Roasted Garlic Muffins with Bacon

Jun 18, 2012 by

I can’t believe its Monday already! What a busy week! I was so consumed with various tasks/deadlines, I haven’t been able to post much but I am happy that I’m able to participate in another Muffin Monday! This weeks muffin selection is what my husband calls “a really good breakfast muffin”. I’ll be honest, savoury is not my thing. My sweet tooth simply won’t allow it. But one thing I’ve learned is – savoury just needs a little bacon to make it right. Is that the truth? Or is that the TRUTH?

I was very grateful for this recipe because for starters, I’ve never used cottage cheese before. Like ever. I’ve also never roasted a head of garlic before. Brilliant! It was fun to do and smelled great (if you like garlic). The original recipe called for Parmigiano-Reggiano but I couldn’t find one small enough so I chose Asiago, which also has a great texture and flavour. I used half cup instead of the suggested quarter cup that seemed like such a tiny portion. I went half and half with all-purpose flour and spelt flour. I really like using other flours aside from whole wheat.  And for this recipe, I’m happy with the result.

 

Roasted Garlic Muffins with Bacon

 

 

Roasted Garlic Muffins with Bacon
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 medium garlic head
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil for the garlic
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ¾ Cup milk (I used 2%)
  • ¾ Cup small-curd cottage cheese, or cream-style cottage cheese (regular or low-fat, but not non-fat)
  • 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Spelt flour
  • ½ Cup grated Asiago Cheese
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 Strips crispy bacon, coarsely chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut the top quarter off the garlic head so that the cloves are exposed. Discard the top quarter. Place the garlic on a small sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then fold and seal the sides of the foil to create a pouch around the garlic. Place directly on the oven rack and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the garlic smells sweet and the cloves are soft. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes without unwrapping. Maintain the oven’s temperature.
  3. To prepare the muffin tins, spray the indentations and the rims around them with nonstick spray, or line the indentations with paper muffin cups. If using silicon muffin tins, spray as directed, then place the tins on a baking sheet.
  4. Squeeze the cooled pulp from the garlic cloves into a large bowl, discarding the papery husks. Mash the garlic with a fork, then whisk in the eggs, milk, cottage cheese, and remaining ¼ cup of the olive oil. Set aside for 10 minutes to infuse the garlic flavor into the mixture.
  5. Whisk the all-purpose flour, spelt flour, Asiago, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until combined. Stir this dry mixture into the garlic mixture until moistened.
  6. Add the bacon and fold until incorporated
  7. Fill the prepared tins three-quarters full. Use additional greased tins or small, oven-safe, greased ramekins for any leftover batter, or reserve the batter for a second baking. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins have lightly browned, rounded tops and a toothpick inserted in the center of one muffin comes clean
  8. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Gently rock each muffin back and forth to release and remove it from the tin. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes more on the rack before serving.
Notes
This recipe yields about 14 muffins If storing or freezing them, cool them completely before sealing in an airtight container or in freezer-safe plastic bags. The muffins will stay fresh for up to 24 hours at room temperature or up to 1 month in the freezer.

 

I remember when I did not like garlic at all. Look at me now!! I was so happy to try it. Roasted garlic is a wonderful base for so many recipes.

 

Garlic with oil, ready to go into the oven

 

Straight out of the oven! This was quite hot even after 15 minutes so be careful.

 

Roasted garlic, aromatic and very moist

 

After all that mashing… I was left with no more than a few tablespoons of garlic mush.

 

Mashed roasted garlic

 

These muffins were lovely, especially served with bacon on the side! I haven’t had bacon in so long, I just had to alternate bites. Muffin, bacon. Muffin, bacon… I’m so naughty!

 

Roasted Garlic Muffin with Bacon AND Bacon on the side!

 

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

I hope you enjoyed todays post! Have a marvellous and naughty week, friends!

~Lyn

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Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

Jun 4, 2012 by

Guess what today is? Its Muffin Monday! Yes! I’m joining a fellow foodie, An from Baker Street on her quest to make Monday mornings enjoyable. I believe a good muffin can certainly do that! Today I’m sharing with you today a lovely  muffin, made with Apricots and Oats. Perfect with a cup of coffee or for me, espresso.

