Tag Archives: breakfast

Sweet Potato Crumb Muffins

I loved reading everyone’s words on my last post. The baby shower on Sunday was beautiful, and it was a pleasure to relive it through pictures and writing. I think there is much value in honoring our past, despite its imperfections. My family is far from perfect–we’ve all made our share of mistakes–but there is much love and joy. Much to celebrate.

Not only did I have my first baby shower this week, but Ryan and I are also buying our first house. We’ve spent the past several months looking and praying for the right home. We found it, about four weeks ago, and we’re closing on Friday. The couple who owned it previously had been there for over twenty years. Well into their eighties, they now live in a retirement center. From the moment we walked through the front door, we could tell they cherished their home. I look forward to sharing more pictures in the weeks to come…but here’s a sneak peek. Ryan examining one of TWO wood fireplaces.

In other news: I’m officially in my third trimester. We had a 3d ultrasound on Monday, and my whole family fell in love with our little Lou. She kept her hands close to her face as if to say, “I’m not quite ready for you to see me,” but there were moments when we caught her lips and eyes, when she yawned and sucked her thumb. To have this living and growing baby inside of me is nothing short of miraculous. I cherish every movement, and I long, with eager expectation, the day she’ll be out of my stomach and in my arms.

These sweet potato muffins came together on a cold afternoon. Moist and spicy with a buttery crumb, these muffins make perfect morning treats…or afternoon snacks. I took them to our cousin’s birthday party…and Ryan and I both enjoyed a couple on our way down. If you don’t have mashed sweet potato handy, canned pumpkin works equally well. Whole Foods even sells canned sweet potato. It can be pricey, but if you like the flavor of sweet potatoes, it might be worth storing a can or two.

Sweet Potato Crumb Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon grated cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease or line a 12-tin muffin pan. Set aside

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, grated nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, and canola oil. Fold in sweet potatoes and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.

Divide batter amongst muffin tins. In a small bowl, cut butter into 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup all purpose flour until the mixture resembles coarse peas. Sprinkle topping generously over muffins. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until muffins have domed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Monet

Anecdotes and AppleCores

Pumpkin Maple Cinnamon Rolls

I had one of those days yesterday. Printer ran out of paper, then once restocked, it ran out of ink. Margot ran down the street, then peed on the carpet as soon as I took her upstairs. I felt sick to my stomach in the morning, and then my throat grew sore when I arrived on campus. UGH. But despite all this, I still made cinnamon rolls. And pumpkin cinnamon rolls at that. With a maple syrup glaze. Yes, I have interesting ways of coping with stress.

I baked these pumpkin cinnamon rolls for my fiction workshop (we potluck it, each Tuesday night), but then feared I might be doing more harm than good by passing out these rolls (and my germs) to the class. I tried to warn my colleagues, but they didn’t seem to care. The rolls were passed and most were devoured within the first fifteen minutes of our three hour class.

I typed most of this blog post during our one break last night, eagerly wanting to get home to watch the debates, make a cup of spearmint tea, and eat one or two more of these fall-inspired rolls. Because after the day I had yesterday, I felt like I deserved at least two cinnamon rolls.

I’m baking for a wedding this weekend, which means that my kitchen counters will soon be covered in cake pans, cardboard rounds, bowls for frostings, fillings, and other edible adornments. The days leading up to a wedding are a frenzy of activity, so I’m happy that I was able to sneak in one more recipe before the cake baking commences. I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and it went off without a hitch. A great recipe to keep on file as fall holidays approach.

Pumpkin Maple Cinnamon Rolls

*From the always enviable Smitten Kitchen

Dough
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, to be divided
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed (but not over 116 degrees)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from 1 .25-ounce or 7 gram envelope yeast)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out
1/4 cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2/3 cups pumpkin puree
1 large egg
Oil for coating rising bowl

Filling
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze
2 TBSP maple syrup
2 TBSP whole milk or heavy cream
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Few drops vanilla extract (optional)

1. Melt butter in saucepan. Set aside to cool slightly. Combine your warmed milk and yeast in a small bowl and set aside. After five to seven minutes, it should be a bit foamy. If it’s not, you might have some bad yeast and should start again with a newer packet.

2. In the bottom of the bowl of an electric mixer combine flour, sugars, salt and spices. Add just 1/4 cup ( leave the rest for assembly) of your melted and stir to combine. Add yeast-milk mixture, pumpkin and egg and mix combined. Switch mixer to a dough hook and run it for 5 minutes on low.

3. Scrape mixture into a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 1 hour in a draft-free place; it should just about double.

