Milk and Honey Poppy Seed Muffins #Improv

After totally neglecting the Improv challenge for the last few months, I am happy to say that I'm back in the saddle!  For those not in the know, the Improv challenge is a fun way for us to play with our food. Each month our fabulous new leader, Lesa from Edesia's Notebook, provides us with two ingredients with which to make marvelous creations. This month our theme is Milk and Honey...such a tasty combo! Interested in participating? Go ahead and visit Edesia's Notebook...you don't even need a blog.

How fitting is it that my husband brought home a carton of Almond Milk with a Hint of Honey?!

 I honestly didn't know what I was going to make until I started gathering my ingredients. Of course there was honey, but I also grabbed a bottle of poppy seed and some frosted flakes. Muffins were in the works!

Milk and Honey Poppy Seed Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk or almond milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons poppy seed
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup crushed frosted flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the milk, eggs, coconut oil, extracts, and honey. Stir in the poppy seed and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk mixture and stir until just moistened (batter will be lumpy). Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Sprinkle the frosted flakes over the muffin tops.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 45 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.
Total time: 65 mins.

The cornflakes give the muffins a little crunch....

Perfect for breakfast!

Or dessert...

Check out what everyone else has made with Milk and Honey!

***CORRECTION made from original post ---should be 1 egg, not 2!****

An InLinkz Link-up

Dark Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt....#improv

It's the third Thursday of the month...this can only mean that it's an Improv day! Improv is a monthly blogger challenge put forth by the lovely Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. Each month Kristen gives us two seasonal ingredients with which we are to create something wonderful. This month our theme is Ebony and Ivory!

Of course I went for the chocolate....why wouldn't I? Actually, a few months ago I had created a Sea Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie. I loved them, but I forgot to write the recipe down and I couldn't remember where I got the inspiration. So, I Googled. What I found was a pretty good sounding cookie from a certain Martha Stewart. You can find her recipe here ------ >  XXX  Of course I had to put my spin on things (not to mention make it an Ebony and Ivory themed cookie), so I changed it up. Here's what I made:

Dark Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt

Printable Recipe

1 cup flour

1/2 cup dark cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (60% Cacao), melted

2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee

1/2 cup good quality white chocolate chips

2 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and the coconut oil for several minutes or until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Stir the espresso powder into the melted chocolate and add to the sugar mixture. Fold in the flour/cocoa mixture just until completely blended; stir in the white chocolate chips and chopped white chocolate. 

The coconut oil can make the cookies spread, so be sure to chill the dough for a few minutes after you've dropped them on the cookie sheet. 

Drop the dough by tablespoons (I use a cookie scoop) onto the prepared pan. Sprinkle each mound of cookie dough with a little sea salt. Chill the dough for a few minutes before baking (so the cookies don't spread too much), then bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

It might be worth your while to pour a glass of milk before you dig in....

Perfectly fudge-y in the middle.

Okay--wipe the crumbs off and let's take a look at what everyone else is making---

An InLinkz Link-up

Orange-Vanilla Muffins

I can hardly believe that Spring (notice I had to capitalize it) is finally here. After such a long winter, I'm ready for something a little sunny. Sunny? What I mean to say is fresh, light, and...well..citrus-y. Not to worry--chocolate is never very far away from me--let's just change things up a little for now.

Just look at how refreshing this orange looks! I used one large orange for this recipe.

I'm a little schizophrenic eclectic when it comes to food. One minute I'm all about healthy and the next I'm stuffing my face with muffins. Seriously, though, look at all of the vitamin C going into this batch of Orange-Vanilla Muffins...... 

A little yogurt and coconut oil makes these even healthier. Believe it. Negates the sugar and white flour. Still feel guilty? Swap 1 cup of  white whole-wheat flour for 1 of the cups of all purpose flour.

My inspiration for these citrus-y muffins came from a new flavor of yogurt that I found while I was at the grocery store....Orange Vanilla. I love that flavor combination. It reminds me of creamsicles. I couldn't wait to try it in a recipe. Feel free to sub plain or vanilla yogurt if you can't find this one.

Orange-Vanilla Muffins

Printable Recipe

1-2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (5-6 oz) container Orange-Vanilla Greek yogurt (sub plain or vanilla, if desired)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

6 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place the yogurt, egg, orange juice, and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl or large measuring cup. Use a fork to blend the mixture. Microwave on high for 30-40 seconds, or until the mixture is at room temperature (and the coconut oil stays melted). Stir in the vanilla and the remaining orange zest. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just blended--batter will be lumpy.

Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the sugar/orange mixture over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

How would you like to wake up to these??!!

The orange infused sugar on top gives these muffins a nice crunch...

Soft and orange-y--just like I wanted them to be!

What's your favorite spring food?

Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

You will have to excuse me if I'm a little obsessed with Coconut Oil. Seriously, to me it's like butter you can store in your cupboard. For the most part it stays nice and solid, even at room temperature. Of course, when the heat index hits over 95 degrees, it does turn to liquid...but that's ok. It still works. I have used it for both cooking and baking by simply subbing it for butter and it has worked well. Apparently, it even has heath benefits...just ask the Dr. Oz show: The Surprising Benefits of Coconut Oil

It's not a surprise that Trader Joe's has a good deal on Organic Coconut Oil. I happen to prefer a little of the coconut taste, so this brand is perfect.

I had to wonder, though, if Coconut Oil would make a good cookie? Then a couple of months ago, I tried it in my Fish 'N Chips Cookies (you really have to try these...not as gross as they sound), and the results were spectacular!

I'm a big fan of putting "stuff" in my cookies...."kitchen sink" cookies, if you will. My daughter, on the other hand, is a purest. No nuts, no pretzels, no coconut flakes. I still irritate her (mothers learn to do this in mother school) by asking each time I make cookies if I should put some walnuts in the batter (the answer is always no..or so the eye roll tells me). Sigh. So, instead I revved up the taste with some sea salt and dark chocolate. Result? Perfection. No nuts needed.

Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe

1¾ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup coconut oil

1 ½ cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate chips

½ cup chopped dark chocolate (I used a dark chocolate candy bar)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Place the coconut oil and the brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, stirring until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and the chopped chocolate.

Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Chill for a few minutes (this will avoid spreading) Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are just golden. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Penzey's is another essential place for me...I have a bag of sea salt just for baking.

I found the consistency of the dough to be a little tacky. Chilling the dough makes it hard..the coconut oil hardens quickly--so chill after you scoop.

As you can see there is some spread, but not too much.

I like to add additional chopped chocolate...you can see the extra little chocolate chunks next to the chocolate chips.

Chewy, with crisp edges. These cookies are great warm from the oven ---melt-y dark chocolate and a little taste of sea salt....chocolate chip heaven!

How do you use Coconut Oil?

Fish 'N Chips Cookies....#Improv

Betcha can't guess the theme for this month's Improv challenge. Fish and Chips! Don't you love it? Of course I had to figure out how to make a baked good using those two ingredients. Enter the lovely baked Goldfish crackers....

Improv is a monthly challenge for bloggers sponsored by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. Each month Kristen chooses two seasonal ingredients and we have our way with them. So far, Fish and Chips has been the most challenging for me. :)

Luckily, Kristen gives us some leeway. The challenge wasn't quite so hard when I could include some ingredients that weren't so...well, so fishy. I do love fish, but somehow tilapia doesn't sound quite right in a cookie. The chips part was easy for me. Besides the usual chocolate chips, I was ready to give some roasted coconut chips a try. Oh my. They are good! 

There are times when my husband wonders if I will ever make just a normal baked good. Everything has to have a twist with me. Last week, I was craving an ordinary chocolate chip cookie. While checking around for a good recipe (wow...there are hundreds (!)--I do have to try one of those sea salt and dark chocolate varieties....), I came across a really good one using coconut oil. The recipe, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, from The Cheeky Kitchen is awesome. It is the basis for the recipe I am going to share today.

Fish 'N Chips Cookies
Printable Recipe

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup pretzel Goldfish crackers

1/2 cup roasted coconut chips (or shredded coconut)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Place the coconut oil and the brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, stirring until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips, Goldfish, and coconut chips.

Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are just golden. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

So, I've been a little tired and forgot to set the timer on this batch. I call them "Blackened Grouper" cookies. They actually tasted really good...just a bit crunchy. 

Easiest fish I've ever prepared....no bones about it.

These cookies are really, really good. As I write this I am digesting the three that I had for dinner. They are just the right amount of chewy, salty, crunchy, and sweet. I heart them. 

Please check out what everyone else is making with Fish and Chips!

Not So Impossible Veggie Pie

It's that time of year when I have a boatload of Summer vegetables that I need to make something with NOW. Last year, I actually bought myself a box of baking mix (or biscuit mix, if you will) and made an Impossible Zucchini Pie. It was really tasty, but even though I used a "heart healthy" mix, I wondered if making my own might be just a tad bit healthier. Tonight, I gave it a try.

Of course, I cruised around the Internet to check out homemade baking mix recipes, and there are quite a few out there, all pretty similar. The problem was that I didn't want a boatload of the stuff. I just wanted enough of the mix for one recipe. So, I concocted my own mini version. You will see a tablespoon of powdered non-fat milk in there...if you don't have it, I really don't think it will make all that much difference. I  like to keep it around for bread making, as it gives a little richness to the dough. All of my measurements were approximate. Feel free to substitute some of your favorite veggies...olives? shredded carrots? green peppers? The sky is the limit. You could even add some pepperoni or sausage, along with some Italian seasonings, for a pizza casserole. At any rate, I was happy with the way it turned out.

