Cooking Steaks - How To Cook Steak On The Grill by Giselle Leguerta

(submitted 2011-11-30)

Learning how to grill steak is just like any other kind of cooking, it is a learned art. Keep this in mind as you are learning. You are sure to have some failures. The major difference between grilling and cooking on the stove or in the oven is that grilling is a combination of the two.
You have direct heat from the gas burners or the charcoal and you have indirect heat that fills the grill when the lid is put down. Grills also have higher heat and less control over that heat. With your oven you can set the temperature precisely, but with a grill you either turn on or light the fire and the heat will just keep rising.
The average gas grill can reach temperatures of 500 degrees in a just a few minutes. This is why you can't throw the food on the grill and walk away until the timer goes off. You must remain ever attentive. Monitoring is the key. The high heat, both direct and indirect is the basis of grilling.
You want to use this high heat to cook the food quickly, but, because foods will cook fast on a grill, you will have to turn them to get them to cook evenly and without burning. Although, if you turn the food too often you will just slow the process of cooking and this can lead to food that is tough and dry. The trick is to turn only when necessary. To check when the food is ready to be turned you will need to get down low, by the edge of the grill, being careful not to burn yourself, and lift up the corner of the meat. When the lines from the grills cooking grate start to turn black it's time to turn the food.
Knowing when to turn and when your food is cooked is the whole skill of successful grilling. The rest is just recipes and tricks. This skill however is also the hardest thing to teach, especially in a book. Ideally a steak should be turned only once. If you are cooking a thick cut of meat (over 1-1/2 inches) you may need to turn it three times to ensure it is cooked through to the center.
As a beginning grill master beginning grill master you should start simple. Thinner cuts of steaks, pork chops and burgers under 3/4 inches will let you get the "hang" of grilling and still get your food properly cooked. After you become experienced with these thinner cuts you can move on to more difficult foods.
Here are some useful tips for the beginning griller:
Tip 1: Keep your grill clean. A clean grill will give you better tasting food and is less likely to cause your food to stick to the grate.
Tip 2: Applying cooking oil or spray to the grill before it is lit will keep low fat meats and other foods from sticking.
Tip 3: Allow for plenty of time. You don't want to rush your grilling or keep your family or guests waiting.
Tip 4: Don't leave your grilling unattended for any length of time. A flare-up can occur at anytime and leave you with burnt food if you are not there to attend to it.
Tip 5: Flare-ups are caused by grease and heat. Trimming excess fat from the meat and moving the meat to a different area of the grill when turning is the best way to control flare-ups. Do not use a spray bottle of water to control a flare-up.
Tip 6: Don't add sugary or oily sauces or marinades to meat on the grill. This will just cause burning.
Tip 7: Apply spices or marinades to your food at least one hour before grilling. If using barbecue sauce, you should soak the food overnight. This will assure that the flavor gets into the food.
Tip 8: Using the proper tools is important. A fork should never be used for grilling. A long set of tongs is the best for turning steaks, chicken and other cuts of meat. A long handled spatula is best for burgers.

Lunchables Coupons Will definitely Save on Favored Recipes For ones Young children   by Mike Louis

(submitted 2011-11-30)

Printer discount coupons are responsible for an enormous dash on-line - consumers have found on the net just what each of our grandma and grandpa accustomed to withdrawn from newspaper publishers. Downloading it the discount wordpress tool software online will allow customers in order to art print away from discount coupons and also take them along for their regional store or food store, in which they could give this coupon along with their settlement with regard to household goods in addition to be eligible for a special discounts presented seeing that marketing rewards.
Lunchables coupons or even coupons regarding baby or maybe toiletry items are among the most well-known on the internet. Numerous makers provide discount coupons for printed merchandise only on the web, so that purchasers exactly who look for all of them in shops or away supermarkets can look of these offers with useless. The online world is in existence with guidelines of methods to get the most beneficial presents as well as finding computer coupon codes. For most family members employing discount codes is an important must, if they desire to remain afloat fiscally.
There are many amazing gives offered and many corporations supply besides the first marketing discount codes upon enrollment, although permitting shoppers in order to just click a field that could bring up to date them through email messages connected with future campaigns. The benefits tend to be two-fold, considering that purchasers benefit from the discounts and firms increase buyer devotion together with switching goods that are usually filling upward the shelf or maybe ought to be bought, should they be before long to attain their own sell-by night out.
A number of coupons, including lunchables coupons, are exceedingly functional, permitting purchasers to save cash and try out brand-new foods or maybe models, which usually many people wouldn't currently have tried out. Lunchables coupons let pastime chefs for you to minimise the potential risk of wasting money on costly components, when attemping out a new formula. Additional deals enable customers to look at benefit from dollars away towards companies, they will will need with an on-going base, including car or truck servicing.
Various other discount codes deal with diner trips, completing eating places at the same time when we are attempting to cut down on non-essential costs. The era of austerity can be hard to adjust to -- we have been utilized to purchase whatever we would like in addition to bother about spending money for it later on. Seeing that we need to handle in the spending budgets : plus they are a lot lessened month to month spending budgets thanks to lack of employment, tax goes up and reduce on the bone tissue community providers * deals offer the infrequent address at a time, when consumers are earning challenging choices about something that isn't crucial.
Businesses be aware that at present buyers work with any kind of spare dollars to settle money they owe, whether it's house loans or maybe personal credit card debt. Monetary progress will only originate from consumers paying far more ( space ) nevertheless getting folks back to outlets along with expenses are proving a great deal more tough in comparison with governments acquired believed. It appears that providing reductions along with coupon codes is often a refined supply of buyers into shops without having asserting significant price pieces openly.
Lunchables coupons remain nicely with this trend, because customers will probably nevertheless spend on goodies using shopping for groceries, even though they tend to be retaining again about more substantial acquisitions for customer items such as consumer electronics or maybe apparel or acquiring to a great extent marked down presents.

The Best Recipe of Paella for Your Family    by qwera72 jonas

(submitted 2011-11-30)

In case you are the type of an individual who enjoys collecting food recipes and likes cooking delicious and unusual foods, aren't you? If you want to make rather a sensation just right on the next event of your family you are usually cooking for, you have to consider cooking authentic paella. Thus, the dish can be a pleasant m?lange of poultry, vegetables, meats and even sea foods cooked in addition to rice.
The pan of paella is generally very broad so your heat is also distributed throughout the whole pan, making sure that rice in the pan is cooked correctly. To acquire the best results, you should follow correctly all of the steps of the recipe. The paella recipe normally includes numerous different stages. Additionally, there are numerous different varieties of paellas just is dependent upon where the dish originates. To find the good taste from the dish, chefs require with all the fresh ingredients that's why the composition of the changes from spot to another place. You should utilize the best essential olive oil so that rice simply provides the characteristic taste of the oil. In addition to prawns, you can also use rabbit or chicken in this dish. Peas and Asparagus also make the great addition for this dish.
How to cook Paella?
Being among the most famous Paella recipes, it is the right one. Listed here are the constituents and procedure:

Rice - 3 cups
Mussels - 7
Fish stock - 7 cups
Large sized prawns - 7
Peas - 200grams
Shrimps - 200grams
Tomatoes - 3(skinned as well as chopped)
Garlic (thinly sliced) - 3 cloves
Saffron - 2 strands tumbled.
For frying, olive oil can be used.

