Red Lobster Restaurant: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

A favorite recipe from a famous seafood restaurant chain.

From Denny: It's funny; I was just thinking about making some drop biscuits when the tasty ones from Red Lobster Restaurant came to mind. It's been years since I set foot in one of their stores but somehow the vision of fluffy hot biscuits remained uppermost in my mind, not dimmed by time. :) (This post is starting to sound like the beginnings of a food poem.)

What's also amusing is that as I was perusing the Amazon cookbook sections, looking for recipes within the book reviews, there it was: a book containing famous restaurant recipes. While Amazon didn't have the recipe, it sure didn't take but a few moments to run it down on the web.

Drop biscuits are an old Southern tradition. They are also so ridiculously easy to make because you don't have to roll them out. There are those cooks who have never mastered the light touch required for rolling out biscuits. Well, drop biscuits are the perfect answer to that dilemma. Drop biscuits are also a real crowd pleaser and can be made in no time, great when you are in a rush. The beauty of it is you still get a hot bread, all without too much effort.

Drop biscuits go well with breakfast eggs, soup at lunch, stew at night or for a snack with a little butter and jelly. If you prefer plain biscuits, just omit the garlic powder and Old Bay seasoning. For a different cheese taste, try Parmesan or Romano.


Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning


Directions:

Heat oven to 450. Combine Bisquick, milk, and cheddar cheese. Stir together.

Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

In a small sauce pan combine butter, garlic powder and old bay seasoning. Heat until butter is melted. Spoon butter mixture over hot biscuits.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Muffin Monday: 5 Yummy Breakfast Muffins

*** Skip the coffee shop muffin, make your own, save some money and save a whole lot of calories too.





From Denny: Here are five tasty muffin recipes to tantalize your taste buds, changing up your morning routine. They also come with calorie counts, ranging from 171 to 283 calories for each muffin. That sure beats the usual coffee shop muffins that often weigh in at a whopping 700 calories each!


All-Bran: Our Best Bran Muffins

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups regular all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran cereal

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

1/3 cup soft shortening or vegetable oil


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.

Measure All-Bran cereal and milk into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cereal is softened. Add egg and shortening. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients to cereal mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion batter evenly into 12 greased 21/2-inch muffin-pan cups.

Bake about 25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Per muffin: 171 calories, 4 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 223 milligrams sodium






Applesauce-Oatmeal Muffins

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFINS:

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg white, lightly beaten

TOPPING:

1/4 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)

1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cooking spray.

For the muffins: Combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl; mix well. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil and egg white; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. For the topping: combine all ingredients in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Fill muffin cups almost full with batter. Sprinkle with reserved topping, patting gently. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm, if possible.

Per muffin: 180 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams protein - Nutritional analysis from quakeroatmeal.com






Basic Muffin Recipe

From: Shirley Coleman, Baltimore International College, published in the Baltimore Sun

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter or salad oil

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla (or another extract)

added flavoring: 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

Place all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.Combine all liquids in a separate bowl. Mix the liquids into the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries. Mix until just combined; do not over mix. Batter will be lumpy. Fill greased or paper-lined cupcake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve warm.

Per serving: 213 calories; 4 grams protein; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 56 milligrams cholesterol; 272 milligrams sodium






Blueberry-Yogurt Streusel Muffins

From: Anne Byrn, published in the Baltimore Sun

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFINS:

vegetable oil spray (see note)

1 package (18.9 ounces) blueberry muffin mix

1 container (6 ounces; 3/4 cup) yogurt of choice

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

TOPPING:

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature


Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mist the bottoms of 12 muffin cups with vegetable oil spray. Set pans aside.

Prepare the muffin batter: Remove the package of blueberries from the muffin mix and set it aside. Place the muffin mix in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Place the yogurt, eggs and vanilla in a small mixing bowl and stir with a fork. Combine and break up the egg yolks.

Pour the yogurt mixture into the well of the muffin mix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon until just combined, 20 strokes. Pour the reserve blueberries into a strainer, rinse them under cold, running water and drain well.