We all need ideas for breakfast on the run, or just something as a wholesome snack. This particular muffin recipe challenged me to use dried apricots which, up until now, I had not used before. The jam is awesome though! I made some very slight changes to the recipe, which was taken from Taste Of Home. I’m sure  that any dried/fresh fruit could be substituted but I really wanted to try using apricots.

While I was making the batter for the muffins, my son asked me why I was making muffins with porridge in it (referring to the oats). It’s so funny the questions and conversation that come up  in the kitchen. I love every minute of it! They were able to taste the apricots as I diced them up. They had a weird reaction at first, because apricots are slightly tart in flavour. But soon enough, I had to slow down because I really wanted to have some left to put into the muffin! Good times! Anyway, as I mentioned, I made a few subtle changes. I increased the sugar to 3/4 cup since that is my comfort quantity for muffins. I also used Almond Milk instead of regular milk.

 

Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Apricot Oatmeal Muffins
 
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Muffins with dried apricots, oats, almond milk and fresh apricot slices on top
Author:
Recipe type: Muffin
Ingredients
  • 2½ Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
  • 3 Tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • 1 Cup Quick Cooking Oats
  • 1 Cup Dried Apricots, Chopped (approximately 24 dried apricots)
  • 1 Stick Butter, Unsalted
  • ¾ Cup Boiling Water
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 Cup Almond Milk
  • 1 Apricot, thinly sliced for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar (Raw Sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp Melted Butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400F
  2. In a large bowl, combine oats, apricots, butter and boiling water. Stir and cover until butter is melted, about 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
  4. When the oats mixture is combine and cooled, stir in eggs and almond milk
  5. Fill muffin liners about ⅔ with batter
  6. Sprinkle the batter with some Turbinado sugar
  7. Place a slice of Apricot in the centre of the batter
  8. Brush ever slightly, each apricot slice with a little melted butter. Not too much.
  9. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
Notes
This recipe yields 18 muffins Adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Apricot-Oatmeal-Muffins

 

Pour the hot water into the bowl and mix. I covered the bowl and left it to combine while I moved on to the next step.

 

Dried Apricots (chopped), Butter and Quick Oats

 

Bring out the Turbinado Sugar! Its crunch time! Yes, I sprinkled some raw sugar over the muffin batter. Perhaps this is becoming my signature move when it comes to muffin making. I bought some fresh apricots to eat and also I wanted to decorate the muffins with them. I ended up slicing them and then ever so slightly brushing them with some melted butter after placing a slice on each muffin cup filled with batter.

 

Sliced Apricots on Muffin batter

 

These muffins came out GREAT! They were fluffy and the apricots gave it a slight tart kick with each delicious bite!

 

Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

 

These muffins are nice to look at but even better to eat. Don’t feel too guilty about having more than one! I sure didn’t!!!

 

Muffins on a platter

 

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

Cheers, An! Here’s to more Muffin Mondays to come!

Happy Monday everyone!

~Lyn

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Coconut Jam Muffins

May 28, 2012 by

Recently, I’ve developed this fascination with coconut products that are out there. There are a lot of course, jumping on the coconut health food band-wagon. The use of coconut and its by-products has been well established in the Caribbean. I have only been using Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk for the past few months due to my growing interest in all things “natural” and healthy. Recently, I attended the Good Food Festival in Toronto and found the best thing I’ve ever tasted!! Okay, perhaps I’m going a tad bit over board. But I can honestly say I love what I found. I had no idea that it existed.

Have you ever heard of Coconut Jam? If you are familiar – kudos to you. If you are like me, and this is a new phenomenon to you… welcome! From the moment I tasted the samples at the booth, I knew I found something really cool. It comes in a few flavours – plain, vanilla and mango. The difference was really subtle between them, but I  went with the mango. I’ve had it on toast and english muffins, but I wanted to do something extra special so I adapted a basic muffin recipe and created my very own Coconut Jam Muffin. I should actually call it Triple Coconut – Jam Muffins because I used some Coconut Flour. And some Coconut Milk too. This is my first time cooking with coconut flour as well as the coconut jam. It came out very well. Certified AWESOME. I need to contact the company and secure some more of this good stuff. I’m hooked!

