Morning Glorious Muffins

These are some of my favorite muffins!

They are loaded with carrots, shredded apples, raisins or dates and whole wheat flour. Sometimes I even add Chia seeds. :) Try them! You won't be disappointed.

Here's the recipe.

Whole-Wheat Sweet Dough

This recipe is wonderful. It is half whole-wheat flour so it is much healthier than traditional sweet doughs, but it is still light and fluffy. I've used it for cinnamon rolls and sticky pull-aparts, neither of which are healthy, but at least they are a bit healthier this way. Not only are they healthier, but also we genuinely prefer the heartier flavor. There is also a fair amount of sugar in this recipe, and I often add quite a bit less and still have good results.

1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 c. hot milk or water

2 eggs, well beaten

2 1/2 c. white flour

2 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour

1. Place yeast into warm water to proof.

2. Mix butter, sugar and salt with the hot milk; set aside to cool.

3. Add yeast to beaten eggs and tehn add the cooled milk mixture.

4. Add flour and mix well. Knead for 5-10 minutes.

5. Form into a ball; cover and set aside to raise until doubled in size.

6. Roll out onto floured board and add desired ingredients to make many different kinds of sweet rolls.

For cinnamon rolls, I divide the dough in half, roll into a rectangle and then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes raisins or dried crans. Then roll up the rectangle, cut into about 1 1/2 inch slices and place into a buttered pan (9x13 or two 9-inch cake pans). Let rise again and then bake at 375 for 20 to 22 minutes. I usually put some foil over the tops to prevent them from getting too brown.

Glazed Apple Cake

This recipe is sooooo good. Dangerously good. The kind of good that is just the perfect amount of hearty and sweet that I have a really hard time staying with just one serving. Bake up some fall flavor today!

With the glaze, this recipe is an excellent cake. For a delicious snack or breakfast bread, leave off the glaze.

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter or butter substitute

6 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 c. molasses

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4c. applesauce

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole-wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

dash of ground allspice

2 apples, peeled and diced (reserve cores and skin)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325; grease and flour a 5x9-in loaf pan.

2. Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy--about 4 minutes. Add the molasses; beat. Add eggs, beating after each one. The mix in the vanilla and applesauce.

3. Next add all the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients to combine, then beat into the wet ingredients.

4. Stir in the diced apples and pour into loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

5. For the glaze, combine the sugar, 1/2 c. water and then apple cores and skins. Bring to a simmer and cook until syrupy, about 10 minutes.

6. Remove the cake from the pan and drizzle the glaze over the top and sides of the cooled "cake."  

Enjoy!!

Note: This recipe was adapted from a recipe in Whole Living magazine.

Citrus Cottage Cheese Rolls

These light and delicious rolls are a great alternative to cinnamon rolls for a warm dessert or winter breakfast. My husband was skeptical about the cottage cheese, but he really enjoyed them and when asked if I should make them again replied, "definitely." They have a light citrus flavor to them that goes wonderfully with the dried cranberries and fluffy texture. Enjoy!

Rolls
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 c. warm milk
2 tsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1 egg
Zest from one lemon
3/4 tsp. salt
3 c. flour (I used 1 c. whole wheat, but they were so light and fluffy that I think next time I will try using 2 c. whole wheat)

Filling
1/2 c. cottage cheese
1/2 c. honey
pinch of salt
Zest from one lemon
1/2 c. dried cranberries


1. I used a bread maker, so I just added all the ingredients for the rolls and set the timer for the dough to be finished raising when we woke up in the morning. If you don't have a bread maker, just make bread dough as usual: proof yeast, mix together ingredients, knead for 10 minutes, let raise until doubled.
2. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into a round roll. (NOTE: next time I make these I want to try making 24 so that there is a higher filling:roll ratio. You might wish to try the same.)
3. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet about one inch apart. Let the rolls rise for 10 minutes
4. Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the filling. Then press a dent into each roll using 3 fingers. Fill the dent with filling and let raise again for about 45 minutes.
5. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Note: The original recipe came from Old World Breads by Charel Scheele, a great gift to me from my sister-in-law Becka. :) Thanks Becka.

Country Buttermilk Bread

This is my favorite recipe for "regular bread." It's a great sandwhich bread and delicious warm with some butter and honey on it. Again, this is a bread maker recipe, so I won't include any directions, but this one is easily made by hand also.

Ingredients for 1 1/2 pound loaf:
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. non fat buttermilk (regular milk works fine)
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 c. whole wheat flour (for fluffier, yummier bread grind it yourself!)
1 1/4 c. bread flour
1/4 tsp baking soda (omit if using regular milk)
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast.

Honey Banana Whole Wheat Bread

Soooo good! I make this with my breadmaker and it's a very sticky dough so if you tried to knead it by hand, I think the results would be rather disasterous. Consequently, I'll just list the ingredients here--put them in, press go and enjoy. :) The bread is nice and sweet just like a quick banana bread, but less sugar (by far) and less fat (by far) and nice and fluffy.

For a 1 1/2 pound loaf:
1/2 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. honey
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. bread flour
1 small banana, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast.