Tag: breakfast

Small Batch Double Chocolate Muffins (Lower Calorie Version)

This is a lower calorie version of this original recipe. See notes below.

INGREDIENTS

  • 140 grams all purpose flour (or 140 grams of Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk protein pancake mix)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 40 g of sifted cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (I do not like Mott’s as it is too green apple-ish. Aldi has a great option!)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk alternative)
  • 95 g chocolate chips, divided (I used 75g of chocolate chips and 20g of chocolate chunks)
  • 1/2 tbsp turbinado sugar, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place 6 liners in muffin tin, alternating cups to leave a cup between each muffin if possible.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
  • Add salt, sugar substitute, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, and almond milk (or other milk alternative) to dry ingredients and stir until combined. Try not to overmix.
  • Stir in 75g of chocolate chips.
  • Fill 6 lined muffin tins with mixture, overfilling to achieve a bakery-style muffin.
  • Dot top with remaining 20g of chocolate chips (I love using semi-sweet chocolate chunks on top).
  • Sprinkle turbinado sugar over muffins before placing in pre-heated oven. This is optional, but we enjoy the crunchy texture on top.
  • Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until set.

NOTES

Depending on your texture preferences, you may enjoy these even more than the original recipe!

At only 213 calories per muffin, these definitely hit the spot when watching the blasted scale. If you want to save a few more calories, using Kodiak Cake mix instead of AP flour slightly lowers the calories to about 201 calories per muffin. It also provides some extra protein and gives the muffins a little more lift, so you feel like you are getting a much larger muffin. My kids prefer the Kodiak Cake version the most.

Calorie breakdown:

IngredientsCalories
140g AP flour510
1 tsp baking powder5
1/4 tsp baking soda0
40g sifted cocoa powder92
pinch of salt0
1/2 cup splenda3
1 cup unsweetened applesauce100
1 tsp vanilla extract0
1/2 cup almond milk21
75g chocolate chips410
20g chococolate chunks109
1/2 tbsp turbinado sugar30
Total:1280
Per muffin:213.3333333

Enjoy, kiddos! I love you so very much. Thank you for all the support you’ve been giving me lately as I strive towards better health. The greatest gift I’ve been given is watching you all grow into the beautiful adults that you are, and I want to make sure that I’m around for many years to come. You have so much living and growing ahead of you, and I can’t wait for all the memories we have yet to make together! I am so very proud of each and every one of you.

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Sopapillas

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 to 2 cups canola oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in water just until dough pulls together.
  • Divide dough into 5 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough on lightly floured board into an 8-inch diameter circle. Cut each circle into 4 wedges.
  • Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Add a few of the tortilla wedges at a time. The wedges will puff up. Turn once so they will puff evenly on both sides; then turn back to brown on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels. While warm, coat each sopaipilla with powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve with honey.

NOTES

On a road trip to the Grand Canyon, we once stopped at a restaurant in Albuquerque called El Patio de Albuquerque in order to try something local. One Google review said that it was a must to try to adovada as a stuffed sopapilla, and I’m so glad that I did.

When someone asks me what my favorite meal is, I often immediately think of that moment in time. A lot of what makes that meal special is the sentimental circumstances of that moment (sitting on that patio, eating an amazing meal with my brother, my oldest son who was moving soon to another state, and Juno, my new puppy, while enjoying a moment of rest and relaxation during a road trip West to see the Grand Canyon and Sedona via a new camper), but the meal itself was outstanding, especially the warm sopapilla and honey that was served to the table to compliment the meal. One of many, I will be chasing the warmth of that memory for as long as I breathe.

Since then, I found a few recipes for homemade sopapillas, and they hit the spot now and then even though they are never quite as soft and pillowy as those at El Patio de Albuquerque! I hope you enjoy them as well.

The above recipe is from Muy Bueno: Basic Sopaipilla Recipe (New Mexican Sopapillas) – Muy Bueno. Check out their video to get a sneak peek of these beauties:

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Double Chocolate Small Batch Muffins

*I have a lower calorie version here, which we actually enjoy even more, but that may be because of our diet brains!

INGREDIENTS

  • 140 grams all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 40 g of sifted cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk
  • 75 g (1/2 cup) chocolate chips … plus more for decorating tops, if desired.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place 6 liners in muffin tin, alternating cups to leave a cup between each muffin if possible.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
  • Add salt, sugar, oil, vanilla, egg, and milk to dry ingredients and stir until combined. Try not to overmix.
  • Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Fill 6 lined muffin tins with mixture, overfilling to achieve a bakery-style muffin.
  • Dot top with additional chocolate chips (I love using chocolate chunks on top or chopped pieces of quality chocolate bars).
  • Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 18 minutes until risen & domed.