Procedure:
1. Firstly, on the stove, maintain the paella pan and add thinly sliced garlic to pan for frying.
2. Add tomatoes, peas, shrimps and saffron separately then cook for 3 minutes.
3. Now, add the rice then allow this to prepare for around 15 minute's time.
4. Finally, for decoration, you can use mussels and prawns, next cover up the cooked paella pan along with a lid, and simmer it for around 3 minutes.
5. Two or three lemon is apparently an attractive topping for serving your dish now!

To be able to personalize it, you must allow you to making some alterations in different food recipes normally you employ. Paella is primarily easy to cook along with you can utilize all kinds of easily obtainable ingredients. Thus, family foods is going to be greatly expected occasions if you are able to cooking all kinds of yummy and unusual dishes like because this. If you'd like to obtain additional info on Spanish recipes or similar recipes, please just click here at paellarecipe.org and visit this amazing site for many recipes.

Cook delicious foods with Chicken, Mutton and Fish Recipes   by Sanjay Joshi

(submitted 2011-11-29)

Like in a chemical experiment, various salts and bases are added to make the formula excellent, similarly, in case of cooking also; measured ingredients help to make a dish mouthwatering and delicious. Cooking is also just like an experiment, if a recipe is followed in a precise manner, it will result in tasty dish. Cooking is an art and if one has interested and passionate about it, it will definitely offer best results.
Recipes encompass a set of instructions and to gain best results they need to be followed exactly in the same sequential way. The results will not be good, if any one of the step or ingredient is forgotten or bypassed. The dish will not taste in the way it should be. These days', to help people in cooking delicious food, many online portals offer a wide array of recipes. People who are non-vegetarians can definitely browse through these online portals and look for unique chicken recipes, fish recipes as well as mutton recipes.
A wide selection of chicken recipes is available and one can try them to impress their guests. These websites are updated frequently and new recipes are added on a regular basis. Care is taken that all steps are explained in a simple and easy manner. A person who is trying his hand in cooking for the first time can also understand the instructions well. The steps that are mentioned must be followed in the sequence suggested otherwise the results may not be the one that is expected. These recipes like Butter Chicken, Murg Makhani, Chicken Vindaloo, Mango Chicken Curry, Chicken Masala, Mango Chicken with Red Peppers, Chicken Manchurian, etc can be prepared for lunches as well as dinners. These dishes are not only easy to cook, simple, tasty, healthy, nutritious, spicy, quick, delicious and mouth watering.
These online portals also offer mutton recipes as well. Besides common mutton recipes, these portals also offer unique recipes like Hyderabadi mutton biryani, mutton korma, rogan josh, malabar mutton biryani, mutton bharva kebabs, and many more. When these recipes are followed exactly in the sequence mentioned, the dish tastes excellent. One will definitely receive loads of accolades and praises from their family and guests.
Similarly there are fish recipes as well. Fish is considered to be very healthy but not everyone relish its taste. If cooked in a proper manner as explained in the online portals, one can cook delicious fish recipes. Recipes like butter fry fish, Hyderabadi fish biryani, Amritsari fried fish, Spicy Kerala fish curry, Thai jungle fish curry, Goan fish curry, and many more fish recipes are available on the recipe websites.
Besides housewives trying these recipes, these days many bachelors, working single women or men, youngsters, etc can also browse through these dishes to cook something unique once in a while. It is not necessary to be an experienced kitchen worker in order to cook delicious dishes; any person can do it if he or she follows the recipes mentioned on the portals in a proper manner. Try these recipes and impress your guests!

Tease your Taste Buds With Mouth Watering Chinese, Thai and Italian Recipes   by Sanjay Joshi

(submitted 2011-11-29)

Chinese foods are the most desired and in style, today being served in all the Indian restaurants catering to food lovers delight. There are distinct Chinese restaurants that prepare and serve only Chinese recipes for the chinese food lovers palate.
The Chinese food menu is a wide variety that includes the chillies items, of it Chicken Chilli is the most popular where the chicken pieces are mixed with chilli, sauces and mouth watering spices that make the dish pleasant to taste. Another popular chinese item is the Manchurians, like Fish manchurian and Chicken manchurian that are the best to taste. Other Chinese recipes that are worth mentioning are chicken chilli fried, fried rice, golden fried prawns, chicken meat balls, chicken chopseuy, egg roll, mutton, and chicken roll, chinese stew, chicken mushroom, broccoli beef, broccoli chicken, chinese sesame seed chicken, and there may still be more to mention.
Within the country itself, the chinese cuisines are categorised into different regional tastes which have been influenced by the different regions within China. Chinese dishes are the most popular world over in various regions and have thus been mingled with the tastes of these regions.

Thai cuisines
Thai food is influenced evenly by the four main regions of the country, and the Thai cuisines are a mixture of sour, sweet, bitter and salty tastes. Thai food is spicy with a wide range of spices and different sauces used for the preparation. The blend of the different tastes makes Thai food to be unique and palatable for the most taste buds. The fame and reputation of the Thai food has attracted many a tourists and outsiders to the country to learn more about the Thai recipes preparation. Thai food integrates a lot of spices, sauces, pastes, herbs, rice, noodles, etc. and delivers the most exotic flavor. Here, is a list of Thai food intermingled with our Indian taste senses, sweet corn cakes, sweet corn cutlets, spring rolls, Thai chicken kebabs, Thai fish curry, Thai jungle fish curry, lobster roll, paneer, mushroom and capsicum satay, Thai rissoles, Thai rolls, Chinese steam chicken to name a few.
Italian dishes
Italian food is extremely familiar worldwide, and it is the richest type of food with a large amount of variation. Italian style of food preparation is influenced regionally but is much simpler in its form where the number of ingredients is remarkably less. Cheese and wine are the main part of the Italian dishes. The quality of the Italian cuisine is the main essence of the dishes. There is a lot of difference in the taste of the Italian cuisines making it the most popular in the world. Italian food is also extremely much influenced in India where you can find a wide variety in the form of authentic Italian dishes, chicken, vegetable Italian recipes, and much more. Italian recipes worth mentioning are the broccoli, almond, and lemon farfalle, buckwheat pasta with caramelized onion, and peas, bruschetta pasta, Caesar past salad, cheat's spinach.

