COUPONS Work For Me! WFMW

My Hubby calls me the Coupon Queen. I use coupons for everything-groceries, restaurants, oil changes, trips to the mall, and online shopping. I clip coupons from the newspaper, print them out online, and sign up for direct mailing of coupons from individual companies. I save our family a TON of money each month and often get many items FREE, which enables me to give the excess food away to friends or the local food pantry at church. For example, yesterday my bill at Walgreens came out to $98, but after my coupons, I paid $12.98 and received a $4 coupon to use the next time I go to WAGS (my nickname for Walgreens). The Winter Texans behind me in line applauded me when they saw how much the total bill dropped.

Now, I must admit, not everyone is a FAN of Couponing, and you may get dirty looks when you break out your coupons while checking out at a store. I usually warn people ahead of time that I will be using a lot of coupons and the transaction may take longer as a result.

I am not going to go into all the tricks and tips of couponing today, but if you want tips feel free to email me. I would love to teach a Couponing Class one day. I believe that God wants us to use the money that He blesses us with wisely. If we can save money on our daily essentials, then we will have more money to give away to others.

The pictures above are of the cute Coupon Organizer that I made this week to hold all of my coupons. I bought an expandable file at Hobby Lobby for $5.99 with a 40% coupon (I told you I am obsessed :-)). So for about $3.50 I was able to create the cutest coupon holder to carry with me on my shopping trips. I used some stickers that I had already (I think I bought them all at the Dollar Tree). So, now I have an extra reason to smile when using coupons as I have such a FUN way to store them :-).

Using Coupons to save money TOTALLY Works For Me! For more Works For Me Wednesdays, check out http://www.wearethatfamily.com/

And, if you are new to Butterfly Kisses & Tasty Dishes, then THANKS for stopping by! Check out my recipes, ramblings from my heart, and my 100 muffins in 100 day adventure. May your day be filled to overflowing with God's Love so that you naturally spill it out on others!

Day #51: Frosted Chocolate Orange Muffins

Today, I made Frosted Chocolate Orange Muffins, quite a unique combination, but quite tasty too. The Citrus addition gave your ordinary chocolate muffin a flavor burst and made them extra sweet.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Moist Orange & Almond


Frosted Chocolate Orange Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 oranges

about 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 large eggs
strips of orange zest, to decorate

FOR THE FROSTING:

2 oz semisweet chocolate chips (1/4 cup)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp water

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Finely grate the rind from the oranges and squeeze the juice. Make up the juice to 1 cup with the milk and add the orange rind.

Sift together the flour, salt, cocoa, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and chocolate chips.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk and orange mixture, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting, break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter and water, and stand the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir constantly, until melted. Remove from the heat, sift in the confectioners sugar, and beat until smooth. While the frosting is still warm, spread it on top of the muffins, then decorate with strips of the orange zest.

Day #50: Chicken & Corn Muffins

We enjoyed today's Hearty Chicken and Corn Muffin for dinner with a Ceasar Salad on the side. It was filling, delish, and healthy!

Tomorrow's Muffin: FROSTED CHOCOLATE ORANGE

Thanks for following me on this muffin journey my Beautiful Friends. Can you believe we are HALFWAY through the journey already?? 50 Muffins completed, 50 left. Hope you are having as much fun as I am. If you want to get each and every muffin recipe delivered to your email inbox, then just sign up to receive my posts in the box on the right side of my blog.

Here is a little encouragment for your heart today. I recently heard this Amazing Song by Matt Maher and Kari Jobe, "To You Be the Glory"....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH6QbH7wXgs

Chicken and Corn Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
7 Tbsp canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 skinless chicken breast, about 6 oz finely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
ground paprika, to garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Sift together the flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder in a large bowl.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Add the chicken mixture and corn. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,sprinkle with paprika, and serve warm.