Fold these blueberries into the batter along with the fresh blueberries. Stir another 10 strokes just to combine. The batter still will be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling it three-quarters of the way full. Set the pan aside.

Prepare the topping: Place the brown sugar and flour in a small bowl and stir together. Add the butter, mashing it with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. With your hands, sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of this topping onto each muffin. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake until muffins are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for minutes.

Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips, taking care not to disturb the streusel. Place the muffins on a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Note: Anne Byrn recommends using a vegetable oil mister (an empty pump that can be filled with fresh vegetable oil) rather than commercial vegetable oil sprays.

Per serving: 221 calories; 4 grams protein; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 46 milligrams cholesterol; 230 milligrams sodium






Bran Muffins


Yield: Makes 9 large or 12 medium muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Post Grape-Nuts cereal

1 cup sour milk

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 large egg, well beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour


Directions:

Soak Grape-Nuts in milk until soggy. Add, sugar, egg, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly. Add flour and mix only enough to moisten flour. Fill greased large or medium muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes to 30 minutes for medium muffins, or until golden-brown.

Per serving (large muffin): 283 calories; 5 grams protein; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 26 milligrams cholesterol; 316 milligrams sodium

Tester Laura Reiley's comments: "These are sweet, dense, deeply nutty flavored muffins. It's the cereal that adds the hearty taste of bran. You wouldn't know it's Grape-Nuts, but those little nuggets add to the texture, giving the finished muffins a denseness that's very appealing. "You needn't sour the milk, but if you want to, add a few drops of lemon juice to a cup of milk and allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour. Like lots of bran-muffin batter, the batter can be kept, tightly covered and refrigerated, for up to a week."



*** Photo of bran muffin with tangelo fig compote topping by norwichnuts @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Muffin Monday: Coconut Muffins

*** Check out this simple easy recipe and enjoy a sweet breakfast or afternoon snack.





From Denny: While reading the news online I found myself over at The Baltimore Sun newspaper online database. So I went poking around to see what kind of recipe database they kept. So many newspapers online have gone to only featuring restaurant reviews and few, if any, recipes available. When I travel to an area the first thing I often do is research the local newspaper to get a feel for what people like to eat.

The easiest way to understand other people is to enjoy their food culture. Turns out this newspaper had a decent recipe archive - though devoid of photos. When that happens I go looking over at Flickr Creative Commons area for a photo that would look similar - sometimes I get lucky and it's exact! :) Anything is helpful to better visualize the finished product.

This recipe would make for a fine weekend brunch or lazy hot summer afternoon snack. Enjoy!


Coconut Muffins

From: Food section of The Baltimore Sun newspaper online

Yield: Makes 12 small muffins

Ingredients:

1 scant cup sugar
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) margarine (or butter though it will increase the calories)
2 eggs
2/3 cup flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Cream sugar and margarine, then add eggs one at a time, blending between each addition. Add the remaining ingredients. Divide evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Tester Laura Reiley's comments: "I baked mine slightly longer, about 25 minutes, until the muffin surface would spring back from my touch. The resulting muffins are sweet, deliciously coconutty treats, good for a snack or for breakfast. You can change the level of sweetness by which kind of coconut you choose - an unsweetened shredded coconut will yield less-sweet muffins; the sweetened angel-flaked coconut produces sweeter, moister muffins. For a really decadent treat, these would be good frosted with chocolate or topped with some kind of tropical fruit jam."


*** Similar version of coconut muffin, photo by yomi955 @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Muffin Monday: Dennys Summer Fresh Muffins

*** Here's an easy summer muffin to beat the heat!




Photo by Denny Lyon


From Denny: Every now and then I take a break from writing all day - and bake! How many times have you found yourself all ready to enjoy some "food of love" time only to realize you are out of key ingredients? Not one to run to the grocery store in 106 degree heat index summer weather (see amusing poem), well, I got creative. :)

What I was wanting to bake was a simple sour cream breakfast muffin to go with Earl Grey tea. Of course, there was not enough sour cream - but hey, wait! There in the back of the fridge was a huge honking container of low-fat vanilla yogurt! Perfect. Of course, since it was low-fat then I would have to add back in some fat since this was a muffin.