The Way Irish Restaurants Create Ireland's Most Well-Known Beverage   by DorothyLMaddocks

(submitted 2011-11-30)

Irish restaurants and pubs certainly are a favourite of quirky food enthusiasts who love things involving Ireland. What's not to appreciate about Ireland's food, after all? You'll find they've got many various formulas built on their staple food, potatoes. They make the finest shepherd's pies on the planet. One of their counties, Cork, gives some of the most delectable fowl and seafood dishes you are going to taste in the whole region. Above all, you simply can't talk about Ireland and not mention their own drinks, because the Irish are quite popular because of their drinking habits. Even if you're not really a fan of Irish food, chances are you already know of Irish coffee.
Irish coffee brings together 3 of the most delicious flavours on the planet: coffee, cream, and whisky. The liquor gives that extra punch on the traditional coffee drink we all know and love. Another feature which sets it apart from your standard coffee drink is that instead of mixing up the cream, you put the heavy cream over the coffee drink. You then drink the coffee through the cream to achieve the perfect layering of flavours this kind of drink offers.
Making this drink flawlessly could be a challenge, especially for individuals trying to create it for the very first time. With some practice and a little assistance, it is possible to reproduce this wonderful beverage at your home. Here's how Irish restaurants do it.
Start off with an excellent brew of black coffee. Get your much-loved variation of coffee and remember not to add milk since it will curdle after you add in the whiskey at a later point. Feel free to use any type of brewed coffee you would like, however an intense kind of black coffee is the standard ingredient for this particular recipe. Add an identical measure of whiskey to the black coffee. If you do not want your own drink to become robust, you can actually decrease the amount of whiskey you add in.
After that, dump in a minimum of one tablespoon of sugar. It might seem this is extremely sweet, but the strong taste of the coffee and the alcohol in the whiskey definitely will overcome the sweetness of the sugar. It serves a role other than supply sweetness to your drink. It's going to make it possible for the cream to float above the coffee and whiskey combination later on, and that's why you'll need a minimum of one tablespoon of it inside the drink. The original recipe uses two tablespoons of sugar.
Blend these together until the sugar dissolves completely within the solution. Right here comes the tricky area: placing the cream on top of the coffee mixture. Professionals make use of a very simple trick to do this skillfully. Get a spoon and put it pretty much over the surface of your current coffee mixture. Pour the heavy cream slowly and carefully on the spoon. Allow it to overflow to the top of the coffee. Raise the spoon up as the top of your coffee mug fills up with cream. The sugar you incorporated in the coffee mixture earlier should make it heavier compared to the cream, permitting the cream to float over it. Your Irish coffee is ready for you to sip!

Cooking Tips You Need Before Planning A Big Meal   by Greg James

(submitted 2011-11-30)

Is cooking a scary frontier for you? Are you nervous about entering your kitchen, remembering a previous disaster? If this is you, never fear! Plenty of people have trouble with cooking, and all it takes is a little practice and proper education to cook like a pro! Read on to find out how.
If you have stale bread, implement it in a recipe. Don't just throw that stale loaf of french bread out to the birds. If the bread is still good, add it to a recipe. Crumble it up and use it in a seasoning. You can even make it into croutons for a salad.
Instead of rinsing fresh mushrooms under water, wipe them with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. Mushrooms already contain a high water content, and their porous flesh will absorb even more if you run them under the faucet. Wiping them gently removes the dirt while preventing sogginess or sliminess.
Wines
Make sure that you never use a wine with wine aerator in your food that you would not normally drink. By using a wine you do not like or one that you are unfamiliar with, you are jeopardizing the taste of your food. There are wines available that are used just for cooking purposes.
Wine
Rather than pouring out leftover wine with best wine aerator, pour it into an ice cube tray, then place the wine cubes in a labeled bag in the freezer. You can add these cubes to sauces, roasts, soups and other dishes for extra flavor, and wine that you don't drink fast enough doesn't go to waste.
Add some pizazz to your breakfast eggs with this unique sauce. After making them sunny-side up, use sherry or wine-vinegar to de-glaze the pan. Pour the liquid over the eggs for a delicious and interesting twist to the same old usual egg dish. Eggs made this way are great for dinner too.
Pan roast your chicken pieces. Chicken breasts benefit from pan roasting. Heat oil in an oven-safe saute pan until it is very hot. Place the chicken in, skin side down, and immediately shake the pan when you hear the chicken start to crackle. When it is golden brown on one side, brown the other. Place the entire pan in a 375 degree oven, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan, and place it back on the stove top. Add chopped shallots to the pan juices, and fry until golden. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for a minute or two. Pour over the chicken and enjoy!
As was said in the beginning of this article, cooking is all about education and practice. This article has given you the building blocks to become a better cook, now all you have to do is practice, practice, practice! Soon you'll be making great food that you'll love to eat!

There are a number of steps involved in the process of grinding meat    by Runescape

(submitted 2011-11-30)

Have you been contemplating grinding your own various meats in order to save cash on control costs received usually when you use a professional beef go shopping? This particular activity could help you save funds plus can provide a fantastic feeling of do it yourself sufficiency. Read on to understand how to routine your own meats.
There are a variety associated with methods mixed up in the procedure for mincing meats which includes prep, setup, your farming process, as well as supplying and also keeping from the last product after the procedure is total.
The first thing you have to do is get a hold of a good clear method of getting ground beef, chicken, poultry, venison, as well as what ever type of beef it can be that you would like to be able to mill. You can get the meat from a nearby grocery store, understand it from your farm, or perhaps rely on shopping to acheive your meat you'll need.
When you have your own provide, make that through cubing that (cutting in to modest 1 inch pieces) as well as laundering this completely. The particular washing method will ensure that zero dust and trash can make it to the final merchandise which can be your own beginning beef.
Once you've well prepared the particular various meats as well as set the idea away, get the grinding place all set through creating your meat grinder, coordinating any kind of plates, storage containers, or totes you are employing. Arrange your current grinding location in a manner that will assist you to comprehensive the procedure with ease. You should be capable of total the task in a assemblage collection fashion. From the pack involving organic meats to some completed closed product or service, the procedure need to movement seamlessly.
The particular technique of farming the particular meat could be the straightforward part. The grinder must have any giving holder that is certainly situated just across the starting where meats experiences your farming step. This kind of serving holder is actually associated with any tv which funnels in the mill step where meat will be start as well as spit out. All you have to accomplish will be switch your coffee grinder about and also nourish the particular meat in to the serving plate and also click the idea on the tube a single tiny number at the same time. The particular beef may slowly be ground up and will filter out in the serving or other type of container you have lay out.

KFC® Cole Slaw Fat Free

It doesn't get much easier than this. If you like the taste of KFC Cole Slaw, but don't like the 10.5 grams of fat per 3/4 cup serving, you're going to love this recipe. Using fat free Miracle Whip and sugar you can make a guiltless dressing to recreate the taste of the world's most famous cole slaw. The most work you'll do on this one is chopping
the cabbage, carrot and onion into tiny, rice-size bits.
That's an important step, if you want the texture of the original. Plus, the chopping action may help burn off what little calories you consume eating this original Top Secret Recipes fat free conversion of a fast food favorite.
1 cup fat free Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sugar
8 cups cabbage, finely minced
1/4 cup carrot, shredded then minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1. Combine Miracle Whip with sugar in a large bowl. Mix well with electric beater until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add cabbage, carrot, and onion, and toss well. Be sure cabbage and carrot are chopped into very small pieces, about the size of rice.
3. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving. Serves 8.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size – Approx. 3/4 cup
Total servings – 8
Fat (per serving) – 0g
Calories (per serving) – 57
Original
Fat (per serving) – 10.5g
Calories (per serving) – 210

Kenny Rogers Roasters® Corn Muffins

He knows when to hold em, and he knows when to fold em. And lately he's been folding em quite a bit as Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurants across the country have bolted their doors for lack of interest. Looks like that whole "home meal replacement"
think hasn't worked out too well for this fire-roasted chicken chain. But that doesn't mean that Kenny didn't know how to make awesome corn muffins that are served with every meal. And since
it's becoming harder and harder to find a Kenny Rogers Roasters outlet, we have no choice but to duplicate these at home if we want to re-create this part of the Kenny experience.
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup frozen yellow corn
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, sugar, honey, eggs, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add flour, cornmeal, and baking powder and blend thoroughly. Add milk while mixing.
4. Add corn to mixture and combine by hand until corn is worked in.
5. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan and fill each cup with batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins begin to turn brown on top.
Makes 12 muffins.

