As usual on a Saturday, there's something in the oven. Yesterday it was whole wheat hamburger buns and a loaf of whole wheat bread. Today it was Apple Coffee Cake for breakfast. Out of 9 squares of coffee cake (I ate one) there were only two left to put in the freezer for another time!
Since we're leaving early tomorrow morning (shortly before 6:30 a.m.) and tonight's the night we're supposed to turn the clock ahead by one hour (meaning we'd have to get up about 4:45 a.m. by the old time) we made the jump ahead by an hour last night. We're already on Daylight Savings Time here.
I forgot about that this morning and, thinking it was already 9:30 a.m., at 8:30 a.m. I phoned some violin students' parents to make arrangements for Monday lessons. Woke up one mom, and haven't heard back from the other mom yet. That was embarrassing!
Right now there are a dozen Cranberry/Bran muffins in the oven, intended for an easy breakfast that can be eaten in the car tomorrow morning. The original recipe came from The Lighthearted Cookbook, and was labelled Cranberry-Orange Muffins. Ingredients have been taken out of the recipe, and other ingredients added, so I think of it as my own recipe now.
CRANBERRY/BRAN MUFFINS
First you need to make some homemade cranberry sauce. Forget the canned stuff! Here's how to do that: Put 2 cups of frozen cranberries (I like President's Choice from Superstore) in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes until the cranberries begin to split. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar. Bring back to a boil, stirring in the sugar. When it's all liquified, remove from heat and let cool.
I make this ahead of time when we are having chicken or pork for dinner.
In a 4 cup measuring cup (or small bowl) place:
1 cup of quick oats
3/4 cup of natural bran (I prefer oat bran)
1 cup of white flour
3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar (I prefer Demerara)
1 1/2 tsps of cinnamon
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
With your fingers, blend all these ingredients, making sure there are no sugar lumps. Then add:
1 1/3 cups of cranberry sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup (or so) of low-fat plain yogurt
3 TBS of olive oil (or canola oil)
Gently mix ingredients together, until all is moistened. You may need to add a little more yogurt or some skim milk to get a good batter.
Spoon into muffin cups, mounding up the batter for a good sized muffin.
Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 25/27 minutes.
Very best when eaten still warm from the oven! But they freeze well, and warm nicely in a microwave later.
I always turn my baking half way through the time, to ensure an even finish.
You see the empty jar behind them? It's out there to remind myself to make some fresh mayonnaise. Do you know how to make mayonnaise? It's very easy, and, like most home made things, better than store-bought. But it will have to wait for another day, because I used my last egg for the muffins!
Since we're leaving early tomorrow morning (shortly before 6:30 a.m.) and tonight's the night we're supposed to turn the clock ahead by one hour (meaning we'd have to get up about 4:45 a.m. by the old time) we made the jump ahead by an hour last night. We're already on Daylight Savings Time here.
I forgot about that this morning and, thinking it was already 9:30 a.m., at 8:30 a.m. I phoned some violin students' parents to make arrangements for Monday lessons. Woke up one mom, and haven't heard back from the other mom yet. That was embarrassing!
Right now there are a dozen Cranberry/Bran muffins in the oven, intended for an easy breakfast that can be eaten in the car tomorrow morning. The original recipe came from The Lighthearted Cookbook, and was labelled Cranberry-Orange Muffins. Ingredients have been taken out of the recipe, and other ingredients added, so I think of it as my own recipe now.
CRANBERRY/BRAN MUFFINS
First you need to make some homemade cranberry sauce. Forget the canned stuff! Here's how to do that: Put 2 cups of frozen cranberries (I like President's Choice from Superstore) in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer a few minutes until the cranberries begin to split. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar. Bring back to a boil, stirring in the sugar. When it's all liquified, remove from heat and let cool.I make this ahead of time when we are having chicken or pork for dinner.
In a 4 cup measuring cup (or small bowl) place:
1 cup of quick oats
3/4 cup of natural bran (I prefer oat bran)
1 cup of white flour
3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar (I prefer Demerara)
1 1/2 tsps of cinnamon
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
With your fingers, blend all these ingredients, making sure there are no sugar lumps. Then add:
1 1/3 cups of cranberry sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup (or so) of low-fat plain yogurt
3 TBS of olive oil (or canola oil)
Gently mix ingredients together, until all is moistened. You may need to add a little more yogurt or some skim milk to get a good batter.
Spoon into muffin cups, mounding up the batter for a good sized muffin.
Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 25/27 minutes.
Very best when eaten still warm from the oven! But they freeze well, and warm nicely in a microwave later.
I always turn my baking half way through the time, to ensure an even finish.
You see the empty jar behind them? It's out there to remind myself to make some fresh mayonnaise. Do you know how to make mayonnaise? It's very easy, and, like most home made things, better than store-bought. But it will have to wait for another day, because I used my last egg for the muffins!
Every now and then I take a peek at your blog and feel a part of your life.
ReplyDeleteA pleasure. Nelly
Nice to know you're out there, Nelly. Love to all of your family from both of us, J and L
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