Honey Bran Breakfast Muffins

The question that torments me each morning...what do eat for breakfast? Somehow, I can never get into a routine about eating breakfast, unless a giant barrel of coffee counts as a meal. I'm not sure if it's that my stomach just isn't ready or I'm too pressed for time (read: lazy) to cook something in the morning, but breakfast is the one meal that I have trouble sticking with. Don't get me wrong...I love a giant, fluffy pancake as much as the next person and I can whip up the most delish scrambled eggs you've ever tasted...but on a daily basis? It's just not happening. But after I realized that a virtually unused carton of buttermilk (it was purchased and only slightly tapped into for Kathy's Irish Soda Bread) was about to expire, I just felt the need to salvage some by way of the muffin. So I pulled out my handy Muffin cookbook (which was the inspiration between my Apple Surprise Muffins and Snickerdoodle Muffins), searched for recipes containing buttermilk with at least a little health value. While the Blueberry Streusel was calling my name, I opted instead for the heart healthy and morning stomach pleaser, Honey Bran Muffins. This bran and fiber filled muffin isn't a pastry, but it's a filling way to get going in the morning.

Honey Bran Breakfast Muffins
*Adapted from Muffins
1 C boiling water
1 C raisins
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C honey
2 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt, optional
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 C buttermilk
3-4 C wheat germ (I used Hodgson Mills) or unprocessed wheat bran

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Pour boiling water over raisins and add baking soda. Mix slightly (it's like a little chem lab in your kitchen!). In a large mixing bowl (I broke out my oversized red Tupperware mixing bowl, reserved for major batches of baking), lightly mix remaining ingredients together.Add raisin mixture and stir just until moistened.

(Note: it's important not to overmix. If you do, it will make the batter tough and just undelicious, so resist the urge to mix and mix).

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.

Some notes:

I'm not sure if they used muffin tins for giants or what, but I had a lot more than 12 muffins. My batch produced more like 24...so many that I ended up wrapping some in plastic wrap and freezing them. Now I can just pop 'em in the microwave and add a bit of light butter whenever I want one for breakfast.

The original recipe called for unprocessed wheat bran. Admittedly...I didn't know what this was and couldn't find it. Is it cereal? A box of plain old bran? Is it masquerading under another name? What I did find, however, was wheat germ, located in the cereal aisle. But I took a leap on wheat germ (close enough?) and who would have thought...it worked!

So there you have it. A healthy breakfast muffin with just a hint of sweetness added from the raisins. But what I really want to know is, how do you get down with breakfast?

Kathy's Irish Soda Bread

A few weeks ago, I attended a bridal shower for a friend of mine. Kristen is the future Mrs. of Ryan, Shaun's long time best friend and one of my oldest friends (even before Shaun was in the picture...many, many years ago. Our friendship was born when I had a cast on my ankle in 11th grade and Ryan volunteered to carry book bag for me after the much-dreaded Physics class...such a gent). Anyhow, we're super excited for these two and can't wait for the big day!

A sweet soiree to celebrate her transition into married life, the shower was filled with friends, good food, lots of gifts and small tributes to Kristen and Ryan's Irish heritage including one of the most creative and fun party favors I've ever received - a mini bread pan containing a loaf of the mother of the bride's famous Irish soda bread, complete with printed recipe. Let's face it, sometimes Irish soda bread does leave a bit to be desired...but not this one. A recipe that was handed down and morphed over time, this version is more moist than most of it's kind and has impeccable flavor. After not only consuming a few slices at the shower, I arrived home where Shaun and I dug right in to the party favor goods. After expressing my love of not only the party favor idea, but of the bread itself to Kristen, I was over the moon with excitement when Kristen and her mom, Kathy, gave me the go ahead to do a write up for TAA.

So in the midst of my Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes extravaganza, I also embarked on my first batch of Kathy's Irish Soda Bread. And now I'm sharing it with you, so read on.
Kathy's Irish Soda Bread
4 C all purpose flour
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 C raisins
1 1/3 C buttermilk
Optional: 1 tbsp caraway seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into the mixture until the butter is very fine - or mix with your hands so there are no large lumps of butter. (Note: I got down and dirty with the dough and used the best tool at my disposal; my own two hands. It's a sticky job, but it's really the only way to get 'er done). Add buttermilk and mix into soft dough. Kneed by hand a few times. Grease pan (generously!) and smooth bread evenly in pan. Cut an "X" across the top of the dough. Bake at least 1 hour, then check color and if top is wet/damp. If it is, bake additional 10 minutes (Note: in my old-as-dirt oven, my bread was done at 55 minutes. I was alerted by the extremely delectable smell wafting through my apartment. When I checked it, the bread was clearly done).
The result? I delectable none-too-crumbly bread with just a hint of sweetness brought to the table by the addition of raisins. Thanks for sharing with us, ladies!

Do you have any go-to Irish soda bread recipes? Or any other St. Patrick's Day treats or traditions that you follow? I know I have a corned beef in my fridge just waiting to jump into my slow cooker this weekend...

UPDATE: I should probably mention the type of pan to use! Kathy suggests 4 mini bread pans or one 8 or 9" round pan. I used one standard sized bread pan and the mini pan that I got at the shower. Any of these ways will work. I filled both pans about 3/4 of the way full.

Just Call Me Sweetie

Valentine's week continues, and this time we're talking sweets. Sugar cookies, to be exact. And these are pink, heart-shaped, oversized, and beyond easy to boot. There's just something about a giant sugary cookie, don't you think? Whether you're spending the day with a loved one, with friends, or even solo, these cookies are a simple treat for all to enjoy, even beyond the big V...and everyone can make them. Let's get down to it...

Easy Sugar Cookies - Valentine's Day Edition
*Adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
1 tube Pillsbury cookie dough (I used sugar, but any kind you like will work)
1/4 C+ all purpose flour
Red food coloring
Sprinkles, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or any other flavor you want to add

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cookie dough and flour. I used my trusty stand mixer (I rave about this little baby here), but my gut tells me mixing it in a bowl with a good old wooden spoon will work just as well. Add 4-5 drops of food coloring, depending on how 'red' you want it. I wanted a soft pink so 4-5 drops worked just fine. Next, add any other extras that you'd like. I split my dough into thirds; one for semi-sweet chocolate chips, one for white chocolate chips, and one for coconut. Take your dough and roll out onto a wooden board or counter top that is generously floured. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough. Using a cookie cutter (I just so happen to have a heart one), cut out your cookies. You know the drill: roll up the scraps, repeat.

Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with sprinkles if you so choose. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until they look done. This isn't an exact science. Depending on how thinly I rolled the dough, the cookies browned at different rates - which is also why some of my gorgeous pink confections have brown undertones. Just a note of caution: I made the mistake of thinking sugar cookies would be similar to butter cookies, where they don't really puff up or take up any additional space other than what the initial dough occupies. I was wrong. On the first batch, I placed them too close together and they ended up looking like this: Let sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. If done properly, they should look like this: Isn't she pretty? To make these even more decadent, try topping them with a bit o'frosting. I will likely freeze some of these and frost them on Sunday for a fresh taste. I'm trying out pomegranate cream cheese frosting...say it with me, 'mmmmm'. So what kind of sweets do you look forward to on Vday? Cookies? Cakes? Chocolate truffles? Hershey's Kisses? 

Psst - if you missed any of Vday week thus far, check out It's a Date and Gorgonzola Fig Crostini!