Pumpkin and Red Onion Muffins

Mmmmm...I love these. Especially the coriander. I have been meaning to post this recipe for the past 2 weeks but sadly have been bogged down with work and a nasty bug. :( But, I am back :) So I hope you enjoy this lovely savoury recpie. Pop me a message and tell me how you go.

Pumpkin and Red Onion Muffins

Makes: 12

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Ingredients

550g pumpkin

1 red onion diced

5 tablespoons olive oil

275g self raising flour

50g cornmeal

15g chopped fresh coriander

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs, beaten

150ml milk

Method

1. Line a 12 section muffin tray with paper muffin cases. Cut the pumpkin into small dice, discarding seeds/skin. You should have about 350g flesh. Spread out on a roasting tray with onion and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in preheated oven 220⁰C for 30-40mins. Leave to cool.

2. Mix together flour, cornmeal, coriander, celery salt and baking powder in a bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk and remaining oil with a fork in a small bowl. 

3. Stir the cooled pumpkin and onion into the dry ingredient. Add the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Divide muffin mixture between paper cases.

4. Bake in oven for 20 mins or until risen and just firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold. 

Breakfast Muffins

I made these a few weeks ago and have been playing with the recipe to make it work for me. I originally had mushrooms but took them out, however I have not given up on the idea. Patience, patience, patience Mushrooms will appear in one kind of breakfast muffin I make. This one is my left over veggies and bacon muffin, it was a random find. Have a go and let me know how it went.

Bacon, Carrot and Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

3 rashes of bacon small dice
1 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
1 sml carrot grated
1/2 sml zucchini grated
1/4 cup shallots
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3 tsps baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese (I use tasty)
80g butter melted
2 eggs lightly beaten
2/3 cup of milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200⁰C and prepare muffin tray. Fry bacon until crispy and put to one side.
2. Place flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and cheese into a bowl, mix.
3. Whisk butter, eggs and milk in a mixing bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine. Stir through carrot, shallots, zucchini and bacon.
7. Spoon into muffin trays and cook for 20mins.
8. Serve warm or cool for lunches or afternoon tea.

Muffin Fix- Cranberries and Almonds!

Well back into the hum drum of reality with work, cleaning, gardening, work, not sleeping and basically not enjoying it all so much. So I took some time out to bake some yummy more savoury type of muffins and enjoy the foggy rain. The weather looks like it is trying to clear but, it was a lot of fun today weeding the front garden bed in the wispy rain. One of these guys jumped on me however, once I realised it was on the glove he was so cool to look at. 

I have been craving dried cranberries all week for some random reason and low and behold I stumble upon some in the quick sale section. :) This made my day. But what to do with them...I could put them in a trail mix for school over the week, I could dip them in chocolate, I could eat them one at a time and enjoy the tart taste...So many choices. Eventually, after much debate, I decided to try out combining 2 different recipes to make Spiced Cranberries and Almonds Muffin. I LOVE the result. They hit my savoury craving just right. Although this idea won by a nose to the Cranberry and Almond Loaf. That may have been due to the loaf tin growing legs and running away from home. That's my story anyway.
I hope you like. 

Spiced Cranberry and Almond Cupcakes

Prep: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Makes: 10 large muffins, 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

150g butter, softened
150g white sugar
175g self raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 cup of slivered almonds
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C, prepare cupcake/muffin tins with butter or paper/foil

2. In a large bowl add butter, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla essence, ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend with hand mixer until creamy.

3. Stir through almonds and cranberries.

4. Place mixture into muffin/cupcake tin, place a small dried cranberry on top of each muffin/cupcake.

5. Cook for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Serve warm or cooled. 

I may also be stupidly excited about my new electronic scales from 'Three Hats'. Most importantly it is red and I finally have something to measure weight instead of esimating. I haven't had an official scale for 2 years and this has resulted in me not trying some recipes. Woot woot!!!

Banana Muffin Update- better recipe

Okay, I may be obsessed with banana's. They taste good on their own, in a smoothie, on a cake, in a fruit salad, dried and baked. What more could you want from a fruit AND they are plentiful around here. I never thought I would get over my 'never want to look at a *@$#ing banana phase' after working on the farm. But, I am glad I did. Previously I posted a recipe I use for my banana muffins. However, I have a simpler and in my opinion yummier recipe that I am making today. It requires less ingredients and I use brown sugar. Here is my amended awesome Banana Muffin Recipe (esp. good if you are short on cooking supplies).
  Awesome Easy Banana Muffins 
-from a friend who wishes not to be named- you know who you are :)

  Ingredients
- 3-4 ripened bananas
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tblsp butter
- 1 egg
- 2 cups self raising flour
 - 2 tblsp milk

  Method
 1. Squash bananas, place in bowl
2. Add all other ingredients and mix.
3. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celsius, prepare trays
4. Bake for 15-17 mins

 Serve
I normally do not put any icing on however, previously I have dusted with icing sugar or sprinkled with brown sugar. My friend uses cream cheese icing with hers (sorry haven't made this before, perhaps google for a recipe). On a side note these also freeze well (in case you need to make hundreds).

 Happy baking! Here are a few clever banana art pictures I have seen on the interwebs previously. So talented!

Banana Muffin Addiction

Here is my plan. Just go with it okay. I have 3 bananas left from my bunch the parents brought down for me from the farms North of here. I am so excited because they are almost perfect for making Banana Muffins, I am so excited!!! I want to make them tonight but I am half way through making my previous fritter recipe for staff lunch tomorrow. Here is the recipe I use I got it from one of my aunties. If I don't get it done tonight it will have to be tomorrow.

Banana Muffins

Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups self raising flour
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
-1 cup of milk
-1 egg
-2 tbsp butter
-1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2-3 bananas mashed

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, prepare muffin tray.
2. Combine milk, egg, butter, vanilla and bananas blend in a metal bowel.
3. Add flour and sugar and mix well.
4. Put mixture into muffin tray
5. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden
6. Serve warm with butter or eat cold.