Baba Ganoush Muffins #MuffinMonday

Roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic and a little cumin give these baba ganoush muffins all the flavor of that wonderful dip, in small portable packages. They are perfect with a cold beer, red wine or even something sparkling.

I am a firm believer that you can make pretty much anything into a muffin. It just requires some imagination and the creation of a fusion recipe, taking the ingredients of one dish and turning it into something completely different, but just as delicious.

As we munched on these with a glass of Prosecco the other evening, I share my theory with my husband. He’s learned over the years not to doubt me on matters of the kitchen, but he cocked his head to one side and gave me that little smile where he turns up just one corner of his mouth. “How about banana cream pie?”

If you’ve been reading along here for a while, or follow me on social media, you might know that banana cream pie is his favorite dessert, his special request on his birthday or Father’s Day. Interesting idea. Banana cream pie muffins. I’m not even going to google it because, in all likelihood, someone’s already done one.

But check back next month to see if I succeed. Meanwhile, roast youself an eggplant and make some savory Baba Ganoush Muffins. They are really rather special too.

Ingredients
Butter, oil or baking spray for greasing muffin pan
1 small eggplant about 8 1/2 oz or 240g
1 1/2 cups or 190g flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Black pepper
1/2 cup or 130g tahini
1/2 cup or 120ml milk
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed in a garlic press
Parsley for garnish, if desired

Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and grease a 12-cup muffin pan with a little butter or oil.

Poke the eggplant all over with the tines of a fork. Using a carving fork, hold the eggplant closely over the flame of your gas stove, turning it until it’s charred all over, about 5-7 minutes. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can just to all the roasting in the oven - it may take up to 25-30 minutes.)

Put the charred eggplant on a baking sheet and put it into the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until it’s completely cooked through.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and set it aside to cool.

Meanwhile, you can be getting the rest of the muffin ingredients ready.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, baking powder, cumin and a few generous grinds of fresh black pepper.

In another bowl, measure out your tahini and milk and add in the egg.

When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the peelings and discard.

Mash the flesh with a fork.

 Add it to the wet ingredient bowl along with the garlic. Stir well to combine.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just mixed. Divide the thick batter between the 12 muffin cups. Top with a little chopped parsley for color, if desired.

Bake in your preheated oven about 20-23 minutes or until the tops and sides are golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then removed them from the pan and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Check out all the lovely muffins my Muffin Monday bakers have created for you:

• Baba Ganoush Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Basic Banana Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gruyère, Roasted Pepper, and Thyme Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Healthy Tiramisu Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Maple Bacon Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Orange Oat Muffins from Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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Maque Choux Cornbread Muffins #MuffinMonday

Maque choux is a spicy Cajun corn dish that makes an appearance at every holiday meal at my house. I am quite happy to eat leftovers from a bowl with a spoon but maque choux cornbread muffins are another delightful choice.

Welcome to the final Muffin Monday for 2016! It's been a year of change and challenge for many of us, but coming together once a month to bake and share muffins is therapeutic, at least for me. I hope you all have enjoyed the variety of muffins as much as I do.

I created this little group because muffins are one of the easiest things to bake. I wanted to motivate readers who are intimidated by baking to give muffins a try. You don't need electric beaters for mixing, just two bowls and a spoon or spatula. All the wet ingredients in one bowl. All the dry ingredients in the other. Fold them together and bake in a greased muffin pan. What could be simpler?

Ingredients
1 cup or 200g fine cornmeal or polenta
1 cup or 125g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup or 235g leftover maque choux from this recipe
1/2 cup or 113g butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup or 80g thick sour cream
2 large eggs

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by lining it with paper muffin cups or greasing it.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your cornmeal and flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt

In another mixing bowl, combine your maque choux, eggs, sour cream and melted butter.

Pour the wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon the thick batter evenly into the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes in your preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

These make a great addition to any brunch or luncheon menu.

Enjoy!

Have any of our Muffin Monday posts motivated you to get in the kitchen and bake? I'd love to hear from you if they have.  After all, with recipes as delicious as the ones the Muffin Monday bakers share, you have a great selection of both savory and sweet recipes to try.

Check out this month's tasty links.