KFC Bean Salad

1 16-oz can green beans (Blue Lake or some good quality)
1 16-oz can wax beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 medium green pepper, sliced and chopped
1 medium-sized white onion sliced and cut up
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Drain and rinse kidney beans well. Drain additional beans and combine all ingredients together. Marinate and refrigerate overnight. Bean salad tastes better after 3 or 4 days. Makes about 7 cups.

BBQ Sauce like Kenny Rogers

1 cup Applesauce
1/2 cup Heintz ketchup
1 1/4 cups Light brown sugar -- pack
6 tablespoons Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
In heavy saucepan bring mixture to boil. Stir constantly about 4 to 5  minutes. Turn heat to low and continue to stir (about 3 to 5 minutes)
making sure sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cook without stirring for 15 minutes on lowest possible heat, uncovered. Transfer to top of double boiler over simmering watr if to be used as a basting
sauce for ribs or chicken during baking; or cool sauce and refrigerate covered to use in 30 days. Sauce freezes well.

Kellogg's® Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats®

When Kellogg's reacted to spectacular sales of its Rice Krispies Treats with two new varieties of the popular and addictive snack, TSR got on the case. It seems we've all tasted the original Rice Krispies Treats. The homemade version is the next homework
assignment in Cooking 101, after learning how to boil water.
And the Kellogg's store-bought packaged version has been available to the lazier of us for several years now. This variety, however, puts that whole Reese's "You got your peanut butter in my  chocolate" thing to work. The crunchy bar has just a touch of nutty essence that builds nicely on the other familiar flavors. But don't be fooled by that dark "chocolatey" coating on top. It's not actually
chocolate, but rather a melt-resistant custom blend of cocoa and uh, stuff, that tastes a lot like chocolate; and that happens to work better for the product from a manufacturing, shipping, and
shelf-life aspect. But here in kitchen cloning land, we don't have to worry about those things. So get ready to walk on the wild side, people, as we step up to the microwave and melt some real chocolate
chips for topping our cinch of a crunchy clone.
1 tablespoon margarine 3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 12-ounce bag milk chocolate chips
non-stick cooking spray
1. Combine margarine, peanut butter, and salt in a large saucepan over low heat.
2. When peanut butter and margarine have melted, add marshmallows and vanilla and stir until marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat.
3. Add Rice Krispies and stir until cereal is well coated with the melted marshmallow mixture.
4. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray. Pour the Rice Krispies mixture into the dish and, using wax paper or lightly greased hands, press down until it's
flat in the dish. Cool.
5. Prepare the topping by pouring the chocolate chips into a glass dish. Microwave for 2 minutes on 50 percent power. Stir gently.
Microwave for an additional minute on 50 percent power. Stir gently once more until smooth. If the mixture hasn't completely melted, zap it again for another 30 seconds.
6. Use a spatula to spread a thin layer of chocolate over the top of the Rice Krispies mixture. Cool at room temperature (at least 72 degrees), or chill until firm. Slice into 16 bars.
Makes 16 bars.

Kellogg's® Cocoa Rice Krispies Treats®

It's the Rice Krispies Treat for all you chocolate lovers. By simply replacing regular Rice Krispies with Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies, then adding a bit of cocoa to the recipe, we can clone the exact flavor of the product you otherwise have to buy in boxes in the grocery store. This recipe makes 16 of the crunchy brown bars, or the equivalent of two boxes
of the real thing.
3 tablespoons margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons cocoa
6 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
non-stick cooking spray
1. Combine margarine and salt in a large saucepan over low heat.
2. When margarine has melted, add marshmallows and vanilla and stir until marshmallows have melted. Add cocoa and stir well. Remove from heat.
3. Add Cocoa Krispies and stir until the cereal is well coated with the melted marshmallow mixture.
4. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the dish and, using wax paper or lightly greased hands, press down until it's flat in the dish.
Cool. Slice into 16 bars.
Makes 16 bars.

KC Masterpiece' s Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Serves 12
Ingredients
15 chocolate sandwich cookies
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
vegetable cooking spray
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 quarts chocolate ice cream
(7) 1.8 ounce packages milk chocolate covered peanut butter cups
(1) 8 ounce jar milk chocolate fudge topping
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor or blender, blend chocolate sandwich cookies and peanuts until finely chopped.
Spray 9-inch pie plate with vegetable cooking spray. Reserve 1 tablespoon cookie mixture for garnish. In pie plate, mix butter or margarine and remaining cookie mixture by hand. Press mixture
onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake 8 minutes. Cool crust completely on wire rack.
Meanwhile, place chocolate ice cream in refrigerator about 40 minutes to soften slightly. Coarsely chop milk chocolate covered peanut butter cups. In a large bowl mix softened ice cream with
chopped peanut butter cups. Spoon ice cream mixture into cooled cookie crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.To serve, let pie stand at room temperature 15 minutes for easier slicing. Meanwhile, in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat milk chocolate fudge topping until hot; stir in coffee and liqueur until blended. Cut pie into wedges and serve with warm fudge sauce.

K.C. Masterpiece® Original Barbecue Sauce

Even though it's now owned and produced by the Clorox Company, the taste of Original K. C. Masterpiece barbecue sauce is the same as when it was first created in good ole' Kansas City,
USA. This is the sauce that steals awards from all the other popular slathers on the market. It's now even is sold in a variety of flavors. But this is the clone for the original, and you'll find it very easy to make. Just throw all of the ingredients in a saucepan, crank it up to a boil, then simmer
for about an hour. Done deal. And just like the original Masterpiece, this stuff will make a work of art out of any of your grilled meats, or burgers and sandwiches; and as a dipping sauce or marinade.
2 cups water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat and whisk until smooth.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until mixture is thick.
3. Cool, then store in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight so that flavors can develop.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Tidbits
Liquid smoke is a flavoring found near the barbecue sauces and marinades. Use hickory-flavored liquid smoke if you have a choice.

Jacquin's® Peppermint Schnapps Liqueur

Here's a liqueur that's simple to make at home. All you need is an inexpensive vodka and an empty bottle to store the Schnapps in. This is another recipe that was created for More Top Secret Recipes, but just didn't make it into the final
version. Try storing it in the freezer for a cold shot on a hot summer day. Whoof!
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 16-oz. bottle light corn syrup
2 cups 80-proof vodka
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart pan over medium heat. Heat until sugar dissolves, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes).
2. When sugar has dissolved, add vodka and stir well. Remove mixture from heat and cover tighly with lid. Let cool.
3. Add peppermint extract to mixture and pour into a sealable bottle.
Makes 4 cups.

Jack In The Box® Oreo Cookie Shake

If you live in one of the 15 Western states served by Jack in the Box, you have no doubt cracked a gut from the hilarious TV ads produced by this popular hamburger chain. In the spots a suit-wearing "Jack" runs the company, even though he's got a bulbous antenna ball for a head with a giant smiley-face
painted on it. He has a private jet, plays golf, even has kids with mini antenna-ball heads.
Jack also has a featured shake flavor that, it turns out, is very easy to make at home with a blender, ice cream, milk and a handful of Oreo cookies. Sure the drive-thru is convenient and easy. But if you don't feel like getting out, now you can enjoy this clone at home from the first fast food chain in the country to use a drive-thru window way beck when.
3 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups milk
8 Oreo cookies
1. Combine the ice cream and milk in a blender and mix on low speed until smooth. Stir the shake with a spoon to mix, if necessary.
2. Break Oreo cookies while adding them to the blender. Mix on low speed for 5 to 10 seconds or until cookies are mostly pureed into the shake, but a few larger pieces remain. Stir with a spoon if necessary to help combine cookies.
3. Pour shake into two 12-ounce glasses.
Serves 2.