Not So Impossible Veggie Pie

1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (I used a 3 pepper blend)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon non-fat dry milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening

3/4 cup skim milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Spray a one quart casserole dish or a 9" glass pie plate with cooking spray; preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle the tomatoes, zucchini, chopped onion, basil, and cheese evenly in the casserole dish or pie plate; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a fork, until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Stir the milk and the eggs together in a measuring cup, then add to the flour mixture, mixing until well blended (some small lumps will remain). Pour evenly over the vegetables. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Don't worry about a few small lumps in the batter...they will disappear.

I'd say it was a big success! Now, I can't wait to try some of the other combinations I was thinking about. 

What kind of Not So Impossible Pie would you make?

Coconut Cream Pie

It was definitely time to make a treat at my house this week. Waiting to do our taxes until the very last minute was just the tip of the iceberg. I won't bore you with any details since everyone has a stressful week once in a while, but let's just say it was the kind of week that had to result in a cream pie of sorts.

Now, I'm a pretty big cream pie fan. I like them all--chocolate, banana, butterscotch---mmmm...could be my favorite dessert (next to something with berries). But there is a special place in my stomach for a nice Coconut Cream Pie...and I like it best with real whipped cream on top and a graham cracker crust. Here is my rendition:

Coconut Cream Pie 
Printable Recipe

Crust:

1 sleeve (18) graham crackers

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

1/2 cup flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup sugar

3 cups milk or coconut milk

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (add a tablespoon of bourbon, if preferred)

1 cup coconut

Topping:

1 tablespoon coconut

1 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

Place graham crackers and pecans in blender or food processor and pulse chop until mixture is fine. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until incorporated.

The pecans and cinnamon add a little flavor to the crust. Swap out coconut oil for the butter, if you prefer.

Press graham cracker mixture into a 9" pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 6-9 minutes, or until edges turn golden. Allow crust to cool completely.

In medium saucepan, whisk together the flour or cornstarch and the sugar. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Heat over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken and bubble. Beat 1 cup of the pudding into the egg yolks and then add the yolks to the pudding in the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and coconut. Pour coconut pudding into the cooled crust, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and chill for several hours.

I had no bourbon or coconut rum in the house, so I used Butterscotch Schnapps to flavor the custard. Holy Yum! 

Place one tablespoon coconut on a non-stick piece of foil and put in toaster oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown (watch carefully--it can burn quickly). Set aside.

Whip whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Top the chilled pie with the whipping cream and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

Awww...go ahead. Make one for your mother. Better yet, make one for yourself and share with your mother. Isn't Mother's Day coming up?

Pumpkin-Orange Pound Cake

Pumpkin-Orange Pound Cake...the Midwest meets the Tropics.

Writing a food blog has its perks. Why just a couple of weeks ago, I received an email from the coconut coordinator for Kelapo Coconut (wouldn't you love that job title?), asking if I would like to review some coconut oil. To be honest, I've never cooked or baked with coconut oil, so I wasn't sure what to expect. This much I do know--coconut oil has been used in many cultures for generations as a primary source of fat. Back in the 1970's and 80's coconut oil got kind of a bad rap for being high in saturated fats, so most food manufacturers replaced it with hydrogenated oils--aka trans fats. Of course we all know what kind of decision that was, so now coconut oil is back and it's touted as a healthier fat. Confused? I was. At any rate, if you want the nitty-gritty on coconut oil, you can find it on Wikipedia and on the Kelapo website.

So now that I have my sample, what should I make with it?

I posed the question of what I should make with my coconut oil to my Facebook and Twitter friends and they came back with all sorts of good stuff. People use it in cooking and baking, of course, but they also use it to condition their hair and they put it into facial scrubs. Pretty versatile stuff. I am first a baker, however, so in the end I came up with a way to use some pumpkin and some coconut oil all in one recipe.

Pumpkin-Orange Pound Cake

Printable Recipe

2 ½ cups cake flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon ginger

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup coconut oil

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

¾ cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; Grease two 8-inch loaf pans.

Sift or whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and ginger into a large bowl; set aside.

Cream the butter and the coconut oil in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar, beating at low speed, then increase the mixer speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy.

I opened the jar of coconut oil and got a wonderful coconut smell.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl sides after each addition. After all the eggs are in, beat several minutes at high speed until the mixture is smooth and very pale. Beat in the pumpkin, orange juice, orange peel, and vanilla.

It didn't look much different than my best buttercream. 

Beating at low speed, add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk.

Check out the beautiful orange color.

Pour the batter into the two greased loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pans to slice.

 I like to use the foil loaf pans so that I can easily give them away.

Take that Sara Lee...

In conclusion, I really liked working with the coconut oil. It gave the pound cake a subtle coconut taste that worked well with the other flavors. I can't wait to try it in another recipe!

For more recipes using coconut oil, you can visit the Kelapo Coconut blog at http://www.wearecoconuts.com/  or visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/kelapococonut.

Disclosure: I was given a sample of Kelapo Coconut Oil to review, however all opinions and the recipe are my own.