• Blueberry Corn Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Cheddar Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fruitcake Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Maque Choux Cornbread Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Sweet Bacon and Cheese Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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Cranberry Sweet Rolls #BreadBakers

Cranberries are the darling of this season, showing up in savory and sweet recipes. (For those of us who can't get Florida Strawberries!) They add both sweetness and a welcome tart bite to these cranberry sweet rolls. Perfect for Christmas morning. Or any morning, really.

If you’ve been reading this space for a while, you might remember that I started Bread Bakers with my friend and fellow blogger Renee at Magnolia Days in September of 2014. As a group, we've been baking bread and growing like a good sourdough starter ever since. Twelve bakers took part in that first group event. This month, more than two years on, we have 16 delicious sweet yeast breads to share with you. Some months we’ve had 29 or 30 but I’m happy with 20 in a busy month like December.

Part of our Bread Bakers blurb talks about members taking turns choosing the theme or main ingredient and hosting the event each month. Because everyone is so willing to step forward, I haven’t actually hosted for ages, just played a supporting role to whoever was in charge. This month I’m stepping in to host! Our theme was chosen by Laura of Baking in Pyjamas who unfortunately had to drop out this month. I am delighted to fill in.

My cranberry sweet rolls are a seasonal take on cinnamon rolls, but with a buttery enriched dough and homemade cranberry filling. Make sure to follow my instructions to set aside a little of the filling for topping as well. That bright red on top makes them even more festive. If you want to enjoy these freshly baked for breakfast, follow the alternative instructions for the second proofing.

Don't forget to scroll down and check out all the other sweet yeast breads we’ve baked for you this month, perfect for the holiday season.

Ingredients
For the enriched dough:
1/2 cup or 120ml warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope fast-acting yeast (1/4 oz or 7g)
1 1/2 cups or 190g all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup or 57g butter, very soft but not melted

For the filling:
3/4 cup or 150g sugar
1/4 cup or 60ml water
1/4 cup or 60ml fresh orange juice
Zest of 1/2 orange (save other half for decoration)
2 cups or 210g fresh or frozen cranberries

For the glaze:
3/4 cup or 95g powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 teaspoons milk

Method
Make the filling first so it has time to cool:
In a large saucepan, bring sugar, water, orange juice and cranberries to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until cranberries begin to pop, just a few minutes. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes longer or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in orange zest; cover and set aside to cool.

Line the bottom of an 9 in or 23cm round baking pan with baking parchment.

To make the dough: Place the water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes to activate the yeast.

Add in the flour and salt. Mix well until a soft dough forms. Keep your mixer on medium speed and add in the butter a tablespoon or so at a time, mixing until the butter is incorporated each time.

Cover the bowl with some cling film or a damp towel and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. With rapid rise yeast, this rest takes the place of the first full proofing. This quite a soft dough.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle about 12x15in or 31x38cm.

Spread all but about 1/4 cup or 75g of the filling on the dough rectangle, going all the way to the sides but leaving a bit empty at the end. Save the balance for decoration.

Roll the dough up as tightly as you can manage, jellyroll style, ending at the empty end so it can seal itself as you finish the roll. Cut the roll into six equal pieces.

Place the cut rolls into your prepared pan.

Cover with cling film and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (Alternatively, if you want to bake fresh for breakfast in the morning, you can now put the sweet rolls in the refrigerator to rise more slowly overnight. Take them out in the next day and put them in a warm place while you preheat your oven.)

When the last rise time is almost up, preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool before adding the glaze.

To make the glaze, add the milk by teaspoons to the powdered sugar, stirring well in between, until you reach a good drizzling consistency.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cranberry sweet rolls. Add dollops of the reserved cranberry filling in between. Sprinkle with the remaining orange zest.

Enjoy!

Check out all the great sweet yeast breads!

• American-Style Panettone from Passion Kneaded
• Beehive Bread from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Candied Fruit Sweet Rolls from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Chestnut Roll Wreath from Food Above Gold
• Chocolate Cherry Brioche Buns from Baking Sense
• Chocolate Swirl Babka from Cook's Hideout
• Cranberry Sweet Rolls from Food Lust People Love
• Estonian Kringle from I Camp in my Kitchen
• Finnish Nissua Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Fruit & Nut Sourdough from What Smells So Good?
• Ginger Orange Stollen from SpiceRoots
• Holiday Wreath with Sweet Nut Filling from Hostess At Heart
• Kugelhopf from Ambrosia
• Marzipan Stollen from Palatable Pastime
• St. Lucia Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Stollen Bread from Sneha's Recipe
• Sweet Milk Dinner Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm/

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Shrimp Scampi Muffins #MuffinMonday

Garlicky, spicy and full of shrimp! Savory shrimp scampi muffins are perfect lunch box food. They are great cold or you can rewarm them briefly in a microwave. Or make them in mini muffin pans for a quick and easy appetizer for your holiday party.

