Back by popular demand....

This morning, I posted a picture on Facebook of my favorite muffins. I got several requests for the recipe (which I had shared a year or two ago on my other blog), but I decided to re-post it on here today.

These muffins are perfect....hearty, easy to make, and kid-friendly. :-) Enjoy!

{Oatmeal-Cranberry Muffins}

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped dried fruit (I typically use craisins, but you can use apricots, raisins, etc.)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup boiling water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
2 t. grated orange peel, optional

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. In another bowl, combine the oats, fruit, butter and boiling water; stir until butter is melted. Cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in eggs, milk and orange peel if desired. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Yield: 1-1/2 dozen

"Squishy bananas, Mom!"

I just tried this recipe for breakfast. This blog is great to use as a resource, when you have ingredients to use up! We happened to have 3 overripe bananas....... :-)

You were always on my mind (oatmeal)

I mentioned awhile ago that I was going to experiment with new recipes that used oatmeal. I bought a 9 lb. bag of the stuff, so I had to do something creative!
Several of my readers gave me suggestions for homemade granola
(which, sadly, is still on my to-do list.....it WILL get made though!).

I just noticed this recipe in my blog feed on my sidebar, which also calls for oatmeal. And it will fit in perfectly with my "eliminate processed foods/preservatives from my family's diet and replace them with healthy homemade things" kick that I am on. ;-) I am adding to my "to-do" list right now......hopefully I get to it sooner than I did the granola recipes!

Just yesterday, my friend asked me for some suggestions about what to do with oatmeal.
I gave her all of my favorite recipes--do you have any favorite oatmeal recipes that your family loves? If so, please share!

I'm going all granola on you....

The Bargain Meal post is coming--I promise--but first, I had to post what is on my mind today.

Do any of you make your own granola?

I bought a honking 9 lb. box of Quaker oats from Costco last week (because we love us some oatmeal in this house) and now I am thinking I might need some fabulous oatmeal-ish recipes to go along with those 9 lbs. of oats. And because I adore eating granola on top of my Mountain High for breakfast, I thought I would make some of my own.....some minus preservatives and excess sugar. (Cuz I am healthy like that....I mean, I do live in Colorado.)

I think I will use this recipe--it seems to have all of the components I am searching for.
(Doesn't that sound like I am all scientific and professional?).
But if any of you have any better recipes, please do share!

Did I really eat that many?!

I have shared this recipe in the past, but it is so good--I thought I would "re-share".

My mother-in-law gave me the recipe, and I did not try it for a long time because I had a.....well.....a fear of using yeast. But I finally overcame it, tried out the recipe, the rolls turned out perfectly, and yeast and I have been friends ever since.

I have tried them with icing and with cream cheese frosting. Both are heavenly! Enjoy.....


~~Cinnamon Rolls~~

1 pkg. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 T. butter
1 t. salt
3/4 cup scalded milk (just below boiling)
1 egg
2 1/2-3 cups flour

1) Soften yeast in warm water. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, salt, and milk. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in egg and yeast mixture. Gradually, add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic.
2) Put dough in greased bowl--turn so dough is greased. Cover, let rise 1-1 1/2 hrs. or until doubled in size.
3) Roll out in rectangle shape--put melted butter over dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up, cut and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

To make icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. milk
Mix together and drizzle over rolls. Mmmmm......

Flapjacks gone granola....or something like that

I told you I would share a different pancake recipe with you......just forgot to do it THE NEXT DAY like I promised. Sorry.

This recipe is for my more health-conscious readers. We got it when we were honeymooning in Jackson Hole, WY, at a wonderful bed-n-breakfast there. They served some yummy breakfasts, and this was one of the top menu items. (Some of the other menu items were a little less appetizing....the salmon scrambled eggs, for example. blah....)

So if you are looking to add more heart-healthy ingredients to your menu, this recipe will help with that.....

Wildflower Inn's Oatmeal Pancakes

1/2 cup all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour to make it even healthier!)
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled

1. Combine oats and buttermilk for about 15 minutes. Add eggs and butter. Stir well.
2. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir gently.
3. Cook on medium hot grill. (I use a 1/4 cup measure to ladle onto the grill.)

Serve with maple syrup (or applesauce, for a healthier topping).

What's a flapjack anyways?

I think I have mentioned that I have some big eaters in my house. Seriously, we appear to be training for some competitive eating, based on the amounts of food consumed around here.

Because of that, I need some good hearty breakfast foods......to keep them satisfied for a few hours at least.

This recipe is a huge hit around here. And it doesn't have a warm and fuzzy story about being passed down through generations or anything. I actually got it from the wife of our Walmart manager, when I was working at Curves before our wedding. Yes--it IS an odd place to get a recipe from. But I am not about to complain or even question.

Because my family adores it.

Without further rambling, here it is.....

Favorite Pancakes
(aka: Pancakes Fed To The Local Walmart Manager and His Family)

2 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 cup wheat flour, 1 1/2 white)
4 t. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 T. oil

Combine egg, milk, and salad oil. Add dry ingredients, stirring until smooth. Bake on hot griddle. Makes about 18 pancakes. (I used a 1/4 measuring cup to pour batter onto griddle.)

P.S Those aren't really the pancakes in that picture up there. lol.
I will post the recipe for THOSE pancakes tomorrow.

Don't get "bogged" down with bad recipes....

When we were traveling back from WI for Thanksgiving, we stopped at Walmart (as usual.) As I was picking up some snacks for the car, I noticed fresh cranberries on sale for $0.99/bag!!! And they were fresh Wisconsin cranberries besides! I picked a few bags--I love to have them on hand in the freezer. (In fact, I am kind of obsessed with cranberry stuff....) I will share some of my top cranberry recipes over the next few weeks.

Here is one of my favorite cranberry recipes. I used to make them for my husband's soccer team and I always got requests for more. :-) These muffins MELT in your mouth!

Batter:
1 egg
6 T. milk
6 T. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 t. baking powder
6 T. superfine sugar (I use regular old sugar and it works fine :-)
2/3 cup frozen cranberries, partially defrosted

Topping:
2 T. superfine or confectioner's sugar
1 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2-3 muffin tins (15 cups).
2. Whisk together the egg and milk. Beat in the softened butter or margarine.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir into the mixture with the sugar. Mix thoroughly until smooth, then add the cranberries, folding them in gently.
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full. Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the tins for 2-3 minutes, then turn them out and serve immediately.

Makes 15
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

(Taken from The Cranberry Cookbook--Hamlyn)