Blueberry Almond Flaxseed Muffins

Ingredients:


1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup blueberries, washed and dried
1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower (or peanut oil)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed meal, mixed with 3 Tbsp. water (set aside until ready to use)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan (or a standard size muffin pan) and set aside. 

In bowl of food processor, coarsely chop the almonds; transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, wheat germ, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and blueberries to the same bowl; stir to blend thoroughly.  In bowl of food processor, add oil, brown sugar, egg, flaxseed/water mixture and vanilla.  Process until blended.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry; stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will fill each cup. Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6 to 12 (depending on size).

Apple-Maple-Pecan Muffins

Made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shelled pecans

1/3 cup chopped dried apple slices (1/4 inch pieces)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped peeled apple (1/4 inch pieces)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

Lightly oil bowl and blades of food processor; in processor bowl, coarsely chop pecans and dried apple slices.  Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, oatmeal, baking powder and soda, fresh apple and raisins.

In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure oil and syrup; add egg and vanilla; whisk until blended.  Pour over dry ingredients.  Stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. 

Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Carrot and Almond Muffins

When I make muffins for breakfast, it is usually these -- healthful and delicious.  They are made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup sliced pared carrots

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower 

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

In bowl of food processor, coarsely chop the almonds; transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, wheat germ, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins to the same bowl; stir to blend thoroughly.  With processor motor running slowly, add carrots through feed tube, process until finely chopped.  Add oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.  Process until blended.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry; stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Buttermilk Pancakes

 Ingredients (Original Recipe -- makes 12-14 pancakes):                                                           

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour                                     

2 Tbsp. sugar                                                          

1 tsp. baking soda                                                   

1 tsp. baking powder                                               

1/2 tsp salt                                                               

1 1/3 cups buttermilk                                               

1 egg, slightly beaten                                                

3 Tbsp. corn or canola oil                                        

Additional oil for the pan  

For more pancakes for a bigger crowd:                                        

Ingredients (1-1/2 x Recipe -- Makes 18-21 pancakes):

2 cups all-purpose flour

 3 Tbsp. sugar

 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

 3/4 tsp salt

 2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

4 1/2 Tbsp. corn or canola oil

Additional oil for the pan

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, measure all ingredients; stir until well mixed. You can thin the batter with a little more buttermilk, if needed, or add a Tbsp. more flour, depending on the desired thickness of the pancakes.

2.  Heat electric skillet or griddle over med- high heat (about 375 degrees).  When hot, add the additional oil --  about 2 Tbsp.  Wipe off excess oil with a paper towel so there is a uniform coating on the bottom and sides of pan.

3.  Pour in batter to form about 4 inch pancakes; space so they are not touching.  Cook until the edges start to lose their shine,  about 2 minutes.  Then with a metal pancake turner, turn over one pancake to test that it is done -- nicely and evenly browned. If the test one is done, turn over the other pancakes. Otherwise, adjust the time on the others a few more seconds.

4.  When the bottom starts to look brown around the edges, and the pancakes look done, remove them to a serving plate.  Repeat until all batter is used.  Serve with maple syrup.

Scones

This is the recipe I use to make scones. It is from Maida Heatters Book of Great American Desserts, except that over the years I have made a couple of changes: I think they are more tender made with heavy whipping cream instead of milk and I prefer to cut the dough into wedges rather than make as drop biscuits. Also like to sometimes vary the currants with other chopped dried fruit:

Ingredients:

2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

scant 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar

6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), diced

1/4 cup currants (or finely chopped pecans, dried cherries or cranberries as a variation)

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or milk/half and half)

Additional sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:Heat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup, or other small mixing bowl, beat together the egg and egg yolk, then add cream or milk to mix -- set aside. In a medium bowl measure the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; "whisk" with a pastry blender until combined. Add the butter and cut it in to make rather large crumbs. Add the fruit/nut combination you've chosen, mix. Make a well in the middle. Add the egg, egg yolk, and cream/milk combination, mixing lightly with a fork until the mixture comes together--don't over mix this.

Can make these as drop biscuits, dropping by rounded tablespoonfuls placed an inch apart on your prepared cookie sheet (to make 12). OR what I like to do is -- take all of the dough and gently make it into a ball with your hands and place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Gently pat or roll out to about 10 inches, then with a sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges. Space out a bit on the sheet so they have room to bake.

Sprinkle lightly with the additional sugar and bake for 14-15 minutes, or until nicely golden brown, reversing cookie sheet from front to back halfway through baking time.

Remove scones from baking sheet onto a rack to cool. Can be served right away. Any leftovers can be sliced in half and gently heated in toaster oven for a few minutes to regain fresh baked texture.

French Toast

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 loaf challah bread, sliced about 1 inch thick (slices well frozen and can keep frozen until ready to use)
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch fresh ground nutmeg
pinch salt
2-3 tbsp. unsalted butter for cooking
maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees to keep cooked French toast warm while cooking the entire batch.

In 13x9 inch baking dish, beat eggs well with a fork. Add a little of the heavy cream to the mixture and keep beating to ensure uniform consistency. Add rest of heavy cream, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. One by one, dip both sides of challah bread slices in the egg mixture, to coat, and set aside on a separate plate. If there is any egg mixture leftover, re-dip slices until mixture is used up.

Preheat a large electric frying pan to 350 degrees (a non-stick frying pan, or cast iron skillet can be used instead, heat to medium). Add 1 Tbsp. butter to pan, heating until melted (evenly coat the pan with the melted butter). Add 3-4 bread slices to the pan (depending on size). Cook uncovered for 3- 4 minutes until bottom is nicely golden brown and cooked. Turn to cook other side and cover ; cook for another 3- 4 minutes until that side is also golden brown and cooked through.

Transfer cooked slices to a cookie sheet and place in preheated oven while cooking the remainder the same way, until all slices are finished. Serve with maple syrup.