Golden Nugget Muffins (Small Batch)

Yum

Spring has sprung and I'm lovin' it!

The temperature is moderate, the birds are singing, and there are butterflies everywhere!  Springtime has definitely come to Southern California!  We had such a raining winter season that it caused a superbloom here.  The flowers are popping, and all the trees are budded out.  We even found hidden bulbs in our backyard this year that produced daffodils we didn't even know we had!  And let me tell you about the butterflies!  Oh my gosh....we have soooooooooooo many butterflies it is amazing.  They claim that all the rain caused a super crop of monarch butterflies and they are just flying everywhere on their migration north.  Amazing and beautiful!

Golden Nugget Muffins (Small Batch)

All this great revival of life has made me so happy!  I'm also happy because of the produce that has popped up in the grocery store.  Yes! to springtime fruits!  Berries are in season as well as these beautiful golden nugget tangerines.  I found these gems a few years ago at out local farmer's market and have been eating them every year since.  I think they are the sweetest tangerines around.  They are in their peak season from March through May so grab them while you can.  

Since I bought a ton of these tangerines on my last trip to the grocery store I thought I would make some wonderful muffins featuring these beauties this weekend.  What's better for a Spring breakfast than some hot muffins bursting with the sweet bits of juicy tangerines.  Nothing!  At least for today!!!

What if I can't find Golden Nuggets?  If you can't find Golden Nuggets you can use any sweet tangerine that you like.  I highly suggest you look for these thought because they are shockingly delicious and you need them in your life!

What items do I need?  

• Mixing bowl - you will need a good mixing bowl to make the muffins.  I like porcelain or glass bowls.  This is one that I use as a mixing bowl as well as a salad serving bowl.
• Wooden spoons - perfect for mixing all your ingredients together.
• Paring knife - You will need a good small knife to cut the tangerine bits. I love this one.
• Muffin Pan - This recipe make 6 muffins and I use these pans the most.
• Orange Extract - I use Nielsen Massey Pure Orange Extract.  The flavor is outstanding!  If you want to use vanilla instead that will work in a pinch however, the orange flavor will not be as prominent.

This recipe makes a small batch of 6 muffins which is perfect for a weekend treat.  If you want to make 12 muffins, so you can eat them during the week, just double the recipe.  These will easily keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, and freeze wonderfully.

I use my base muffin recipe here that can be made into a gazillion different muffins.  It's a slightly sweeter muffin and with tender bits of tangerine running through them.  It's heaven!

Take time to enjoy the spring bounty of fruits and vegetables available right now starting with these muffins.

Enjoy!

Other Springtime Treats using Oranges/Tangerines:

• Tangerine Beef and Bok Choy Stir Fry
• Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach
• Simple Asian Salad
• Orange Iced Tea
• Blood Orange and Pear Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Golden Nugget Muffins (Small Batch)

serves 6

1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup Canola Oil
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. Orange extract (such as Nielsen Massey)

1 t golden nugget zest

1 golden nugget, peeled and chopped into small bites

Place egg, milk and oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until light. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the citrus zest and orange extract. Stir just until moistened. Don’t overmix…batter should be lumpy and a little thick. Fold in chopped golden nugget bits.

Spray a non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide batter among 6 muffin cups filling most of the way full.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min. Allow to cool 10 minutes.  Serve.


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Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes

Yum

Mom loved to gather recipes.  It was a hobby that she and all of her female relatives spent doing in their leisure time.  I remember mom talking with my aunt and grandma about a great recipe and writing them down on recipe cards.  I even remember mom getting recipe cards in the mail of treasured recipes from a distant relative like Aunt Grace who lived in Ponca, Oklahoma.

I spent a lot of time with mom re-writing all of those heirloom family recipes and want to share one with you today.

It's Sunday morning and the sun is trying to peak out.  Time for something hearty like eggs and bacon, but let's throw in some pancakes for good measure.  So I'm in the mood for something simple to make, but one that has been passed down.  Off to the recipe box to pull out my mom's Aunt Grace's recipe for Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes.  

EASY COUNTRY BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

The ingredients are basic and readily available from your pantry, but the end result is an outstanding, country fresh pancake that is light and fluffy and bursting with blueberries.

Make sure to do yourself a favor and your family as well and make these this weekend.  One bite and you will be sold on the classic flavor and tender goodness this pancake has.  

Thanks to mom's Aunt Grace for an excellent family recipe that I'm proud to share with all of you.

Enjoy!

Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes

by Aunt Grace

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs (use large) 
1 1/4 cups milk (use whole milk) 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup blueberries 
butter for the pan

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Whisk to combine.  Add the eggs, milk, and melted butter.  Stir together until just combined.  Add the blueberries, and lightly fold in.  

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot.  Add a dab of butter to the skillet and spread around.  Pour batter for pancakes and allow to cook until bubbles form and the bottom is golden brown.  Flip pancakes over and cook until cooked through and golden brown, about 1 minute.  Serve with syrup.

Incredibly Simple Turkey Taco Meat

Yum

Tomorrow is Taco Tuesday, so let's change it up and try something other than you basic ground beef tacos!

Let's make TURKEY tacos!  But not just any turkey taco.  This dish is really easy to make and will become your basic turkey taco meat go-to recipe!

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TURKEY TACO MEAT

Everyone love tacos, but let's face it, during the week we want something quick and easy.  Grilling isn't always and option and takes a little more time.  Ground turkey is not only quick and easy to cook it place a healthy spin on dinner-in-a-hurry.  Oh, and it's delicious too!

You will have juicy tender turkey tacos spiced up with bold Mexican flavors on the table in less then 30 minutes.  Guaranteed!  This turkey taco meat is a great base to have in your recipe arsenal.  You can add lots of mix-ins to make it your own, but getting the basic recipe down is key.  

This is a saucy taco meat.  So let's ditch the taco seasoning packet and flavor this baby up with some of our spice cabinet favorites.  With the addition of tomato sauce the meat turns into a wonderful saucy mess, bursting with bold flavors.  The perfect taco meat!

Kitchen Note:  Make a big batch and freeze some for later.  It will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.

To serve we fried up some corn torillas to make crunchy taco shells.  You could go for soft tacos or just warmed corn torillas for a street taco experience.  It all works and the taste is outstanding!

Enjoy your Taco Tuesdays!

Incredibly Simple Turkey Taco Meat

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 oz can no-salt added tomato sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

For Tacos:

Taco shells
Taco toppings of choice

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground turkey, onion.  Cook, 5-7 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces as you go.  Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, and cayenne if using.  Cook for about 30 seconds until the mixture is blended and the spice start to give off a fragrance.

Add the tomato sauce and turning the heat to medium-low, simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve, or portion into freezer safe containers and freeze once cooled, up to 3 months.

Chicken Taco Meat - Freezer Friendly Bulk Recipe

Saturdays are my day to cook, clean, and watch the Food Network!

I just love watching Giada, Ina, Guy, and a host of others (so much so we're on a first name basis!) because they are excellent chefs, teachers, and very entertaiing.  I've made many items from Ina, (that never fail) and Michael Symon (adore!) but recently I was watching Ree, the Pioneer Woman. 

She was making 'freezer recipes' and specifically, Chicken Tacos.  What really caught my eye was the sauce that she made at the end and simmered the meat in it.  It's like homemade taco sauce built in.  So I knew right then that I wanted to try this out.

You see, I'm a Mexican food lover at heart.  Here are some of my favorites here, and here.  So she really had me at "taco".

This recipe doesn't disappoint.  It has great flavor, it makes a TON, so it's perfect to divide and freeze in packages to pull out when you need a quick weeknight meal.  I made the meat just as stated and we promptly ate our chicken tacos.  Then I froze the rest of the meat in portions to additional meals.  Easy as that...and tasty too!  This is going to be my new go to chicken taco recipe.

Enjoy!



Chicken Taco Meat

serves 16-20

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until hot. Add the chicken in batches and cook, browning, a couple minutes per side; remove the chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and cook briefly. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin and salt to taste. Pour in the tomato sauce and 2 cups water to create a broth. Add the chicken back to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the broth is reduced by half.

Serve in hard or soft taco shells with your favorite toppings.

Freezer instructions:
Original recipe size:  Let cool, divide among 4 freezer bags and freeze.

Recipe source:Ree Drummond - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-taco-meat.html

Barbacoa

Do you love Chipotle?  Don't have one close by?

Today's dish will solve that dilemma and your craving for the spicy, wonderful beef Barbacoa. 

Barbacoa is a method of cooking.  Traditionally over an open fire, or in a pit in the ground.  We don't have a pit and open fires can be a little messy so we're going for the slow cooker.  Man's new best friend.  

You don't have to use much effort here.  Just toss it all in and walk away.  When you come back you will have a wonderful beef  that is filled with chunky good stuff!  

So feed your cravings at home and make this Barbacoa soon.  You will have plenty to feed the family and possibly leftover which can be frozen for another day.  Serve over rice and make your own burrito bowl, or serve it in soft tacos like I did today.  Either way, the flavors of the beef are the star.

Enjoy!



Barbacoa

3 lbs top round or chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped 

1 4oz. can green chiles
3/4 c yellow onion, diced 
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbls apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 tbls cumin
1 tbls oregano
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup beef broth

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

Remove beef and shred the beef.  Return to the slow cooker and mix with the juice.  Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaves. Serve in soft tortillas or over rice.

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookie

They say breakfast is the most important meal of they day.

After the body has been at rest it's a good idea to feed it in the morning so you energy to last you to the next meal.  It's simple really.  A good energy laden breakfast will satisfy you and give you the pep you need to feed your brain and muscles until lunch time.

During the week I'm not that great of a breakfast eater.  Toast on the run kind of girl.  So when I came across these wonderful breakfast cookies (yes, I said cookies!) that promised me a healthy start to my day I jumped at the chance to make them.  I mean, who doesn't want to eat a cookie for breakfast?

These are low in fat, contain whole grains, and lots of energy producing ingredients that are perfect for breakfast.  Much better than that muffin you pick up at Starbuck's with your morning coffee...