4. While it is rising, line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and butter the sides of the pan and the paper.

5. Scoop dough onto a very well floured surface and flour the top of it well. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to an approximately 16×11-inch rectangle. Brush reserved melted/browned butter over dough. Stir together remaining filling ingredients and sprinkle mixture evenly over dough. Starting on a longer side, roll the dough into a tight spiral.

6. With a sharp serrated knife, using absolutely no pressure whatsoever (only the weight of the blade should land on the dough) gently saw your log with a back-forth motion into approximately 1-inch sections. When a soft dough like this is rolled, it tends to grow longer, which means that you’ll have the option to either make more buns (say, 18 instead of 16) or just cut them a little larger (in generous inches).

7. Divide buns between two prepared pans. You can sprinkle any sugar that fell off onto the counter over them. Cover each pan with plastic wrap and let rise for another 45 minutes. If you’re doing this ahead of time, you can now put them in the fridge overnight. In the morning, leave them out for an hour to warm up and finish rising.

8. 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake them, heat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, you can make the glaze. Beat your cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Drizzle in milk until you get the consistency you’re looking for, either thick enough to ice or thin enough to drizzle.

9. Remove the plastic and bake buns for 25 minutes, until puffed and golden. Transfer pans to wire cooling racks and drizzle/schmear with maple syrup glaze.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Banana Flaxseed Muffins (why I believe in eating breakfast)

Because breakfast should be wholesome and delicious. Should stick to your ribs without adding inches to your waist. Your morning meal should keep you healthy despite the onslaught of fall colds while also reminding you of your immense value.

You are worth something that tastes good.

And if you don’t do breakfast? Well, I think you should. Because there are so many delicious things about starting your day with a plate of food. If we lived closer, I’d make you something. I’m confident I could convert you.

But if you’re like me, mornings can be hectic. I have a cat. I adopted a dog. And I have a wonderful husband too. The four of us circle around each other, meowing, barking, and hastily dividing a list of domestic chores. Some mornings, I have time for a spinach omelet and a skinny glass of orange juice. But most mornings, I take my breakfast with me. This banana flax seed muffin is perfect for on-the-go.

What makes this muffin ideal for breakfast is the ratio of bananas to sugar. With four bananas, this muffin doesn’t need much (or any) of the granulated stuff. Instead, a drizzle of maple syrup makes these muffins naturally sweet. And who doesn’t like maple syrup? Especially with cooler mornings and the distant promise of snow?

And ground flaxseeds offer a warm nuttiness to this recipe that only becomes more pronounced when you learn how good those tiny seeds are for the body. Hailed as a valuable warrior against heart disease, diabetes, and even breast cancer, flaxseeds need to make their way onto your shelf.

Banana Flaxseed Muffins

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup almond or soy or regular milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup ground flaxseed meal

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease well.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir mashed bananas, milk, vegetable oil, maple syrup, and flaxseed meal. Using a rubber spatula, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide into prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.

3. Place muffins in preheated oven and then lower temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for five minutes before removing to wire rack. Enjoy!

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Cinnamon Twist Bread

Over the weekend, I spoiled myself. Not only did my childhood friend come to visit–with her beautiful 8-month pregnant belly–but I drank two frothy cappachinos.

Normally, I take my coffee black. Or with the most meager splash of almond milk. But after a hard week, whole milk with two shots of espresso sounded very very good.

And they were good. Exactly what I needed. As was this cinnamon twist bread–a twisty, yeasty experiment that turned out beautiful and delicious.

I also bought flowers. Because who doesn’t like filling blank spaces with the gentle opening of pink buds? For four dollars, I filled two vases with roses, and all weekend, I marveled at their delicate and glorious deaths.

Espresso and flowers. Cinnamon and sleeping cats. These were the things that make up the quiet moments of my busy life. This week, I’m baking 200 cookies for a UT event and madly finishing two novels for my Tuesday and Wednesday classes.

No doubt, I’ll be drinking more cappacinos and treating myself with buttery and flakey pastries. I’m going to need a lot of both this semester.

This dough should be made the night before you’re ready to bake your twists. While it might seem a bit taxing, preparing the dough ahead of time makes for a much easier morning. I rolled out of bed at 6 am on Saturday and placed the dough on the counter while I returned to sleep for an additional hour. By 9:30, I had two beautiful cinnamon twists ready to share with my husband and friends.

