Orange Poppyseed Muffins

A variation on a classic muffin these Orange Poppyseed Muffins with bring you a burst of citrus and Spring in your step!

Orange Poppyseed Muffins

Citrus is in abundance right now and what better way to use all the bright flavors it gives to you than to put it into your baked goods.  We are going to take the ever popular Lemon Poppyseed Muffin and give it a twist. Juicy oranges create a bright flavor that's hard to resist and they turn these breakfast muffins into something special.

Muffins are part of the quick bread family.  They are EASY to make!  You don't need a mixer to make muffins.  No, No! no creaming of the butter and sugar here as this is not meant to be a perfect cake.  One bowl will do!  Done in under 30 minutes, and you have a wonderful baked item on your table. 

What Ingredients do I need?

• eggs
• milk
• orange zest
• canola oil
• flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• poppyseeds

What different ways can I serve muffins?

• breakfast
• brunch
• snacks
• with coffee or tea
• dessert
• perfect for grab and go breakfast or snack
• bridal showers
• baby showers
• garden tea parties

Substitutions and Variations

• Vary the type of orange you use.  I use Cara Cara.  Navel would be another perfect orange.
• Use Tangerines as your citrus
• You can do 1/2 the amount of flour in whole wheat flour if you like
• Use a sugar substitute suited for baking if you like.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of them when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.
• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.
• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.
• Purchase a 6 well muffin tin for small batches.
• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.
• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.
• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big muffins.

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Orange Poppyseed Muffins

yield:  6 muffins

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon poppyseeds

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 well muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

To a large bowl add the egg, milk, canola oil, and orange extract.  Whisk to combine.  Add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and orange zest to the bowl.  Stir until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Fold in the poppyseeds.

Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter evenly among the 6 muffin wells.  Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.  Serve.

Other Muffin recipes you may like:

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Celebration Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins
• Strawberry Sour Cream Muffins
• Three Citrus Muffins

Cranberry Citrus Salad

A show-stopper salad that takes advantage of winter produce.  Filled with cranberries and oranges this salad will brighten up any meal!

Cranberry Citrus Salad

I love a really good salad.  This one uses produce found during the winter months and is a great side salad to all types of meat.  The presentation is outstanding on this salad and is completely company worthy but also perfect for the crowd at home.  I served this on Christmas Day and found that is was actually my favorite dish of the whole meal.  It's that good!

A light and fresh salad that is bursting with tart fresh cranberries and sweet juicy Cara Cara oranges.  You also get a little bite from some red onion, and crunch from the celery.  All of this sits a top of a bed of spicy arugula and is sprinkled with some mint for another pop of freshness.  This is one heck of a salad!

What goes with this salad?

• This salad can go with any type of protein, beef, fish, pork, or chicken.
• I served this at Christmas along with Filet Mignon's.
• Serve with a nice crusty bread on the side
• Serve with Grilled Balsamic Chicken, Red Wine and Rosemary Flat Iron Steak, Fig and Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloins

What Ingredients do I need?

• fresh cranberries
• Cara Cara oranges
• celery
• red onion
• sugar
• lemon juice
• ginger - i used pureed ginger
• arugula
• fresh mint - this really makes the dish
• olive oil

Substitutions and Variations

• Use Navel oranges instead of Cara Cara
• Use escarole or red leaf lettuce instead of arugula
• I would use fresh cranberries if available.  Frozen cranberries will work too, just be sure to thaw them
• don't like mint?  leave it off
• use shallot instead of red onion
• add sunflower seeds for added crunch
• Blood oranges would work nicely as a substitution

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Start this salad earlier in the day. The cranberry topping need to meld together for 1 hour before serving.
• A food processor makes quick work of chopping the cranberries.  Use the pulse feature.
• If you don't like a really strong onion flavor cut them and place them in cold water for 15 minutes.  This will cut down on the bite of the onion.
• Cutting segments from an orange is called supreme.  This process gets rid of the membranes between the segments and any bitter white pith. You will end up with prettier and tastier fruit slices.  YouTube has videos on how to do this technique.

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Cranberry Citrus Salad

serves 4

1 cup fresh cranberries
2 Cara Cara oranges
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
3 cups arugula
2 Tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil

In a food processor add cranberries and pulse 5 times to coarsely chop, or chop by hand.  Transfer to a bowl.  Cut peel from the oranges making sure that there is no with pith left on the orange.  Cut sections from the orange over the bowl with the cranberries to catch any juice.  Add sections to the cranberries.  Add the celery, onion, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger.  Stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

In a medium bowl toss arugula with the mint and the oil.  Place on a platter and top with the cranberry orange mixture.  Serve.  

adapted from BHG.com

Cranberry Orange Muffins - Small Batch

Wonderful bakery style muffins bursting with the sweet tart flavors of fresh cranberries and bright orange citrus.  The perfect winter breakfast treat!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

If you follow me then you know that MGG and I love our weekend breakfasts.  Since the pandemic has started baking has become a weekly pleasure.  The other day MGG was talking about how he misses Trader Joe's since he hasn't been in 10 months.  He mentioned a particular item, Cranberry Orange Bread, that was discontinued quite a while back.  He asked me to make him some because he loved it so much.  I was more than happy to oblige!  At first I was set on making a quick bread but then due to the cooking time (50-60 minutes) I decided to make muffin instead since he was hovering around the kitchen waiting to start cooking breakfast.  

