Category Archives: Quickbreads and Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins (and a giveaway!)

I had planned on writing this post yesterday. But as many of you know, Ryan and I celebrated our 4th anniversary…and the day slipped away from me. We had a lovely evening, complete with artichoke, shrimp and mussel pasta, and a crusty loaf of Italian bread. BUT THEN all hell broke loose. Around 10 pm, I started feeling funny and before I knew it, an evening of love and romance had transformed into a very sick pregnant woman lying on the bathroom floor. After several hours of vomiting, with no respite in sight, we were told to come into the hospital. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor to make sure Lucy wasn’t going to come too soon. Dehydration is not good for pregnant people!

Thankfully, by 5 am, the vomiting had stopped and I was able to drink a glass of Gatorade. Ryan and I are back home, Lucy is content for at least a few more weeks (I hope!) and I’m on the mend. We’re not sure what happened, but my doctor told me to avoid all seafood for the next few weeks. Ryan didn’t get sick from our dinner…and they don’t think it’s a stomach bug. More likely, my body just said, “No way!” to shellfish.

It’s fascinating what our bodies do and do not tolerate. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to learn more about lactose-intolerance, a condition I’ve developed over the course of my pregnancy. I can still eat cheese…but a glass of milk or even a bowl of ice-cream makes my stomach cramp. The folks at Lactaid offered me and others some interesting and valuable information…as well as coupon for a carton of Lactaid. Wouldn’t a glass of milk be perfect with one of these muffins?

Michelle Harrington, a registered dietician, had this to say about lactose and lactose intolerance:

What is Lactose?

Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk and other dairy foods.

Lactose (milk sugar) consists of two simple sugars–glucose and galactose

Lactose MUST be broken down into glucose and galactose by the intestinal enzyme lactase before it can be absorbed by the body

What does it mean to be Lactose Intolerant?

Most people produce the natural enzyme, lactase. The amount of lactase your body produces determines how much lactose your body can break down.

Everyone has different levels of lactose intolerance (I’m only mildly intolerant!)

What is Lactaid?

Lactaid provides the lactase needed to break down lactose (try saying that ten times!)

Lactaid products are 100% real dariy. The only thing different? They add the naturally occurring enzyme to their milks, ice-creams, and cheeses.

Lactaid products can help lactose-intolerant individuals and families digest dairy products without stomach discomfort (yippee!)

After last night’s incident, I know I’m VERY READY to be free of any and all stomach discomfort. I’m eager to try Lactaid with my nightly bowl of cereal because calcium is SO important for growing babies, and there is nothing quite like a glass of full-fat milk. The folks at Lactaid would also like to give one of you a coupon to try their product. If you’d like to be eligible for the giveaway, like Anecdotes and Apple Cores on Facebook and leave me a comment below. I’m so close to 2,000 likes…I’m sure we can get there! The winner will be drawn Monday morning.

And because I know I need something sweet to end the week, here is my go-to muffin recipe (chock-full of mini chocolate chips). I’ve made quite a few muffins over the course of my adult-life, but these are the VERY BEST. If you’re looking for a classic, bakery style muffin, look no further. These rise beautifully, have just the right amount of sweetness, and are moist, moist, moist! You can sub the chocolate chips for other goodies like blueberries or nuts. The sky is the limit!

Chocolate Chip Muffins (the only recipe you’ll ever want or need!)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
10 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups plain full-fat or low-fat yogurt

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (or other add-in of your choice)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two standard muffin tins with paper (this recipe makes about 16-18 big muffins…so you won’t use all the tins).

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl (ideally the bowl of a stand mixer) cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.

Now, alternate between adding dry ingredients and yogurt. Your batter will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips. Using a 1/3 cup measure, divide batter evenly into prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack. Enjoy!

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Brown Butter Cornbread

I had planned on writing this post as soon as I got home from my OB appointment. Instead, I cleaned my house, mopped the floors, and made a batch of banana pancakes. Anyone who knows me well, understands that this behavior is a nervous response. Once I hit about 8 weeks, I haven’t had any worries in my pregnancy. The baby has been healthy. My blood tests have come back normal. My weight gain has been appropriate.

But today, my OB expressed what I call, “slight concern.” My fundal height (the measurement of my stomach/uterus) was behind schedule. “Nothing significant,” she assured me but not without ordering an ultrasound to make sure Lucy was growing the way she should be. Of course, that ultrasound couldn’t be scheduled until later next week. Not good for a mama who is prone to anxiety and worry. My sweet husband reassured me on the way home. He prayed over us, and we both felt Lucy move at his touch. Often, taller women carry their babies more internally. We have more room for our uterus to expand inside. In all likelihood, we’ll go to our ultrasound next week and see a healthy and growing little girl. But I still needed to clean the house and bake when I got home from the doctor. I still worry that something might not be right: my placenta isn’t giving her enough nutrients, the cord is deficient, etc, etc…

Yet then I remember that by worrying, I do nothing but send stress hormones through my body and Lucy’s body too. I trust that this baby was meant to be a beautiful and healthy part of our family. I hold onto the little kicks she gives me after I eat something sweet like an apple. And I’m thankful we live in a country where medical care is accessible and often exceptional.

