Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

With all of the snow we have been having lately we feel the need for treats. On Sunday Paul was out shovelling (thank goodness for our neighbour Bill's comment about Paul hiding under a shrub every time it has snowed this year. Paul was guilted into action. Go Bill!) and likely cranky.It was cold and nasty out.

I took pity on him and decided to bake a treat for breakfast. Yes, he is spoiled. Because the car wasn't getting out of the driveway I had to make do with what I had on hand. I found this recipe on-line at the Cooking Light web site.

These muffins came together quickly AND they are low in fat. The cream cheese and buttermilk gave them a wonderful tangy taste. I used some of the raspberries that I froze in July - anything for a taste of summer.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (I used sliced almonds)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.

Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

Yield 2 dozen

CALORIES 142(32% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 2.7g; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 31mg; SODIUM 138mg; FIBER 1.1g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.6g

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Last weekend I mentioned that I had some ripe bananas and rather than throw them out as I usually do I planned on baking something with them but I didn't know what.

For awhile it looked as if I would never get to bake anything with them because mom was trying to sneak them out of the house so she could make Banana Bread.

By yesterday they were REALLY ripe! I ended up making some low-fat strawberry banana muffins which allowed me to use up the bananas as well as some strawberries which I had in the fridge.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries cut into pieces
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).  Position rack in center of oven.  Line the  muffin pan with paper liners or grease with butter or a vegetable spray.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan melt the butter.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and mashed banana.    Add the melted butter to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.

In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Gently fold in the berries, making sure they are coated with flour.  This helps to prevent the berries from sinking during baking.  Do not over mix or the berries will end up coloring the batter.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined.  Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.

Fill each muffin cup about two thirds full of batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.  Fill any unused muffin cups halfway with water to prevent warping of the pan and/or over browning of the muffins.  Place in the oven and bake until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins.