Easiest, Most Scrumptious Pumpkin Muffins EVAH.

I was searching for a pumpkin bread or muffin recipe the other day that had any number less than 3 eggs. Most call for 4. I had 2. Boo hoo hoo. ANYWAY, on Food.com (formerly recipezaar.com) I found one! It called for ZERO eggs! WOOT! (Believe me- when you eat these things, you'll catch my excitement!)

The original poster stated that she acquired the recipe from a Weigh Watcher's meeting. GAG! But, alas, unlike most of the other healthy (read: ICKY) muffins, these haven't caused me to become good friends with The John, aka toilet.

Without further adieu, THE EASIEST MOST SCRUMPTIOUS MUFFIN RECIPE EVAH!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 18 oz. box cake mix, suggested: yellow, white or spice

(I used Dunkin Hines Butter Recipe Golden*)

*Because I used a non spiced mix, I added the following

1 tsp cinnamon, ground

.5 tsp nutmeg, ground

.5 tsp ginger, ground

Mix all ingredients until creamy. I'd suggest using a stand mixer as your arm will become VERY tired. Divide into lined muffin cups. *** Bake as directed on the box. I got 22 muffins.

***To jazz up the place, I decided to top the muffins, pre-baking, with a Crumb Topping recipe from the same site.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

In a separate bowl, mix ingredients, using fork or pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Top each muffin as evenly as possible.

http://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-muffins-12521

http://www.food.com/recipe/caramel-apple-pie-with-crunchy-crumb-topping-3577

(Sorry about the poor picture. I hate posts without pictures, but I didn't anticipate putting this on the blog.)

I've started a business!

See? To the right? It's a "Page Badge" from Facebook. The new business is called Black Lotus Massage. Awesome. If you have a Facebook page, you should "like" my Facebook Business Page. Super Awesome.

So Good Chicken n Rice Tortilla Soup

3 tbsp olive oil

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 med carrot, chopped

1/2 med onion, chopped

1 tsp lime juice

4 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

w/ green chillies AND juice

1/2 tsp garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock, plus 3 cups

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1/2 cup rice, uncooked

1/2 tsp cumin powder

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, etc.

Heat olive oil in large sauce pan. Add celery, carrot, onion and sauté until onion is nearly translucent. Add lime juice and cilantro, cook about 1 minute more. Add tomatoes with chillies and their juices and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced to half. Add cumin powder, chicken stock and rice. Heat, uncovered until rice is tender. Add remaining 3 cups of chicken stock, then add diced chicken. Cover and simmer. (I cooked for hours, until we were ready to eat). Spoon into bowls, garnish and enjoy!

SUPER AWESOME BEER BREAD. YUP, IT'S THAT AWSOME.

I love Recipezaar.com. It's fantastic. I was searching for and easy bread to make because I don't really have the patience or knack for yeast breads. This one is as easy as they come. This recipe has to be fab because it's just a smidge under a 5 star rating by 534 people. Literally. I'm pretty sure that many people can't lead me astray. I only wish I would have chosen a better beer...but I'm cheap, but not PBR cheap. By the way, has anyone gone onto a beer's website and noticed that you have to put your birthday in? Really? You can't look at beer online if you're under 21? You can see commercials on tv when you're 2. Also- you should go to the PBR link and look at the PBR art. Sweet. I personally like this one because I believe that the belly on the dragon truly depicts that of a true PBR drinker.

BEER BREAD

3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can beer
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

**1/3/11 UPDATE**

I made a double batch, using self-raising flour, 3 cups (or 1.5 c each batch) of finely shredded cheddar cheese and Lebatt Blue beer. OMG Delicious.

Strawberries 'n Cream Muffins

I signed up for the Cooking Club of America without knowing that you had to pay membership dues and all of that bullshit. Mike signed up for the Hunter's Club and didn't have to pay a dime...and they sent him a pant load of cool gear. WTF. Same thing I guess, only I get delicious recipes, kind of. Anyway- they send me a cooking magazine which, for the most part, sucks. However, in the back of the April/May 2010 issue, there is a "flashback" recipe which looked scrumptious. I just had to try it. Besides, tomorrow is Mikey's birthday...he's gotta have something good for breakfast!

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Muffins

2 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c plus 3 tbsp sugar, divided

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut up

1 c chopped strawberries

3/4 c plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 egg

1 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Grease bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper liners. Combine flour, 3/4 c of the sugar, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly-ish. Stir in strawberries.

2. Whisk buttermilk and egg in a small bowl until blended. Gently stir mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Divide evenly among muffin cups. Dip cream cheese pieces in 2 tbsp of the sugar; press cubes in the center of each muffin (do not cover with the batter). Sprinkle muffins with remaining 1 tbsp sugar.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until light brown and toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean (don't put the toothpick in the cream cheese). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes Remove from pan; serve warm or at room temp. Store in refrigerator.

Note: I made 6 large muffins. I baked at the same temp for 25-30 minutes-ish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKEY!!!

Vodka Blue Cheese Dip/Spread

I made this dip for a birthday party and served it with crackers and veggies (the celery went the fastest!) It truly is delicious!

1 1/2 cups blue cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 cups fat-free cream cheese

3 tbsp peppar vodka (or regular vodka and 1/2 tsp ground pepper-or to taste)

3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (parsley would be fine as well)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Cream blue cheese, cream cheese, vodka (or vodka and pepper) and dill until smooth.

Refrigerate mixture at least 30 minutes

Once chilled, shape into a large ball, cover with sesame seeds and serve.

Garlic Spinach Dip

Today, I received my Michigan Door To Door Organics box which included such goodies as Abate Fetal Pears, Avacado, Yellow Baby Carrots, Red Cabbage, Cilantro, and Spinach, amongst many other things.  Mikey and I aren't big veggie eaters, but we're (make that - I'm) trying.  I need some ideas to use the veggies, instead of let them go to waste, like I have so many times before. :(

I don't like regular spinach much anyway-especially cooked (belch), but I'll try anything so I decided to start scavenging "the internets" for ideas.  I didn't come up with anything, so I 

decided to experiment.  After discovering that my blender sucks and murding one of my favorite mini spatulas, I got out the ol' food processor (which I've never used) and it worked like a charm! THANKS GRAM! 

<~~~~~~Murdered Spatula. :(

So, I came up with this.  Mikey gave it a smile, nod and thumbs up!

Garlic Spinach Dip

1/4 c, plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 slice french or white bread, 1/2 in thick/ 6 inches wide (approx)

1/2 lb spinach, raw, stems removed

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1 tsp grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

In a small bowl, place 2 tbsp olive oil. Place bread slice in the oil, turning once to coat. Let set until all oil is absorbed, then tear into cubes. Set aside.

With a food processor, finely chop the spinach. Add the bread, lemon juice and garlic and process until well blended.  Add remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese, puree.  Place mixture on/in serving dish and garnish with desired amount of grated Parmesan cheese. I served this with whole wheat pita bread bits (pita bread torn into pieces).