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I may be slightly obsessed with muffins. They smell yummy, they're pretty, they're the perfect individual sized morning treat. They make me happy. And my children think they've hit the jackpot when one of these accompanies their meal in the morning.

Brendan always loves to ask what "kind" of muffins I've made before taking his first bite and exclaiming how amazing they are (what would I do without this boy??) So when I told him this morning that they were called "raspberry surprise" muffins he asked "why the surprise?" just before biting into the jam filled center and telling me "Oooooh! I get it... there's a raspberry surprise in the middle!!"

Recipes makes 24 muffins. Cool completely and freeze extras in a zip top freezer bag. Thaw in microwave or remove from freezer and defrost in bag on kitchen counter.

*recipe adapted from Holly Clegg's Trim and Terrific Freezer Friendly Meals*


Raspberry Surprise Muffins
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups bran flake cereal
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with paper muffin liners.

In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl combine buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth. Add flour mixture and bran flakes to the buttermilk mixture, stirring only just until blended. Fold in raspberries. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 1/3 full. Make a well in center of batter and fill with a heaping teaspoon of jam. Cover with batter, filling to about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

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So this is what happens at my house from time to time.

I am putting groceries away in the fridge and run across a bag of zucchini that I must have bought for a dinner I was planning on making but either skipped over or substituted it with something else.  Realize it's not in my menu plan for the current week and know that if I stuff it back in the fridge without a plan it will most definitely begin to rot... ZUCCHINI BREAD! Think back to a recipe I've been wanting to make for quite some time, peruse the pantry for the remaining ingredients and BAM! I've developed a plan to make a random loaf of zucchini bread the next day.  My family appreciates these random moments of baking genius.

Or at least I like to think they do.

And if you're one to turn your nose down at something so "healthy" sounding, rest assured that my friend Rachel took one bite and said "really this just tastes like chocolate bread..."

So indulge without feeling guilty... zucchini is a vegetable after all.

Feel free to use regular cocoa powder, but the Hershey's Special Dark gives it an amazing deep dark chocolate flavor. Also, for best results, store loaf wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container overnight and slice and eat the next day. Moist chocolate overload!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup hershey special dark cocoa powder (or regular)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini, gently squeezed to remove liquid
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl mix eggs, applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.  Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.  Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slice into 12 pieces

Per slice: cal 222, carb 33g, fat 9g, pro 3g, sod 314mg, sugar 16g

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Best. Chili. Ever.

Easy, quick, smells so good when it's cooking all day.  I have a hard time deciding which chili recipes are my favorites but I have to say that I will be going back to this one again and again.  Everyone nearly licked their bowls cleaned.  And even Violet, who turned it down the first night, ate a baby sized helping of leftovers the next night. Go baby V!

If you like an extra spicy chili then feel free to add some extra chili powder.  I was incredibly pleased with the heat and the seasonings the way it is (but remember, we're not a "hot and spicy" crowd.)

*Adapted from Myrecipes.com*

Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic)
2 cups frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (1.25 oz) packet McCormick chili seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown turkey in a large nonstick skillet with onions and garlic until turkey is no longer pink.  Drain if necessary. Spoon into a large slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and stir.  Cook on HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 6-8 hours.  Top with cheese and sour cream.  Serve with cornbread and a green salad.

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I think the thing that most attracted me to this recipe was all the colors.  I love a pretty dish.  And then there's the fact that you pretty much just toss it all into one baking pan and everything cooks together without any fuss.  Especially helpful when you have a feverish whining baby who just wants to be snuggled but you're trying desperately to get dinner made.  I can deal with 5 minutes of a desperate baby clinging to my leg if it means I can toss the dish in the oven, set the timer and give sweet baby snuggles after that.

This dish really is amazing.  Any dinner really, that my picky 6-year-old will eat, is amazing in my book.  So I will bring this into rotation as a family regular for sure.

Chicken Fiesta (adapted from www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com)
16 oz jar of mild salsa
1 cup long grain white rice
1 (14.5 oz) can corn, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
4 or 5 small chicken breasts
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions

In a medium bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.  Pour into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray (alternatively, spray dish then just mix all ingredients in dish to save a bowl from needing a wash.) Top with chicken breasts and sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Sprinkle dish evenly with green onions.

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I'm trying to make a comeback this year.  I want to share all the incredible new recipes I tried and fell in love with last year! Too much good stuff to keep to myself.  The problem is the lack of photos (and the lack of quality of the ones I do have!) But I'll do my best.

I began browsing through my photos in an attempt to find a starting point and came across this gem. Honestly, I made this just last November for the very first time and I can still remember every distinct flavor as if I had just eaten it tonight.  Very few (healthy) ingredients that yielded so much incredible flavor.  As if I needed any more assurance that this one was a hit... everyone devoured every bite. So enjoy... I know we all did.

Chicken and Orzo Skillet (adapted from Cooking Light)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces (I used three large breasts)
8 cups water
12 ounces uncooked orzo
2 cups chopped tomato (3-4 roma tomatoes)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (or pizza or pasta sauce... it's what I had open in the fridge!)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3-4 cups baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray with olive oil or cooking spray and add chicken.  Cook about 6 minutes, stirring to brown all sides.  Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Boil 8 cups water in a large saucepan.  Add orzo and cook 8 minutes.  Pour and save 1/4 cup cooking liquid then drain remaining liquid from orzo in a colander.

Add 1/4 cup cooking liquid, tomatoes and tomato paste to skillet.  Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.  Add chicken, pasta, garlic salt, pepper and spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with feta cheese.

I think I served it with a side of roasted asparagus.  Or maybe I didn't.  But it sounds good doesn't it?

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