 

Coconut Jam Muffins

 

5.0 from 5 reviews
Coconut Jam Muffins
 
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A coconut infused muffin with coconut jam in the centre
Author:
Recipe type: Muffin
Ingredients
  • 1½ Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • ½ Cup Coconut Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • ⅛ Tsp Salt
  • ¾ Cup Superfine Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Light Coconut Milk
  • 6 Tbsp Melted, cooled unsalted butter
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 4 Tbsp Coconut Jam
  • 2 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar (Raw Sugar)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400F
  2. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper liners
  3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl
  4. Stir in the coconut flour and superfine sugar
  5. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Beat in the coconut milk, butter and vanilla extract
  6. In the bowl with the flours, make a well and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir gently to combine and take care not to over mix
  7. In either the muffin liners, or greased muffin cup, fill each cup half way. Add about a teaspoon of jam into the centre of the batter of each cup.
  8. Fill each cup with the remaining batter to cover the jam.
  9. Sprinkle the batter with some Turbinado sugar
  10. Bake for about 20 minutes until muffins are golden brown and firm to the touch
Notes
Adapted from the book "100 Muffins from 1 Easy Recipe"

 

I need to contact these people. We need to be friends. VERY good friends.

 

Coconut Jam with Mango

 

I used some teaspoons to drop a small amount into the batter. I like that a little goes a long way. This jam smells so good. The kids loved it too – on toast, on crackers, in a sandwich and in muffins!

 

Teaspoon of Coconut Jam

 

I placed a dab of jam in the centre of the batter… just like this…

 

Coconut Jam in half a muffin cup of Coconut Muffin Batter

 

Then I covered it with more batter, then sprinkled it with my topping of preference if I am not using a streusel ~ Raw Sugar! I love that little crunch!

 

Batter and Turbinado Sugar

 

This one is mine!!!

 

Coconut Jam oozing out of the muffin

 

Allow muffins to cool for a few minutes because the jam will be hot. Don’t ask me how I know this.

 

Coconut Jam Muffins - ready

 

 

Aside from the amazing aroma these muffins gave my home, I really love a few things about these muffins. Just looking at them, they look like ordinary muffins. Nothing special, at a glance. A few crunchy bits on the top, and a tender but firm exterior. But then there’s that one muffin where the jam started to ooze out. That is what drew me to that muffin, that slight difference. A slight imperfection, perhaps? Many times, there is goodness in the ordinary. We just have to take a chance and dig deep. See beyond what is right before us. Only then, will we see and experience that beautiful sweetness and goodness that a muffin can offer.

 

Coconut Jam in the middle

 

Biting into that jam was the business! LOL! Happy Monday everyone!

 

~Lyn

 

 

 

 

 

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Orange and Almond Muffins

Apr 23, 2012 by

Muffins are so simple, and tasty to make. I mean, who doesn’t love a good muffin, right? I pulled out my little muffin recipe book called “100 Muffins from 1 Easy Recipe” and found another nice recipe. The last muffins I made from this book were the Easter Muffins and they were great. These were just as light and just as simple. They could easily be a quick breakfast on the go, or a snack. What I love is that there’s not too much sugar but it has a lovely citrus flavour. Really nice! The kids loved them, but they started to slow down once they hit the middle. I guess there’s no sugar in the middle! They also asked where the frosting was….

 

Orange and Almond Muffins

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Orange and Almond Muffins
 
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A light, citrus infused muffin
Author:
Recipe type: Muffin
Ingredients
  • 2 Oranges
  • ½ Cup Milk
  • 1½ Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • ⅛ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Cup Superfine Sugar
  • ½ Cup Ground Almonds
  • 2 Eggs
  • 6 Tbsp Sunflower Oil (or melted cooled butter)
  • ½ Tsp Almond Extract
  • 3 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar (Raw Sugar)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or use 12 paper liners
  3. Finely grate the rind from both oranges and extract the juice into a measuring cup
  4. To the measuring cup with juice, add milk to make a full up and add rind
  5. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt
  6. Stir in sugar and ground almonds
  7. In a large bowl, lightly whisk eggs, then beat in the orange/milk mixture, oil and almond extract
  8. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture
  9. Stir until just combined. Take care not to over mix
  10. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan
  11. Sprinkle Turbinado Sugar over the top of the muffins
  12. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch
  13. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before serving
Notes
Slightly adapted from "100 Muffins From 1 Easy Recipe", Page 60

 

Even before it is baked, it smells really good!

