Good-for-you Savory Muffins

I love baking savory muffins cuz they make the best breakfast or snack! Most of them are also a lot healthier than the usual sweet treats, which is always a good thing. I came across these Red Pepper Cornbread Muffins and couldn't wait to give them a try! Instead of adding the bell peppers raw, I cooked them in the butter so that they'd become softened. In my experience, they have much more flavor that way. I also added a handful of shredded Cheddar Cheese cuz I like cheese in everything! VERY yummy and perfect good-for-you, anytime-of-the-day treats! Pastry schools can teach you cool baking techniques if you wanna make more of these savory treats!

Special Holiday Treat for my Mommy!

I've been so busy lately and don't get to see my mom as much as I used to. So when I do get the chance, I like to bake something special for her to take home. She came up to visit for a holiday brunch and I decided to whip up a batch of her favorite Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers. They're more like savory shortbread cookies and have such a yummy buttery texture. Needless to say my mom loved them!

A PERFECT Dinner on Halloween!

We're not big on Halloween. In fact, it's probably one of my least favorite holidays. I mean, I love seeing all the cute Trick-or-Treaters but I really dislike all the creepy stuff! One way I do like to celebrate though is by making dinner that features pumpkin. So tonight I made Mexican Pumpkin Chili and Pumpkin Corn Muffins. They were both Libby's Pumpkin recipes and came out SO good! Instead of regular corn, I used this Corn and Chile Salsa I found at Trader Joe's. Man, that stuff is addicting! It's got the perfect amount of sweet and heat and I can literally eat it by the spoonful! (In fact, I had to stop myself or else there wouldn't be any left for the chili and corn muffins!) I love the fact that this Chili only takes 30 minutes, which makes it possible on a Monday night. The Corn Muffins also didn't require a long time and I had left-overs for breakfast AND my coworkers! Happy Halloween!

Mini Cheddar Biscuits

I haven't made biscuits in a while so I decided to whip up some mini cheddar ones. Why mini? Well, because mini things are just cuter, of course! They also make you feel less guilty about eating more than 1!

Ingredients: (about a dozen mini biscuits)


1/2 c (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 c grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 c all-purpose flour


Brush:
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp Italian seasoning


Prep:


1.Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.


2. Whisk together the melted butter and eggs until creamy. Add the cheese and mix until combined. Add the baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and flour and mix well.


3. Roll out dough onto a floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out small circles with a biscuit cutter and place onto baking sheet.

4. Brush wash on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Feta and Bell Pepper just WORKS!

Do you have a favorite cheese and veggie combo? To me, feta and bell peppers works really well together. I think it's the salty and chunky flavor of the cheese that's such a nice contrast to the sweet and crunchy texture of the bell pepper. (I'm also slightly obsessed with cheddar and apples!) I used my favorite Athenos Feta, which in my opinion is THE BEST around. They've got the perfect amount of saltiness and crumbly in just the right way. Here I used the original flavor but I LOVE the Basil Tomato and Garlic Herb ones! These are my Feta and Bell Pepper Squares and they're savory and just great any time of the day. Yea I'm riding solo on V-day but at least I've got these yummy treats to keep me company!

Ingredients: (12 squares or muffins)


2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter
1 c red bell pepper, diced
1 c buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray square or muffin pan with cooking spray.


2. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and sauté until softened, 5 minutes. Cool slightly.


3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, basil, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper.


4. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Pour into the dry ingredients and add the cooled bell pepper and feta. Stir just until combined.


5. Divide batter among prepare pan, filling almost to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

TJ's Tomatoes Come in a Box of 5

If you've ever purchased Roma Tomatoes at Trader Joe's, you know that they only come in a box of 5. I needed a tomato for my Sunday Sliders so I ended up with 4 extra. What to do with them? Make some Savory Cheesy Muffins, of course! These came out so good! I also added lots of fresh basil for extra flavor and some pretty green color. Cheesy and savory, just the way I like them!

