The Most Amazing Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

The following is a single recipe for them. I ALWAYS double it though. I've tripled it before but it was so much batter. I had a hard time mixing it.

PREHEAT OVEN to 350

 I've tried generic bran cereals and Fiber One and they just aren't as good in this recipe.

2 cups Kellogg's All Bran ORIGINAL. (NOT Flakes)
1 cup Kellogg's Bran Buds
1 cup boiling water
Mix boiling water with both cereals. Let soak for 5 minutes or so.

Mean while, mix the following ingredients together in a mixing bowl:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oil
2 cups buttermilk

Add the soaked cereals to the mixing bowl and mix well.
Add chocolate chips to batter. I've never measured. Jed likes his with more chocolate than me. I like it when each muffin has 3 or 4 chips.

Spray your muffin pans with Pam (or whatever non stick spray you use) and fill the cups about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Here is my HUGE secret to making them taste the best:
When they come right out of the oven and are cooled, I don't really love them. They aren't nearly as moist.

Here is what I've found. When they are still a little warm place the in Ziplock bags. (make sure they are freezer bags). Give them an hour or more in the baggie. The warmth softens the outer part of the muffins.
Also these freeze AMAZINGLY well. When we are finished with one baggie, I pull out another and leave on the counter. You can also warm them in the microwave at 50%.
ENJOY

Pudding Cake

From my sister-in-law, Lindsay. (I copied and pasted it.)

I have no idea where I got this recipe but it's oh so good!
serves 8

1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 c chopped nuts (I like walnuts or pecans)
3/4 c milk
2 T melted butter
1 t vanilla
1 c hot water
1/2 c chocolate syrup
Whipped cream, milk or vanilla ice cream

1. Heat oven to 350. Cover 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and nuts in large bowl. Stir in milk, butter and vanilla until well mixed. Scrape into prepared dish.

3. Stir together hot water and syrup in small bowl. Pour over batter.

4. Bake for 35 mins or until cake is done and pudding bubbles up on sides. Cool 20 mins. Serve warm or at room temp (It's obviously best warm). Spoon extra syrup on top and serve with whipped cream, milk or vanilla ice cream. ENJOY!

Cheesecake Cookie Cups

                    Cheesecake Cookie Cups

   12 pieces Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough 
 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
 Strawberries, blueberries, or decorative fruit of choice 


 Preheat oven to 325°.  Paper-line 12 muffin cups.  Place one piece of cookie dough in each muffin cup.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.  Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, egg, and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth.  Pour about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each cookie cup.  Bake for additional 15 to 18 minutes or until set.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Top with fruit of choice.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.Click Here for Nestle website and picture

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Ok so we made a bunch of zucchini bread and these muffins a few weeks ago. The muffins were by far much better than the zucchini bread recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. I didn't add the walnuts (Jed isn't a fan of nuts in baked items) and instead of the cup of raisins or craisins we added a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips... AMAZING!!!! They turned out so pretty that I even decided to take some pictures... maybe I can get them on here.
Zucchini Muffins

For those of you who prefer to use oil over butter, be my guest (use 1 cup vegetable oil instead of the butter) but I have to tell you, I've made these both ways, and the butter version just tastes better.
Ingredients

* 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
* 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
* 1 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* Pinch salt
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 cup walnuts (optional)
* 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Method

You don't need a mixer for this recipe.

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.

2 Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

Note, if you are including walnuts and dried fruit, you will likely have more batter than is needed for 12 muffins. I got about 14 muffins from this batch, and that included filling the muffin cups up as far as they could possibly go (above the surface of the muffin tin).

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

Everyone's Favorite! Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)

Everyone has this recipe... I'm just really trying to get rid of all paper recipes!

9 cups Chex (we prefer Rice)
1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and margarine in a 1 quart microwaveable bowl, uncovered on High for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until the mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in large bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour in large plastic baggie and add powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.