Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Original recipe here

Gary and the kids (but especially Gary!) loved these!  It's not health food by any means, but it's better than regular chocolate cake and at least has a cup of zucchini hidden inside!  They were very moist.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (**I used a gluten free flour mix instead of whole wheat.  Next time, I'm going to try all GF flour because they were plenty moist)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with non-stick spray or insert muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, vegetable oil, milk, and the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.
4. Divide the batter evenly amongst each cavity (for only 12 muffins, you will need to fill each one very full). Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let muffins cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Jumbo Coffee-Cake Muffins

Gary loves these- very decadent!

for streusel:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

for muffins:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1  3/4 cups flour, plus more for pans
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1. Prepare streusel:  In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.  With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Prepare muffins: preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour two jumbo 6-cup muffin pans.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sour cream, sugar and vanilla on medium until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.

4. Divide half the batter among muffin cups; top with half the streusel.  Cover with remaining batter; top with remaining streusel.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

From Food magazine.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Photo & Recipe from Simply Recipes

We love this for Christmas morning!

1 lb of pork sausage, (then cooked, drained, crumbled)
4 1/2 cups cubed day old bread
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 eggs slightly beaten
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat a skillet on medium high. Break up the sausage into chunks and cook, working in batches if need be, until browned all around. Make sure the chunks of sausage have some space around them or your meat will steam and not brown. Remove the cooked sausage from the pan and let sit on some paper towels on a plate to soak up the excess fat. Crumble into smaller pieces.

Place bread in a well buttered 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, onion powder and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage and optional ingredients over the top.

At this stage you can cover and chill overnight, if you want to prepare ahead. If not, let sit for 10 minutes before putting in the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about one hour. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly.

Banana Muffins/Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar 
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  In well, mix together butter, bananas, eggs and vanilla.  Stir to incorporate flour mixture but do not overmix.  Divide evenly into a 12 cup muffin pan lined with paper liners.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

If you want to turn them into cupcakes, try my "Sprinkles" cream cheese frosting.  I created it to mimic Sprinkles frosting.  It's definitely not exactly like Sprinkles, but it's delicious nonetheless.  You can make it different flavors by adding different juices and/or extracts.

FROSTING
1 1/2 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tbsp. whole milk or cream

Beat all the ingredients.

Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake

Streusel topping and center:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
coarse salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsp. whole milk

1. Make the streusel topping: mix together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1 tsp. salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until small to medium clumps form.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Make the streusel center: mix together remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.
3. Preheat oven to 350.  Make the cake: butter a 9-inch tube pan with a removable bottom.  Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt into a bowl.
4. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla.  Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Continue to beat until well combined.
5. Spoon half the batter into pan.  Sprinkle streusel center mixture evenly over batter.  Top with remaining batter, and spread evenly using an offset spatula.  Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.
6. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes (I had to bake it for 70 minutes because the streusel was so thick!).  Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.  Remove cake from pan and transfer to parchment.
7. Make the glaze: mix together confectioners' sugar and milk.  Drizzle over cake and let drip down sides.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

(Martha Stewart recipe).

Baked Maple Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Photo & recipe from Lovin in the Oven

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• pinch of salt 
• 1 egg (lightly beaten) 
• 1 6 oz container of non fat organic vanilla bean yogurt 
• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup 

• 3 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted) 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl stir together egg, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup.oil. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the hole. Gently fold everything together until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly into a greased 6 donut pan. The batter will be pretty thick and airy.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute or two and then flip over onto a cooling rack while still warm. Use a pastry brush to butter your donuts and then dip each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.

Bacon-Asparagus Strata

8 strips bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and chopped
9 ounce package frozen cut asparagus, thawed and well-drained
3/4 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped
12 slices dry white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
3 cups shredded Swiss cheese (12 ounces)
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard or 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Lightly coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl combine bacon, asparagus, and red peppers.
2. Place half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the bacon mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread cubes, bacon mixture, and cheese.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs with a rotary beater or whisk. Beat or whisk in milk, mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in dish. Using the back of a spoon, gently press down on layers to moisten all of the bread. Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 to 24 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed, golden, and set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

(From Better Homes & Gardens)