Merry Yulemas!

While Lucifer is somewhat unsure of his new look...

Monkey is right at home among the holiday decor!

Looking for a sweet treat for the stockings? How about a little Happy Holidays treat for your students or fellow employees? Just let me know how many you need and I'll get right to work!

This little snowman is excited about all the yummy treats!

Makes a sweet centerpiece!

A perfect little something for all you teachers to share with your students! 

You know you want some!

Contact me for pricing!

Amber Rodriguez

904-401-1801

mommasmuffins@gmail.com

Pumpkin Surprise Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons apricot preserves, divided
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger. In another bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, butter and 3 tablespoons preserves. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
• Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Place a cream cheese cube and 3/4 teaspoon of preserves in each. Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining sugar. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 1 dozen.

Yummy Yule Beverages

These yummy, Yule beverages are sure to keep you warm and toasty on those cold holiday evenings. Be sure to sure them with your family, friends and neighbors.

Wassail

2 quarts apple cider
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a slow-cooker or a large pot over low heat, combine apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice. Season with cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer. If using a slow cooker, allow to simmer all day. Serve hot.


Mulled Wine

20 whole cloves
1 lemon, washed and dried
1 orange, washed and dried
1 pinch ground mace (optional)
1 pinch saffron (optional)
1 bottle red wine
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Insert 10 cloves into each lemon and orange. Place the mace and saffron onto the center of a 8 inch square piece of cheesecloth. Gather together the edges of the cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine to secure. Combine wine, sugar, lemon, orange, cinnamon stick, and mace and saffron sachet in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and allow the wine to simmer for 1 hour. Remove the sachet, cinnamon stick, and fruit. Serve hot.

Taking Charge

After everything I've gone through this year, trying to find a job then stressing over the job once I found it, I feel it's time to get serious about what I really want and LOVE to do...bake.

I am looking for ANY ideas and/or suggestions on how to get this business up and running full-time! 

If you have any, please leave a message here or feel free to email me at mommasmuffins@gmail.com 

Thank you for all your support. I greatly appreciate it :-)

Watercake Cake

Watercake Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box instant pistachio pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 can 7-Up

Heat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl until well blended, about 3 minutes. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool and frost.

FROSTING:

1 envelope Dream Whip

1 small box instant pistachio pudding

1 cup milk

Beat all ingredients well until thick. Frost cooled cake.

The Best Ever Pumpkin Cake

THE BEST EVER PUMPKIN CAKE

1 large 29 oz can pumpkin
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup melted butter
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Prepare pumpkin mixture pour in a 9" by 13" cake pan. Sprinkle yellow cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Melt butter pour over yellow cake. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Enjoy hot or cold.


Top with home made whipped cream or Cool Whip

Fruit Syrup

Here's another recipe shared by my beautiful friend, Bobbie. This goes perfect with the Buttermilk Pancakes she shared with me :-)

Fruit Syrup

 

Ok...here's is todays recipe. Our last one was buttermilk pancakes..today we are making fruit syrup for them..this always makes me look like a star!

I use frozen berries...you can use fresh if you like doesn't matter and use whichever ones are your favorite

I use about 2 cups of berries and put them in a saucepan with about a quarter cup of water..add 1 cup of sugar and 1tsp of vanilla...the vanilla is optional, but I always use it..it's one of my favorite things :-)

Let your berries cook down over medium heat..stir them every so often to make sure they are not burning..they make a lot of juice..now you wanna reduce these to about half..what I mean by that is you want the liquid to evaporate as they cook...now take them off the heat and let them cool a bit..as they cool they will thicken up...serve it warm over your pancakes..it's awesome!!!

Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk Pancakes 

(Thanks to my friend, Bobbie)

This recipe was shared with my by a very good friend. I've added her comments so you can see all her great ideas...

This recipe makes a lot...but the beauty of it is you don't waste any buttermilk if you buy the 1 quart container...I use a soup ladel to measure out the batter...I feed my family and the pancakes that are left I let them cool really well...then I put them in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze them...when it's time to have pancakes again I pull what I need out of the bag and pop them into the toaster to warm them up...WaaLaa...This recipe will last us quite a while..and it's cool because if the kids come to stay the night or come early to hunt..Mom always has a good hardy breakfast waiting for them when they come up from the woods and I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to make it lol..hope you's find this handy

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

I remember my mother's friend sharing this with us when I was a kid. Every day, my mother and I would follow the directions with great anticipation. When Day 10 finally arrived, our house was filled with the most delicious aroma. Since then, I've only see it passed around a couple of times. This holiday season, I plan to make several batches to give to my family and friends.

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 cups white sugar, divided
• 3 cups milk

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2. On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
3. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

Footnotes

• Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using. 

Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'Mores Bars

It's getting close to that time of year. Time for bonfires, ghosts stories, and s'mores!!! Don't have a bonfire? No worries. These yummy creations will work just fine :-)

Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 cups milk chocolate chips (18 oz)

4 ½ cups miniature marshmallows

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.

2. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.

3. Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 5 to 6 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.

Cranberry Apple Dessert

I am so far behind in my posts due to this new job! I miss having time to post a new, yummy recipe every day. Guess I'll just have to get up earlier every day :)

CRANBERRY APPLE DESSERT

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 ½ cups Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (from 16-oz can)

1 cup chunky applesauce

1 medium cooking apple, thinly sliced (1 cup)

Sweetened whipped cream, if desired

1 -Heat oven to 350°F. In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven.

2- In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, sugar and milk until smooth. Pour batter evenly over butter in pan. In small bowl, mix cranberry sauce and applesauce; spoon evenly over batter. Place apple slices on sauce mixture.

3- Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream.

These individual, crustless quiches are perfect for families on the go. Whip up a batch (or two) on Sunday evening, and you have an easy go-to breakfast for busy weekday mornings. They’re also really versatile – this version features spinach and mozzarella, but cooked broccoli and cheddar or crispy bacon can easily be substituted or added!

Breakfast Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 cup baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a muffin tin with foil baking cups and spray with cooking spray (or simply spray the muffin tin directly with cooking spray). In a medium frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat, then add onion and green peppers. Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add spinach leaves and stir until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add cheese.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper, then pour over the vegetable-cheese mixture and stir to combine. Divide evenly among 6 muffin cups.

Bake until cupcakes have set, about 20 minutes. The cupcakes will puff during cooking and then deflate slightly as they cool.

Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash

What better way to start the Autumn season than with some delicious acorn squash?

Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 medium acorn squash, halved
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Scoop out and discard seeds from squash. Place cut side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; add water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes.
• Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Combine the syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt; pour into squash halves. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until glaze is heated through. Yield: 2 servings.

Happy Autumn!

 I want to take this opportunity to wish all my wonderful followers a Happy Autumn and Blessed Mabon!

Apple-Bacon Muffins

This recipe was originally made for a loaf but I thought it would make amazing muffins!

Apple-Bacon Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped apple

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese, bacon and apple.
• Spray muffin pans with cooking spray, fill 2/3 full. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 12 regular or 6 Texas-size muffins.

Southern Fried Apples

A good friend of mine shared this recipe with me just this morning. I can just imagine these poured over a big chunk of homemade pound cake, topped with a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream. I'm drooling just thinking about it!

Southern Fried Apples1/4 cup butter)
6 tart apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 tsp. Salt
Garnish: apple pie spice

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add apples evenly in a single layer (mine aren't very singular!). Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar and salt. Cover; cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until apples are tender and juicy. Sprinkle with spice and serve warm (with ice cream!!). Serves about 6. 

King Arthur Flour's Favorite Fudge Cake: King Arthur Flour

Sometimes it's just easier to share the link :)

King Arthur Flour's Favorite Fudge Cake: King Arthur Flour

Perfect Panko Chicken With Hummus and Zesty Honey Carrots

Instead of typing out a post for you today, I decided to share this yummy recipe via You Tube. A special thanks to Publix Supermarkets for sharing this link on Facebook today :)

http://youtu.be/OEn1a4uSSPc

No Bake Banana Split Dessert

When you need a quick dessert but you're not in the mood for your everyday banana pudding, try this little twist.  It's simple and yummy!

Banana Split Dessert - No Bake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 sticks butter

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

4-5 bananas

1 can crushed pineapples

1 large Cool Whip

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with 1 stick butter. Spread into ungreased pan and refrigerate.

2. Combine powdered sugar with 1 stick butter, eggs* and vanilla. Beat about 5 minutes until fluffy. Spred over first mixture.

3. Slice bananas over the cream mixture.

4. Spread crushed pineapple over bananas.

5. Spread Cool Whip over pineapple. Sprinkle chopped nuts on Cool Whip. Keep refrigerated.

Grilled Eggplant Pepper Sandwiches

Grilled Eggplant Pepper Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
• 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 
  SANDWICHES:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 large sweet red peppers, quartered
• 8 slices firm white bread (1/2 inch thick)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions

• Place the first five ingredients in a food processor; cover and process until pureed. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream; process until blended. Set aside.
• For sandwiches, in a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, pepper and salt; brush over eggplant and red peppers. Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Arrange vegetables on a grilling grid; place on a grill rack over drip pan.
• Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Remove and keep warm. Grill bread over medium heat grill for 1-2 minutes on each side or until toasted.
• Spread olive mixture over toast. Top four slices with vegetables and basil; top with remaining toast. Yield: 4 servings. 
  
  Editor's Note: If you do not have a grilling grid, use a disposable foil pan. Poke holes in the bottom of the pan with a meat fork to allow liquid to drain.