Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

It's breakfast time!

It's been awhile since I brought a new muffin to the table.  I grew up with mom making muffins on the weekends (if biscuits and gravy weren't being served that day!) and we had a favorite muffin that we just loved.  I still make it to this day and have posted it here, Basic Muffin Recipe.  

These days I like to experiment with my muffins, changing up the flavors.  I especially love to add fruit to my muffins.  Fruit or berries lend a sweet and tart flavor.  When they are warm, they are hard to beat!

Today's breakfast I wanted a bit of tart and a bit of warmth.  So I added blueberries for the tart and cinnamon for the warmth.  What a great combination.  These are light muffins, and served warm with a dab of butter they are scrumptious!  All you need is a tall glass of milk, or some hot tea and your are set.  To round out the meal some scrambled eggs and turkey bacon will do the job.

These muffins freeze well so you can take any leftovers and freeze them for another time, or grab one to take to school or work.  It will thaw and be just perfect as a quick on the go breakfast.

Here are some other muffins recipes you may like:

Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Strawberry Banana Muffins
Marshmallow Muffins

There's nothing better than a basket of hot, fresh muffins! 

Enjoy your weekend!!

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

2 T butter, softened

1/2 c sugar or 1/2 c Splenda

1 egg

½ t vanilla

1 c flour

½ t baking soda

¼ t baking powder

¼ t salt

¼ t cinnamon

½ c 2% milk

½ c fresh blueberries

Vegetable cooking spray

Mix softened butter and sugar until light and well mixed in a large bowl.  Add egg and vanilla, blend well.

Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture. Gently stir in blueberries. Spoon batter into muffin pans coated with cooking spray, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle evenly with oat mixture.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden. Cool muffins in pans 5 minutes; remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.

Veggie Gyro Salad

Boy do I have a salad for you!

Still in the grilling mode, I saw this meatless, Greek flavored salad in a favorite cookbook and just fell in love with the flavors.  It has all the flavors of a meatless, or veggie Gyro Sandwich!  Have you ever had one?  No, well you should try one right away.  They are just fabulous!

This salad is a take on that sandwich, using the flavors, but mixing them up a bit.  It has grilled vegetables, the flavors of tzaziki (cucumber, dill, and feta) and is all mixed with a wonderful grain, quinoa.  Do you know about quinoa?  It a little round grain that is full of protein and fiber.  Once cooked it turns a little curly and has a slight bite to it, sort of an al dente bite.  I've made several dishes with this hearty grain.  It's my new fad and I've made many dishes with it over the past year.  Make sure to grab a box of this and use it as you would rice or couscous.  It really takes well to additions and to dressings.

Back to the salad...like I was saying it has wonderful ingredients such as tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, and it is dressed with a wonderful red wine vinaigrette.  The only thing missing is the flatbread or pita that holds the sandwich fillings.  Not to worry, I have that covered.  You just serve this with some grilled pita wedges so you don't miss out on that flavor!

Salads are wonderful meals during this hot season.  Great as a main course for a "meatless" dinner, or a nice lunch.  I made this and had leftovers which were just as good the next day.  So I was a happy camper to have this for my lunch at work.  If you want to make this meal with meat, I would suggest grilling a nice piece of chicken and then cubing it.  It will go great with the other salad ingredients.

I hope you give this a try.  Enjoy!

Veggie Gyro Salad

Serves 4

¾ c quinoa

3 T olive oil

1 ½ T red wine vinegar

2 tsp minced garlic

1 t Dijon mustard

Salt & pepper

½ zucchini, halved

2 pitas

½ c grape tomatoes, halved

½ c diced cucumber

¼ c diced yellow bell pepper

¼ c fresh dill fronds

¼ c crumbled feta cheese

2 T diced red onion

Preheat grill to medium-high, brushing grill pan or grate with oil.

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and Dijon.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brush zucchini and pita with some of the vinaigrette.  Grill zucchini cut side down about 7 minutes, covered.  Grill pitas until toasted.  Slice zucchini halves in thin slices.

In a medium to large bowl combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, dill, feta, and onion.  Add quinoa, zucchini, and remaining vinaigrette, tossing to coat.  Cut pita into wedges and add to the salad.  Serve.

adapted from Cuisine Grilling

shared with:  Weekend Potluck
Full Plate Thursday

Pineapple Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Don't put away the grill yet!

It's still summertime here.  It's 100 degrees...every day...so I would say that it's still grilling season! 

In Southern California we can pretty much grill all year round.  That's a great perk.  But during the summer months, grilled food just tastes so much better!  Maybe it's the fresh fruits and veggies, or maybe it's my imagination.  Either way, I like it!  I'm gonna keep grilling till the cows come home...hehe!...which may be a long time in LA!

So I got a great recipe for you that the whole family will love.  The main protein is pork tenderloin, you know the "other" white meat.  I like to think of it as the filet mignon of pork.  It is sooo tender.  It takes flavor very well either through a marinade or a rub.  A completely versatile meat the you can turn in to many, many, dishes of any international flavor....or just a wonderful American flavored home style dish!

This dish is Asian inspired.  The basting sauce has pineapple juice and some other great Asian flavors, that make a nice thick sauce.  Make sure to save some of the sauce for serving along side the pork!  Another great feature of this dish is the grilled pineapple.  Grilled fruit is fabulous!  If you haven't tried it, you just HAVE to!  Grilling brings out the sweetness in fruit, and gives it a nice smokey depth of flavor.  Brilliant as a side to the grilled Asian flavored pork!

I served this dish with a side of roasted baby white potatoes, laced with a little garlic and some grilled focaccia.  Another side dish that would be equally good are roasted sweet potatoes!  A nice rice would do well too.

(see the minced garlic in this sauce?....YUM!)

Any way you make this dish it's full of flavors that everyone will love.  So don't dawdle on this one!  Make it! Make it! Make it!  It deserves making...the sauce makes the dish, so don't forget it!

I'd love to hear how you like it, so come back and let me know. 

Enjoy your grilling!

Pineapple Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 ½ lbs.

salt & pepper

6 slices of pineapple, from an 8 oz can, save 3 T juice

1 lime

2 T low-sugar orange marmalade

1 ½ T hoisin sauce

1 ½ T lite soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

½ t Dijon mustard

½ t ground ginger

Preheat grill medium heat.  Remove the silver skin from the tenderloin.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Zest 1 whole lime and squeeze juice from lime and place in a small saucepan along with the zest.  Add 3 T pineapple juice from the can to the saucepan, along with the marmalade, hoisin and soy sauces, garlic, Dijon, and ginger.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Boil 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Pour ½ of the mixture in a small bowl for serving.

Grill the pork, covered with the grill lid, 10 minutes on each side.  When you turn the meat the first time baste that side with some of the remaining pineapple mixture.  Turn the meat after another 10 minutes and baste again.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes and turn, and cook for a final 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let the marinade burn.  A thermometer inserted in a thick part of the meat should read 155 degrees.   Remove from grill and cover with foil, allow to stand 10 minutes.

While the meat rests, grill the pineapple slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side.   Slice the tenderloin against the grain in ½” thick slices.  Serve with grilled pineapple and drizzled with reserved pineapple sauce mixture.  


shared with:  Weekend Potluck
Foodie Friends Friday
Full Plate Thursday