Chocolate Orange Cream Loaf Cake

I know, the words “Loaf Cake” don’t suggest much elegance, but this dense triple-layer cake is sure to impress in both looks and taste. The rectangular size is a nice change of pace, and with the creamy orange filling and ganache, it tastes like a million bucks. This cake was born to be eaten with a
steaming cup of coffee.

BattER:
1½ cups flour
cup baking cocoa, sifted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
cup oil
¼ cup chocolate chips, melted
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mild-tasting vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cup milk
juice of 2 oranges (about cup)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest, to taste
½ recipe Chocolate Ganache

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
For Batter: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil, melted chocolate chips, milk, vinegar and vanilla. Mix until  combined; it’s okay if the oil separates a little. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients in two batches until just combined.
Spread batter in loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before running a knife along the edges to loosen and inver ting cake directly onto the rack. Let cake cool completely.
For Filling: While cake is cooling, prepare orange-cream filling. In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
Whisk in milk and heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until boiling, about 7 minutes. Add orange juice.
Lower heat to medium-low and continue whisking until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add orange zest and vanilla and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let orange cream cool completely in the fridge, stirring every few minutes to keep a skin from forming on top. If fi lling begins to clump, whisk rapidly for a few seconds to make it creamy again.
Prepare Chocolate Ganache.

For Assembly: All elements should be completely cool. Level cake by evenly cutting off the top. Cut cake into three even layers. This is easiest to do using unflavored dental fl oss (fun baking trick!) or a very thin knife. Place bottom layer of cake onto the serving platter you will be using. Spread half of orange-cream fi lling on top. Add the middle layer of cake. Spread on the rest of the orange cream. Put on top cake layer and frost with cooled ganache. To serve, cut into thin slices and turn onto plate.
Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 8 TO 10 SLICES
Prep time: 1 HOUR

Best Boston Cream Pie

With its moist cake layers, creamy custard filling and rich ganache, Boston Cream Pie is a classic treat. I know that you will be antsy to eat this cake, but it’s very important that you wait for the filling and ganache to cool completely before assembling the final product.


BattER:
2 cups fl our, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups sugar
½ cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ cups milk
Filling:
cup sugar
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1½ cups milk
1 teaspoon margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe Chocolate Ganache



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and fl our two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
For Batter: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add yogur t and vanilla and mix until creamy.
Stir in milk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches and mix until combined.
Evenly divide batter between the two pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cakes are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack.
For Filling: While the cake layers are cooling, prepare cream fi lling. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add milk and whisk together. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Lower to a simmer and whisk until thickened, about 7 minutes.
Remove from heat and add margarine and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely, stirring every few minutes. Filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
For Assembly: Spread cream fi lling between cake layers. Top cake with Chocolate Ganache. Let cake set in the fridge for at least 45 minutes, and remove from the fridge 20 minutes before serving to let ganache soften for easier cutting. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 45 MINUTES

Most Boston Cream Pies at the grocery store come with a little plastic strip running around the cakes to hold them upright very nicely. You can make your
own version of this using a long piece of waxed paper, trimmed to the height of the cake, and a piece of tape. Add two sliced bananas to the cream
fi lling in the middle layer and frost the whole thing with Buttercream Frosting to make Banana Cream Cake!

Peach Bundt Coffee Cake

This Bundt cake is so delicious: The peach chunks burst with juicy flavor and the cinnamon filling makes for an unexpected treat in the center.
FoR BattER:
3 cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cups sugar
¾ cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon mild vinegar
1½ cups chopped peaches
(fresh, frozen, or canned
and well-drained)
Filling:
cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
cup pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a Bundt pan.
For Batter: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil.
Add yogur t and vanilla and mix until well-incorporated.
Add milk and vinegar and let sit for 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches. Fold in peaches and combine until just incorporated.
For Filling: In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
For Assembly: Spread half of batter in the Bundt pan.
Sprinkle fi lling around the middle of the fi rst layer, then spread the remaining batter on top.
Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick
comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 25 minutes, then inver t onto a cooling rack to fi nish cooling. Dust with powdered sugar or lightly glaze with White Icing  if desired. Store leftover cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Choco-Chai Coffee Cake

This flavor-infused rendition of classic coffee cake has hints of the East in its complex spices and has the tradition of the West in its form. It makes a great breakfast or dessert (or dessert for breakfast).
BattER:
4 to 5 chai tea bags
1¾ cups warm milk
3½ cups fl our
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
toPPing:
½ cup fl our
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
4 tablespoons cold margarine
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 11 x 13-inch baking pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.
For Batter: In a small bowl, steep tea bags in warm milk for at least 5 minutes. Squeeze out bags and let milk cool.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine oil with sugar until creamy. Add yogur t, vanilla and cooled chai milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed.
For Topping: In a small bowl, combine cocoa with brown sugar and fl our. Cut in margarine with your fi ngers or a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Add chocolate chips.
For Assembly: Spread batter in the baking pan. Sprinkle on topping and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cake is set on the edges and toothpick comes out clean. Store leftover cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 20 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Cherry Clafoutis

The Cherry Clafoutis is considered to be the national cake of France, although it’s actually
more like a custard baked in a pie dish. If anyone knows pastries and baked goods, though, it’s
the French, so I’m not about to question it! This cherry-filled treat is very light and creamy and
can be passed off as a foreign breakfast if anyone asks why you’re eating leftover slices at 6 a.m.

½ aseptic package fi rm silken tofu
cup sugar
½ cup fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups cherries (pitted, if fresh;
thawed and drained, if frozen; or drained and rinsed, if canned)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with margarine or oil.
In a food processor, purée tofu and sugar until smooth.
Add fl our, baking powder, salt and ½ cup milk. Purée until smooth. Add remaining ½ cup milk and vanilla and process until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pie dish and sprinkle cherries evenly across top of batter. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until edges of clafoutis are set and middle is still a little jiggly. Let cool on
a cooling rack for at least 25 minutes before serving. Best served warm. Store leftover clafoutis covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Pumpkin-Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake

I love pumpkin. The only thing I love more than pumpkin is cheesecake. The combination is a
Thanksgiving masterpiece. You’ll want to save room for this one: a moist, dense cheesecake mixed with
spiced pumpkin swirls and laced with intense cinnamon ribbons.

