New Jersey Crumb Cake

This is originally Martha Stewarts recipe that I found on Comfy Cuisine

2 Tbsp. canola oil

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup light-brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 8 x 8 baking pan with nonstick spray.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, sift together 1-1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a second bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil and vanilla.  Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.  In a medium bowl, combining remaining 2-1/2 cups flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Pour melted butter over flour mixture and toss together until large crumbs form.  Sprinkle crumbs over batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Dust liberally with confectioner's sugar.  Cut into squares.

Blueberry lemon cream cheese muffIns

I am dedicating this post to my mom.  I grew up spending a lot of time in the kitchen with my mom and sister.  I learned from my mom early on how to doctor recipes, I am never afraid to stray from a recipe for one reason of another.  In my case it is usually because I want to use up food before it goes to waste and there has been times I just didn't have the right ingredients.  

I made 2 changes to the original recipe and Mike loves these muffins.  He begged me to make the same recipe and not to make anymore changes.   So using the evaporated milk (instead of regular milk) and add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract paid off.  My son and I would like to make only half of the cream cheese mixture but Mike doesn't want me to change one thing.  I just wanted half the cream cheese mixture because it would be less calories.

 I used evaporated milk instead of regular milk because I had some that expired this month and I can't waste.  Can't do it. 

I swirled the cream cheese mixture into the muffin mix.

This recipe is adapted from the Frugal Food Mom.

I have been thinking about these muffins since I saw the picture.  I looked at about 200 pictures of muffins and this recipe is the only one that made me want to make the muffins this weekend.

Ingredients (12 muffins)

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup milk or evaporated milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon extract

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Zest and juice of one lemon

1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Crystallized or candied ginger- optional

For the cream cheese "batter"

• 8 oz of cream cheese, room temp.
• 1 cup sugar
  

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients- flour through the cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients- the milk through the lemon juice and zest. 

Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time. Mix until incorporated, be careful not to over mix.

Fold in the blueberries.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy. Gently fold half of the cream cheese "batter" into the blueberry muffin batter.

Fill each muffin cup in your pan about 2/3 of the way full with your muffin/cream cheese swirled batter.   I use the pampered chef muffin scope.  Use the remaining cream cheese batter and put one tablespoon of it on top of each muffin, press the batter into and swirl it around the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees, turning your muffin tin once halfway through baking. The cream cheese tops of the muffins will get golden edges when done.  A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins should come out clean when done.

**click here for tips on juicing a lemon

Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat oven 350

2 Eggs

1 C margarine (soften)

2 cups Libby's pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk      
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground clove
1 tsp vanilla

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Optional-shredded coconut, dried cranberries & chopped walnuts. Beat eggs, margarine, pumpkin puree, sugars and evaporated milk together. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, vanilla and flour, beat for another 1 minute.

Gingerbread Loaf

Starbucks copy cat Gingerbread Loaf

 recipe adapted from "A cup of Mascarpone."

I am so glad I stumbled across this blog today  "A cup of Mascarpone,"  All of her food looks so delicious and the presentation is great.  I wanted a slice of her Gingerbread Loaf as soon as I saw it, so I check my cupboards for the ingredients and had everything but the orange extract.

  I just used orange juice and zest and it was fine. 

 This really does taste like Starbucks Gingerbread loaf.    

Ingredients:

for the loaf:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon orange fresh squeezed orange juice 

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 egg at room temperature

1 cup natural applesauce

1 teaspoon baking soda

for the frosting:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Optional chopped candied ginger or candied orange peel for garnish

Create the Gingerbread Loaf and Frosting:

create the loaf:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9"x5" bread pan (not mini bread pans). 

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, stir in orange juice and zest, add egg and mix well.  Add baking soda, applesauce and flour and beat until smooth.

Scoop the batter into prepared loaf pan(s).

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. If baking the 2 smaller loaves, bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

create the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add orange juice and zest. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar.

Once the cake has cooled, evenly spread the frosting on top. Garnish with chopped candied ginger or orange peel, if desired.

Adapted with slight changes from The Restaurant Recipe Blog.

Zucchini Bread

Grandma's Best Zucchini Bread

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup oil (veg or canola)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 - 8oz can well drained crushed pineapple
3 cups flour (unsifted)
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese (soft)
8 oz. butter (soft)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy add vanilla and powdered sugar. If the frosting isn't as thick as you like it add another 1/2 cup. 
Preheat oven to 350.  Beat egss to blend, add oil, sugar, vanilla, continue beating mixture until foamy.  With a spoon stir in zucchini and pineapple.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts.  Stir gently until zucchini blended.   Bake for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick insert in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, turn out on wire racks to cool Makes 2 loaves  After trying the muffins, I wouldn't
make them again.  The loaves are better, the texture is a little different.

Katie's Best Banana Nut Bread and Orange Poppy Seed Bread

The Best Banana Nut Bread and Orange Poppy Seed Bread 

    Recipe from All Recipe ~ Christina Jun

I wish I could take credit for these delicous loaves of bread, but I can't.  My friend Katie "The Motivator,"  made them for me and I loved them so much that I got the recipe to share with you guys.

Orange Poppy Seed Bread

 Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons butter flavored extract

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 1/4 cups white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1/4 cuporange juice

1/2 teaspoon butter flavored extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Original recipe makes 2 -9 inch loaves

                                                                                                        

Best Ever Banana Bread                                                    

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease bottoms of two 9-inch loaf pans.
2. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, butter flavoring, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and almond flavoring. Pour into prepared pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for one hour. Cool 5 minutes. Poke holes in top of loaves and pour glaze over.
4. To make glaze: Mix orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring, 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add enough confectioners' sugar to make glaze.

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract          
•       1 cup chopped walnuts                                                      
•       Recipe from Taste of Home
• ****optional 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in nuts.
• Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.