Day #49: Brandied Peach Muffins (sans Brandy)

If you are a Southerner, and if you love peaches, and if you think Peach Cobbler is melt-in-your-mouth delicious, then you are going to GO CRAZY for today's muffin. The recipe title is Brandied Peach, but we do not keep liquor in our home so I made a few substitutions when baking these goodies. They turned out wonderful even without the addition of the Brandy, but feel free to use it if you wish. Instead of the Brandy, I used a heaping tablespoon of vanilla extract and added a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon. If you do not use the brandy, include the natural peach juice in the batter when you are mixing as it will make them extra moist. My hubby said the muffins taste just like a bowl of peach cobbler. So, I encourage you to eat one while it is hot and serve it with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It would be a perfect spring or summer treat!

Tomorrow's Muffin: Chicken and Corn

Thanks for following me on this muffin journey my Beautiful Friends My prayer for you this week is that you will be reminded that you are God's Masterpiece-Created for GOOD THINGS!

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

Brandied Peach Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
14 oz canned peaches in natural juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp brandy (or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
1 tbsp cinnamon (my addition)
finely grated rind of 1 orange


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Drain and finely chop the peaches. NOTE: If not using the Brandy, do not drain the peaches. Chop them, and then add the natural peach juice to the mixture.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, brandy (or vanilla), orange rind, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Add the chopped peaches (and juice if you are not using brandy). Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Day #48: Baby Shower Muffins

I was asked to make a Baby Shower Cake for a friend from church, so I thought today would be the perfect day to make the Baby Shower Muffins (Cupcakes, really) out of my 100 Muffin Cookbook. I love the idea of making and serving cupcakes instead of a big cake because with cupcakes you already have the perfect single portion size, no cutting needed. These were so much fun to make, and you could really let your creativity go wild. I made some as the recipe dictated, but I made an extra dozen and decorated with the basic Wilton white icing recipe and edible pansies on top. They turned out so very pretty. Since it is close to Easter, I was able to find Pink Whopper eggs that worked great in place of the sugared almonds in the recipe.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Brandied Peach (sans brandy :-))

Baby Shower Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
12 pink or blue sugared almonds, to decorate

For the FROSTING:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3-4 tsp hot water
1-2 drops of red or blue food coloring

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, lemon rind, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the muffins are cold, make the frosting. Sift the confectioners sugar into a bowl. Add the water and stir until the mixture is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring and stir into the frosting until it is evenly colored pink or pale blue.

Spoon the frosting on top of each muffin. Top with a sugared almond and let stand for about 30 minutes before serving.

Day #47: Cherry & Coconut Muffins

Today I made the Cherry & Coconut Muffins instead of the Blue Cheese & Pear ones that I had mentioned yesterday. Sorry for the subsitution, but I discovered my pears had gone bad when I started to make them. But, no need to worry, we will tackle them another day.

The Cherry & Coconut proved to be a unique and quite tasty combination for the Coconut fan. I changed the recipe up a little by using a jar of maraschino cherries instead of dried cherries and fresh cherries. You could also substitute regular milk for the coconut milk and still get a great muffin. The recipe says to include a whole cherry with the stem on top of each muffin before baking. The thought of having a stem bake in my muffin just didn't seem appealing to me, so I removed the stems first before topping the muffins with cherries.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Baby Shower Muffins

Cherry & Coconut Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
1/2 cup candied cherries (I used 1 small jar maraschino cherries and cut each cherry into halves)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
2 large eggs
1 cup coconut milk
6 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 whole fresh cherries on their stalks (I removed the stalks)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Cut the candied cherries into small pieces.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, coconut flakes, and chopped candied cherries.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the coconut milk, vanilla extract and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Top each muffin with a whole fresh cherry.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Hurt Before the Healing

Over the past few weeks, my heart has been heavy with grief and a burdening weight that has left me frustrated and in tears at least once a day. I hate it when I feel like this; I hate the lack of joy that my heart has; I hate my downcast spirit. I am not sure the exact cause of this recent frustration and sadness. Maybe I didn’t allow myself to grieve fully after Savannah died; maybe I am fighting fears or frustrations over the fact that our timing to get pregnant again doesn’t seem to be God’s timing. Maybe, I am lonely, feeling disconnected and distanced from the ones I love the most. Or, maybe it is just a combination of all these things.