NOTES

Makes 6 bakery style muffins. If not sweet enough for your taste, add 2 heaping tablespoons of granulated sugar in addition to the brown sugar. However, I find these perfect as they are for my tastes. The chocolate flavor is deep and rich, akin to a lava cake or brownie.

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The Perfect Swim Biscuits & Southern-style Chocolate Gravy

The perfect biscuit is such a personal preference. Some people enjoy soft, fluffy biscuits. Some people enjoy a buttery, layered biscuit. And me? I love a biscuit that is somewhere between my mom’s fluffy biscuits and my grandmother’s buttery biscuits with a crispy crust straight from the cast iron. That’s where these easy swim biscuits come in!

INGREDIENTS

Biscuits:

  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups of milk

Chocolate Gravy:

  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cups cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 2 cups of milk or water
  • pinch of salt (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

Biscuits:

  1. Turn on oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place stick of butter into your cast iron skillet and put into oven as it is heating. Remove from oven when butter is melted (about 10 minutes). I like to leave it in there until the milk solids start turning golden.
  3. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients before adding in milk.
  4. Once butter is melted in iron skillet, drop heaping spoons of dough into the melted butter forming individual biscuits. I usually make around 9 large biscuits.
  5. Swirl your pan a little so that some of the butter also gets on top and in between your biscuits.
  6. Cook in 425-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and the tops are golden brown.

Chocolate Gravy:

  1. Sift dry ingredients together into a saucepan.
  2. Slowly incorporate water or milk into dry ingredients. (My mom used water instead of milk!)
  3. Heat at medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is combined (no lumps!) and has thickened to a gravy consistency.
  4. Finish with a tab of butter (and some people add a touch of vanilla, but this was not traditional in our house growing up).

NOTES:

While it is trendy now to call this chocolate gravy and biscuits, these were just “chocolate biscuits” to us when growing up. This treat is a staple for any weekend country breakfast. Since Zach doesn’t like chocolate biscuits, make sure you also make a quick & tasty sausage milk gravy to top those swim biscuits! Add grits and a side of bacon … and you’re home. I love you, kiddos!

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Audrey’s Favorite Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon

Recipe Highlight: These are my daughter’s favorite addition to any holiday gathering. My biggest regret is always waiting for holidays to make them as they bring her so much joy!

INGREDIENTS

Deviled Eggs:

  • Dozen eggs
  • Mayonnaise (start with 1/2 cup … see instructions.)
  • Yellow mustard (start with 1 tablespoon)
  • Celery seeds, to taste (start with 1/8 teaspoon)
  • Cheddar cheese, grated (start with 1/4 cup)
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Few snips of chives, if desired

Candied Bacon:

  • 12 bacon slices, cut into thirds
  • Brown sugar (about 1/3 cup)
  • Ground cayenne pepper or peri peri, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

Deviled Eggs:

  1. Boil your eggs to your liking. I tend to place eggs into a pan and cover with water. I place on high heat and then bring to a full roiling boil where the bubbles are breaking all over the surface. Once boiling, I remove the pan from heat and allow to continue cooking off heat (on counter or cool stove burner) for about 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes is over, I add the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let sit until completely cooled, about another 10 minutes.
  2. Once you remove the shell (see notes for peeling tips), pat the eggs dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture, if needed. Using a knife, halve your eggs lengthwise, setting yolks aside. Sprinkle each halve with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. To your bowl of reserved yolks, add remaining ingredients to taste. This part is tricky because it varies based on the number and size of the yolks. I would start off with about 1/2 cup mayo and 1 tbsp of mustard. Add more mayo, if needed, until you reach desired consistency/taste.
  4. Add in mix-ins such as celery seeds, grated cheddar, bacon bits, and salt and pepper.
  5. Pipe or spoon yolk mixture into the egg halves, sprinkling with smoked paprika. This spice gives your eggs their signature flavor and is great for presentation.
  6. Place eggs in refrigerator while cooking the candied bacon.
  7. For the candied bacon, just line a baking tray with parchment paper before placing your bacon slices onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each piece of bacon with brown sugar. Feel free to add your favorite ground pepper (cayenne or peri peri) to make a sweet and spicy moment! Bake at 350 degrees until the bacon is rendered and browned on the edges for 25 to 30 minutes, giving the pan a half turn halfway through cooking. Allow the bacon to cool completely, about 20 minutes. The bacon will crisp as it cools.
  8. Once cooled and crisp, add a piece of your candied bacon to each deviled egg.  Eat remaining bacon … just because.
  9. Feel free to make them pretty by adding a few snips of chives for some greenery, if desired.

