Applesauce Bran Oatmeal Muffins

We call these 'Healthy Muffins'. They are quite delicious considering they are low in sugar and fat, and high in fiber!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 375°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in raisins; make a well in center of mixture. Combine applesauce and next 4 ingredients (applesauce through egg); stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 375° for 18 minutes or until the muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Note: I usually do these in mini muffin tins. It makes a lot so I usually freeze half. Before freezing, let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack. Store them in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag in your freezer for up to a month.

Sweet Butter Syrup

This is a family favorite. Once you try this it is hard to go back to Maple Syrup. Every time we serve this our guests are begging for the recipe!

1 cube butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
½ cup buttermilk

Heat ingredients in medium saucepan until boiling.
Remove from heat. Then add:

½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Stir well and Enjoy over Hot Pancakes!

Note: Once you add the baking soda it will foam up a lot so make sure your pan is big enough!

Pioneer Woman's Spinach Salad

This is like a traditional spinach salad except that the dressing is warm. Oops! I forgot to add the egg before taking the picture.

3 eggs

7 slices thick cut, peppered bacon

1 small red onion (or 1/2 large onion)

1 package white button mushrooms (about 12 mushrooms)

8 ounces baby spinach, washed, dried, and large stems removed

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon

Dijon mustard

Dash of salt

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs.Fry bacon until crispy/chewy. Remove to a paper towel. Remove 3 tablespoons grease and set aside. Add 2 add’l tablespoons of grease to a separate skillet over medium heat.Slice red onions very thinly, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside.Slice mushrooms and add them to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.Chop bacon.Peel and slice eggs.Make hot bacon dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, sugar, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.Add spinach to a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, and bacon on top. Pour hot dressing over the top; toss to combine.Arrange eggs over the top and serve.

Chipotle Chicken Cornbread Cups

This is actually a Pampered Chef recipe. A friend of mine is a Pampered Chef Consultant and brought these to a luncheon. I couldn't wait to get her recipe and try them! I served them for dinner with Pioneer Woman's Spinach Salad.

Sorry for the bad pictures. I just got a new camera and will take better pictures next time I make them

1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 pkg corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup flour
2 T. Chipotle seasoning
1 small red bell pepper
1-2 green onions with tops (about 1/3 cup thinly sliced)
1 1/2 cups finely diced cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine cheese, muffin mix, 3/4 cup of sour cream, flour and 1 T. of the chipotle seasoning; mix to form a thick batter.
Spray mini muffin pat with nonstick cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among wells. Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, finely chop pepper and green onions. Cook pepper 2-3 minutes until it becomes soft. Add chicken and remaining 1 T. of chipotle seasoning. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Remove pan from heat. Combine chicken mixture, green onions and remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and mix well.
Remove muffins from oven. Immediately press tops of muffins down to form cups. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove cups to serving platter. Divide chicken mixture evenly among cups. Top with additional sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Roasted Sticky Chicken

I LOVE rotisserie chicken and want to use it a lot but they are kind of expensive. For some reason I was always afraid of roasting my own but when I saw this recipe I thought I would try it out. It is better than rotisserie chicken!

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
1 large roasting chicken, as big as you can find
1 cup onion, chopped

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove the giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight. When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onion, and place in a shallow baking pan. Roast, uncovered at 250 degrees for 5 hours. After the first hour baste chicken occasionally (every half hour or so) with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. If the chicken contains a pop up thermometer, ignore it. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.

Alternate Method: You can also prepare the chicken with the seasonings and cook in a crockpot on low for 6-10 hours.

Note: If you don't have a baster you can just spoon the juices back on to the chicken. Or, you could use a medicine dropper!!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I have really been loving to make bread lately. This bread is great by itself spread with butter, but when it is a few days old it makes awesome Sticky Baked French Toast! YUM!

1 cup milk
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
4 ½ cups flour
2 eggs
2 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Combine Milk, Butter, ¼ cup sugar and salt in mixing bowl. In small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let stand until dissolved; about 5 min. Add to milk mixture. Add 2 ¼ cups flour and beat well; Blend in eggs. Add enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead about 10 min. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with towel and let rise 1 hour or until about double in size. Grease 2 loaf pans. Divide dough in half. Roll each half in ¼” thick rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Mix cinnamon and 3 Tbsp sugar. Sprinkle over butter. Roll, jelly style, starting at narrow end. Pinch and seal seams well with wet fingers. Place loaves seam side down in prepared pans. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Bake loaves 30 minutes. Drizzle or spread glaze over warm bread.

Glaze:
1 Cup powdered sugar
4 tsp milk
½ tsp vanilla

Sticky Baked French Toast

This is the best baked french toast I have ever had! The sticky caramel really makes this dish divine!

1 day old loaf of french bread
5 T unsalted butter
1 C brown sugar
2 T corn syrup or Maple Syrup
1/2 C milk
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
whipped cream and strawberries(optional)

Cut the french bread into 1-2" wide slices.
In a medium sized saucepan over a medium flame, put corn/maple syrup, butter and brown sugar. Stir until it all comes together and starts to bubble. Carefully pour the hot, sticky mixture into a well-buttered and possibly aluminum-foiled 13"x9" baking dish.

Arrange the thick slices of french bread over the mixture.In a big bowl, beat together eggs, milk and vanilla until light colored and a little bubbly. Pour the eggy mixture over the bread which is on top of the hot, sticky mixture.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 350°

Put the french toast dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Loosen the sticky baked french bread from its hot, sticky bed and invert onto a platter or really big plate. Serve with whipped cream and strawberries!