These are also a great snack.  One you should feel proud to feed your kids, and they're gonna love them too!  And since this makes a big batch you can freeze them.  Just pull them out of the freezer to thaw whenever you crave one.
 

They turned out wonderful.  Moist and chewy with some sweetness.  Do you like trail mix, or energy bars?  Well this is just like that, in a cookie.  And I tell you, they will fill you up.  What a perfect way to avoid those mid-morning cravings and avoid all the extra calories.  Perfect in every way.  

Enjoy!

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookie

Adapted from BHG

Yields: 12 breakfast cookies

1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.   Add oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.

Using a 1/4-cup measure scoop, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2 3/4-inch round, about 1/2-inch thick. Once baked, each cookie will be about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 13 -14 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

Latin Empanadas

It's the Holiday time.  Which is also a "busy time" for most of us.  Getting the tree up, baking goodies for all your friends and neighbors, and hosting holiday parties.

You know what I mean.  A busy time.

Today's recipe does double duty.  My Latin Empanadas can be served as a main course dinner.  Made smaller to serve as appetizers for a party.  Or even frozen and baked for a quick weeknight meal.

Gotta love those types of recipes.  And...gotta love the flavor of this empanada!  Typically fried, I baked these to golden brown.  Using my Mom's pastry dough made the recipe special...plus easy.  The dough turns out tender and perfectly easy to work with.

The filling is a combination of chicken, veggies, cheese, and just a kick of flavor to pull it all together.  These are excellent.

I think they are calling me now...!  So if you are hosting a party soon or want a great meal for your family you'll be blown over by this dish!

Enjoy!

Latin Empanadas

Mom's Pastry Dough

      1 cup  flour
      1/2 tsp.Baking Powder
      1/2 tsp salt
      1/4 cup  shortening
      1/4 cup water

Meat Filling

      1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
      1/2 cup onions, small dice
      1/2 cup red bell peppers, small dice
      1/2 chunky salsa (I used a medium spice)
      1 clove garlic, minced
      1 cup  Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheeses
      1 egg beaten with 1 T. water
                                                                                                                     
For the dough:  In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt, mix to combine. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add 1/4 cup water, stirring until mixture forms ball.  Dough may seem dry but try and incorporate it all together.  If too dry add 1 tsp water.  

Knead dough on floured board until smooth and elastic. (About 5 minutes) Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.                

For the filling:  In a large skillet cook chicken, onions and peppers on medium-high heat 8 min. until chicken is done. Add salsa and garlic stirring to combine.  Cool 10 minutes.  Once cool, stir cheese into chicken mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll out each piece in to a 7-inch round. (For appetizer use a 3 or 4" round)   Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.  

Place dough on parchment and fill with about 1/2 c of the chicken mix the middle of the round.  Brush edges with beaten egg and pull the  top edge of dough over the filling.  Seal on the bottom with a fork.  Brush tops with remaining egg.wash.  Bake 18-20 minutes.

Eggnog Waffles

Happy New Year 2013!!

How exciting it is...a new year, new beginnings, and new food to try!

I hope all of you had a fun New Year's eve.  We did a little celebrating ourselves.  This year we went out to a favorite restaurant (Marmalade Cafe) close to the house. It's a wonderful warm and cozy intimate setting that reminds you of a Tuscan home.  The food is fresh, of high quality, and eclectic California inspired dishes.  Tuscan from steaks, tacos, pasta, chicken, to pot roast.  Excellent place to dine.  If you are in the LA area make sure to stop at one of their restaurants as the food is excellent.  (They have several in different areas in LA).

MGG ended up having the Seared Blackened Ahi  with Napa Slaw and I had a Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Haricot Verts and Scalloped Potatoes.  Yum...a great way to ring in the New Year.

So it's the first day of 2013.  Time for some breakfast I think.  I had some leftover eggnog from the festivities and decided to put it to good use today.  Do you ever have leftover eggnog?  I always seem to.  MGG LOVES eggnog.  Me?  It's okay and I'll have a glass or two, but that's about it.  I do love the flavor though.  So I decided to use it in our waffles today, substituting the eggnog for the milk, and adding some of the spices that go along with the drink.  I tweaked a recipe I found on Pink Parsley.  Wonderful, wonderful blog!  Go say "Hi" to Josie and prepare to drool over her wonderful dishes!

The result...A complete hit.  Soft, moist, fluffy, and flavorful eggnog waffles!  You HAVE to try these.  If you love the flavor of eggnog, or just have leftovers like me then these are perfect.  Make sure to make the whole batch, you can always freeze any leftovers and pop them in the toaster for a quick breakfast on another day.

What a way to start the new year than with an excellent recipe and a wonderful breakfast.

Eggnog Waffles

adapted slightly from Pink Parsley 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup eggnog (low-fat is fine)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda, salt sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggnog, oil, and egg.   Add the dry to the wet, and stir until just combined.  

Allow the batter to sit for 30 minutes.  Preheat the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Serve immediately with maple syrup or powdered sugar.