NOTES

Peeling Hack: Start peeling at the wide end of the egg, where there’s usually an air pocket. Peel off a small piece of shell at the bottom to expose the membrane, then slip the egg back into the water (ice water or room temperature water both work) for a minute or two. The water seeps under the shell and helps release it more easily. (I haven’t tried this tip yet, merely stole it. I’m documenting for posterity’s sake!)

Life Hack: Why do we only eat these for Easter or the rare family cookout, especially when Audrey loves them so much? I guess we’ll never know. There’s no rhyme or reason to the self-imposed rules we live by. I encourage you to welcome a little anarchy into your life and eat the damn eggs whenever you want to! Treat yourself, diva.

Why? Because I love you, kiddos … and you deserve good things. Don’t settle for just deviled eggs, but it’s a good place to start.

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Audrey’s Favorite Glazed Orange Scones Recipe

Recipe Highlight: https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/glazed-orange-scones/

Makes 8 scones.

INGREDIENTS

Citrus-infused sugar:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • zest of two medium oranges

Scones:

  • Citrus-infused sugar (see above)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 egg

Glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, make your citrus-infused sugar mixture by combining sugar and orange zest and mixing with your fingertips. Really get in there and mix the zest and sugar between fingertips until the oils are released from the zest! You will know you are there when the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Let the mixture sit on counter for at least 30 minutes to fully infuse flavors if you want to maximize the flavor, but waiting is not a required step.
  3. To the citrus-infused sugar, add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.
  4. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and egg until smooth.
  6. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. The dough will be sticky first, but as you press, the dough will come together.
  7. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and prepare the glaze.
  8. In a medium bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and orange juice. Whisk until smooth. Dip the top of the scones into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. Double-dipping is best!

NOTES

Kiddos: I love you so much! Please visit the link provided to the original recipe for pictures of the process used in making these amazing scones. As stated in the original recipe, these scones are peak when double-dipped in the glaze. We’ve added cranberries to this recipe, as well as subbed lemon for the citrus and using diced fresh strawberries. I’ve always wanted to do the same with blueberries. The sky is the limit! The base recipe is FANTASTIC, and these scrumptious scones are a great addition to any day! Enjoy!

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Audrey’s Banana Bread

Recipe Highlight: This is a family favorite, especially beloved by my darling daughter. I will forever cherish the memory of making this sweet treat in the kitchen with her at my side. If you’re reading this, my sweet baby girl, add more chocolate chips …

Makes two 9-inch loaf pans

INGREDIENTS

  • 7 large bananas, very ripe (reserve 1 banana to slice/decorate the top loaves before baking)
  • 1/2 cup butter (8 TBSP), softened
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (can sub butter or shortening)
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla (I use a dollop of vanilla paste and a tsp of vanilla … measure with your heart)
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cups self-rising flour (*see notes if using All Purpose flour)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (reserve some to top your loaves before cooking)
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (can use milk or semi-sweet instead, if unavailable)
  • cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top of loaves
  • turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top of loaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add 6 ripe bananas to mixing bowl and use the lowest setting to mash (or use a fork and do so by hand).
  3. Add the butter, coconut oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pinch of salt to the mixing bowl and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Add flour and mix, just until combined. Again, avoid overmixing.
  5. Gently fold in your mix-ins. The recipe calls for walnuts and raisins, but we always used a blend of chocolate chips.
  6. Pour into loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
  7. Decorate the top of the filled loaf pans with remaining sliced bananas and sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, and turbinado sugar (or any combination thereof … just use what you’ve got)
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

NOTES

*If using All Purpose flour, add 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt to achieve the results of self-rising flour

Banana bread is a budget-friendly recipe that is meant to use up any browning bananas that just happens to be damned delicious and worthy of making any day of the week. As such, it is meant to be something you should feel free to experiment with, using whatever ingredients you have on hand. Beyond the basic recipe, mix-ins are options … as are the combinations of fats or toppings. Follow your hearts and make it your own.

Noah, Zach & Audrey: I love you all dearly. I will always remember the way you all hyped me up whenever I made something you truly loved in the kitchen. I couldn’t ask for better cheerleaders.

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