Snickerdoodle Muffins

I haven’t made these muffins in a long time. I don’t really know why. Maybe because my kids are grown up now? But when they were younger, I made these muffins a lot. The kids really loved them. They’re great for breakfast, brunch, or an after school snack. They’re also great packed for dessert in a school lunchbox. I love them warm with an ice cold glass of milk. Mmmmm………

SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS

• 1½ cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• extra melted butter for topping

1. Mix flour, oats, and ¾ cup sugar together.
2. In another bowl, mix egg, butter, vanilla, and milk together.
3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Fill 12 muffin cups 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 400ºF for 12 minutes or until light golden brown.
6. While muffins are baking, mix ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon together for topping.
7. When muffins are done, brush tops with a little melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar topping mixture.

Bacon Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

My Old Goat made his special Chili con Carne for dinner tonight. He doesn’t really cook but he does have a small repertoire of dishes that he makes when I’m not around and kitchen duty falls on his shoulders. He makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich, his Chili con Carne is really yummy, and he’s especially proud of his burgers. He keeps tweaking his burger recipe trying “to perfect it” as he says, which is really funny to me because I think it’s already perfect as it is.

Anyway, I was actually home this evening but Old Goat suddenly got a hankering to make Chili so I told him to go ahead and knock himself out. I could always use a break from fixing dinner. Not that I got a break. Instead I ended up making some Bacon Cheddar Cornbread Muffins to serve with his chili. These muffins are a great accompaniment to chilis, barbecues, even soups. They’re really easy to make because you start with a boxed cornbread mix. Give them a try at your next chili cook-off. I promise you’ll love ’em!

BACON CHEDDAR CORNBREAD MUFFINS

(Makes 16-18 muffins)

• 1 (15-oz.) box Krusteaz honey cornbread mix
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 3/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together milk, oil, egg and full box cornbread mix until moistened.
3. Stir in corn, bacon, cheese and green onion.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
5. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I had to make 72 Red Velvet cupcakes for a Valentine’s Day fund raiser we were having at the office. Thank goodness Yissi and Bashful were home to help me. We decorated the cupcakes with red sanding sugar and SweeTart candies. They turned out pretty cute.

A red velvet cake is basically a chocolate cake with red food coloring added to give it that reddish hue. I have a good recipe for a red velvet cake here. I use the same recipe for cupcakes. The only thing that changes are the baking pans you use and the length of time you bake the cupcakes. Oh, and the Cream Cheese Frosting is halved for the cupcakes since you only need half as much as you would to fill and frost a whole cake.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ cups canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (1 oz.) red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In another bowl, gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with electric mixer.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour batter into cupcake wells, filling about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 20-22 minutes, turning pans halfway through baking.
7. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into center of cupcakes.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
9. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.
2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.
3. Continue beating until frosting is smooth and fluffy.