I imagine I’ll do a fair share of baking this next week to curb my anxiety. These brown butter cornbread loaves came about last night, after a relaxing day with my older sister. Cornbread is one of my favorite snacks. I like eating it at meals, but I enjoy a piece late at night even more. This recipe produces loaves much more similar to a corn cake than the traditional southern cornbread. It’s sweet and flavorful. Why I never thought of using brown butter before in my favorite cornbread recipe is beyond me. It adds a wonderful nuttiness to each bite.

Brown Butter Cornbread

1/2 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoons salt

In a small skillet, melt butter until it begins to bubble. Swirl butter around pan with a wooden spoon. The butter will begin to “brown” as small flecks form along the bottom of the pan. The butter will take on a nutty smell. Remove from heat as soon as it turns an amber-gold color. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before using.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease three mini loaf pans or one regular loaf pan (or an 8 inch square pan). Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown butter (cooled), eggs, and buttermilk. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan(s). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes (mini loaf pans) or 35-40 minutes (regular loaf pan). A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing from pans. Enjoy while warm!

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Zucchini Maple Muffins with Strawberry Mascarpone

I’m not the first to say: what a week it’s been. I know I’ve been reminded to slow down and appreciate the relative simplicity of my daily life. My heart and thoughts go out to our brothers and sisters around the country, who have witnessed such loss and destruction. Some days this world can feel too heavy.

I’m thankful that we’re in a season of rebirth. Although snow still covers the ground (Colorado is stubborn), I can see new buds on trees and there are plants in my front yard that are poking up from beneath the winter mulch. How we need a reminder of life’s continual cycle when days are long and dark. In many ways, Lucy’s presence in our life is akin to the first bloom after a harsh and biting season. My sister died two years ago, and Lucy will likely be born within days of her birthday (late June). My mind has been brought back to this place of remembrance and thankfulness after seeing the terrible scenes this week. I can’t begin to offer comfort to those who have lost limbs or loved ones. But I can say that on my own journey, the sun did rise again.

These muffins came from abundance. With spring here, our supermarket is receiving some of our more warm-weather friends. Zucchini was on sale (1 dollar a pound) and a huge carton of strawberries (32 oz) could be had for 2.99. I wanted to create a muffin that was flavorful without being loaded with refined flour and sugar. I used maple syrup to sweeten the muffins and a few tablespoons of honey for the marscapone cheese. So yes, I’m happy to say that this is another great recipe free of all refined sugar.

I also browned the butter before adding it to my batter-a sure way to impart both flavor and moistness. You can never go wrong with browned butter (at least this is what my husband says).

Ryan and I are looking forward to a quiet weekend. We are almost ENTIRELY unpacked, and the weather promises to be a bit more friendly than earlier this week. I’m tossing around ideas for a leisurely Sunday breakfast, and we’ll likely visit our favorite eating establishment tomorrow for pancakes and scrambled eggs. We don’t have much longer until Lucy arrives…and I’m trying to savor these last few weeks alone with Ryan.

I hope you have time to make something special this weekend, to treat yourself, your family, or your friends. These muffins are good for body and soul. I know I’m happy we still have a few extra. They’ll be making an appearance this afternoon along with a cup of tea.

Zucchini Maple Muffins with Strawberry Mascarpone Cheese

2 cups grated, unpeeled, zucchini (2 medium or 3 small zucchini)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup whole milk

Strawberry Mascarpone

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 generous tablespoons honey
2-3 strawberries, finely diced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two 12-tin muffin pans with paper liners or grease well with butter. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together, flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a small skillet, melt butter. Once melted, swirl butter around pan with a rubber spatula. The butter will begin to turn a light golden and small brown flecks will collect on the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell nutty and delicious. Turn off heat once butter begins to brown. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together browned butter, eggs, maple syrup and milk. Fold in dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in zucchini. Divide batter into prepared muffin pans (about 1/3 cup batter in each muffin tin). Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

To make strawberry mascarpone: beat together mascarpone cheese and honey until smooth. Stir in diced strawberries. Serve alongside cooled muffins.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Cinnamon Cake Doughnut Holes

I often wish I was standing in my Grammy’s kitchen. On some days, I miss her voice. On other days, I miss the way she could make the house smell. Yeasty breads, roasted chickens, and browning pies led to a pleasant association: Grammy and good, good food. My mom and aunt have told me about one of their favorite meals from her kitchen. Almost every Sunday night, she’d fry a chicken and make her famous shoestring french fries. My mom and aunt, then little girls, would stand beside her as she pulled the fries from the fryer. They’d often eat the entire batch before sitting down to dinner.

I, however, grew up in a VERY health-conscious home, so fried foods were regulated to occasional, out-to-dinner treats. I never watched my own mother fry anything. But on Sunday morning, I woke with a strong desire to make a batch of doughnuts. And in case you didn’t know, doughnuts are fried.

Seeing that I came to this task completely unprepared, I wished, even more, that I had my Grammy standing beside me! Over the past few years, I’ve learned how to make pies, rolls, even wedding cakes…but the thought of all that bubbling oil made me nervous. Thankfully, I knew that if I completely failed, no one would know besides Ryan and me. One of the wisest lessons I’ve learned is to never bake or make something complicated for the very first time if guests are due to appear.

Over the course of an hour (and yes, this recipe takes less than an hour!) I made a few rookie mistakes. I don’t own a deep-fryer (no surprise there) so I used Ryan’s wok and a candy thermometer to determine temperature. The wok worked wonderfully…the candy thermometer not so much. When I dropped my doughnut holes into the oil, they went from light pieces of dough to dark black char-balls within seconds. Clearly, the candy thermometer wasn’t registering temperature correctly. I learned my lesson, cooled my oil, and then relied on a simple old-fashioned test. I took a small piece of dough and dropped it into the center of my oil. If it began to bubble immediately and rise to the surface, I knew I was ready to go. And the result was a beautiful batch of freshly made doughnut holes that Ryan and I enjoyed along with pancakes and scrambled eggs (Sunday mornings should be a bit decadent, I think…especially when you’re 31 weeks pregnant).

So if you’re afraid of making doughnuts, know that part of the fun will be in ruining nearly all of them…just so you can make those five, perfectly fried, rounds of dough. Don’t make them for company, until you’ve practiced a few times. And channel your grandmother, who still knows how to make something as simple as a sheet of brownies taste a little like heaven. She’ll help you succeed. I know my Grammy did.

Cinnamon Cake Doughnut Holes

2 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup whole milk

1 quart oil, for frying

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

1/2 cup sugar

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Heat oil in deep-fryer or wok to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or until a small piece of food immediately sizzles and rises to the surface of the oil).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour melted butter over dry ingredients and mix until crumbly. Stir in milk and egg until a thick batter/dough forms.

Take 1-2 tablespoons of dough and form into a small ball (doughnut-hole size). Once all dough has been shaped, carefully drop 5-6 holes into hot oil. Do not overcrowd pan. Fry, turning once, for three minutes or until golden. Place the fried holes on a cookie sheet set above a plate and allow the oil to drain off. Dip freshly fried holes in cinnamon-sugar mixture, tossing to coat. These doughnut holes are best enjoyed warm, just minutes after they’ve been made.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Best Ever Banana Pancakes

As strange as it might sound, I think it finally hit me this week: we’re having a baby. At this point, I’m very comfortable with being pregnant, but in a matter of weeks, I’ll begin a new chapter. I’ll be a mom. And this reality–motherhood–is both exciting and terrifying. Maybe I’ve come to realize the realness of little Lucy because her kicks are no longer just playful jabs. Her movements are powered by real, strong, baby legs. And when she turns, I can feel the heft of her body. My stomach moves to one side, and Ryan can run his fingers along her back. Or maybe it’s because we’re finally in our new home. Lucy has a bedroom now. Her crib is sitting beneath her window. The changing table is by the door. This new environment, our first home, inspires visions. Visions of her crawling. Visions of her coming home from school. Visions of weeknight dinners with a family of three.

I’ve heard this is natural. These feelings of ambivalence and even fear. I’m thankful I have the support of my family. A well-placed sentence can do wonders to calm a nervous mama’s heart. And Ryan and I are so thankful for our new home. We still have LOADS of work to do, but I wanted to share at least a few pictures. There will be more to come soon!

Our fireplace mantle might just be my favorite part of this house. On it: a few favorite prints, spools of colored twine, and a recycled “heart” from my Aunt Sherry.

I just hung my collection of vintage plates on our dining room wall. I found all of these at the thrift store, and I love the small imperfections in each. I wanted to give you a “full-room” picture, but our table is still covered in boxes! Priorities right?

Now that I’m done with my MFA, I’ve organized my books by color. Highly impractical but visually stimulating. Unfortunately, we have about five more boxes of books that didn’t fit on the book shelf or in the color scheme.

Another favorite part of my new house? A built-in china cabinet. I have so many little things that make me smile, and it feels good to finally have a place to keep them. My sister Susanne gave me How to Cook the Perfect Day last year, and it’s become one of my favorite books. Not only is it full of good recipes, but the prints are beautiful.

And because home is much more than a pile of possessions, I wanted to share one of the first breakfasts I made in my kitchen. I’m fully convinced, you can never go wrong with a fresh plate of pancakes. Light, fluffy, and full of ripe bananas, these whole wheat pancakes are addictive, to say the least. The slight sweetness from the honey pairs perfectly with that ubiquitous yellow fruit. I know I had a hard time not eating the entire batch! These taste especially good when served with maple syrup or strawberry jam. As if you needed a reminder.

Best Ever Banana Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1/2 to 1 cup chopped bananas

In a small bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together honey, butter, buttermilk and eggs until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir in chopped bananas. Allow batter to sit while you heat your skillet.

Heat medium skillet to medium-high heat. A drop of water should sizzle upon contact. Grease pan with either oil or butter (butter is my favorite, of course). Pour 1/4 cup of batter into skillet. Allow to cook for approximately one minute. Bubbles should rise to the surface and the edges should be golden brown. Flip and allow to cook for approximately 30 seconds on the other side. Serve warm with maple syrup or strawberry jam.