Knowing how tart yogurt can be I added a bit extra sugar to the recipe. I like things just sweet enough but if you are a sweet person (and I know you are) you might like to use the top end of the sugar advised. Most people prefer things sweeter than I do. I've got way too many adult onset diabetics in my family that I've always taken precautions not to end up like them: miserable. But if this is not an issue for you, then by all means, indulge a little! :)

My husband kept asking me to place some dried pineapple in the muffins. Normally, I like dried cranberries or dried blueberries and they are wonderful. But this package of dried pineapple was just too sweet for me so I hit on the obvious idea to re-hydrate them. The softer pineapple in the muffin is divine and gives a hint of sweetness. You might prefer the dried pineapple, your choice. Fresh pineapple would be even more awesome though you would need to dry it off to get off excess moisture.

I like to clarify my butter, removing the milk solids which cause cholesterol problems. Frankly, I just like the taste of browned milk solids when the clarified butter goes to the dark brown stage. Folks in India call it "ghee." Just strain all the browned bits that mostly fall to the bottom of the pan. You can use this butter now for just about anything: frying your morning eggs, sauting veggies, put some on an uncooked pizza paired with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Lots of possibilities and clarified butter lasts longer. You can even freeze it for later. This clarified brown butter tastes divine in sweet baked goods too so I placed some in this recipe. If you don't have the time to clarify your butter, you can use it as is or just use all canola oil. Canola oil is wonderful for baked goods because it has a neutral flavor and is easily paired with a lot.

If you like a strong flavor of nutmeg, which imparts an intense fresh taste, use the full amount called for in the recipe. If you prefer your muffins less intense, a bit plainer, then use only half the amount called for in the recipe. Remember, if you want to bake these and place them in the freezer then it would be wise to use less nutmeg. Nutmeg has the habit of screaming at you if it has a chance to settle in and live a while before dining on the muffins. If you are eating the muffins fresh and within a day or two, even when stored covered in the fridge, then the stronger amount will be fine.

The muffins in these photos baked for the full 25 minutes. These muffins are very soft because of the sour cream and yogurt. I like to use paper or foil muffin cup liners as it helps to keep the muffins moist and not dry out. It also avoids a longer cleaning time on the baking pan. Yes, I'd rather spend my time enjoying the muffins instead of cleaning up after them.


Denny's Summer Fresh Muffins


Makes: 12 large to 15 medium muffins




Photo by Denny Lyon


Ingredients:

2 eggs
6 to 8 T. sugar (if you like sweeter use the 8 T.)
1/2 cup regular sour cream
1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 T. clarified butter
2 T. canola oil
2 2/3 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup re-hydrated dried pineapple pieces, drained


Directions:

Beat the eggs with a wire whisk until light. Add the sugar, sour cream, yogurt, butter and oil and stir well. Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Fill paper muffin cups about 2/3 full, otherwise they spill over into a mess.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.




Photo by Denny Lyon


By Denny Lyon
Copyright 18 July 2010
All Rights Reserved


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:
The Social Poets
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes

Muffin Monday: Chocolate Chip Orange Muffins

*** Indulge in heavenly chocolate paired with intense bits of orange. Enjoy this wonderfully rich muffin with a steaming cup of coffee when you need to stress down.


From Denny: This recipe is from a bed and breakfast in Michigan. This bed and breakfast sports a number of interesting themed packages to enjoy. They have a special shopping package where they have teamed up with 10 shops in their area where you can get some great discounts with the range from clothing to food and drink and even local art.

These shops are a wine sellar of 200 wines from around the world, local pottery, a green recycled products shop carrying famous names, a spice merchant, a gourmet food and kitchen supply shop, an antique mall of 175 merchants, a local folk art shop and artisan hand-knit clothing.



Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast


Voted #1 in Best of Personal Luxury in the State by Lake Magazine.
Featuring Fireplace-Jacuzzi suites, 1/2 blk to Lake Michigan

Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center Street
P.O. Box 315
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453

1-800-838-1246 for reservations

Fax: (269) 857-1996
email: sf@sherwoodforestbandb.com

Keith & Susan Charak, Innkeepers


*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.




A similar version of chocolate chip muffins from Laura HB @ flickr - these bed and breakfast inns rarely provide photos but this muffin should look just like it only with flecks of yummy orange peel throughout the muffin.

Y-Vonne's Chocolate Chip Orange Muffins

From: Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast Y'Vonne, a favorite siren and chefette at Sherwood Forest, gave us these delicious muffins, they're dense and rich and so perfect on a chilly morning!

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl. In another bowl, combine rest of ingredients (except chocolate chips). Add wet to dry ingredients and mix, then add chocolate chips. Divide batter among 18 greased muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes

Muffin Monday: The Best Blueberry Muffins

*** Enjoy some great blueberry muffin recipes and 2 breads: Chocolate Zucchini Bread and Banana Chocolate Chip Bread.





From Denny: Muffin Monday is back and people are already arguing who has the very best blueberry muffin! This first recipe is from a bed and breakfast in Michigan. This bed and breakfast sports a number of interesting themed packages to enjoy.

They have a special shopping package where they have teamed up with 10 shops in their area where you can get some great discounts with the range from clothing to food and drink and even local art. These shops are a wine sellar of 200 wines from around the world, local pottery, a green recycled products shop carrying famous names, a spice merchant, a gourmet food and kitchen supply shop, an antique mall of 175 merchants, a local folk art shop and artisan hand-knit clothing.


Recipes Featured:

Becky's Best Blueberry Muffins
Sophia's Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Kale's Chocolate Zucchini Bread


A link for another blueberry muffin recipe is provided to The Bitten Word blog for a recipe from Cook's Illustrated that they gave a test drive and folks weighed in with their comments. That recipe looks like too much sugar for our house.

But you really have to know, and taste, the blueberries you are using in the recipe. Some blueberries are wonderfully sweet while others are tart or even bland and watery. I love Maine blueberries as they have the most intense blueberry flavor and are small and relatively sweet so you don't have to add much sugar.

On the flip side, down here in Louisiana where it's hot and muggy, the blueberries grow large, are mild in flavor and watery so I use the amount of sugar called for in most recipes, about 1/4 cup less. You will have to be the final judge on the sweetness level that will fit the muffin recipe best for your personal taste and whatever kind of fresh blueberries you can find in your area.




Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast


From the website: Our beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast offers inviting elegance in a wooded setting. Hardwood floors, leaded-glass windows, and wraparound porch add to the ideal surroundings. Perfect for romance or a much-needed getaway, our guest rooms are complete with antiques, cozy wing chairs, and Jacuzzis and fireplaces.

Two suites are available: the first reproduces the serenity of the north woods as a replica of the inside of a log cabin. It includes a stone-mantle gas fireplace, viewed from either the two-person Jacuzzi or the comfort of the bedroom. The second suite features the same amenities but is decorated in the flair of the late 19th century.

Another room sports a hand-painted mural that transforms the room into a canopied tree loft and is complemented by a gas fireplace.

Breakfast features such favorites as pecan streusel coffeecake, cinnamon-orange French toast, or potato quiche.

During the summer, guests can swim in the heated pool adorned with a giant mural of a sunken ship half embedded in a coral reef surrounded by a couple of hundred fish, not to mention a Mermaid or two, or walk 1/2 block to a Lake Michigan public beach to enjoy spectacular sunsets. Bicycles are available for exploring the scenic lakeshore.

In winter, X-country ski or hike along wooded paths, or visit the shops in charming Saugatuck and Douglas.

Sherwood Forest Package of the Month: Melt Your Stress Away

Melt Your Stress Away Upon arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine and cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit, you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the real world), a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. The cost for this R&R is $165 with one massage; $235 with two massages (does not include room rate).


Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast

Voted #1 in Best of Personal Luxury in the State by Lake Magazine.
Featuring Fireplace-Jacuzzi suites, 1/2 blk to Lake Michigan

Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center Street
P.O. Box 315
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453

1-800-838-1246 for reservations

Fax: (269) 857-1996
email: sf@sherwoodforestbandb.com

Keith & Susan Charak, Innkeepers


Recipes Featured:

Becky's Best Blueberry Muffins
Sophia's Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Kale's Chocolate Zucchini Bread



*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.






Becky's Best Blueberry Muffins

From: Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast


Ingredients:

1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, at room temp.
1 Cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ½ Cups blueberries (mash 1/2 cup with a fork)
2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease 12 muffin cups.

Beat butter until creamy, then beat in sugar, then beat in eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

Mix mashed berries into batter, then fold in half of flour and half of milk. Add remaining flour and milk, then fold in remaining blueberries.

Fill muffin cups and sprinkle with nutmeg sugar.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 20 minutes in pan before removing.







Sophia's Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

From: Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast


This bread is awesome; it's one of our favorites at the bed & breakfast. You'll love it, mainly because "Chocolate Rules."

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large bananas will do)
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., spray cooking oil (you can use butter) to coat the bottom of a 9 x 5 x 3-inch bread pan, then lightly dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

Next, in a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until blended. One at a time, add eggs, beating well with a fork after each addition.

Stir in bananas, milk and vanilla until combined. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Stir the chocolate chips. Scrape batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until you test with a knife in the center of the bread and it comes out clean.

Remove the pan to a wire rack, cool 10 minutes before removing bread from the pan, then finish cooling on the rack.

And it's chow time! (Bread can be frozen for later use, thaw overnight.)





Kale's Chocolate Zucchini Bread

From: Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 Cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 Cups zucchini, grated
2 1/3 Cups flour
1/2 Cups nuts

optional: 1/2 Cup unsweetened cocoa


Directions:

Combine wet ingredients, then dry ingredients, and combine. Add zucchini & nuts, bake in 2 greased loaf pans at 350 degrees F. for 45 min.



*** See Also for Muffin Monday: Muffin Monday: Sweet Potato Muffins

*** Here's another Blueberry muffin recipe to enjoy:

Best Blueberry Muffins over at The Bitten Word From Cook's Illustrated (May/June 2009)


*** Photo by thebittenword.com @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
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Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd


America tourism, travel, hotels, bed and breakfast inns, Michigan bed and breakfast, Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast

Muffin Monday: Sweet Potato Muffins

*** Check out delicious muffins and a Louisiana bed and breakfast inn stuffed with high end antiques for eye candy!





From Denny: Muffin Monday arrives with a sweet potato sweetie! We love our sweet potatoes in Louisiana and enjoy them in our high end restaurants along with our diners. When was the last time you enjoyed a snack of sweet potato chips dusted with powdered sugar while you waited for your restuarant meal? Louisiana farmers are proud of their sweet potatoes and are always on the move to develop new recipes for muffins, breads, chips and casseroles.

Today's bed and breakfast inn is a real stunner of a beauty with the way it is furnished. They even provide fun packages like Cajun cooking lessons which is a great way for a tourist to get into the culture. This bed and breakfast inn is chock full of culture all around it so get in the fun and book a room here sometime soon! They speak both French and English at this unique stay.

"Maison Daboval is a circa 1892 home centrally located to museums, theaters, historical attractions, famous Cajun restaurants, and much more." - Maison Daboval





From the website: Step back in time to Maison Daboval, a Bed and Breakfast in the quaint Southern town of Rayne, Louisiana.

Escape to your bedroom of tall ceilings, hardwood floors, antiques, lace curtains
and a bed fitted with sun-dried, ironed sheets. A deep claw-footed bathtub filled with bubbles awaits to chase your troubles away.

Awake each morning to the inticing smells of sweet potato muffins and Cajun sausage or Frog Legs. Frog Legs?

You never know what you might find in the Frog Capital of the World. You never know what you might find at Maison Daboval.

Maison Daboval has five beautiful rooms, decorated with antiques. Each room has a private bath and all have original claw-footed bathtubs. Every morning a full Cajun breakfast is served. English and French are spoken. Checks, MasterCard and Visa accepted.

