Cranberry Orange Muffins

For the baby blessing, I had a breakfast theme. I had breakfast casseroles, bagles with cream cheese, fruit, and muffins! It was so fun to have all these different muffins to try (thanks for the idea Kristi!). My sister made these and they were a huge hit! She shared the recipe, so I'm passing it along!

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the muffin tin
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins, if desired
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan, and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove berries from the heat, and set aside to cool and plump. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.

Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, orange zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Do not over mix. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

These muffins were served at a Relief Society farewell breakfast that a friend of mine went to. My friend said these muffins were just as good as lemon blossoms (say what?!) and although I love my lemon blossoms to pieces, I had to try them. They were really really good, perfect for breakfast. They were made into mini muffins using mini liners, although I'm sure Pam would work too. You can make them into regular muffins as well, like the recipe calls for.

Anyway, the way I made them was the way they were made at this breakfast thingy. I made them mini, dipped them into the melted butter and sugar like the recipe says to, but then I drizzled them with melted white chocolate (1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 2-3 tsp Crisco melted in the microwave). Just make sure you put wax paper under your cooling racks when you drizzle so there isn't white chocolate drips all over your counter. I don't know how long the mini muffins would take to bake. My oven cooks way hot so I never cook things as long as they say to. Just watch them. And if you are making them regular size, follow the recipe! Enjoy!

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh OR frozen (do not thaw) raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or 3 oz coarsely chopped white baking bar)

Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine milk, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in all remaining muffin ingredients except raspberries and white baking chips just until flour is moistened. Gently stir in raspberries and white baking chips.

Spoon into foil or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Dip top of each muffin in melted butter, then in sugar. (After this you can drizzle with chocolate).

VARIATION:
Raspberry White Chocolate Coffee Cake: Spread batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; cut into squares.

Easy Banana Muffins

From Betty Crocker (not me, the other one!)

1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
3 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups Bisquick Original baking mix (I use Jiffy--cheaper!!!)
1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts (I put in chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 400. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, or line with paper baking cups. Beat bananas, oil, egg, and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in bkaing mix and chocolate chips just until baking mix is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins in pan 5 minutes, remove from pan to wire rack. Serve warm if desired.