 

Zesty Batter

 

I like the coarse grittiness of the Turbinado Sugar. It gives a nice crunch at the end.

 

Muffin liners filled with batter and topped with Turbinado Sugar

 

The house smells great right about now!

 

Orange & Almond Muffins fresh out the oven!

 

I used Navel Oranges for this recipe. I find them to be sweet and very juicy.

 

Orange & Almond Muffin

 

Such a great little muffin. Bake, grab, go!

 

Orange & Almond Muffins

 

Happy Monday my dear friends! Have an awesome week!

~Lyn

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Easter Muffins

Apr 7, 2012 by

It has been a busy few days and I’m just getting to post this now. The kids were tugging at my legs to get at these little treats. I did not decorate all the muffins because, well… my kids do a really cute thing. They eat the frosting and then say “Mommy! I’m finished!” – and they literally leave the muffin behind. Seriously. If there is frosting, more than likely, they will not eat the cake. Maybe this little thing they do isn’t so cute after all.

I found this recipe in a little book called “100 Muffins From 1 Easy Recipe”. Chances are, I’m going to make every muffin in this book. What caught my eye about this recipe was not necessarily the theme, even though I was certainly looking for an Easter recipe. The cupcakes were adorable! Very simple, compared to what I’ve seen out there, but adorable none the less. I will be the first to say it out loud that I’m not the best at decorating cakes. I only just started a few months ago (barely). I’m teaching myself so that I can at least do something, if needed. Practice makes perfect. I did my best so here’s my first Easter Muffin 🙂

 

Easter Muffins - Chocolate Muffins with Nest Frosting and Mini Chocolate Eggs

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Easter Muffins
 
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A simple chocolate muffin, decorated with a simple frosting and mini chocolate eggs for Easter
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • ⅛ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 6 Tbsp Sunflower Oil or Melted Butter (cooled)
  • Frosting:
  • 6 Tbsp Butter, Softened
  • 1½ Cups Confectioners' Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Milk
  • A small pack of Sugar Coated Mini Chocolate Eggs, to decorate
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with liners
  3. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl
  4. Stir in the brown sugar
  5. Lightly beat eggs in a large measuring jug. Beat in the buttermilk and oil
  6. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk liquid
  7. Stir until just combined. Do not over mix
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan
  9. Bake for 20 minutes
  10. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely
  11. Frosting:
  12. In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy
  13. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and beat together until smooth and creamy
  14. Lastly, beat in the milk
  15. When the muffins are cooled completely, put the frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip attached and pipe a circle around the top of each muffin to form a "nest"
  16. Place chocolate eggs in the centre of each nest as decoration

 

I found these a few weeks ago. So perfect! I love that they are reusable and colourful too.

 

Silicone Muffin Liners

 

I wore my apron to do this. I’ve been powdered up by Cocoa one time too many! 🙂

 

Sifting the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt

 

So this recipe called for only 1/2 Cup of brown sugar. The muffins were not overly sweet so I can see myself adding chocolate chips to this recipe in the future. No frosting needed, of course.

 

Fold in the brown sugar

 

 

Muffin batter ready for the oven

 

These came out quite wonky to me 🙂 The photograph in the book looked waaaaaay better than mine. A+ for effort though, right? 🙂

 

Easter Muffins, decorated

 

And then my Diva daughter decided that she did not want the cupcake with the mini chocolate eggs. Actually, she said that they were not in fact cupcakes because they had no sprinkles on them. She pointed to where I keep the sprinkles and requested that I make “real” cupcakes for her so that she could eat it.

Well excuse me.

The sprinkle princess had her way.

 

Cupcakes with Sprinkles

 

Take good care of you

~Lyn

 

 

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