Ingredients: (6 muffins)


4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c milk
2 large eggs
3/4 c cornmeal
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded


Prep:


1. Preheat to 400ºF. Grease or line 6 muffin cups.


2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, milk and eggs.


3. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Stir into the liquid ingredients just until moistened. Stir in tomatoes, basil and cheese until mixed.


4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Jumping on the Health Wagon!

It's the beginning of the year and it seems like everyone's resolution is to get healthier in 2011. I think it's great and made some light and healthy Zucchini Bites for my coworkers. No oil and no butter yet they taste delicious! Now don't get me wrong, there will be plenty of cookies and brownies this year but I guess something healthy once in a while doesn't hurt either!

Being Creative with Guacamole

Once in a while (ok maybe a bit more than that) I love to get REALLY creative with my baking and tonight was a great example. I made Guacamole Muffins using left-over Guac and they came out surprisingly good! The red chunks you see are the chopped tomatoes that I always add to my Guac. I also used cornmeal, sour cream and Mexican-style cheese so these tasted like a festive dip and corn chips all in one! YUM YUM!

Ingredients: (6 muffins)


1/2 c cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/4 c milk
1 c prepared Guacamole
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line or grease 6 muffin cups.


2. In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal and baking powder. In a measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Stir in the Guacamole, sour cream and cheese until completely mixed.


3. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Miniature Versions of Ina's Buttermilk Biscuits

I watched Ina make some Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits for her Breakfast Party and they looked SO yummy! I don't make Biscuits too often as cuz it's such a hassle cutting in the butter with my pastry cutter or food processor and using my fingers tend to get really messy. Ina used her stand mixer and it was so much easier (and WAY less mess)! The trick is to keep all the ingredients really cold and work fast so the butter doesn't start to melt. I thought it'd be fun to make mini biscuits so I used a 2-inch fluted cutter and cut down the baking time to 15 minutes. I also sprinkled parmesan cheese on top instead of salt to give the biscuits a more flavorful crust. They came out flaky, cheesy and yummy, not to mention cute! This batter made about 2 dozen mini biscuits and I'm pretty sure we ate about a dozen tonight so that tells you how good they are! I think I need to take the rest to work before we eat them all! :)

Introducing Savory Carrot Cakes!

I've baked Savory Zucchini Breads and Muffins a dozen times and realized that there's no reason why I couldn't do the same for carrots. I mean, they're veggies just the same and can go both sweet and savory right? So tonight I made Savory Carrot Cakes with lots of CHEESE and fresh parsley. They came out amazingly moist and REALLY yummy! It just goes to show you that thinking outside of the box can really pay off!

Ingredients: (12 muffins)


1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 c canola oil
1 c shredded carrots
1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray.


2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, black pepper, baking soda, and baking powder.


3. In a medium bowl whisk together egg and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir just until combined. Fold in carrots, cheese and parsley.


4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack.

Testing Out My New Baking Toy!

We received a Williams Sonoma Gift Card for our wedding so I went shopping and found a new Cookie Press. (The one I have was really cheap and didn't work so well.) I couldn't wait to test it out and made some Rosemary Cheese Spritz Cookies. They were super cheesy and WAY better than any store-bought Cheese Crackers! (Move over Cheez-It!) I just love the idea of Savory Spritz Cookies and can't wait to try other cheese and herb combinations!

My Favorite Sandwich in Muffin Form!

My favorite sandwich is ham and cheese with avocado so when I saw these Avocado Cheddar Muffins, I knew I had to give them a try. I substituted ham for the bacon and added some fresh parsley to the mix. They came out tasting just like my favorite sandwich and such yummy savory treats!

Apple and Cheddar Wins Again!

You know I think Apple and Cheddar make the PERFECT couple and this time they made PERFECT muffins! I found this recipe and loved the idea of sautéing the apple with some onions before adding them into the batter. It made the flavors more intense and gave the muffins a creamier texture. I omitted the nuts on top cuz I find them a bit strange in savory things even though I love them in any type of sweets. (It's a texture thing!) I brought some of these muffins to the office and everyone loved them!

