Chocolate Cherry Muffins

Sabotage !!
Oh, I'm bad..... last post was a salad and talking about eating healthy ...now, here I am with the chocolate.... sorry..... but, they were just too good not to share!











I changed a few things to suit myself...but, the original recipe is from the Company's Coming book Muffins and More. The original recipe called for cooking oil but I prefer to use butter in my baking.. . so I changed the mixing directions. They are called Chocolate Filled Muffins in the book if you have it and want to try their version. It called for a coconut filling to be pressed into the center of each. But, there was an alternative ...... maraschino cherries. I still had some in a jar from Christmas baking ... hey! perfect.

































Chocolate Cherry Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I like to sift it for easier mixing)
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt ( I never use it)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
option:: handful of drained maraschino cherries, chopped into halves or thirds.


Beat butter in mixing bowl, add sugar and mix well. Add egg and beat again.

In large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, (I always slightly less because I don't like to taste it at all !) salt, (if you use it), and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture... stir gently just a bit, then add milk... mixing just until moistened.

Gently fold in maraschino cherries or... place by hand into mixture after placing small amount into muffin cups then fill cups. I pushed mine well into the dough so they were not really visible from the outside... I didn't want them to get crispy or burn on any edges.

This dough is not really a wet mixture and I think next time I will also add a few tablespoons of the maraschino juice as well and perhaps even a teensy drop of almond flavouring...

Bake at 375 F. (180 C. ) for 20 minutes. Only makes 8 good size muffins.

Citrus Sprout Salad ....

.... with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette











Lots of us are trying to get back to some healthy eating after the festive season... here's a great salad I found in a little magazine called Flavours. I don't often use the sprouts...and not always the poppy seeds either...but, the rest is a pretty tasty salad. The vinaigrette is easy to make... again, don't feel you have to use all ingredients. Remember, a recipe is just a guideline.... add and subtract as you like. .. (or, sometimes...as the ingredients you prefer or have on hand dictate)


Citrus Sprout Salad

6 cups baby Romaine leaves
1 each, navel orange, blood orange, mandarin orange, tangerine
1/2 cup juice from the fruit
1 ruby grapefruit
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted almonds coarsely chopped
1 cup bean sprouts

Peel, pith and section fruit. Arrange on bed of baby romaine and red onion. Sprinkle with almonds. Top with sprouts.


Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Pinch of salt
1/2 cup citrus juice
1 tbsp. raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. poppy seeds
fresh ground black pepper

Whisk salt with citrus juice and vinegar. Slowly add olive oil. Stir in honey, cayenne and poppy seeds.

Just before serving, pour dressing on salad and toss lightly. Add a grind of pepper to finish...

I like a chunk of toasted Peasant Bread with mine.......

Tropical Christmas Bread...

It is called Christmas Bread....but, this is not a yeast loaf... and truly... since we can find Macadamia nuts all year round... why wouldn't we just enjoy it whenever?? I call it Tropical Fruit Bread myself. Sometimes I bake it when I want a tasty loaf instead of muffins....and, at the festive season, I even give it a little splash of rum....

Tropical Christmas Bread

1 14 ounce (398 ml) can pineapple tidbits
1 1/2 cups golden seedless raisins (any raisin will do)
1/3 cup diced candied ginger
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup macadamia nuts (I like to roughly chop mine )
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Place pineapple bits in deep bowl. Add raisins, ginger, coconut, and macadamia nuts. Mix well.

In mixer bowl... cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pineapple juice.

Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture. Fold in fruit mixture.

Spoon into 5 greased and floured mini loaf pans. Bake in 350F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or til toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool. Remove from tins..











My 5 mini loaf pans are varying sizes, so I treated myself to this. It makes 8 tiny loaves....

























In actuality...they are more the size of giant muffins..... how cute are these in a little gift basket with some cranberry pistachio biscotti ?...














...or, just on my plate.... next to a steaming cup of tea or coffee..... mmmmmm.....












This is an ancient recipe... clipped from newspaper years ago..

Ackkkkkkkkk!

The magazine tarts...and my own little beauties.. if I do say so.... and I'm just cheeky enough to do that...


Just looked on this blog and saw the 357 days til Christmas sign is still up!!! Who needed to know that...already?! However, perhaps it is a good thing....maybe I should have one up somewhere in the house all year 'round...just as a constant reminder that I am getting behind on my Christmas ideas and plans.... hmmmm......

And, it might be a long ways off...but, seeing as I didn't get this great recipe for some wonderful tiny chocolate tarts posted before the day...nor even during the week....... here it is for next year. Or.... you could just try them any old time... 'cuz they are so yummy.....AND....so easy!

The pastry is just butter, cream cheese and flour.... I don't even bother taking out my mixer.

German Chocolate Tarts

1 cup butter or margarine
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 4 ounce package sweet cooking chocolate, melted (I used semi sweet baking squares)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt (I never use it if I used salted butter)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut... ( I just tossed in a small handful )
48 pecan halves

Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. With spoon, stir in flour until blended. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap;refrigerate 1 hour or til easy to handle.

Meanwhile, prepare filling: In large bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add sweetened condensed milk, melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt (if using); mix until smooth.

Cut 1 piece of chilled dough into 12 pieces; press evenly into bottom and up sides of twelve 1 3/4 inch muffin pan cups. (I make them into a ball...flatten the ball and they are already up the sides of the cups when you place them into each...then just shape a bit more) Spoon one-fourth of filling into pastry lined cups until each is 3/4 full; top each with a pecan half. Bake 20 minutes at 350 - 375 .. or until golden brown. Cool cookies 5 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove cookies from pan. Repeat with remaining dough, filling and pecans.
Store cookies in tightly covered container. Makes about 4 dozen.

Caramel Macchiatto Shortbread Bars

This is an easy, yummy, shortbread bar. Anybody who frequents a well known coffee emporium and orders up a tall one by the same name.... you will enjoy this one.....

Caramel Macchiatto Shortbread Bars

2 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 tsp. hot water
1 1/2 cups soft butter
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups chopped chocolate covered crisp toffee bars ( I used Skor bars : 4 = 1 cup and it's plenty)

Dissolve coffee in hot water. Beat butter, coffee and sugar until fluffy. Stir together flour and candy. Mix into butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Press dough into 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes or til golden. Remove from oven. Cut into bars using a sharp knife. Cool in pan on rack. Makes about 40 cookies.

Note:: it takes a bit of mixing to get all the flour incorporated.. I just take my time with my wooden spoon and it comes together.