Whatever the reason, it is real, and it stinks. But, God is the Master at making “stinking” things have a Beautiful aroma. He often speaks to me through song, and this week, Josh Wilson’s new song, “Before the Morning” has spoken to my heart and given me hope that the pain I have been feeling in my heart really is just the “hurt before the healing.”

I encourage you to read the lyrics to the song below and then listen to the link of the song on You Tube. I also put a link to a video of Josh Wilson explaining the story behind why he wrote the song. After hearing the reasoning behind the song, I was even more convicted that God wanted to minister to my heart through these words.

If you are hurting in your life now or stuck in a place where things just don’t seem to be getting better, then I encourage you that there is hope and healing coming. You are loved and prayed for my friends. Thanks for listening; I am truly humbled that you are reading my blog.

Josh Wilson’s Before the Morning:

Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you
If there’s a God who loves you where is He now

Maybe there are things you can’t see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending

Someday somehow you’ll see you’ll see

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming
So hold on you gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

My friend you know how this all ends
You know where you’re going
You just don’t know how you’ll get there
So say a prayer

And hold on cause there’s good for those who love God
But life is not a snapshot
It might take a little time but you’ll see the bigger picture

Once you feel the weight of glory
All your pain will fade to memory

It’s just the hurt before the healing
Oh the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

The song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MniOtRnCO9I

Story behind the song:
http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=13a37597ad327d0bf760

Black Bean Brownies-WFMW

Okay, if you actually decided to read this post after seeing the title, then I applaud you. Black Beans and Brownies just don't seem to go together in the same sentence, much less the same recipe. I have been trying very unsuccessfuly to get my three year old to eat vegetables, so when I found this recipe for Black Bean Brownies, I figured it was worth a try especially since my joyful son is like his father and loves all things chocolate.

These brownies are flourless, and I substituted the 3 tablespoons of oil for 1 snack size cup of applesauce. So, they are also super healthy, low-fat, and packed full of fiber. They finished baking while my son was taking a nap, so I decided to be the first taste-taster. To be honest, I almost threw them away-they looked fine, but I personally thought they tasted like pureed black beans. Yuck!

But, I didn't throw them away, and decided that I would see if my son would eat them despite my misgivings. Not only did he eat one, he INHALED it, and said, "Mommy, this is YUMMY in my TUMMY!" Rarely, does he say those words! He then preceded to inhale two more of these Beany Brownies barely stopping to swallow. YAY!! The trick worked, and he had no idea he was eating a ton of beans :-). Just look at the pictures above....he is one happy boy eating those black beans ;-)!

That being said, try them with your kiddos. The adult palate may detect the "beany" flavor, but apparently kids do not. And, apparently, grown men who love chocolate do not either. My hubby arrived home tonight and said that they tasted great. Maybe I didn't like them because I am not a big fan of chocolate or brownies to begin with?

Hiding Vegetables in my Recipes TOTALLY Works For Me! For more Works For Me Wednesdays, check out http://www.wearethatfamily.com/

And, if you are new to Butterfly Kisses & Tasty Dishes, then THANKS for stopping by! Check out my recipes, ramblings from my heart, and my 100 muffins in 100 day adventure. May your day be filled to overflowing with God's Love so that you naturally spill it out on others!

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil or 1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips, sprinkled on top

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish.
Combine the all ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a blender; blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Yields 16 brownies.

Day #46: Muesli Muffins

Today, I made the Muesli Muffin recipe from my 100 Muffins Cookbook. These reminded me a lot of the Homemade Granola ones that we made way back on day 18 in this journey. You can find that recipe here:
http://butterflykissesntastydishes.blogspot.com/2010/02/day-18-homemade-granola-muffins.html
In fact, you could even substitute granola for the muesli in this recipe because they are basically the same thing. For those of you who don't know what muesli is, it is a loose mixture of mainly rolled oats and/or cornflakes together with various pieces of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. You can find boxes of it in your cereal aisle at the grocery store or even make your own from scratch.
I added a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to the muffins because I thought they might need a little extra flavor. These turned out very yummy, hearty, healthy, and perfect for breakfast served warm and slathered in honey.
Enjoy!

~Sorry...no picture today...having digital camera issues :-). Trust me, the muffins are good and turned out as pretty as a muffin possibly can.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Mini Blue Cheese & Pear Muffins

Muesli Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 cups unsweetened muesli
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (my own addition, feel free to delete)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the muesli and brown sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

MONKEY BREAD MUFFINS-You will go BANANAS for this Recipe!

My Amazing Carolina Girl BFF knows my current obsession with muffins, and she sent me a recipe last week for MONKEY BREAD muffins. If you have never eaten Monkey Bread, then you don't know what you have been missing! My mom and I used to make Monkey Bread in a Large Bundt Pan when I was little. My brother and I could not stop eating the buttery, cinnamony, deliciousness. It is SO addicting. So, I was totally intrigued with a recipe for Monkey Bread Muffins. You can get the same yumminess except with portion control so you don't eat the whole pan in one sitting :-). But, let me warn you, you may not be able to stop at just one! I made 12 regular shaped muffins instead of 6 jumbo like it says in the recipe. If you want to get really extravagent you can drizzle the tops of your monkey bread muffins with a little icing (just mix 1 cup of confectioners sugar with a tablespoon or two of water and stir then drizzle away). However, the muffins are pretty incredible by themselves, no icing needed. Let your kiddos help make these. I am sure they would enjoy rolling the dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture (and then licking their fingers when they are done ;-)).

Monkey Bread Muffin Cups
makes 6 jumbo muffins or 12 regular size muffins

Ingredients:
2 tubes of biscuit dough (I used pillsbury) (20 biscuits in total)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:
Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cut each biscuit into 4ths. So in total you should have 80 little pieces of dough. In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Dip each piece of dough into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until totally covered. Divide evenly between the 6 or 12 cups. (about 13-14 in each jumbo cup or 5-7 in a regular size cup) In a saucepan boil the butter and brown sugar. Spoon about a tablespoon of the brown sugar/butter mixture over each muffin cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until baked through. Best when hot and fresh out of the oven!
Enjoy!

Day #45: Blackberry & Apple Muffins

Our Local Grocery Store had Fresh Blackberries on sale this week for 98 cents!! I stocked up since Blackberries are my absolute favorite Berry! With these yummy, juicy treats I made the Blackberry & Apple Muffins from the 100 Muffin cookbook. They turned out AMAZING! Deliciously sweet and satisfying. They would be great warm with butter or jelly slathered on them. Don't forget to add the brown sugar topping because it gives the muffins a delightful crunchy texture.

Have a FABULOUS weekend with the ones you Love!

Tomorrow's Muffin: Monkey Bread Muffins (a BONUS recipe, not from the cookbook, but sent to me by a dear friend)



Blackberry & Apple Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
9 oz/250 g chopped and peeled apple (I used two small red delicious)
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blackberries
3 tbsp raw brown sugar (for topping)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar. Peel, core, and finely chop the apple (I used 2 small red delicious). Add to the flour mixture and stir together.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients, and gently fold in the blackberries. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Srinkle the raw brown sugar on top of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Day #44: Brie & Cranberry (or any Berry) Muffins

Today I made Brie & Cranberry Muffins but I made a few substitutions. The recipe calls for Cranberry Jelly, but I could not find any in our stores. So, I used Strawberry, and they turned out pretty delicious. For fans of eating "something salty and something sweet" together then you will definitly like these muffins. You could use any flavor jelly you wish. Since I was using strawberry, I used vanilla yogurt instead of the plain yogurt the recipe called for. This made them a little bit sweeter. I also chose not to use the freshly ground pepper because I did not think that would go well in a sweet muffin. However, I encourage you to make these muffins whatever way you like, experiment a little, and have fun while doing it! These muffins would go great with a nice big omelette. Perhaps when you have "breakfast" for dinner?

