To Die For Blueberry Muffins

My friend Shannon submitted this recipe into our ward cookbook and the name is a PERFECT fit for these muffins!  Seriously.  My hubby LOVES blueberry muffins and when he tried these babies he was in HEAVEN.  They are super MOIST and the crumb topping is AMAZING.  I seriously could go on and on so you are just going to have to try these out for yourself and see.... I promise you will agree that these blueberry muffins REALLY are TO DIE FOR!!!  Thanks Shannon for sharing our family's ABSOLUTE favorite blueberry muffin recipe EVER!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour (1/2 white & 1/2 wheat works fine)

3/4 C white sugar

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 C milk

1 C fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 C flour, 3/4 C sugar, salt and baking powder.

Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup.

Mix egg, oil and milk mixture with the flour mixture.

Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups to the top and sprinkle with crumb topping.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. 

Crumb Topping:

Ingredients:

1/2 C white sugar

1/3 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C butter

1 1/2 t cinnamon

Directions:

To make topping mix together 1/2 C sugar, 1/3 C flour, 1/4 C butter and 1 1/2 t cinnamon.

Mix with fork and sprinkle over muffins before baking.  

Sister Ballard's Famous Cinnamon Rolls

Sister Ballard has ALWAYS been known throughout the ward for her famous cinnamon rolls.  These were always the item EVERYONE would talk about and try to outbid one another at all of the ward auctions. Her recipe really makes the BEST cinnamon rolls... not too gooey, not too dry and perfectly sweet!

Roll Dough Ingredients:

1 T sugar

1-2 pkgs dry yeast or 1 T bulk yeast 

2 T warm water

1/2 C margarine or butter

1/2 C sugar

2 large eggs

1 t salt

1 C very warm water

4 C flour

Directions:

Add sugar and yeast to water.  Stir with plastic or wood spoon to dissolve yeast.  Let stand.

Cream together margarine or butter, sugar, eggs and salt.  Beat well.

Add 1 C very warm water to the yeast mixture.  

Mix in 4 C of flour, beat in mixer and put in bowl.  Cover to rise.

Let rise until doubled in bulk about 1-2 hours (this can be refrigerated, cover with a damp cloth until ready to use).

To make Cinnamon Rolls:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  

Roll out dough into an oblong shape.

Spread with butter and brown sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and add raisins if desired.

Roll into a roll and slice about 1-1 1/2 inch slices.

Place in greased pan and allow to rise about 1/2 hour.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until brown.

Frost hot out of the oven.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 C butter, softened

1 t vanilla

2-2 1/2 C powdered sugar

Blend all ingredients together with a mixer.

Pome-Granola-Vanana Parfait

This has been one of my favorite breakfast meals the last couple weeks. My sister Christie has been in town and we got talking about our favorite things from Trader Joe's. One day I went to visit with her and she told me how yummy this meal was! Since then I have been hooked! I am not huge into eating breakfast, but do know just how important it is for your body. I try to make the most of what I intake and make sure that everything has a good amount of nutritional value! All of the ingredients I got from Trader Joe's (my FAVORITE grocery store) and it all tastes DELICIOUS!!! My hubby, and two boys prefer this over cereal any day! This meal is packed with nutrients and gives my body its energy boost! It is easy to customize the parfait to your liking by just adding your favorite berries (fresh or frozen) and use what you have on hand. I like to make a couple of these to keep in my fridge for when I am craving a sweet snack! :) This is seriously SO GOOD!!! Enjoy! Sorry about the picture....I wasn't planning on sharing this until the very last minute!

Ingredients:

Vanana Yogurt (its a vanilla-banana blend)

Vanilla Almond Granola

Pomegranate Arils (you can find these packaged, all-ready-to-eat)

Directions:

Spoon some yogurt on the bottom of a serving dish

Sprinkle some granola over

Layer some more yogurt

Again, sprinkle more granola and top with some pomegranate arils

Original German Pancakes

This is a recipe that my hubby grew up on and today is a staple in our own home.  It is super SIMPLE and takes just seconds to whip up!  We actually make it at least once a week, usually Sunday mornings, and I LOVE it because I don't have to stand over a hot griddle making individual pancakes for everyone.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cube butter (1/4 C)

6 eggs

1 C flour

1 C milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.

Place butter in dish and place in oven to melt while oven is preheating.

In the meantime, whip rest of the ingredients up in a bowl.

Once oven is preheated, take dish out and pour egg mixture over melted butter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until sides are puffed up and browned.

Cut into squares and serve with additional butter, syrup and powdered sugar. 

Sweet Potato Waffles

I LOVE sweet potatoes and find myself mixing them into just about ANYTHING... mac & cheese, spaghetti sauce, ect.  I really think it is one of the GREATEST most FLAVORFUL vegetables out there and I love the fact that it is SWEET.  When I found this recipe on recipezaar.com, I was SUPER excited!  It seriously made the BEST waffles and reminded me, a lot, like pumpkin waffles.  This recipe made probably about 6 full sized round waffles which meant I had some leftovers on hand, SCORE!  I froze what was leftover and for my son's breakfast each morning, I put 2 sections in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then pop them right into the toaster.  Who needs Eggos anymore when you have these sweet, delicious and nutritious waffles on hand? 