Martha and Gene Royer's home was featured on HGTV's "If Walls Could Talk." HGTV was inspired by the rich history of the home and the extensive renovation work.

History of the home

The home was built in 1892 by Emile Daboval, the sixth mayor of Rayne. In 1927, Mrs. Besse bought the property and it became the Besse Annex.

Martha and Gene Royer, French Acadians native to Rayne, bought the home from Mrs. Besse in 1994. Gene, a talented residential painter and Martha, a tour guide for Louisiana have lovingly restored Maison Daboval to its original elegance and charm. During the restoration Gene and Martha found many discoveries about the home. One was the ledger Mrs. Besse kept during the 30's - 40's. This treasure reveals a slice of history about the boarding house days.

In the tradition of Cajun hospitality, the Royers often share nostalgic stories of couples falling in love during the bygone era of the railroad boarding house. A passing train can set the mood for story telling on the front porch of Maison Daboval.

Rayne’s unique history will inspire you to take a walking tour of the city to view the famous frog murals. Once a top exporter of frog legs, Rayne is known as the Frog Capital of the World.

Specials at Maison Daboval: Cooking with the Cajuns

Maison Daboval is offering special cooking classes with a two night stay. Learn how to make (and eat) an authentic Cajun meal. Martha and Gene will take you on a culinary journey - teaching the origins of the meal, ingredients, and cooking techniques that have been handed down through generations of great Cajun cooks. Packages include a two night stay, one cooking lesson and full breakfast each morning. Please call for availability and prices.

Although the term prairie is usually associated with the Great Plains, there is another American prairie–the coastal prairie of Louisiana, the birthplace of a unique and thriving culture.

The words "Cajun country" may bring to mind a freshwater swamp or a moss-draped bayou. But the prairie is also home to Cajun culture.

The word "Cajun" comes from Les Acadiens, French colonists who were exiled from Nova Scotia in 1755. Rayne is located in the heart of the region known as Acadiana, named for the Acadians who came here centuries ago.

Cajun food and music help define and add spice to prairie life, but Cajuns are only part of this cultural gumbo found no place else. The modern-day cultures of the region–Creole and Cajun–are a rich blending of diverse cultures, including French, Spanish, German, African, Scotch-Irish and Native American.

Wherever you go in Cajun country, you will be captivated by the friendliest people in the world—genuine, hardworking folks who find the time to laugh a little, dance a little, and live a unique way of life to its fullest.


The Mississippi Flyway

Rayne, Louisiana is the backyard of the migratory bird Mississippi Flyway. The Flyway, wildlife routes from north to south during seasonal migration for Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, Wood Ducks, Lesser Scaup and other waterfowl, empties into South Louisiana each year. During the height of migration this region offers wonderful observation sites.


The Rayne Railroad

The Louisiana Western Railroad built the Rayne station in 1880. Three years later, named after the railroad engineer who laid the track, B. L. Rayne, the city of Rayne was born. The railroad has played a vital role in the history of Rayne. From exporting rice and barrels of frog legs, to bringing soldiers into the city for training in World War II.

Maison Daboval Bed and Breakfast was a railroad boarding house during the 1940's, linking the home's history to the special relatonship between the railroad and the city.

Prairie Mardi Gras

On the prairie, Mardi Gras runs or courirs de Mardi Gras take place each year in Acadiana's parishes. In one of Louisiana's most richly dramatic traditions, masked and costumed riders on horses, trucks or wagons ride from house to house in their community, begging for contributions to their gumbo that night. At each stop, they entertain their hosts by singing, dancing and clowning in exchange for donations.

Frogs and Rayne

Frogs and Rayne have a history leaping back to the 1880's. The Weill brothers from France started exporting Rayne frog legs, a delicacy made famous by chef Donat Pucheau, to restaurants all over the country. For many years the famous frog legs were found on gourmet restaurant menus, like Sardi's from New York. Rayne is now internationally known as "The Frog Capital of the World". The city even hosts an Annual Frog Festival every year during the second weekend of September.

