Apple Muffins

I am on a crazy muffin kick these days. On the search for a yummy fall muffin.  Found it! These are sooooo good! Makes a perfect dozen puffy delicious Fall muffins. Hope you enjoy!

My only modification was that I have discovered my awesome Costco olive oil can go into stuff as oil with NO weird flavor! Woot! 

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened & 3 TBSP. olive oil (or you can just do 1/2 cup butter)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3-3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup finely chopped apple (feel free to add a little extra)

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons softened butter

Chopped nuts if you like

Yield: 1 dozen

Heat oven to 375F. Line muffin tin with liners. 

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add in eggs and vanilla extract; beat until well blended and fluffy.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Add dry mixture to wet mixture, one third at a time, while alternating with buttermilk. Beat just until blended. Fold in chopped apples. Fill muffin liners about 3/4 full. Will make 12.

Now we’re going to make the crumb topping! Use the empty bowl from the dry ingredients, and mix together the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Work the softened butter in with your fingers. Sprinkle over muffin mixture.

Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Feel free to add a glaze on top. 

Via Cincyshopper

Beef Zucchini Enchiladas

Via Recipe Girl https://www.recipegirl.com/easy-beef-enchiladas/ 

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2-1 cup diced onion
1-2 cups finely diced zucchini (I really loosely use this list. I just chop up a bunch of zucchini and an onion and add about 1/2- 1 lb ground beef that's already been cooked. I sprinkle it with garlic salt and sometimes cumin or Tajin. Just to add some flavor. 

Salt, pepper, seasoning.

12 corn tortillas, heated or I like to steam the tortillas as the meat mixture is finishing up. Can use flour tortillas too.
2 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce, canned or homemade
3 cups cheddar- jack shredded cheese
Serve as desired with: shredded lettuce, avocado, cilantro, sour cream (don't skip the toppings!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

2. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef; break apart with a spoon or spatula to crumble the meat. Saute the meat on medium heat until browned (about 5 minutes). Tilt the pan and spoon the fat out of the pan; discard. Remove cooked meat to a bowl.

3. Return pan to medium heat and add onion and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any seasoning you like. Saute until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add to the meat mixture; set aside. Place tortillas in pan and corner for 1-2 min and flip and repeat.

4. Add 1/2 cup or half a can of sauce to the prepared pan. Spread it around so it coats the entire bottom of the pan.

5. Assemble the enchiladas: Place tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the meat mixture down the middle. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of cheese on top of the meat. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of sauce on top. Wrap the tortilla around the filling tightly and place it seam-side-down in the pan. Note that my tortillas ALWAYS break so it doesnt look very pretty...Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling until you have finished filling 12 tortillas. Place the tortillas side-by-side in the pan- it's okay if they are all snuggled in there tightly.

6. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the stuffed enchiladas and place grated cheese on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly (sometimes less sometimes more).

7. Remove pan from the oven and take off the foil. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top; return to the oven and let the cheese melt (about 5 minutes).

8. Serve immediately with desired condiments.

This is yummy as leftovers and if I made extra it makes a great giveaway meal or freeze for next time. 

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ok these are the most sinful pancakes ever but boy are they amazing! Like a soft yummy cinnamon roll with 1/6 of the work. Definitely a keeper for special occasions and holidays. The filling and glaze makes enough for 2 batches or pancakes but for the two of us I just store it in the fridge.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes:

For Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour +1TBSP
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

If you have it 1-2 TBSP applesauce

Yield 6-7 medium/ large pancakes

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Enough for 2 batches of pancakes

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese 
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Enough for 2 batches pancakes

Poppyseed Dressing & Reception Salad

My mother-in-law makes this FABULOUS and easy salad for our receptions and weddings she helps with. It's so easy and good. I wanted to make it for a Relief Society salad social but didn't have poppyseed dressing. I found this recipe on my favorite: Our Best Bites...they never fail me. :) It's tangy and delicious just the way we like it. :)

Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Our Best Bites
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the “hairy” end and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

Reception Salad:

1-2 Romaine lettuce chopped (or spinach)

1/3 cup Craisins

1/4 cup Sliced Sugared Almonds

1/3 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

Poppyseed Dressing

Toss together and serve. Delish!

Roasted Vegetables and Feta

Had these veggies at a ward activity and thought they were SO good! I didn't know who made it because we're so new but found a recipe that seems to be like it online. The feta is what mades it so good. They're tangy and flavorful. Love it!

Ingredients: Feel free to add or change whatever veggies you have. I think the most important thing are the peppers, and zucchini with the sauce and feta.

20 ounces mushrooms, whole and drained

1 large red pepper, cored and coarsely chopped

1 large yellow pepper, cored and coarsely chopped

1 zucchini, cut into large chunks

1 small onion, coarsely chopped/ sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons feta, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 º F (190ºC). Combine mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onion, and garlic in 9 x 13 inch (3L) baking dish.
2. Stir remaining ingredients except for feta in a small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables and stir in to evenly coat.
3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve.

Key Lime Cake (for Brandon)

Brandon loves key lime pie. Our Costco unfortunately wasn't making it this year for his birthday so I finally got the opportunity to make him this cake I've wanted to make. It's not the most beautiful cake ever because it's SO moist, but it is delicious! So fresh and you can tell it's lime flavored which makes it super summery and fresh.  I cut the recipe in half because we didn't want a huge cake but wish I had made the full batch. It was GOOD. This is the Trisha Yearwood full recipe but I read the reviews and wanted it to be limey so I made some modifications which are included in my recipe. 

Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

1 3-oz package lime-flavored gelatin
1⅓ cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4-5 large eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil & 1/2 cup applesauce (She calls for 1 1/2 cups oil originally)
¾ cup lime juice Kool-aid or other lime drink mix made
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

LIME GLAZE: For cake before frosting
½ cup lime juice(from about 2 big juicy limes...more if you need)
½ cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans. GREASE THEM WELL...AS IN WITH FLOUR AND EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THESE WILL STICK!

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin powder, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, lime flavored juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 2 pans and bake for 20-40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

3. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners’ sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (1-lb) box confectioners’ sugar
zest of 2 limes (zest before you juice it)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

Cookie Dough Bombs

My principal made these for us and they are TO DIE FOR! I'm not sure if this is her exact recipe but they look just like it in Todd's Kitchen YouTube video.

In a mixer or bowl beat:

Cream until smooth and fluffily:
¾ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar

Add:
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
Pinch salt

Mix until well mixed:
Chocolate chips to cover