Cheesy, Tomatoey and Yummy!

Those are the only 3 descriptions you need for these savory muffins! I over-filled the cups a bit so they were humongous but no complaints here! These muffins make perfect snacks or a light meal with a salad.

Ingredients: (6 muffins)


1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 c green onions, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c sour cream
1 egg
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1 c shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray or line 6 muffin cups.


2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and tomatoes; cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Take off heat.


3. Whisk sour cream and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in tomato mixture.


4. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, basil and tarragon in a large bowl. Add sour cream mixture, stirring just until blended. Stir in cheese.


5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

All the Flavors of Pepperoni Pizza in ONE BITE!

I came across this recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Puffs recently and thought they would make the perfect pre-holiday treats for the office. I doubled the recipe to make 4 dozen mini muffins and I'm glad cuz they disappeared pretty quickly! I also substituted half of the milk with buttermilk for that extra creaminess and tangy flavor. PERFECT bite-size treats!

We're LONG Overdue for Some Crackers!

For a while there I was making Crackers almost every week and I was reminded by Barefoot Contessa over the weekend that I haven't made them in a while. These Blue Cheese and Cranberry Crackers were inspired by her Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers. The only difference is that I added dried cranberries to the dough and didn't roll it in walnuts. I really like the savory and sweet combination in these crackers and the red color added such a nice festive touch! Perfect treats for the holidays with a nice glass with wine. :)

Savory and Cheesy Squash Bread

I make lots of different sweet and savory Zucchini Bread but not so much Squash Bread so when I saw this recipe for Savory Squash Bread, I knew I had to give it a try. I love Feta in just about anything and it was great in this bread! It just adds such a nice salty bite and creaminess. I added about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley for some herby flavor and of course, pretty color! I also turned my bread into mini loaves and topped each with some Parmesan cheese for a yummy brown crust. Perfect savory treats for any time of the day!

Sometimes You Just Gotta Get Your Hands Messy!

I love making drop biscuits cuz they're so easy but sometimes I just wanna get my hands messy and work some dough! I bought some Prosciutto at Trader Joe's a while back and totally forgot about it until I saw these Cream Biscuits with Prosciutto and Parmesan. I cut the recipe in half and made 8 BIG biscuits. (We like our biscuits really think so we can slather LOTS of butter in the middle!) They were SO SO good! The smokey Prosciutto and salty Parmesan added such good flavor and we gobble up half of them hot from the oven (with LOTS of butter)! I can't wait to have more tomorrow for breakfast!

My New Mom Requested More Corn Muffins!

Last year I decided to bake some Corn Muffins as my contribution to our Thanksgiving meal and everyone loved them so much that they requested more this year. Now these aren't just any old Corn Muffins. They're Bobby Flay's Blue Corn Muffins that he serves at his restaurant, Mesa Grill. We go there almost every time we're in Vegas and everyone literally fights over them! (They only serve 2 per table as part of the bread basket.) Last time I substituted yellow cornmeal for the blue but this time I really wanted to be authentic. I knew if I could find blue cornmeal anywhere it would be Whole Foods and I was right! Yea! I did a test run last night and turned Greg and my co-workers into my Taste Testers. The verdict? They loved them! Yummy muffins full of corn, bell peppers and jalapeñes, how can you go wrong?

Grated Butter Makes Flaky Biscuits!

I've been craving some savory treats so when I saw this recipe for Ham and Cheddar Biscuits I knew I had to make them! I just watched Big Daddy's House over the weekend where Aaron made Cheddar Scones and he grated the butter into the mixture. I loved the idea since I hate getting all messy working with my fingertips or having to dirty my big food processor. It totally worked and the biscuits came out so flaky and perfect! I also added some parsley for flavor and flavor. The recipe didn't say how many biscuits it makes but I ended up with a dozen using a 3-inch cutter. Savory treats are the best!