Muffins only take 18-20 minutes to bake so they are a quicker item to throw together when the crowd is starving!  Not only are muffins great for breakfast or brunch, they are perfect for grab and go snacks, as well as a sweet with coffee or hot tea.  These muffins in particular use fresh cranberries that give you a bite or tartness and are filled with orange flavors from juice, zest, and a bit of orange extract.  Orange and cranberry are one of those perfect combinations like peanut butter and jelly, that just go together.  These muffins will leave you warm and satisfied, and possibly reaching for the next one!

What Ingredients do I need?

• eggs
• milk
• orange juice
• canola oil
• flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• orange zest
• orange extract - optional
• fresh cranberries - you can use dried if you like but they won't give you as much flavor as fresh.  In the winter I buy bags of fresh cranberries and freeze them!

Substitutions and Variations

• Walnuts, almonds, or pecans would be a good addition
• You can leave out the extract, or use vanilla if you like
• Store bought orange juice works well in this recipe
• Dried cranberries will work but will not provide as much freshness or tartness.
• Dried cherries can be substituted for the cranberries
• Gluten free flour may be substituted
• Sugar substitutes may be used instead of sugar
• Use sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk instead of milk

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of them when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.
• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.
• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.
• Purchase a 6 well muffin tin for small batches
• Double the recipe for 12 muffins
• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to emails at the top of this page and follow along on Facebook,  and Pinterest for all of the latest updates.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

yield:  6 muffins

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons orange zest

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, rough chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 well muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

To a large bowl add the egg, milk, orange juice, canola oil, and orange extract.  Whisk to combine.  Add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and orange zest to the bowl.  Stir until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Fold in the chopped cranberries.

Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter evenly among the 6 muffin wells.  Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.  Serve.

Other Muffin recipes you may like:

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Celebration Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins
• Strawberry Sour Cream Muffins
• Three Citrus Muffins

Breakfast or Brunch: Orange Eggnog Waffles

Tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.  These waffles are laced with citrus and eggnog.  One bite and your taste buds will explode!

Yum

There is something about waffles that screams "lazy" Sunday mornings.

Today is all about the perfect waffle for a Sunday brunch of lazy Sunday breakfast.  I have found a wonderful flavor profile for you and these are sure to become your favorite waffles because of it!

ORANGE EGGNOG WAFFLES

These waffles would be great when you have that leftover eggnog from the holidays.  However, I happened to see that my store is still selling eggnog in February, so I grabbed a carton specifically to use in recipes.

Decadent creamy eggnog gets brightened up with the flavor of bright orange citrus.  It's the perfect combination and gives this waffle a little something extra that makes you say "Wow!".  These waffles are tender and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside!

Grab some eggnog today and serve these at your next brunch.  They are perfect with warmed syrup, fruit, or just a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  I made our batch into small baby waffles served along our other menu items for a brunch with friends.  They came out super cute, and really tasty.  The perfect treat on a Sunday morning!

Enjoy!





Orange Eggnog Waffles


2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups eggnog
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest of one orange

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs until fluffy. Add flour, eggnog, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.  Stir just until moistened.

Spray the heated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.

Remove from waffle iron and keep warm.  Continue making waffles until batter is gone.  Serve with warm syrup, powdered sugar, fruit and whipped cream, or a dollop of yogurt.

Tip:  Flash freeze any leftovers, then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months.  To reheat, place frozen waffle in the toaster. Toast until thawed and heated through.

Orange Spice Muffins

Warm and toasty spices mixed with vibrant orange bring in the flavors of fall to your morning meal!

I have to admit, although I sort of resisting it, the weather is changing and fall is coming.  Summer is my true season and I dare say I didn't get enough of the long warm days and the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.  But Mother Nature is telling me to look toward the cool crisp air, leaves, and warm cozy nights.

So while I may still bring you a few fresh "summer-ish" recipes over the next few weeks today I'm all about fall baking!

ORANGE SPICE MUFFINS

One bite and your suddenly in a mountain cabin, with a nice low fire going to take the chill off, leaves falling outside, and the smell of warm spices filling the air.  Boy, this muffin is all that and more! 

I took the warm notes of pumpkin pie spice and the vibrancy of orange juice and added it to my Basic Muffin Recipe which makes a small batch of 6 that you can easily whip up on a crisp fall morning.  The spices bring you that warm cozy feeling and the orange mixed in brings a light citrus pop to the muffin.  To add a little more of an earthy flavor I used coconut palm sugar but you can certainly use plain white sugar.  Add a little chopped pecans to the top and the end result is a fabulously comforting fall flavored muffin!  

Be sure to make some soon and....

Enjoy!




Orange Spice Muffins

yield:  6 muffins

1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 canola oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, orange juice, and canola oil and whisk until light.  Add in all the dry ingredients with the exception of the nuts.  Mix batter just until incorporated.  Do not over mix.  Batter should be thick.

Using a large ice cream scoop, divide batter among the wells of a muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with chopped pecans.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until tops are brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Serve warm.