Category Archives: Quickbreads and Muffins

Sour Cream Muffins

In case you were curious…we survived our first airplane trip. Despite two, yes two, blowouts at 30,000 feet, we arrived in Houston bearing big, tired smiles. I can’t thank Ryan and my mom enough for their help. Between the three of us, we kept our very active 15-week-old baby occupied and happy. She charmed us with her yawns and whimpers, and I watched, captivated, as she stared out the airplane window as we descended through the clouds. There is nothing like watching your child experience the world new.

And did I mention we came to Texas to introduce my baby Lucy to her great-grandmother Lucille Babbitt? My sweet Grammy developed a rare and debilitating kidney disease two years ago, and she’s fought bravely over the last months. The look on my Grammy’s face when she saw her namesake was one I’ll never forget. They live about thirty minutes from my aunt’s house (where we ‘re staying) and my Papou said he’d never seen Grammy drive so fast.

We spent Sunday taking pictures of four generations, and I know Lucy will hold this captured legacy close to her heart in the years to come. We’ll be in Texas for a few more days, so I’ll only be sharing one recipe this week. These sour cream muffins are a classic in my family. With high domes and moist interiors, these whole grain muffins should grace brunch and breakfast parties most every weekend. They serve as the perfect base for plump berries or fall fruits, but if you’re like me, there are days when simplicity wins out. I topped these unadorned muffins with crumbled oatmeal cookies, which added the perfect amount of crunch.

Sour Cream Muffins

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
4 store-bought oatmeal cookies, crumbled.

Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the butter is incorporated, then turn the mixer back on and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and sour cream, and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once more, to be sure everything is evenly combined. Refrigerate dough for at thirty minutes to one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Scoop the batter by the 1/4-cupful into the prepared pan and sprinkle with crumbled oatmeal cookies. Bake the muffins until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

NORTH Festival-Icelandic Pancakes

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My younger sister came to visit Lucy and us last week. We had a beautiful visit, complete with hiking, shopping, and pancakes. Noelle and I love pancakes. So does our older sister. It could almost be viewed as a family past time. So when I was asked to blog about the NORTH festival and Iceland, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Noelle went to Iceland for her honeymoon, and she told me about one of her favorite Icelandic eats: pancakes.

There are two common varieties of Icelandic pancakes. One is thin, very similar to a crepe. The other is thick, made so by leftover rice porridge, and studded with dried fruit. I’ve made crepes countless times, so I was eager to try the latter version.

Iceland is a country largely uninhabited. The natural landscape is extreme and beautiful. My sister hiked and explored the rivers, mountains, volcanoes, and glaciers. She dipped in several of Iceland’s many natural hot springs. And she enjoyed meal after meal. Icelandic food is known for its quality. Nordic cuisine stresses purity, simplicity, and ethical production. While many traditional dishes rely on preservation, these pancakes are made and enjoyed fresh. Wouldn’t a stack be perfect after a long morning hike?

Learn more about Nordic cuisine at the NORTH Festival 2013 in New York City. This post is a collaboration between the blogger and NORTH Festival 2013.

Icelandic Pancakes

2 cups rice porridge or rice pudding

1 cup whole milk

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup golden raisins

Combine rice pudding, whole milk, and egg in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in melted butter and raisins.

Grease and heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into hot pan. Allow to cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface of the pancake. Flip and allow to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Apple Crunch Muffins

Lucille Amelia is 8 days old and I’m just now starting to feel like a human again. The first few days post-delivery were beautiful AND challenging. Nursing, sleep deprivation, fluctuating hormones and unmentionable fluids made me feel like I’d never regain my composure. But sure enough, we’re all learning what it means to be a family, and we’re all finding much love and joy to celebrate.

As I mentioned in my birth story, I wanted muffins on the day Lucy was born. There’s a tea shop in Manitou Springs that makes the best muffins. All organic ingredients and fresh fruit. They offer six different muffins but you can only buy them on certain days of the week. Sunday is Date Walnut. Thursday, Banana. Monday, Cherry Almond. On Lucy’s birth date, they had made my absolute favorite: Apple Cinnamon.

I’ve had a muffin from this delightful bakery/tea shop every day since Lucy’s birth. And I know I’ll continue to frequent this tea shop in the months to come. But I also wanted to try to my hand at making my own version. Not only will it save me money (I can’t justify spending $2.00 a day on muffins for much longer!) but time too. Leaving the house with Lucy requires much more planning and energy!

As I mentioned earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to sample Lactaid Milk. During my pregnancy, I developed a slight intolerance to dairy, and I was happy that Lactaid offered dairy products that I could still enjoy. Calcium is so important during pregnancy and post-delivery!

Below is a segment from the Today Show where Melissa d’Arabian makes a delicious and dairy-free Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Ryan and I plan on making this soon!

http://www.today.com/id/52297933/ns/today-today_food/t/chicken-lactose-free-creamy-mushroom-sauce/#

And I’ve made my own recipe using Lactaid Milk…an adaptaion of the delicious Apple Cinnamon Muffins that Lucy and I both love! Follow this link for more Lactaid Recipes…there are some good ones!