This cinnamon twist bread is a special and different expression of the morning classics–cinnamon, sugar, butter, and yeast. It made everyone ooh and ahh (always good, right?) and left everyone eager for one more piece. In the recipe below, I’ve linked to a great pictorial tutorial that can help sort the following words into reality.

Cinnamon Twist Bread

6 1/4 cups (28 oz) all-purpose flour

1 Tbs kosher salt

6 Tbs granulated sugar

5 tsp instant yeast

2 cups + 2 Tbs lukewarm milk

1/2 cup melted butter (unsalted)

zest of 1/2 lemon

3 Tbs ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

up to 4 Tbs melted butter, for brushing

1. To make the dough, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Whisk the yeast into the milk until dissolved, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, along with the butter and lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment to mix the ingredients on the lowest speed for about 1 minutes, or until the dough starts to form a soft, shaggy ball.

2. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for about 4 minutes, adding more flour or milk as needed to create a smooth, soft, slightly sticky ball of dough. Increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 2 minutes, or until the dough is very soft, supple, and tacky, but not sticky.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute, then form it into a ball. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.

4. On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you plan to bake. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a lint-free kitchen towel, and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.

5. On a well floured counter, roll each ball of dough into a 12 x 15 inch rectangle. To form a rectangle, roll from the center to the corners, then out to the sides. If the dough starts to resist or is shrinking back, let it rest for 1 minute then continue rolling. The dough should be between 1/4 and 1/2-inch thick.

6. Make the cinnamon-sugar mixture by whisking the cinnamon and nutmeg into the sugar. Brush the surface of the dough with the melted butter over the dough, and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roll up the dough like a rug, rolling from the long-side of the rectangle to form a tight log.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut down the length of the log so that it splays open, showing the many layers within. Place halves side by side, with cut surfaces facing up. Moisten one end of each portion with wet fingers. Push the ends together to join the two pieces of dough. Braid pieces together. Shape into a ring and fit into a greased 8 or 9-inch pan. Brush with additional melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

8. Bake Cinnamon Twist Bread in a preheated 350 F oven for 25-35 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Carrot Cake Scones

I have a lovely friend who enjoys carrots and hummus. On hot summer days, I share a bag with her. We sit outside of her coffeeshop or on a plush couch with a fan nearby. We dip carrot sticks or chips into a tub of creamy hummus. I just now finished talking to her on the phone. We laughed, while also lamenting the tiny annoyances that make up our lives.

And then I have another friend. One I’ve known since I was thirteen. She has chickens! And she’s about to have her first baby. Ryan and I drove to Dallas to visit her and her husband last weekend. We ate grilled peaches with scoops of bluebell icecream and then we talked about our old friends-where they are and what they do now.

Do you see that beautiful blossom in the first picture? An old friend from college makes those gorgeous blooms. We’ve been chatting about our mutual involvement in the wedding world (her blossoms, my cakes) and I couldn’t have been more impressed by her product. You should visit her. Whether you’re the marrying sort or not.

And then I have this person–my partner–and we find ways to love each other more everyday. I think, at times, I make him crazy. With my insecurities. My weaknesses. And my constant opinions. But he still takes me on hikes and buys me vegan cornbread. He speaks of my beauty with gentleness, and it’s he I sit with, late at night, when I’m most scared of the world.

When we got married, Ryan and I ate carrot cake at our reception. I just got a call from a bride a few hours ago. A bride in need of a wedding cake in less than 48 hours. Bless her tears. And so I’ll make her one tomorrow because I can still taste my own wedding cake if I close my eyes. It was spicy and moist and sweet. And I shared it with the person I most deeply love.

So these carrot cake scones are in honor of friends and lovers. Of brides and new babies. Of carrots and chickens. They are just slightly sweet and packed with shredded carrots and plump raisins. Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, these carrot cake scones go well with a morning cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy them. Share them.

Carrot Cake Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter, cut into 16 pieces and chilled
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup packed and drained shredded carrots*

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a deep bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cut and chilled butter pieces and toss until coated with flour.

3. Using two forks, or a pastry cutter, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is size of very small peas.

4. Mix together the milk and egg. Pour over the flour mixture and stir just slightly. Add carrots and raisins. Stir until the mass holds together. Don’t overmix. Dough will be sticky.

5. Gently pat the dough into an 8 or 10 inch circle on your prepared baking sheet. With a large knife, cut this circle into eight wedges (don’t seperate).

6. Place baking sheet into preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cut through the wedges, separating them by an inch. Return to oven and continue baking until golden brown. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar once removed from the oven.

*Press and drain carrots as much as possible. Makes for a firmer scone.