe book!

FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

Click {here} for a tasty treat from the Pioneer Woman.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

I discovered these on Becky Higgins blog last year and they are definitely a fall favorite around here. They disappear within seconds of coming out of the oven!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. ground pumpkin (canned)
1/2 c. cooking oil
1/3 c. chocolate chips

Mix together. Fill muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

MONSTER MUNCH

(pic from Our Best Bites)

Tried this recipe for "Monster Munch" from Our Best Bites and loved it. It was quick, easy and of course delicious. In fact, Henry told me that he had to keep eating it (even after I told him to stop sneaking bites) because Heavenly Father wanted him to because popcorn is so "dawishus".

Monster Munch {Halloween Popcorn Mix}

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 package Almond Bark (1 lb)

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels or 2 bags of microwave popcorn)

1 C candy corn

1 C dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 C Reeces Pieces

Pop popcorn and place in a large bowl. Much larger than you think you need. The largest you have. It will make mixing easier! Pour peanuts, candy corn, and reeces pieces on top.

Take a large knife and break up almond bark. Melt according to package directions. I just chop it up a little and microwave it in intervals until smooth and melted. Pour over popcorn mixture.

Stir until everything is well coated and then spread out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil. Let sit until completely dry and then break up into clumps. Super Easy!

EASY PRETZEL TURTLES

This year I didn't plan on doing neighbor gifts/goodies for Christmas. My body was worn out, but at the last minute I remembered these and how easy they looked so we whipped up a few for the kids Primary Teachers, Piano Teacher, and the people Mark works with in the Bishopric at church. They were really quick and delicious. I think we may just turn this into a tradition for neighbor/ward friend Christmas gifts.

I've seen lots of variations of these but we used this recipe on Our Best Bites.