CRuSt:
¾ cup fl our
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup brown sugar
cup margarine, softened
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon milk
Filling:
2 8-ounce containers
soy cream cheese
1 aseptic container fi rm tofu
1 cup sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the
bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
For Crust: In a small bowl, mix together fl our, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar. Add margarine, molasses and milk and stir until crumbly. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes.
For Filling: While crust is baking, combine cream cheese, tofu, ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and vanilla in a food processor or blender. Blend until well-incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pour 1½ cups of mixture into a bowl and set aside. Add remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, pumpkin
purée and pumpkin pie spice. Process until well-blended.
From reserved fi lling, reserve 3 tablespoons in a
small bowl. Add milk and cinnamon to the reserved 3 tablespoons. Mix well to incorporate.
For Assembly: In the springform pan, alternate adding ½ cup vanilla fi lling and ½ cup pumpkin fi lling on top of the crust. Drizzle cinnamon mixture on top of fi lling in thick stripes. Lightly wiggle the pan to help the contents settle.
Draw a knife though the batter several times to marble.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until center of fi lling is set but still slightly jiggly. Let cake cool completely then let set in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Best if made the night before so the spices have time to meld. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 12 SLICES
Prep time: 35 MINUTES

For plain cheesecake, make the crust without pumpkin pie spice and mix the fi lling without pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon and add cup additional sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon
juice. Serve with the cherry topping from Blackest Forest Cake or the strawberry topping from Strawberry Lemonade Cheesepie

Forever Carrot Cake

Jim and I had carrot cake at our wedding, so this recipe is especially significant to us. I think it strikes a nice balance between deep and spicy and light and fluffy. This recipe makes a beautiful double-layer cake. Don’t be afraid to put a generous smear of Cream Cheese Frosting between the layers, because there is more than enough to frost the whole cake. The spices really set up overnight, so this cake tastes best the next day. If you can’t wait, though, I don’t blame you.
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup oil
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup sugar
2 cups fi nely grated carrots
1 cup applesauce
cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
cup walnuts
cup raisins
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and fl our the sides and bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar and brown sugar. Add carrots, applesauce, milk and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches, then stir in nuts and raisins until just mixed. Divide batter between the two pans.
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until cakes are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on cooling racks in the pans for 20 minutes, run a knife around the outside of the cakes, then inver t the pans and fi nish cooling cakes directly on racks. Spread a thick layer of Cream Cheese Frosting between cooled cakes and frost the top and sides. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 DOUBLE-LAYER CAKE, 8 TO 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Marbled Bundt Cake

This Bundt cake is the perfect blend of vanilla and chocolate. Topped with a little sifting of
powdered sugar, this is a simple cake that has a beautiful presentation and pairs perfectly with
your favorite coffee or tea.



3 cups fl our
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups milk, divided
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup oil
½ cup baking cocoa
½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a Bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine 1¼ cups milk and vinegar and let sit for a couple of minutes. Add vanilla and oil and mix to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed. Divide batter
between two bowls.
In a separate small bowl, combine cocoa and remaining ¼ cup milk. Add this mixture and chocolate chips to one of the batter halves and mix until just incorporated. Alternate adding scoops of vanilla batter and chocolate batter to the Bundt pan. Draw a knife through the batter several times to
swirl.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack, then inver t onto a plate or platter. Store leftover cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

This cake is fit for a king, and I don’t mean Elvis, although I’m sure he would have liked it!
The taste and texture of this cake is all about subtlety. Serve it with a drizzle of warm melted
chocolate and some fresh banana slices, and it’s sure to be a dessert-time hit!

2 cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
cup melted margarine,
cooled to room temperature
1¼ cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 mashed bananas
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
1 recipe Peanut Butter Frosting
2 bananas, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix melted margarine and brown sugar. Add vanilla and bananas. In a small bowl, add vinegar to milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. Add dry
ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches, then stir in milk mixture. Mix batter until just combined and divide evenly into the baking pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cakes are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then inver t onto a rack to fi nish cooling.
Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting using a thick layer of frosting and a layer of sliced fresh bananas between the cakes. This cake is extra delicious with warm chocolate sauce drizzled on top. Simply melt chocolate chips and serve! Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Yield: 1 DOUBLE-LAYER CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES

Cinn-ful Apple Cake

This cake is deliciously simple. No frosting to worry about, no layers to stack, just a straightforward cake filled with chunks of apples and with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping.
Looks are deceiving with this cake; it seems kind of plain, but it packs a flavorful punch.

1½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups sugar, divided
½ cup margarine,
melted and cooled
¾ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups peeled, chopped baking apples (such as Granny Smith)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and fl our the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. If you do not have a springform pan, a regular 8-inch cake pan will do.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream together 1¼ cups sugar with margarine.
Add applesauce. Incorporate vanilla and milk until mixed through. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed.
Combine cinnamon with remaining ¼ cup sugar. Toss 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture with sliced apples.
Gently fold apples into batter.
Spread batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle top with
remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, until middle of cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake and let cool completely on a cooling rack before serving. Store cake covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 CAKE, 12 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Best Banana Bread

I have been told by multiple people that this is the best banana bread they have ever had, vegan
or otherwise. After hearing this several times, I had to have my co-worker, who is a banana bread connoisseur, weigh in with his opinion and he agreed. Success! Try adding walnuts or pecans
to this bread for a textural treat. Don’t like “stuff ” in your bread? Eat it as is.



1½ cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
cup oil
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup mashed banana
(about 2 bananas)
cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a small bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil and brown sugar. Add bananas and milk and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 43 to 48
minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes
out clean. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen, and turn bread out of the pan to let cool on a cooling rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



You Are My Sunshine Loaf
This bread is so bright and sunny you can almost feel the sunshine on your face. If California could be made in the form of a bread, this would be it. With its lovely orange color and citrus notes, along with sweet bursts of raisins, this is a welcome breakfast bread on the grayest days of winter.



1½ cups all-purpose fl our
1 cup white-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1 medium apple,
peeled and shredded
1½ cups milk
¼ cup oil
zest of 1 medium orange
juice of one medium orange
½ cup raisins
½ cup walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose fl our, white-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine shredded carrots, shredded apple and milk and mix until well-combined. Add oil, orange zest and orange juice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just
combined. Gently mix in raisins and walnuts.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55
minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack until the pan is cool enough to touch, about 40 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the loaf to separate it from the pan, and turn bread out of the pan to fi nish cooling on a rack.
Store leftover bread covered at room temperature
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES



Cornin’ Around Bread
Mmm, cornbread. This slightly sweet bread is perfect crumbled over chili or soup. It’s easy
enough to whip up while your meal is simmering. You can make this in muffin cups if you’d like,
or you can add a little chili pepper for a southwest flair. Try to buy organic cornmeal if you can;
you don’t want any mutant GMO corn bread in your kitchen!

1 cup fl our
1 cup cornmeal
cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
cup oil
1 cup milk
¼ cup frozen sweet corn

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix applesauce with oil, then whisk in milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then stir in corn.
Spread batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bread is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 9 SQUARES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES



Going, Going, Gone! Gingerbread
When it’s rainy and gray in Portland, it’s easy to forget that it’s wintertime, and feeling the joy
of the holiday season can be a stretch. The easiest, and tastiest, way to remedy this is by whipping up a
batch of gingerbread. This bread is moist and sweet and spiked with just the right amount of spice. Even
Jim, who insists that he doesn’t like gingerbread, devours this fragrant loaf.