First, my apologies for the lack of photos for the steps where we cook the shrimp. The truth is, we had shrimp scampi for dinner on Saturday night so I actually cooked about three times the amounts below, with way more butter.

It was a simple meal with crusty French bread for sopping up all the lovely garlickly sauce and a fresh salad to counterbalance the rich shrimp dish. The treble amount was a deliberate choice because I knew I wanted to make muffins with the leftovers. Savory muffins are my favorites and it has been a couple of months since I made some. Hope you like them too!

Ingredients
For the shrimp:
1 tablespoon butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh red chili, minced
1/8 cup or 30ml dry white wine
8 large shrimp (After cooking, about 1 cup, chopped roughly or 150g)
Good handful flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
Salt to taste

For the muffins:
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1/3 cup or 80ml canola or other light oil
1 egg
2 cups or 250g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it or lining it with paper baking cups.

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed pan and add the garlic and chopped chili. Sauté them gently until the garlic just starts to color and add in the white wine.

Now add the shrimp. Cook for a few minutes, covered, until the shrimp are cooked though. Add the parsley, stir and remove from the heat. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Set aside to cool.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together your milk, egg and oil.

In a larger bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pepper and salt.

Chop your shrimp in big pieces and mix them into the dry ingredients.

Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just mixed.

Divide the batter between your 12 muffin cups.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Check out all the great muffins my Muffin Monday group is sharing today!

• Banana Chocolate Espresso Swirl Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Banana Crinkle Muffins from Making Miracles
• Chocolate Chip Pecan Sweet Potato Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Christmas Morning Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Gingerbread Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Savory Sage Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Shrimp Scampi Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Stout Spice Muffins from Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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Orange and Plum Muffins #MuffinMonday

Shiny deep purple plums and bright oranges vie for my attention in my local grocery store these days. How could I resist baking them both into orange and plum muffins?

I briefly considered making sugar plums with orange zest and putting those into muffins. But, you know what, I am just too lazy for that. After all, once they are all cut up and mixed with muffin batter, who would know they had ever started life as sugar plums?

I brought these muffins round as a welcome for a new neighbor who moved in across the street while I was away last month. Shortly after, I got an iMessage: “Thank you so much for the muffins. My daughter doesn’t usually like muffins but she’s on her second one now!”  As you can imagine, that made my day! May they get as good a reception in your house.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g flour
3/4 cup or 150g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest 1 orange plus juice
4 small ripe, yet firm, plums (Mine weighed about 8 3/4 oz or 250g total, whole)
1 egg
Enough milk to orange juice to make 3/4 cup or 175ml
1/3 cup or 75g butter, melted then cooled

Optional: Pearl sugar for decoration

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Put liners in a 12-cup muffin pan or grease it well with butter or non-stick spray.

Cut the pits out and chop the plums in small pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Zest your orange into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a fork to combine and separate the zest strands from each other.

Add in your chopped plums and stir till they are well coated with the flour mixture.

In another smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, and the 3/4 cup or 175ml orange juice/milk mixture.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just mixed.

Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle on some pearl sugar, if desired.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy!


We are so glad that you’ve stopped by for Muffin Monday! We've got some beauties for you this month.

• Apple Crisp Muffins from Making Miracles
• Candied Ginger and Oatmeal Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Carrot Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Double Corn Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Golden Beet Muffins with Caramel and Chocolate from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Orange and Plum Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Pin it! 

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Baked Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches

Baked Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches are the perfect make ahead breakfast for three or a crowd of 20. Assemble the night before and bake them up hot and fresh when your guests wake up.

I must confess that my go-to breakfasts for a crowd are usually pancakes, waffles or muffins. I make my life easy in the morning by getting organized the evening before, measuring out the dry ingredients into a big bowl and whisking together the wet ingredients in another bowl. I pop the wet ingredients in the refrigerator.

All that’s left to do in the morning is to combine the two and cook the batter, a process so simple that even I can do it while simultaneously sipping on my first cup of coffee. To measure ingredients in the morning, I’d have to be on my second cup to ensure any degree of accuracy. I’m sure many of you can relate.