Listed as one of Louisiana’s top festivals, the immense popularity stems from the appeal of the frog racing and jumping contests, the Frog Festival Queen's contest, the Loins Club Frog Jockeys, and many more unusual events.

From the opening "Fais-do-do" with traditional Cajun music to Frog Festival Parade, guests are filled with a contagious "Joie d’vivre."


*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.






Mrs. Besse Room

Use the footstool to reach the grand four-poster queen bed in this elegant room. Mrs. Besse’s room has her original dresser, beautiful accessories and a private bath. The room is furnished with a TV/Cable and remote.This upstairs room faces the front of the house, and you can slip onto the second story front porch at night and watch for the train.


Maison Daboval
305 East Louisiana Avenue
Rayne, Louisiana 70578

1-337-334-3489
Fax: (337) 334-3488

Martha and Gene Royer, Innkeepers





Sweet Potato Muffins

From: Maison Daboval

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetalbe oil
1 17oz can sweet potatoes, drained & mashed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dates chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift first four ingredients in a bowl. Combine eggs and next four ingredients in another bowl and mix well. Mix sweet potato mixture and dry ingredients together. Dust pecans and dates with the 1/4 cup flour then add to muffin mixture. Grease muffin pans and bake for 27-30 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.


*** Sweet potato muffin photo by erin.kkr @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blueberry Shortcakes

*** Patriotic AND tasty fresh berry shortcake dessert good any time in the summer heat!




From Denny: What a beautiful dessert! It's tasty, bursting with fresh berries and so easy to make. Shortcake is just a huge sweetened biscuit. Make sure to read through to the end of the recipe before you begin making this dessert as it will give you a great tip for making the perfect shortcake biscuit.

Shortcake is easy to portion for single servings so you can give your guests the amounts of whipped cream or berries they prefer. These shortcakes are light and fluffy and sure to be a bit hit with family and friends. Fresh berries, whipped cream and that perfect bite of cake will explode a fireworks of taste in your mouth! :)

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!






Red, White and Blueberry Shortcakes


From: Driscoll’s

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbl. grated lemon zest
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 tbls. cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 tsps. coarse sugar crystals
1 (16-oz.) pkg. strawberries, hulled, sliced
1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided
1 tbl. lemon juice
1 cup cold whipping cream
1 (6-oz.) pkg. blackberries
1 (6-oz.) pkg. blueberries
1 (6-oz.) pkg. raspberries


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.

2. Cut in butter, using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Stir in buttermilk just until dry ingredients are moistened.

4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead gently 4 times. Pat or roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness.

5. Cut out 8 stars, using a 3-inch floured star cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with water and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar crystals.

6. Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

To make strawberry sauce: In a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.

To make whipped cream: Beat with an electric mixer whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar until thickened and soft peaks form.

To assemble: Toss remaining sliced strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries until blended in a large bowl. Using a serrated knife, cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom of each shortcake on each of 8 dessert plates.

Drizzle each shortcake with 1 tablespoon strawberry sauce. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream and about 1/2 cup berries. Place top of shortcake over berries. Serve with remaining strawberry sauce.


Nutritional analysis per serving: 408 calories, 20.3 grams fat, 64.82 milligrams cholesterol, 601.12 milligrams sodium and 3.56 grams fiber.

To lighten: Instead of using whipped cream, dollop with frozen thawed fat-free prepared whipped topping.

Helpful tip: Cutting cold butter into the flour makes little crumbs of fat that produce light, flaky shortcakes. A light stirring and kneading of the dough makes the flakiest shortcakes.


*** Check out more recipe posts: Recipes: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday

*** For more Fourth of July posts see also:

63 Quotes About Freedom and Liberty: Happy Birthday, America!

How Do We Live Freedom and Liberty? Libations Friday - 2 July 2010

Fourth of July When Life is Simple poem - Libations Friday 25 June 2010

Dennys Photo Gallery: Fourth of July Watermelon

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blue Independence Day Cake



*** Photo from Driscoll


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread

*** Enjoy two easy recipes for your favorite banana muffin.




Another version of a banana nut muffin by erin.kkr @ flickr


From Denny: In my search to see what's baking at the bed and breakfast inns across America and Canada I found this sweet comfort food for breakfast. This recipe comes from a rustic peaceful Texas inn.