Waffles

Ingredients:

1 C whole wheat flour

1 C white flour

4 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t clove

1/4 t nutmeg

2 eggs, separated

1 1/2 C milk

1 C sweet potato puree

3 T oil

1 T sugar

Directions:

Mix first 6 ingredients (dry ingredients) on bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, milk, sweet potato and oil (wet ingredients).

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients; stir until moistened.

Beat egg whites with mixer until soft peaks form; add sugar until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into the rest of the batter.  

Pour mixture into waffle maker and you are done!

(These waffles are super yummy topped off with buttermilk syrup!)

Buttermilk Syrup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C white sugar

3/4 C buttermilk

1/2 C butter

2 T corn syrup

1 t baking soda

2 t vanilla

Directions:

Cook sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and baking soda.

Bring to boil and cook 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Blueberry Pancakes

I am not much of a breakfast person, when it comes to the mornings, but I LOVE making breakfast foods for dinner.  Two nights ago, I made these YUMMY puppies for dinner and they were SOOO good. Topped off with warm maple butter and you have a real TREAT!

Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 C milk

1 T lemon juice

1 egg

3 T melted butter

2 C flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 T sugar

blueberries (fresh or frozen)

extra butter to grease the griddle

Directions:

Heat griddle or pan.

Mix the first 2 ingredients and set aside.

Combine the egg and butter then mix into the milk mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients (except for blueberries).

Add the wet milk mixture to the dry flour mixture and mix until lumpy. 

Grease your griddle, really well, with butter.

Add the pancake mixture, about 1/4 C at a time, then top with desired amount of blueberries.

Cook until light brown and crisp on both sides.

Top with a dollop of butter and warm maple butter.

Warm Maple Butter

Ingredients:

1 C maple syrup (any brand works fine)

1/2 C butter

Directions:

Pour both ingredients in a saucepan and place on the stove.

Heat, over medium heat, until butter is completely melted.

German Apple Pancakes

German pancakes are a staple in my husband's family, and since we have been married it has become a WEEKLY breakfast/dinner tradition in our household.  Today I decided to put a little twist on the old classic and try something new.  Topped off with warm maple syrup and powdered sugar, this recipe is SUPER simple, and YUMMY, and totally reminds me of The Original Pancake House's infamous Apple Pancake.  It is VERY filling so if your family is just as small as mine is (there is only 3 of us so far...), you will definitely have some leftovers.  Happy eating!

Ingredients:

1/4 C butter

3-4 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 T sugar

1 t cinnamon

6 eggs

1 C flour

1 1/2 C milk

1/2 t salt (optional)

3 T sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

4 T brown sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Spray 9x13 dish with cooking spray and place butter inside of pan.  Place dish immediately into the preheating oven to allow the butter to melt.

3.  Mix apples with the 1 1/2 T sugar and the 1 t cinnamon in a bowl, set aside.

4.  Mix the rest of the ingredients, except for the brown sugar, in a separate bowl until mixture is nice and smooth.

5.  Remove the dish out of the oven once oven is ready and butter is melted.  

6.  First add the apple mixture to the dish.

7.  Next add the egg mixture on top of the apples, then sprinkle the brown sugar on top.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until sides are puffed and browned.

*Like previously mentioned, these pancakes are SUPER good topped off with maple syrup and powdered sugar.

    

Whole Wheat Pancake/Waffle Batter

This was a staple in our home growing up! I remember quite vividly eating waffles or pancakes before school along with slurping down my mother's infamous fruit smoothies! Not only is it very filling, but also quite nutritious! It obviously tastes delicious with any array of toppings (peanut butter/berries/syrup/jam, etc.), but it was my dear mother who introduced me to drizzling it with honey to be a little more on the healthy side! It continues to be a staple in my home today and now my boys are hooked! :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons powdered buttermilk (found in the baking aisle)

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. If too thick, add a little more water...to desired consistency!

Tip: Once you open the powdered buttermilk container, place it in the fridge to prevent the remaining from hardening.

Guilt-Free Mommy Muffins

I am not a huge breakfast eater, and every morning usually go for the more simpler foods like fruit, smoothies, oatmeal, etc.  I found this recipe for whole wheat banana muffins online that I love.  We always have left over brown bananas in our house and I use to use them to make banana bread.  I would make one or two whole loaves and would always feel guilty about eating it because of all of the fat and calories.  I am the type of baker where it has to be ALL or NOTHING.  Either it is super healthy or super fattening.  Anyways, so I found this recipe and I make between 1-2 batches a week and store them either in the refrigerator or freezer.  They are great as a quick on the go breakfast or snack.  They are also totally satisfying and healthy.  The muffins, of course, aren't as flavorful as regular banana bread, but they seem to do the trick for me and my son just LOVES them.  Hope you enjoy this super healthy quick breakfast or snack option!

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour

2 T wheat germ (optional)

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon (optional)

Wet Ingredients:

2 egg whites

1 banana, mashed

1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt

1/2 C applesauce

1 T honey

1 T molasses 

1 t almond extract (could use vanilla as well)

Topping:

regular oats

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease muffin tins with cooking spray.

2) In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Set aside.

3) In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients.

4) Gradually beat in dry ingredient mixture and stir until blended.  Batter should be lumpy.

5) Pour into muffin tins and sprinkle tops with oats.

6) Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

7) Remove muffins from pan and allow them to cool on wire rack.