Apple Crunch Muffins

2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup Lactaid Milk (whole)
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 cup granola

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the oil and sugars. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the Lactaid milk. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apples.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, and sprinkle granola on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before removing from pan.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Banana Coffee Muffins

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer weekend. I’m still pregnant…and happy about it too! My OB was out of town over the weekend, so we told Lucy to wait until she returned. And she did. Now we’ll see if she’ll listen to me again. I’d love for her to be born over Father’s Day weekend.

My motivation to work in the kitchen is diminishing. I still feel good, but the thought of turning on my oven or stove when our house is already nearing 80 degrees is less than appealing. Yesterday afternoon, I knew I’d feel better if I baked something…but it took a lot of convincing to actually get out my bowls and pans.

If I’ve missed anything during my pregnancy, I’ve missed coffee. As a graduate student and a writer, I drank at least two cups of strong, black coffee every day. One of my best friends (the lovely Mallory) opened a coffee shop (Vintage Heart) in East Austin, and I spent my mornings there, working and drinking. But when I got pregnant in October, I developed the strongest aversion to most everything I loved. I couldn’t even smell coffee without feeling sick. This lasted about 12 weeks…I thought it would never end.

When I moved back to Colorado, my stomach finally settled. My OB told me I could drink coffee occasionally, but that it was best to avoid caffeine as a general principle. Since hearing that advice, I’ve had a few cups of good coffee…and while I loved the taste and the slight jolt of energy, Lucy reminded me that caffeine indeed crosses the placenta. She moved and kicked and shifted her body. And so for her sake, I don’t take more than a sip. Or I make a batch of these coffee banana muffins.

This is a classic banana muffin recipe made more complex with the addition of strongly brewed coffee. If you don’t like the flavor of coffee, leave it out, but I think you’ll find it adds a layer of complexity often lacking in most banana muffin recipes.

Oh yes, I usually post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you don’t see a post from me on one of those days…you can assume our baby has made (or is making) her arrival! I’ll be sure to update my facebook page with baby pics as soon as everything settles 🙂

Banana Coffee Muffins

1/3 cup butter, melted

4 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 TBSP strong, brewed coffee

1 teaspoon finely ground coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12 tin muffin pan with paper liners or grease with butter.

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, coffee, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped nuts (optional). Divide muffin batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack before removing from pan.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread

Noelle (my younger sister) and I have always been close. Four years younger than me, Noelle was the best thing that could have happened to my brown-eyed, curly-haired self. I had told my mom I wanted a little sister, and when she found out she was pregnant, I was confident we were having a little girl. I turned out to be right.

Unlike most sibling relationships, Noelle and I were infatuated with each other. We would stretch out on a blanket on our living room floor, half-clothed and sipping on orange juice while our grubby hands reached into the same bowl of cheerios. I understood Noelle’s incoherent sentences far before our parents did, our friends did, and so we had, for a time, a secret language. We communicated with each other before we communicated with the larger world.

And we grew up, and we traveled across the country and the world together. We talked about our fears and our hopes. We found new ways to connect as we became adults with different dreams and ambitions.

My little sister is now a nurse. She graduated just a few weeks ago, and I wish I could have been in West Virginia to congratulate her in person. She’s immensely talented and has been working in the Pediatric ICU. She’ll go to graduate school in the next year or so, and I’m confident that she’ll surpass everyone’s expectations.

Noelle and I share many things: a love for our dogs, our untiring ambition, a hesitation to attend parties with a large amount of people we don’t know. We also share a love for a bakery located just a few miles from my parent’s home. There, we both sampled their blueberry cream cheese muffins and fell in love. Growing up, Noelle and I didn’t eat cream cheese, so the obsession is definitely a new one. But take one bite of a blueberry cream cheese muffin and you can’t go back. The sweetness of the muffin is only intensified by the creamy swirls of cheese.

This blueberry cream cheese bread is just as good (if not better!) than the muffins Noelle and I love. The loaves are moist and swirled with a thick cream cheese layer. They bake to a lovely golden brown and leave your house smelling like the best part of summer. Perfect for breakfast or even for dessert, these loaves improve after sitting for a day. I wish I could send one of them to Noelle in West Virginia, but she’ll just have to look forward to eating one when she comes out to visit us in a few weeks.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread

FOR THE BREAD:
1/2 cups butter (1 stick, softened)
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 whole eggs
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cups milk
2 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

FOR THE FILLING:
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour one large loaf pan or four mini loaf pans. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, egg and orange extract. Set filling aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add salt and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Fold in half of dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture, then add milk, then the remainder of dry ingredients. Toss blueberries in tablespoon of flour and fold into batter. Your batter will be thick.

Spread half of batter into the bottom of prepared loaf pan(s). Using a spatula, spread cream cheese filling on top. Spread the remainder of batter over cream cheese and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes (for mini loaf pans) or 50-55 minutes (for large loaf pan). Allow to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes before removing. Wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.