Oh, on a side note, you may want to place your muffin tin on top of a larger cookie sheet lined in alluminum foil to prevent spillover into your oven cavity. I did not do this and spent much of the evening cleaning up jelly and melted cheese from the bottom of my oven :-(.

Enjoy my Precious Friends! Thanks for reading my blog. If you want to get my posts delivered to your email each day, then just sign up in the box on the right of my blog.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Blackberry & Apple

Brie & Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper (I did not use pepper)
5 1/2 oz/150 g Brie, chilled and finely cubed
2 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Vanilla)
6 tbsp sunflower oil or melted cooled butter
4 tbsp cranberry jelly (I used Strawberry)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda, pepper(if using) and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the cubed Brie.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the yogur and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Add a teaspoon of cranberry jelly to the center of each, then spoon in the remaining batter to cover the jelly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm.

Day #43: Asparagus & Sour Cream Muffins

Ok, so I am going to be 100% honest with my lovely blog readers today....today's recipe for Asparagus and Sour Cream Muffins was YUCK! And, I personally am a HUGE fan of Asparagus. But, I have come to the conclusion that Asparagus should not be put in a muffin. For fans of the Green Veggie, feel free to try the recipe because you may like it. I added 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the batter with hopes of making it tastier. Long story short, only the part of the muffin without any pieces of asparagus was tasty, despite my attempt at making it cheesier/more flavorful. For even more honest confessions, I halved the recipe and only made 6 muffins (you can tell that I had high expectations for them ;-)), and four of them ended up in the trash can. The only good thing about these muffins, were that they looked really pretty with the green peeping out of the tops-so completely festive for today's celebrations of St. Patrick's Day :-).

But, I am committed to making each and every one of the 100 muffins in the cookbook, despite how "awful" the titles may sound to me (I am totally dreading the Tuna & Olive and Smoked Salmon & Dill days :-(). Just like Julie in Julie & Julia dreaded tasting an egg and boning a duck, I will dread slicing salmon and mixing tuna into a muffin (how I hate the smell of fish!). I am Fearless, though, so do not doubt that I will try ;-).

Happy St. Patty's DAY from me and my Happy-Go-Lucky Little Boy who truly sees the Rainbow in everything!

Tomorrow's Muffin: Brie & Cranberry

Asparagus & Sour Cream Muffins

Ingredients:
7 Tbsp. sunflower or canola oil
8 oz/225 g fresh asparagus
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup finely grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese (for the tops of the muffins)
*I also added 1/3 shredded cheddar cheese inside of the muffins.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Put 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a roasting pan. Add the asparagus and turn in the oil. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, until tender. When cool, enough to handle, coarsely chop the asparagus.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the asparagus.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the sour cream and the remaining oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. (If you desire adding the 1/3 cup shredded cheese to the batter, then do so now). Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Scatter the grated cheddar or parmesan cheese to the tops of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes,then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

WFMW: The Letter "M" and Peanut Butter Banana Bear "M"uffins

I LOVE spending time with my three year old son. He is full of joy and loves learning, helping me bake, being silly, and laughing! I recently ordered the book, "Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/0671631985/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268707940&sr=8-1. Today, we started with the first lesson, learning to say, sound out, and spell the letter "M". We learned that the words: mommy, monkey, mickey mouse, and muffin start with "M". In honor of our first lesson, we did something super fun and made a Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Bear "M"uffin. The recipe is my own, but the idea to make them look like Bears came from the Family Fun Website. These were not only healthy, but absolutely DELICIOUS and would work for breakfast, a snack, or even lunch accompanied by some fresh fruit and yogurt.

Make these with your kiddos and you will be teaching and making memories as well. The recipe is below.