2 cups fl our
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
(optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you want a gingerbread loaf, lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. If you prefer to have gingerbread squares, lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil and 1 cup sugar. Whisk in molasses until mixture is smooth. Add milk and vinegar and whisk until well-combined, then add fresh ginger, if using. Add
wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just
moistened, making sure that there are no pockets of the dry ingredients remaining.
Spread batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. For a gingerbread loaf, bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For gingerbread squares, bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack completely before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 10 SLICES OR 16 SQUARES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES



Chocolate Stout Bread
This bread is a little more grown-up than some of the other recipes. It is a bit more savory,
with a hint of chocolate and that fermented edge from the stout. This bread is a fantastic snack
with your favorite bottle of beer on a hot summer afternoon.

2¾ cups fl our
cup baking cocoa, sifted
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups chocolate stout
¼ cup oil
cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients and
add stout, oil and milk. Mix until just combined.
Spread batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Sweet Potato Bread
This fragrant, moist bread is sweet enough to enjoy as a treat but savory enough to eat with a bowl of soup. Feel free to use canned or freshly pureéd sweet potatoes, or try yams.

1½ cups fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup orange juice
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup oil
cup milk
1 cup sweet potato purée
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, orange juice, applesauce, oil, milk and sweet potato pureé until well-mixed (you may need to use an electric hand mixer on a low speed). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well until the batter is just moistened. Stir in pecans, if using.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour
until loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 45 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge to loosen and turn loaf out of the pan to fi nish cooling on the rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Baklava Bread
I love baklava, and while I like a baking challenge, making baklava from scratch is more of a challenge than I’m looking for. This bread will satisfy any craving you may have for Mediterranean sweets and will also make you question why we don’t use pistachios more in American baking traditions.

BREaD:
3 cups fl our
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cups milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
½ cup melted margarine
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons
pistachios, chopped, divided
SYRuP:
cup sugar
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
For Bread: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine milk and vinegar and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add melted margarine and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just mixed, then add ¾ cup pistachios.
Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 48 to 52 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
For Syrup: Combine sugar, agave nectar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stirring continuously, cook until sugar dissolves and syrup bubbles, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Using a pointed object, such as a straw or a chopstick, poke 2-inch holes in top of loaf. Pour half of syrup over loaf and let sit until all syrup is absorbed, then pour on remaining syrup. After all syrup is absorbed, sprinkle bread with remaining 2 tablespoons of pistachios. Let loaf cool completely before serving. Store leftover bread covered at
room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 40 MINUTES


Pumpkin Cinn-a-Zag Bread
This bread came from a combination of ideas submitted by readers on my blog. One person
suggested pumpkin bread and another suggested cinnamon swirl. Several others wanted a bread
without any nuts in it. This was the result!

1½ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons plus
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin purée
(not pumpkin pie mix)
¼ cup oil
¼ cup apple butter
(or apple sauce)
½ cup milk
¼ cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, apple butter and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon; set aside.
Pour half of batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Pour remaining batter on top. Draw a knife through the loaf in several directions to mix the zigzag layer around.
Bake for 48 to 52 minutes until center of bread is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 45 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and turn bread out of the pan to finish cooling on the rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Saucy Apple Bread
This moist bread is chock full of appley goodness. With its crunchy pecan topping, it is the
perfect breakfast bread, lightly toasted with some melted margarine on top... I can taste it now.

BattER:
2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
cup oil
1 cup applesauce
¼ cup milk
1 medium apple,
peeled and chopped
toPPing:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup fl our
2 tablespoons cold margarine
cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil.
For Batter: In a medium bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add applesauce and milk and mix well. Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed. Stir in chopped apple.
For Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar and fl our.
Cut in margarine with the back of a fork until mixture is crumbly. Add pecans.
Spread batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle topping on top of bread. Bake for 52 to 55 minutes, until topping is browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Let bread cool completely on a cooling rack before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, 10 SLICES
Prep time: 30 MINUTES


Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is a lifesaver when you want to make a hearty meal but don’t have the time
to wait around for a loaf of bread to rise. It whips up in a cinch and relies on baking soda to
quickly rise to the occasion (hence the “soda bread” part). You can make oat flour by processing
dried oats (traditional, not steel-cut) in a food processor for a few spins until they are coarse and grainy.

1½ cups fl our
½ cup oat fl our
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix fl our, oat fl our, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix milk and vinegar together and let sit for 2 minutes. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in the middle. Mix until just incorporated,
and shape dough into a ball. Dough may be a little floury on the outside and that is fine.
Place dough on the baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.
Yield: 1 LOAF, ABOUT 8 SLICES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES



Basic Biscuits
Biscuits are a great standby when you don’t have time to make bread or if you just want to have something warm and starchy to smother with gravy. Feel free to roll them out on a floured surface and cut them with a glass or biscuit cutter. Call me weird (or lazy), but I like mine blobby and irregular.

1 cup all-purpose fl our
1 cup whole-wheat pastry fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon mild vinegar
¼ cup oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose fl our, whole-wheat pastry fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, mix milk and vinegar. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Add oil and whisk quickly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Dough may be slightly lumpy.
Drop in 6 large scoops on the baking sheet, at least 3 inches apar t. Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are puffy and browned. Store leftover biscuits covered at room temperature.
Yield: 6 BISCUITS
Prep time: 20 MINUTES



Bettah Chettah Biscuits
These cheesy biscuits are wonderful with a slab of margarine in the middle or crumbled over a
bowl of soup.

2 cups fl our
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon powdered garlic
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 tablespoon light miso
¾ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, nutritional yeast, baking powder, salt and powdered garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together melted margarine and miso. Add milk and whisk to break up miso. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
You can either drop the batter onto a baking sheet in ½ cup-sized blobs or roll out dough on a well-fl oured surface and cut into 6 rounds using a biscuit cutter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until biscuits are lightly browned. Store leftover biscuits covered at room temperature.
Yield: 6 BISCUITS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

When Jim and I were first married, I asked him what his favorite muffin was and he loved these muffins that came from a boxed mix with a little can of blueberries. Yuck! I knew I could do better than that. These are the ultimate breakfast muffin. If you’re not keen on blueberries, try different kinds of berries, like blackberries or cherries.


BattER:
2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons fl our, divided
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder teaspoon salt
1¼ cups milk
¼ plus 2 tablespoons oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
(not thawed)
toPPing:
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cold margarine



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
For Batter: In a large bowl, combine 2¼ cups fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t and vanilla. In another bowl, toss blueberries with remaining 2 tablespoons fl our. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add blueberries
and gently combine.
For Topping: In a small bowl, mix fl our and sugar and cut in margarine with a pastry cutter or with your fi ngers until mixture is crumbly.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Evenly sprinkle topping on each muffi n. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 20 to 25 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Store leftover muffi ns
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES



Orange Chocolate Muffins
I didn’t really learn to appreciate the combination of orange and chocolate until I became an adult, but now it rules the roost! The moist texture of this fluffy muffin with a boost of orange zest is perfectly accented by the chocolate chips scattered  throughout. Nom, nom, nom!



2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon salt
1 cups milk
cup oil
zest of one large orange
juice of one large orange
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chocolate chip



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups, or line with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine milk, oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the tin. Store
leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Leslie’s Awesomeness Muffins
My friend Leslie loves dates and nuts and, well, everything that tastes good, really! We’re both
sweet-a-holics so when I developed these muffins, I thought of her because they are very low in sugar but still have enough sweetness to satisfy. They definitely get her approval for being full of “awesomeness.”

