Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

We are finally in full FALL mode here in the bay area (just wait the weather will change once I post this to being hot again). We have fog and cold and sweaters and boots! It is wonderful and I love it! Since the weather is finally cooperating, I decided to make something pumpkin and of course it had to be muffins! 

These muffins are so so so amazing! Like I am not even joking I probably could have eaten all of them but Hailey was staring at me, so I decided not to. As I am writing this post I would like to state that I have only eaten one (the muffin that is pictured) along with part of Hailey's mini muffin (without chocolate chips). Not bad right?!

Alright well I guess I better give you all the recipe so you can go make some pumpkin deliciousness and eat it for breakfast, snack time, lunch dessert and after dinner dessert?! I think that would work out nicely!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice....I just didn't have any)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine wet ingredients until well incorporated. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.  Gently mix in dry ingredients into wet until everything is mixed nicely! Fold in chocolate chips and fill muffin tins (either greased or with muffin paper thingys) 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 400 for 15-17 minutes (do not over bake!) Let cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes or until you can transfer them to a cooling rack. 

Hope you enjoy these delicious muffins as much as Hailey and I do!

Happy Fall!
-Kir

Puff Pancake - Dutch Baby

I love breakfast. It is by far my favorite meal of the day. I love breakfast foods so much that I often have breakfast for dinner! This puff pancake, also known as Dutch Baby is simple and super quick to throw together on any morning...or night :) My mom made this when I was little and now I get to make it for my husband! 

Here's what you need:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Apples (cooked in water brown sugar and cinnamon) or berries, whatever topping you want :)

Powdered Sugar, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400. In a 9-inch pie plate, melt butter in oven and brush over the bottom and sides of pie plate.

2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt. Pour into pie plate.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until puffy and deep golden brown. Serve pancake immediately with desired topping. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!!!

I would love to hear all about your favorite breakfast recipe!

-Kir

Noreen's Banana Muffins

These muffins are amazing! Simple to make and super tasty! I always have bananas that go bad (I always forget to eat them before they start getting overly ripe) but this makes for perfect banana muffins!

What you will need:

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

4 TB buttermilk*

2 eggs

1 cup mashed bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup nuts (optional)

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup flour

pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

*I never ever ever buy buttermilk! You can substitute 1 cup buttermilk by filling a measuring glass with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and fill the rest of the cup with milk. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, stir and now you have buttermilk substitute. Works perfect for recipes like this!

Combine and mix sugar, butter, buttermilk and eggs. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

For muffins bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  For bread, use a loaf ban and bake for an hour. Make sure to grease and flour your loaf pan or use cupcake liners for muffins.

Enjoy this tasty treats!!!
-Kir

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

I have been dying for something pumpkin lately and although I do love me some pumpkin pie, my husband on the other hand is not the biggest fan. Therefore, I figured I would make him some bread that he can have for breakfast or even for a snack when he works from home on occasion (he loves that it has chocolate chips in it)!

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Bread (known as Harvest Bread to my husband) is super easy to make and besides the pumpkin, I had everything else on hand (which you all know I love). This bread is perfect for the Autumn season and will really satisfy your pumpkin craving!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree (keep in mind this is not the same as pumpkin pie mix)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chocolate chips (plus some for topping)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, sour cream and oil until smooth.
4. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture, whisking together until combined.
5. Pour mixture into greased pan, topping with chocolate chips.
6. Bake for about 70 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Leave in pan, cooling on wire rack for about 20 minutes. Then pop out loaf from pan and cool for another 10 minutes or so on a wire rack.
8. Stuff your face and enjoy!

Bread mixture in the greased loaf pan

Topped with a few chocolate chips

Cooling in pan on wire rack

Cooling for another 10 minutes out of loaf pan

Slice and enjoy!

-Kir

What's on my English Muffin? Autumn Spice Honey from Honey Tea Thyme

I love having a toasted English muffin and a cup of tea for breakfast. It is my go to morning meal… pretty much every morning. I typically top my toasty treat with gobs of crunchy peanut butter, but when I received a complimentary jar of Autumn Spice honey from the Honey Tea Thyme shop I knew I had to try it on my morning fare.

This honey is the color of changing autumn leaves and smells like all of your favorite fall spices. It is thick and gooey and sunk into the nooks and crannies of my English muffin. The honey is sweet and melted in my mouth with each bite I took. 

Honey Tea Thyme’s honey can also be used as an instant tea. Just add a spoonful to piping hot water. This tea soothed by throat and tasted oh so yummy! It was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. 

 

Honey Tea Thyme uses 100% pure raw honey, flavored with essential oils, herbs, and other natural extracts. Other flavors that sound incredible are: mint iced tea, lavender, and chamomile. Autumn Spice honey is what fall is all about (even if the temperatures in muggy San Antonio would like to convince me otherwise). 

These jars of incredible sweetness are perfect for hostess gifts and stocking stuffers. I’d recommend ordering a few for whomever house you’ll be attending Thanksgiving dinner at; I know I will!

Check out Honey Tea Thyme by clicking here!

-Meg 

Cappuccino Muffins

Everyday I wake up, usually around 6, sometimes 5 if my hubby has to go in early for a meeting with his foremen. Lucky for me I am such a morning person and don't mind getting up and making my hubby breakfast. However, even my love for baking and making my hubby breakfast doesn't always give me the inspiration to make him biscuits and gravy every morning. A cup of coffee in the morning does help but so do these muffins. Besides my addiction to coffee I absolutely love muffins. They are fast, simple and oh so yummy! Cappuccino Muffins are one of my favorites. First off they have coffee in them, secondly, they have chocolate! What is not to like!!! This recipe was brought into my life by my mother in-law! These are perfect to make the day before for breakfast the next morning or even keep them in the freezer and thaw when needed. I hope you all enjoy these as much as my hubby and I do. 

Cappuccino Muffins

                2 cups flour

                3/4 cup sugar

                2 1/2 t. baking powder

                2 t. instant coffee

                1/2 t. salt

                1/2 t. cinnamon

                1 cup milk

                1/2 cup butter melted and cool

                1 egg beaten

                1 t. vanilla

                3/4 cup chocolate chips (I love using the mini chips in these)

Preheat oven 375 degrees.  Stir dry ingredients and then add liquid ingredients and stir until moist.  Add chips.  Grease muffin tins. Pour batter into greased muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes 

*These delectable muffins are perfect to freeze and this recipe usually makes about 20 muffins.

Combine all your dry ingredients and mix.

Stir in liquid ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Grease your muffin tins.

Fill up your cups (about 3/4 full).

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Enjoy!

-Kir