Making Learning Fun and Spending time in the Kitchen with my son TOTALLY WORKS FOR ME!! To see more "Works For Me Wednesday" tips, visit http://www.wearethatfamily/

And, if you are new to Butterfly Kisses & Tasty Dishes, then THANKS for stopping by! Check out my recipes, ramblings from my heart, and my 100 muffins in 100 day adventure. May your day be filled to overflowing with God's Love so that you naturally spill it out on others! And, here is an extra "M" word to Bless your day-MERCY.

Lamentations 3:22-23

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."

Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I used half wheat and half white)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)
3 bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 Tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips (optional)
TO MAKE BEARS: Almond Slivers and semisweet chocolate chips, regular and mini

Directions:

1. Mix wheat flour, white flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, flax seed, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separte bowl, mix eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk, peanut butter, vanilla, applesauce, oil, and chocolate or butterscotch chips. Then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
2. Spray muffin pans and fill about 3/4 full.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Use a wooden toothpick in center, muffins are done if they come out clean.. Allow muffins to cool, and then decorate the muffins to look like bears by putting mini chocolate chips for the eyes, a regular size chocolate chip for the nose, and almond slivers for the ears and mouth.
4. Makes 24 regular size muffins

Day 42: Maple Pecan Muffins

Today I made the Maple Pecan Muffins from the 100 Muffin Cookbook, and they were a sweet treat with our morning coffee and tea. I gave some to a friend who also enjoyed them with a cup of tea for an afternoon snack. The Maple Syrup glaze provided a special touch and an extra hint of sweetness. You could substitute walnuts if you do not have pecans. I used 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup walnuts.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Asparagus & Sour Cream (a great way to get your kiddos to eat the dreaded green veggie)

Maple Pecan Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 cup pecan nuts, coarsely chopped

2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup maple syurp, plus 3 tbsp extra for glazing
6 tbsp canola oil
12 pecan nut halves

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and pecan nuts.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Top each muffin with a pecan nut half. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then brush the tops with the remaining maple syrup to glaze. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Day #41: Carrot Cilantro Muffins

Today's Carrot Cilantro Muffins are sure to be a hit in our corner of the world (South Texas) where Mexican Food is the cuisine of choice for almost everyone. I made a batch of these today to accompany a dinner of Mexican Rice, Black Beans, and Grilled Chicken. They were a big success! You could serve these hot with butter slathered on them and a nice big bowl of beans and rice-what a satisfying and healthy meal that would be! They would also go great with a Mexican Taco Salad or even a Grilled Chicken Salad.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Maple Pecan

Carrot Cilantro Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated carrots
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra sprigs to garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the grated carrots.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, chopped cilantro, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm garnished with sprigs of cilantro.

Carolina Apple Bread & Cinnamon Apple Buttermilk Pancakes

My Kindred Spirit in North Carolina, Charity, is an AMAZING cook and even created her own TasteBook Cookbook with her family's recipes. Today, I was missing her extra, so I decided to bake a few things from her cookbook. I made her Apple Bread in a Sunflower Bundt Pan and it turned out delicious and beautiful! I used the leftover Apple Pie Filling from the can and made Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes for our breakfast this morning. I used Charity's Buttermilk Pancake Recipe and then added the apple pie filling and a tablespoon of apple pie spice. They were Scrumptious! So good that we didn't even need syrup on them. However, I bet they would taste great with honey drizzled on top.


I encourage you to try a little Southern Baking compliments of my Carolina Gal. You won't be disappointed.


Have a truly BLESSED Sunday! You are Chosen; You are Loved; You are Beautiful!

Ephesians 1:4-6
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."



Apple Bread

Ingredients:

1½ cups oil (scanty)
2 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon (generous)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup apple pie filling
1 cup nuts

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, then add to sugar mixture. Stir in pie filling and nuts.

Pour batter into two greased loaf pans or a greased and floured tube or bundt pan.

Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our Favorite Buttermilk Pancakes

(Apple Cinnamon Style)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

To Make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes:

1 cup Apple Pie Filling

1 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice

Maple Syrup and additional butter to accompany pancakes (or honey)

Directions:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until blended. Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add buttermilk, milk, vanilla and melted butter to eggs. Whisk until blended. To make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, add one heaping tablespoon of apple pie spice, and about 1 cup of apple pie filling.