1¼ cups white whole-wheat flour
(or all-purpose fl our)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
(approximately 2 medium bananas)
½ cup milk
¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, milk, oil, molasses and maple syrup until combined. Add oatmeal and let sit to moisten oats. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently mix in dates and nuts.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each up almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes for  regular-sized muffi ns or 22 to 27 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffi n tin on a
cooling rack for 15 minutes, then transfer muffi ns directly onto the rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover muffins
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES

If you don’t have any bananas around, or just don’t like them, substitute with applesauce.


French Toast Muffins
It used to seem unfortunate that french toast couldn’t be more portable and less time consuming,
because it’s so darn tasty. Well, now you can make these muffins and you’ll always have french
toast on the go!

2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1¼ cups milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equivalent to 1 6-ounce container)
1½ teaspoons maple extract
½ teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon and powered sugar, for topping Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular
or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together milk, oil, yogurt,
maple extract and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just mixed.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffi ns from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the tin and transferring to a cooling rack. Sift powdered sugar
and cinnamon on top of each muffi n. Store leftover muffins
covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Garden Muffins
I love to eat these muffins slightly warm with a melty pat of margarine in the middle. They are full of veggies and whole-grain goodness and are the perfect way to get some nutrition into lazy or picky eaters.
1½ cups white-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose flour)
½ cup oat bran (or ½ cup slightly ground instant oats)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup or agave nectar
¼ cup oil
1 cup grated zucchini
½ cup grated carrots
¾ cup milk
½ cup raisins (optional)
¼ cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, oat bran, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another large bowl, combine applesauce, maple syrup and oil. Add zucchini and carrots and then stir in milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then stir in raisins and walnuts and mix until well-combined.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each cup until almost full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean. Let muffi ns cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to fi nish cooling on a cooling rack.
Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFFINS
Prep time: 30 MINUTES



Out of maple syrup or agave? You can still make these muffi ns by subbing ¼ cup of sugar.


Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Muffins
Sometimes you just need something decadent for a snack or dessert (or if you’re like me, upon waking). When you’re in need of a chocolate fix, these muffins will provide you with the support that you need to get out of bed and lay around on your couch, surrounded by muffin liners.
1¾ cups fl our
cup baking cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
cup oil
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup roughly chopped chocolate
½ cup raspberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add milk, yogur t and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined, then stir in chocolate.
Spoon batter into muffi n tins, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Spoon preserves on top of each muffi n, using ½ teaspoon for each regular muffi n or 1 teaspoon for each jumbo muffi n. Swirl preserves into muffi ns using a toothpick or a butter knife.
Bake for 19 to 22 minutes for regular muffi ns or 28 to 32 minutes for jumbo, until middles of muffi n tops look set and a toothpick comes out clean (some preserves may stick).
Let muffi ns cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 35 MINUTES



For these muffi ns it’s best to do your toothpick test at an angle, from the edge of the muffi n, so you poke below the swirl.


Randy’s Upside-Down Sticky Muffins
Gooey pecan sticky buns were favorite morning pastries of my father, Randy. On the occasion that
we had them in the house, he had to race me to eat them. Regular sticky buns can be a serious production to make due to all of the steps involved. Here, these easy muffins have a simple gooey topping that makes them an irresistible treat that will have you running to the kitchen!

toPPing:
¼ cup corn syrup or
brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons margarine
½ cup brown sugar



For Topping: In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup or brown rice syrup, margarine and brown sugar. Heat on medium until margarine is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the muffi n batter.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of 12 regular muffin cups or 6 jumbo muffi n cups and line the cup bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper circles.
If you do not have parchment paper or waxed paper,
grease the bottoms well so the topping will come out easily when you fl ip the pan over.
For Batter: In a small bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t and vanilla until well-mixed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches until just incorporated. Do not overmix.



BattER:
2 cups fl our
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equivalent of 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans



For Assembly: Divide prepared brown sugar syrup and pecans equally among the bottoms of the muffi n cups. Spoon the muffi n batter on top of the syrup and pecans, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffi ns or 25 to 30 for jumbo muffi ns, until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately inver t onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and remove muffin tin so the pecan caramel can ooze down the sides of the muffins. Remove parchment paper or waxed paper circles.
If you did not use parchment paper in the bottoms, you may need to spoon the pecans back onto the muffins. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room  temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 35 MINUTES



Peary Berry Muffins
These muffins make good use of lingering pears during those fall and winter months when they are plentiful. You can use pears that are a little too firm for eating, as the stone of the fruit adds a nice texture to these muffins.

2¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon mild vinegar
1 cup milk
2 medium pears, peeled and shredded
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine oil, vanilla, vinegar and milk. Add pears and mix to combine. Incorporate wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just mixed, then gently fold in berries.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for regular-sized muffins or 28 to 30 minutes for jumbo, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin to cool on a cooling rack. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Lemon Almond Bling Muffins
These muffins are more about the flavor of almonds than the texture of them. I love the topping because it gives the muffins character, and the hint of  almonds and lemon zest add the perfect crunch to this subtle flavor combination.
BattER:
2¼ cups fl our
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
1¼ cups milk
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1 teaspoon almond extract
(optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
toPPing:
¼ cup sugar
zest of one lemon
(about 2 teaspoons)
¼ cup sliced almonds



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
For Batter: In a large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogur t, almond extract and lemon juice. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed.
For Topping: In a small bowl, mix topping sugar, lemon zest and sliced almonds.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Sprinkle on topping. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes for regular muffi ns or 22 to 25 minutes for jumbo, until the muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to fi nish cooling. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES



Eggnog Muffins with Boozy Raisins
These muffins are the holiday season in a muffin liner, spiced and spiked with festive deliciousness.
For all of the eggnog lovers in your life, these are sure to be a hit. If you prefer a different booze in your eggnog, feel free to substitute.

cup raisins
cup rum, warmed
2¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups eggnog
(rice or soy are both fine)
cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine raisins and rum. Let sit for a few minutes to plump raisins. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggnog, oil, yogur t and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Reserve 1 tablespoon rum and drain remaining rum from raisins. Gently mix raisins into muffi n batter.
Spoon batter into the muffi n tin, fi lling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes for regular muffi ns and 25 to 28 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in muffin tin on a cooling rack.
In a small bowl, combine reserved tablespoon of rum with powdered sugar. Lightly brush glaze onto tops of cooled muffi ns. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES


Raspberry Lime Muffins
Raspberry and lime make a great flavor  combination, especially if you are fond of slightly
tart baked goods. If you use frozen raspberries, be sure they aren’t completely thawed and don’t
overmix the batter or you’ll have blue, streaky muffins!

1 cup white whole-wheat fl our
(or all-purpose fl our)
1 cup all-purpose fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
1½ cups raspberries
(fresh or frozen)



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffi n cups with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together whole-wheat fl our, allpurpose fl our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, mix sugar and oil. Add milk, vanilla and lime zest and juice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine until just mixed, then gently fold in raspberries.
Spoon batter into muffi n tin, fi lling each up almost to the top. Bake for 16 to 19 minutes for regular muffi ns or 22 to 26 minutes for jumbo, until muffi ns are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store leftover muffi ns covered at room temperature.
Yield: 12 REGULAR OR 6 JUMBO MUFFINS
Prep time: 25 MINUTES