Honey Nut Granola Muffins

I'm always getting distracted whenever I'm logged in to post.

Not distracted by my kids, but other food sites which always manage to attract my attention.

Anyways, spent the morning baking oat muffins. I didn't actually use the original recipe (but I'll include it anyway) because I've been wanting to finish this -------------->

I used the Honey Nut Granola instead of rolled oats & almonds (which are in the original recipe), as the Granola already comes with almonds. I originally bought this to overcome my hunger pangs at work (cos my meal times can get a bit abnormal). But I didn't get to finish it. So instead of keeping this in the fridge & waiting for the expiry date, I might as well use it for the muffins.

Ingredients (original recipe): Makes a dozen

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup rolled oats*

1/2 cup ground almonds*

(I replaced * ingredients with 1 1/2 cups Honey Nut Granola)

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup low fat milk

1/4 cup honey

60g low fat butter, melted

1 egg

Icing sugar, to serve

1) Preheat oven to 180C. Line 12-hole muffin pan with muffin paper cups.

2) Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in oats, ground almonds and raisins. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients.

3) In a jug, whick together milk, honey, low fat butter and egg. Add to dry ingredients, mixing lightly until just combined.

4) Spoon mixture into muffin paper cups until two thirds full.

5) Bake for 20 mins, until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan for 5 mins. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6) Serve dusted lightly with icing sugar.

Blueberry Muffins

Yesterday I brought home a food magazine and dh suggested that I should try some of it cos it has been a while since I tried some "real food" (that's what he said).

Well, it's not that I don't want to try but sometimes:

1) it's hard to find the ingredient

2) I have to buy the whole packet when all I need is just a few grams

3) the process is too troublesome

(sigh!) But nevertheless will still make an attempt to try some of the recipes one of these days. When I'm in the mood. So far, I've indicated some of the dishes that I will try to cook, namely "Lamb & Haloumi Kebabs", "Lamb Kofta wz Spiced Yoghurt", "Spanish Tortilla", "Cajun Potato Wedges" etc...

But for today it will be Mee Rebus.

In the afternoon decided to bake a simple recipe - Blueberry Muffins.

Blueberry Muffins

The recipe requires sour cream. But since this was a last minute stint & I didn't have any sour cream in the fridge, I substituted it with fresh milk. Taste & texture is just fine.

2 cups plain flour

2 tsps bkg powder

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C. Sift the flour & baking powder into a bowl. Add the sugar & stir to combine.

2) Place the sour cream, eggs, lemon rind & oil in a bowl & whisk until smooth. Stir the sour cream mixture through the flour & sugar mixture until just combine. *For tender muffins that rise well, stir the mixture evenly & only until just combine. Do not overwork the mixture.

3)Sprinkle over the blueberries & stir once. Spoon the mixture into lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 12 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

While typing this, I managed to purchase a bracelet from Mazlyni/Kak Lyn from Multiply. Will complete the transaction soon so I can get my hands on the beautiful bracelet as soon as possible. (so excited!)

ChildCare Leave & Banana Nuts Muffins

Dear daughter has been down with fever since 10th Jan, so she has been absent from school for 3 days now. Yesterday her form teacher called me up just to check on 'Ufairah.

Today, her fever has subsided but she's still down with cold. Dear son has the cold too since yesterday evening. Wanted to bring them to the clinic after but the rain has been 'cranky' - rain, stop, rain.... So decided to bring them this morning, hoping that the weather will be better.

It has been raining since morning. With the help of my mother (who travelled from the western part of the island to northeast), brought the kids for a check-up. When it comes to the children's health, there is absolutely no compromise. Therefore I had to apply for ChildCare Leave. Thanks to my understanding boss, she approved despite today being 'operations day'. If it was just one of the kids being ill, I wouldn't take the leave but 2 kids.... I don't think my domestic help can handle both. Just yesterday, she had forgotten to give dear daughter her medicine.

Anyways, decided to try out Layla's recipe Banana Almonds Muffins while the kids are asleep. Instead of using only almonds, I've added a mixture of walnuts & hazelnuts. The result is simply yummy, especially since it's raining. Fresh & hot muffins from the oven with a cuppa *slurp* mmmm..........

Banana Nuts Muffins

2 cups flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups mashed ripe bananas

113g butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sliced almonds (toasted)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Stir in sliced almonds.

2) Mash bananas. In a mixer, blend bananas, melted butter, milk, eggs & vanilla. Add to flour mixture, stirring only until just blended. Do not overmix, otherwise the muffins will not be well risen. Fill muffin cups.

3) bake for about 18-22minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Let stand several minutes before transfer to wire rack.

Note: Yields 12 large muffins

Gave some to dear mom as a gratitude for coming all the way & for my lazy brothers at home to enjoy.

I'll probably catch on sleep as dear son couldn't sleep well last night due to the cough. He even vomitted twice. I really hope the kids will get better soon, so they'll not be so cranky.

P.S: Dear hubby will be back tomorrow. Planning to cook Assam Pedas ikan pari.