BLUEBERRY/RASPBERRY MUFFINS

Requested by: Tabitha

Tabitha has been here the past week and is feeling the nausea of morning sickness and the cravings. Last night she so wanted blueberry muffins and no one was willing to make them, although Andy did volunteer to go into town to buy her one. So this morning I made her muffins and she helped out by taking the pictures for me. She was excited about helping me do a blog and took pictures of everything, needless to say I had to eliminate about half her pictures. She did a great job, don't you think?

Here's the ingredients you will need, flour, oatmeal or oat bran, flax seed, sugar, baking powder, milk, olive oil, eggs, blueberries, raspberries.

Start out by measuring 2 cups of flour and 1 cup sugar

This recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of oat bran. But since I don't have any on hand I'm using 1 cup of whole oatmeal (that's the regular, not quick-cook). I add 2 Tablespoons of flax seed to that and grind it up until it looks like a flour.

If you don't have one of these wonderful gadgets, you don't know what you are missing. I use mine evey day for something. I wore the first one out and had to go buy another. They work great for pureeing veggies for baby food. Just ask Chloe!

See how nice it grinds it up.

Dump this in with the flour.

Tabby had to take a picture of this for all of you. She thinks its funny because I keep all my measuring spoons in a cup. (OK she just told me that the picture is funny because I have paint brushes in it. I tried that thing with painting the cut out cookies and used brushes and this is where they ended up) It's just my thing I guess. I like it cause I never have to dig thru drawers to find my spoons and they're easy to grab. I won't do another survey about where you keep your measuring spoons but try it, you might like it.

Add 3 tsp baking powder.

Mix this up to combine everything. Sorry if using my hands grosses you out but its the best way to do this. And yes they were clean.

Measure out 1 cup of milk

And 1/3 cup olive oil

Pour the oil into the milk and crack in 2 eggs

Mix this up really good so the eggs are beaten

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids

Now you want to mix this together but don't overmix!! If you do Rumplestilskin will come and take your first born child. Just kidding!

The recipe calls for 2 cups of blueberries but I like to use one cup

And then use 1 cup of raspberries

Stir the berries in

We like the big muffins in this house. Spray the tins with some cooking oil spray stuff.

And fill the tins about 2/3 full

If you want, sprinkle a little sugar on top of each muffin. Now bake them at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. I used frozen berries so it took an additional 5 minutes. Shorten the time about 5 minutes if you are making them in the regular muffin tins.

These are soooooooooooo good and actually good for you. Fiber from the oats and flax seed and antioxidants from the berries.

And pregnant mommies to be just love them.

BLUEBERRY/RASPBERRY MUFFINS

2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups oat bran or 1 cup ground oatmeal

2 Tbl ground flax seed

1 cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

1/3 cup olive oil

2 eggs

2 cups berries

Combine flour, oats, flax, sugar and baking powder. Mix together the milk, olive oil and eggs. Pour into center of dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Stir in the berries. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Makes 18 regular muffins or 9 large ones. These freeze well.

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalms 139:16

PEANUT BUTTER TEMPTATIONS

This recipe comes from a lady from our church. Back in 1982 when we first started attending FBC, the ladies of the church had a cookie baking night and Bea brought this cookie. It has been a favorite of ours since then.


Just to warn you, the recipe is a single batch but I doubled it so don't let that confuse you.

Start out with some softened butter.



Add the peanut butter. I love this measuring cup for peanut butter.

Pour in the white sugar. Do you keep a measuring cup in your sugar container? This metal one has been in mine forever. I'm doing a poll on the side pertaining to measuring cups left in containers. Please don't make me be alone in this habit.

Now the brown sugar.

Mix this up really good and do not eat any!

Add the egg.

Pour in some vanilla. Measuring is over-rated when it comes to vanilla.

A little salt.

Some baking soda. There's that sideways picture again. Gotta figure that out.

And finally the flour. This measuring cup came from my Grandma Bessie. It's been in my flour canister forever and ever.

Now mix this all up really good. It's kinda sticky so cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour. If you don't do this it will be really hard to work with so allow time for the refrigeration. If you are a dough eater this is where you eat by the spoonfuls. I'm not one of those kinda people so I just put it in the fridge.

Get out your little mini muffin pan. Form one inch balls. I use a small cookie scoop. It makes the perfect size balls.

They pop out of the scoop and just drop them in the pan.

These scoops are great. I have three different sizes. I use the smallest one the most. If you want a bigger cookie, the medium works good. Now that big one I haven't really found much use for except really big meatlballs.

Aren't they cute all laying in their little sections. Bake them in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Give the baby the measuring cup and a couple spoons for entertainment. And yes I did clean the peanut butter off before I gave it to her.

Unwrap a lot of peanut butter cups. Again, no eating the goods.

You can enlist some help here but I guarantee you'll be short peanut butter cups.

They are done when the centers begin to sink.

This is the best part. Press a peanut butter cup into each cookie while they're hot. And sing Away in a Manger while you do this.

Leave them sit in the pan for about 8 minutes before removing them and placing on a cooling rack.

Hannah dug out the middle and threw the cookie part away! I'll never understand this child.

I did run out of peanut butter cups because a double batch makes 96 cookies. So I just baked the rest on a cookie sheet and stuck a chocolate star in the center.

PEANUT BUTTER TEMPTATIONS

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 large bag peanut butter cups

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix. Preheat oven to 375. Shape batter into 1 inch balls. Place in ungreased mini muffin pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Press a peanut butter cup into each cookie. Let set for 8 minutes before removing from pan. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12

Merry Christmas!

CRANBERRY ALMOND SCONES

It's 6 a.m., Lumberjack is headed for the woods and I'm in the mood for some scones. Now a few years back I didn't really even know what a scone was until I tried one at that yummy little place in Ogema. Since then I've hoarded every scone recipe I can get my hands on. This is one of my favorites.


Now don't let the long list of ingredients discourage you. They really are quite simple to make. Here's the cast of characters: butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, egg, vanilla, cranberries, almonds, powdered sugar, almond extract and milk.

Notice its very dark in the house yet. Sunrise isn't for another hour.

Combine 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and mix together.

Next take 1/2 cup of heart friendly butter (Lumberjack isn't allowed to eat these) and cut into the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, pour in 2/3 cup buttermilk or heavy cream. I love the buttermilk taste.

I have no clue how this picture got turned sideways but it is and thats the way its gonna stay! Add a tsp of vanilla and one egg.

Now take a fork and mix this up really good.

Pour into the flour mixture.

Time to mix again. Where is Hannah when I need her? She loves the mixing part.

The dough is going to be very sticky!

Add 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds.

And 1/2 cup dried cranberries. I really like the cranberries in there so I rounded the cup.

So much for exact measurements.

Now you can throw some flour on the countertop.

Plop the dough down. Sprinkle some flour over the top and knead the dough about 6-8 times.

Here's the really fun part. Form it into an 8" circle. Get out your Nagel Lumber Company ruler and measure to make sure its 8 inches. By the way has anyone ever heard of Nagel Lumber Company? I haven't but its been in my drawer for years.

Here's that sideways picture again. Cut the dough into eight sections. Now if you all paid attention in Math class, you know the easiest way is to cut in half first, then into fourths and finally into eighths.

This is what it should look like when you're done cutting. Everybody refreshed on their fractions now?

Take the sections and place on your baking sheet. I use a pie server because the dough is a little sticky yet and its easier to pick the pieces up.

Place them on your baking sheet in a circle form. Leave space between them because they're gonna get bigger when they bake. I like to bake just about everything on stones but you can certainly use a regular cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Remove from pan onto a cooling rack. They smell awesome! And its finally getting light outside.

For the frosting, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, a Tablespoon of butter , 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract and 2-3 Tablespoons of milk. Frost the cooled scones. I like to put the frosting on when they're still kinda warm.

Wish you were here to eat one with me! They go great with a cup of hot coffee.

CRANBERRY ALMOND SCONES

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter

2/3 cup buttermilk or heavy cream

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 Tbl sliced almonds.

Frosting:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbl butter

1/4 tsp almond extract

2-3 Tbl milk

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter. Mix buttermilk, egg and vanilla in separate bowl and add to flour mixture. Stir in cranberries and almonds. Dough will be sticky. Knead 6-8 times on a floured surface. Form into an 8" circle and cut into eight sections. Place on baking sheet in circle form and bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Mix frosting ingredients and frost over warm scones.

Note: If you want to change this recipe up a bit, substitute 1/3 of the milk with orange juice and add some orange zest. I also leave out the almonds and almond extract when I do this. They get a wonderful citrus taste.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us- they help us to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectationof salvation. Romans 5:3-4