Chocolate Chip Muffins

Since I bought a giant bag of chocolate chips from Costco, I keep on thinking how to use them up.

Still the most popular muffin for kids!

Banana Muffins

One of the easiest to make are banana muffins.  It is so versatile too that you can basically add anything you like.  I usually like to add chocolate chip for the kids and walnuts for the grown ups.   These banana muffins I made were the basic nothing added to it as my husband doesn't like chocolate and my kid is allergic to nuts.  I was being so lazy to half the batter and add the specific additions to it so we all get the plain ol' banana only muffin.

This is my basic banana muffin recipe:

6 mashed bananas
2/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda

1. In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients - flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients - mashed bananas, melted butter, eggs, vanilla.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients together.  Scoop to muffin tins.
4.  Bake at 350 deg F for 25 mins.
5. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for my girl Maurie.  I still can't believe our server had some.  Wonderful dinner and conversation.   Remember to share those cookies sweetie!

My Blueberry Bran Muffins

This is what I learned about baking -- everyone and every recipe has a secret ingredient.  All basic recipes survive without these secret ingredients, but once you add it, you bring out a whole new dimension to your basic recipe.  Textures or flavours can change altogether.  Here is my secret recipe for a moist bran muffin --- Applesauce.  Healthy, yummy and keeps your bran muffin very moist.

If you haven't baked muffins before, there is one simple rule to follow.  Do not overmix!  Put dry and wet ingredients into two separate bowls and mix carefully together until dry ingredients are moist.  This rule also applies to all sweet breads (tea breads and such).

This recipe is a my basic bran muffin recipe and you can make your own changes like using whole wheat flour or adding some ground flax to make it healthier.

Try this recipe and let me know how it turned out for you!

Blueberry Bran Muffins

2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups wheat bran
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all-spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 cup oil
2 1/2 cups applesauce
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, not thawed)

1.  In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients except wheat bran.  Add in wheat bran and mix thoroughly together.
2.  In another bowl,  add eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix well.
3.  Add liquid mixture to your dry mixture and mix until no lumps.  Remember, do not overmix or your muffin will not rise and will be tough and dry.
4. Gently fold in blueberries (or any additions you may like to put like raisins, cranberries, etc)
5. I fill my muffins tins to top to give them a nice dome.  Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 deg F preheated oven or until toothpick comes out clean.

Back to Baking

After a week of back to back birthday cake making, I'm finally going to be able to try new recipes again and bake for the family -- yay!

Last week's cake was my brother-in-law's mocha chiffon cake and this week was sweet Kaitlyn's Super Mario birthday cake. Following those were tons of cupcakes and cinnamon rolls for fellowship at Church this morning.

Although I love baking anything, what I really love doing is looking and trying new recipes. I can never really satisfy myself from experimenting to make the perfect recipes.

I'm now going through my baking book which I love so much and now looking for the next recipe to try.

Today I changed up a recipe to make blueberry bran muffins for breakfast tomorrow. I want to make a moist bran muffin as most, if not all, of the bran muffins I have tasted are somewhat dry.

I remember I still have those pizza crusts and pie crusts recipes to share. Will be posting them soon!!

Mocha Chiffon Cake with Mocha buttercream icing and chocolate pieces

Fondant covered Chocolate cake bottom tier and Mocha cake top tier.  Yes, everything is edible --- Nom Nom Nom

Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Pecan Glaze

Hubby to the rescue!

I didn't have the chance to practice any of the cake decorating techniques yet even though I planned to start this week.  I didn't get much sleep last night because of that dreadful wind storm.  So this morning, I just planned to go to the packaging store to buy boxes for the orders I need to fill on Wednesday.  I need to bake 7 dozen bread pastries for my friends by then and I haven't even started on anything yet.  So this morning, I had my day planned out -- buy boxes and make the dough.

Long story short, my day didn't go as planned.  I had a bad case of vertigo this morning I couldn't even keep my balance.  I was so dizzy and vomiting too much. But at the same time, I didn't know that my husband was coming home at lunch time because of a power outage at his work.  Yes it is definitely a blessing in disguise!  He went to the packaging store for me and he took care of the kids while he let me sleep from lunch time to the late afternoon.  I was feeling so much better when I woke up. 

Needless to say, because of that, packaging is now ready and the dough is rising as I write this.  My husband is my hero, always to my rescue!

Cheese Bread Recipe

I posted the recipe of the cheese bread below on this link:

http://notecook.com/bread/savory-cheese-bread/

Happy Baking!