This week my Sunday Supper group is sharing great recipes to serve when you are hosting a sleepover or slumber party.  I doubt my make-ahead batter tips are news to most of you so I decided to branch out a little. Baked Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches take a little more time but you save that on clean up!

Ingredients per person
1 bread roll
1 slice ham
1 medium egg
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely grated sharp cheese
Sprinkle chopped green onions or chives

Extra equipment: aluminum foil cut in squares large enough to wrap your bread rolls individually

Method
(If baking immediately, preheat your oven to preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.)

If baking the next morning, start here:
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the top of your bread roll at a slight angle, like you would the top of a pumpkin for carving. Set aside.

Use the knife to cut around the hole so that you can remove the soft inside of the roll. Save it for another use like breadcrumbs or stuffing. You want to get the walls of the roll quite thin so that the heat can reach the egg quickly when we bake this.

Dry the ham slice with a paper towel and fit it into the roll, pressing down on the bottom to create more space for your egg. Don’t tear the ham or your egg will leak through to the bread roll, which we do not want.

If your eggs are very fresh, you might be able to skip this step: Crack the egg into a slotted spoon with tiny holes to let the very liquidy part of the egg drain away, leaving behind the rest of the white and the intact yolk.

Put the egg in the ham “bowl” in the roll.

Grind on some freshly ground black pepper then add the cheese on top. Sprinkle with some chopped green onion or chives.

Put the top back on the bread roll.

Wrap the whole roll completely with a piece of foil and set on a baking tray. Repeat as many times as necessary to feed all of your guests.

The baked ham, egg and cheese sandwiches can then be refrigerated overnight to be baked fresh and hot the next morning.

When you get up the next morning, preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and remove the baking pan from the refrigerator.

Once the oven is hot enough, put the pan with the sandwiches in and bake for about 15 minutes. Pull one out to check how cooked the egg yolk is. Pop it back in for a little longer if the egg is still a little too runny for your liking. You are starting with cold ham, eggs and cheese so the time will vary by how cold they were and how soft you like your egg yolks.

N.B. If you make these and bake right away without refrigerating, they will take a shorter time to cook. I tested it both ways, baking one immediately and baking the other three the next morning. I was very happy with the results either way.

Once done to your liking, remove from the oven and leave to cool enough to handle. Hand out foil-wrapped baked ham, egg and cheese sandwiches and napkins to your hungry crowd. No plates to wash! Or put them on plates and get fancy.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m thinking these could even be baked over a campfire in a Dutch oven or in a covered barbecue pit, away from the direct heat. Wouldn’t they be great for a Scout campout?

What's your favorite dish to bring or make for a slumber party? If you are looking for some great new ideas, Sunday Supper is here to help. Many thanks to our event manager, Cricket of Cricket's Confections and our host, Marion of Life Tastes Good.

Breakfast

• Bacon Jam Recipe by Life Tastes Good
• Baked Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches by Food Lust People Love
• Breakfast Strata with Bacon and Date by Caroline’s Cooking
• Broccoli Breakfast Bake by Cricket’s Confections
• Classic Buttermilk Pancakes by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Burrito by Brunch-n-Bites
• Julia’s Mushroom Quiche – Quiche aux Champignons by An Appealing Plan
• Nutty Sweet Potato Waffles by Wholistic Woman
• Overnight Green Chile Breakfast Burritos by Cooking On The Ranch
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cereal Treat Bars by Crazed Mom
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes by Books n’ Cooks
• Pumpkin French Toast Casserole by Moore or Less Cooking
• Swedish Pancakes with Brown Sugar Bananas by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Waffle Fruit Kabobs by Home Sweet Homestead

Snacks

• BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
• Better Than Anything Chex Mix by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Caramel Corn by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Cobb Salad Dip by Food Done Light
• DIY Grilled Cheese Bar by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Fluffernutter Puff Pastry Turnovers by The Weekend Gourmet
• Make-It-Yourself Caramel Apple Bar by The Freshman Cook
• Maple Fish Party Mix by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Midnight Chicken Nuggets by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• S’mores Snack Mix by Positively Stacey

Desserts

• 2-Minute Quick Fudge by Sunday Supper Movement
• Classic Oatmeal Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Heavenly Oreo Dessert by Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Peach Slab Pie by Pies and Plots

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