Preheat griddle, add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; mix batter just until blended. If lumps of flour are visible, that’s okay.

Pour spoonfuls of batter a few inches apart onto the hot greased griddle. Cook until small bubbles begin to form on the top and some pop, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn pancakes with a flexible spatula, then cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until golden brown.

Day #40: Lemon Cornmeal Muffins

Today's Lemon Cornmeal Muffins turned out suprisingly AMAZING!I was a bit hesitant about mixing lemon with cornmeal, but the result far exceeded my expectations. My hubby thought they were simply DELICIOUS! While baking these my house was filled with a heavenly lemon aroma. These muffins are very versatile; they turned out like a cross between a lemon poundcake and a cornbread. Thus, they would go well with an omelete and yogurt in the morning or as an accompaniment to a nice bowl of soup or a salad in the evening.

I used Dannon Vanilla Yogurt instead of plain because I think plain yogurt is just nasty. The vanilla yogurt I believe was the secret to the awesomeness of the muffin :-).


Tomorrow's Muffin: Carrot & Cilantro


Lemon Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients:
4 lemons
about 3 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
6 tbsp canola oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners.

Finely grate the rind from the lemons and squeeze the juice (I used a lemon zester tool). Make up the juice to 1 cup with yogurt and add the lemon rind.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in the cornmeal and sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Day #39: Marshmallow Muffins

Today's Marshmallow Muffins should probably be made without toddlers in the room. I'm just saying... My three year old saw that I was using marshmallows and he preceded to eat his fair share out of the bag while I was in the process of cutting them in half with the scissors. So, beware of marshmallow swipers if you bake these with children around :-). These are sure to please the kiddos in your life, and should best be treated as a dessert. I hope you are enjoying taking this journey of muffin madness with me. Please be sure and comment if you try one of the recipes. I love to hear feedback. Have a truly blessed day! You are precious and loved!

Tomorrow's Muffin: Lemon Cornmeal

Marshmallow Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
6 tbsp canola oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners. Using scissors, cut the marshmallows in half.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and saltcc in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and marshmallows.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

WFMW-Reuseable Tote Bags as Gift Bags

I LOVE to give gifts! My Love Language is gifts and I show my love for others in giving. One new gift-giving technique that I have started is buying cute reusable totes and using them as the gift bag for whatever gift I may be giving. I have found some really cute ones at Target and Marshalls recently. Check out the huge one with the cute pink and black shoes-99cents at Marshalls! The one in the top picture came from the Target Dollar Bin. The really exciting part is that these reusable totes cost 99 cents, $1 or $1.50 depending on where you buy them. That is even cheaper than buying a fancy gift bag at Hallmark or your local Wally World. Add some fun color tissue paper and you have the gift that keeps on giving. Your friends and family can reuse their bag when they go shopping or for any other purpose that they wish. Using REUSABLE TOTES as GIFT BAGS totally Works for Me! To see other "Works for Me Wednesday" tips check out: http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2010/03/works-for-me-easy-growth-chart.html

And, if you are new to Butterfly Kisses & Tasty Dishes, then THANKS for stopping by! Check out my recipes, ramblings from my heart, and my 100 muffins in 100 day adventure. May your day be filled to overflowing with God's Love so that you naturally spill it out on others!

Ephesians 3: 17b-19

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Day #38: Frosted Carrot Cake Muffins

Today's muffin turned out beautiful, and if you are a carrot cake fan then you will find these especially delicious! I made some of these with the frosting and some without. I figured they would be healthier for my three year old minus the butter/cream cheese/confectioners sugar glaze :-). The combination of grated carrots, walnuts, raisins, and orange juice provides a healthy breakfast or snack treat for kiddos of all ages.

Tomorrow be sure and join me as we make MARSHMALLOW Muffins.
Blessings and Love to you!!!

