PB and Banana Muffins (with Puree)

serves 12

Ingredients:
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c carrot or cauliflower puree
1/2 c banana puree
1 egg white
1 c whole-wheat flour
1 t powder
1 t soda
1/2 t salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Ready 12 cup muffin tin w/ cooking spray or cupcake liners.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix 1/2 c brown sugar with pb, the veggie and banana purees, and egg white with wooden spoon.
3. Put flour, powder, soda, and salt in a bowl, mix. Add to bowl w/ pb mix and stir just to combine- will be lumpy. Add remaining 1/2 c of brown sugar and stir a couple times.
4. Divide batter in muffin cups. Bake til lightly browned and toothpick comes out cleanly, 15-20 mins. Turn muffins on rack to cool.
5. Store in airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to a month.

Applesauce muffins (with puree)

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:
topping:
2/3 c old-fashioned oats
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 t margarine, melted

batter:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c old-fashioned oats
1 t powder
1/2 t soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c nonfat milk
1/2 c butternut squash or carrot puree
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c veggie or canola oil
1 egg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 12 cup muffin tin w/ cooking spray or cupcake liners
2. To make topping, stir together oats, sugar, & cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in margarine.
3. To make batter, combine flour, oats, powder, soda, and cinnamon in larger mixing bowl. In second bowl, mix applesauce with milk, veggie puree, sugar, oil, and egg w/ wooden spoon. Add flour mixture slowly, stirring til just moistened. Don't over mix. Batter will be lumpy.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake til topping is lightly browned and toothpick comes out cleanly- 18-20 mins. Turn muffins out onto a rack and serve warm or cool.

Banana Coconut Pineapple Muffins

I know Sam won't want to eat these, but they sound heavenly to me

From For the love of Cooking

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c of flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cinnamon
3/4 stick of butter (6 T)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
2/3 c of sugar
1 large egg
2 large very ripe bananas
1/2 c crushed pineapple
3/4 c shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling on top of each muffin

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until well mixed.

Whisk the egg, sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl until well combined. Add melted butter, mix well. Smash the bananas then add to the batter, as well as the pineapple, and coconut until combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until just the ingredients are just combined. Don't over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin then sprinkle each top with coconut.

Bake for 21-23 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven.

Let the muffins cool on a rack then serve plain or slathered in butter. Enjoy!

Banana Strawberry Orange Muffins

From For the Love of cooking

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 T fresh orange juice (or juice from one orange)
1 1/2 c of strawberries, sliced (add a bit of sugar if they are tart)
1 T grated orange zest, divided
3 T sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon of orange zest together in a small bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the bananas, eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, fresh orange juice, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined then carefully add 1 cup of sliced strawberries and gently mix together. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Sprinkle the remaining strawberries evenly over the tops of each muffin, making sure to push them down a bit.

Combine the sugar and remaining tablespoon of orange zest together and sprinkle evenly on top of each muffin.

Place into the oven and bake for 25-27 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Enjoy.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 t baking soda
1 tground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c veggie oil
1/4 c milk
1 T lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
1 c shredded zucchini
1/4 c miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c chopped walnuts

Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins done.

Kera's Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

My SIL have been bragging about these muffins for a while, I'm excited b/c I have her recipe. Yay!

The following is a single recipe for them. I ALWAYS double it though.

Preheat Oven to 350 F

2 cups Kellogg's All Bran ORIGINAL. (NOT Flakes)
1 cup Kellogg's Bran Buds
1 cup boiling water
Mix boiling water with both cereals. Let soak for 5 minutes or so.

Mean while, mix the following ingredients together in a mixing bowl:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oil
2 cups buttermilk

Add the soaked cereals to the mixing bowl and mix well.
Add chocolate chips to batter (to your preference of chocolate lover-tude)

Spray your muffin pans with Pam (or whatever non stick spray you use) and fill the cups about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Here is my HUGE secret to making them taste the best:
When they come right out of the oven and are cooled, I don't really love them. They aren't nearly as moist.

Here is what I've found. When they are still a little warm place the in Ziplock bags. (make sure they are freezer bags). Give them an hour or more in the baggie. The warmth softens the outer part of the muffins.
Also these freeze AMAZINGLY well. When we are finished with one baggie, I pull out another and leave on the counter. You can also warm them in the microwave at 50%.
ENJOY!