While I live next door in Louisiana where we grow the most awesome pecans, they grow them in Texas too. Both states love the praline for everything from muffins to cakes to bread pudding and sweet potato casserole toppings.

Searching for non-copyrighted photos, this photographer posted this little darling banana bread recipe with the sweet goodness of added white chocolate chips. You can try other variations besides chocolate chips if you like. Tips for baking well and suggestions of ingredients follows the recipe.


Banana Praline Muffins


From: Las Brisas Farm
Fayetteville, Texas




From Las Brisas Farm: Tired of work and stresses of the city? Want to get away and just relax? If so, Las Brisas Farm offers a much needed respite. Las Brisas Farm is located in the heart of Czech-German country and is one mile south from historic Fayetteville where shops and dining reflect yesterday's past. The cottages are set on forty rolling acres where one can appreciate spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and star gaze clear, vast skies. One guest described the setting as eye candy for the soul!


Banana Praline Muffins


Yield: 12 muffins


Ingredients:

3 bananas, ripe - mashed
1 egg
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. oil
1 1/4 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Praline:

3 T. brown sugar
1 T. sour cream
1/2 C. chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix brown sugar and sour cream, add pecans.

Mash bananas; add egg, sugar and oil. Beat well. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just moistened.

Grease muffin tins, and put equal amount of batter in each. Top each with equal amount of praline mix in center of muffin.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.






White Chocolate Banana Bread by Divine Domesticity @ flickr



White Chocolate Banana Bread

Makes: one loaf

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas
2 tbsp soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips and /or coarsely chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts work well (optional)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375°/190°C

2.Mash bananas in a bowl and add rest of the ingredients. Stir just until blended. It seems as if there is not enough liquid but don’t be fooled. The very ripe bananas add all the moisture needed. Mixing the ingredients together with a fork for 2-3 minutes is all you need to create the batter.

3.Pour into greased 9"x5" loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry (unless of course you hit a chocolate chip).

4.Cool for 10 minutes on a cake rack before removing from pan.

5.To bake muffins, prepare the batter as above and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400°F/200°C, in center of oven


Tips & Variations

* This is a great breakfast or mid day snack.
* Instead of chocolate chips (or with them, if you prefer) try:
chopped walnuts or pecans
dried cranberries or cherries
* Just make sure these ingredients add up to one cup. More than that will lose the bread/cake texture.


*** Check out how Muffin Monday started: American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

*** Check out more recipe posts: Recipes: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Recipe: Jalapeño Hush Puppies

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Making these becomes an art like making perfect biscuits. It takes a little practice. It also depends upon your climate and humidity level as to how the batter will come together and behave so you will have to rely upon your judgment.

After the batter is mixed try a small test ball to see how the batter behaves. From the recipe author: "The object of this recipe is to have light, fluffy hush puppies. If heavy and do not rise enough, use more baking powder. If hush puppies are greasy and break apart, add more flour."

And hey! When you go to chopping those jalapenos, make sure you use gloves, and, if not, make sure you wash your hands well before any bright ideas of thinking you can wipe your eyes or touch your mouth or you will be letting out one (maybe more) loud yelp from the pain!

Jalapeño Hush Puppies

From: The Cotton Country Collection


Ingredients:

2 cups cornmeal

1 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 small can cream style corn

3 jalapeño peppers, chopped

¼ bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, minced

Buttermilk

Pinch of baking soda (about ½ teaspoon)


Directions: Mix all ingredients. Use enough buttermilk to make this the consistency of cornbread batter. Test batter by scooping up a portion on a spoon and with your thumb push portion into medium hot grease. The object of this recipe is to have light, fluffy hush puppies. If heavy and do not rise enough, use more baking powder. If hush puppies are greasy and break apart, add more flour. If you want more tang, add some jalapeno pepper juice.