Frosted Carrot Cake Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp apple pie spice (I used pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
6 tbsp canola oil
finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
strips of orange zest, to decorate

For the Frosting:
1/3 cup soft cream cheese
3 tbsp butter
3/8 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice in a large bowl. Stir in the dark brown sugar, grated carrots, walnuts and raisins.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk, orange rind, orange juice, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, put the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and sift in the confectioners sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy. When the muffins are cold, spread the frosting on top of each, then decorate with strips of orange zest. Chill the muffins in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Day #37: High Fiber Muffins

Today's muffin, HIGH FIBER, is like a dose of good health for your heart and body. The high fiber cereal, raisins, and skim milk provide you with the energy and nutrients you need to start your day right. These muffins are very filling, and they taste delicious served warm and sliced with preserves slathered on the two halves liberally. Honey would also be a delicious topping to this muffin. Try one for lunch too-I split one in two and put peanut butter on one side, honey on the other, and my three year old loved it. I used Fiber One Cereal but you could use any high fiber cereal-All Bran, Kashi, Total, etc...

I am excited about making Tomorrow's Muffin, Frosted Carrot Cake,it sounds like the perfect treat for a Spring Brunch or Easter Party. So, Stay Tuned!

Be sure and comment if you try a muffin or make a substitution. I would love to hear which muffins are your favorite and what creative ideas you have for making the recipes your "very own". Thanks for stopping by my little corner of baking bliss! My prayer is that your heart is happy and full of God's Love for you!

Proverbs 15:13

"A Happy Heart makes the Face Cheerful."

High Fiber Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups high fiber bran cereal (I used Fiber One)
1 cup skim milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup raisins
2 large eggs
6 tbsp canola oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners. Put the cereal and milk in a bowl and let soak for about 5 minutes, until the cereal has softened.

Meanwhile, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and raisins.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients, and add the cereal/milk mixture. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Day #36: Cream Cheese & Garlic (or Chive) Muffins

Today, I experimented a little with the Cream Cheese & Garlic Muffin recipe from the 100 Muffin Cookbook and made my own "Cream Cheese & Chive." I could not find the spreadable garlic cream cheese that the recipe called for, so I used spreadable cream cheese with chive and onion. The result was DELISH! We had whole wheat spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce for dinner tonight, and these muffins were the perfect accompaniment. Tomorrow, I am making a pot of chili and we will eat the leftover Cream Cheese & Chive muffins with that dinner as well. These muffins would also go great with a bowl of tomato soup or even as a side dish for an omelette in the morning.

You can surely experiment with any flavored cream cheese that you can find. I want to try them with Strawberry Cream Cheese inside and strawberry yogurt (omitting the pepper of course) for a sweet muffin treat. That sounds YUMMY!


Tomorrow's Muffin: High Fiber Muffins


Cream Cheese & Garlic Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs
6 tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup soft cream cheese flavored with garlic and herbs (or any flavor you like)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin pan liners. Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the yogurt, oil, and cream cheese until smooth. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm.

Day #35: Sticky Toffee Muffins

Sticky Toffee Muffins were the muffin of choice today. I must admit that I was a little bit hesitant about these muffins when I first read the recipe. The thought of pureed dates just didn't seem very appealing to me. My fears were unwarranted, however, as the muffins turned out simply delightful! They have a wonderful toffee flavor, are nice and fluffy, and the topping makes them into a lick-your-lips party for your tummy (sorry, too much Yo Gabba Gabba in my house :-)). These muffins would go great with a hot cup of coffee, a good friend, and lots and lots of laughter.

Just a note...Because I cannot seem to find Dulce de Leche syrup in the stores where we live, I used caramel ice cream topping. Also, I used my Magic Bullet to puree the dates in the water. It worked great and provided a quick method with easy cleanup.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Cream Cheese & Garlic


Sticky Toffee Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
Heaping 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
1 cup water
2 large eggs
6 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp Dulce de Leche

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12muffin pan liners.

Put the dates and water in a food processor and blend to form a rough puree.

Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the date puree and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Spoon a teaspoon of Dulce de Leche over the top of each muffin before serving.