Roasted Jalepeno Cheddar Hummus, Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Addictive Granola

The weather outside is frightful....yes indeed. Just another typical "spring afternoon in Las Cruces. 40 mph winds and thankful to be inside!!

My mom and I both like ethnic foods and don't mind a little heat in our salsa or hummus, which is why this recipe is perfect! I upped the warmth by adding 3 jalepenos instead of 1, which was the original recipe and added cayenne pepper to it. It's warm, but not too hot and the cheddar is a nice twist!

Ingredients:

2 14.5-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeds removed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 T warm water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler to high, slice and devein 3 jalepenos. Place on baking sheet and roast under broiler for 10 minutes. Immediately place roasted jalepenos in a zip-loc bag and let them steam for another 10 minutes. The steam will allow the skin to come off easily.

Combine the chickpeas, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, water, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt in a vita-mix or food processor. Process until smooth (adding more water if you desire to thin the hummus out a bit).

Add the cheddar cheese and process again until everything is well combined.

This is the second batch of Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip muffins that I've made in the past week. They're great snacks and you can certainly opt out of the chocolate chips! (Why??) I added walnuts and chocolate chips, which were great!!

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of organic whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease or place liners in a muffin pan.
2. Place the ripe peeled bananas in a mixer and blend on low speed for 3-5 minutes until well mashed.
3. Add the oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla and mix again on low speed for 1 minute until combined.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, sugar, b.powder, b.soda, salt, and chocolate chips)
5. Add the banana mixture to the dry mixture and combine until just blended (DO NOT OVER MIX!)
6. Fill each muffin up about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a piece of dry spaghetti or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Place muffins on a cooling rack and allow them to sit for 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove the wrapper. Makes 12 large-ish muffins.

My last recipe from this week is a great granola (from the NY Times). *Note, I didn't have the unsweetened coconut, pistachios, pumpkin seeds or cardemom. I just had the oats, tossed in pecans and used just the cinnamon, salt, maple syrup and brown sugar and it turned out just fine! It's addictive!! I love it on top of greek yogurt!!

Olive Oil Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled

1 cup coconut chips

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Serve with ricotta and fruit, if desired.

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Here is another great morning muffin recipe that I tried out during our 3-day snow break in February!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon cold butter

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, pumpkin, milk and oil; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in oats and raisins.
• Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and pie spice; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1 rounded teaspoonful over each muffin. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen

Cinnamon Leaves

My dad is getting spoiled with weekend baking, and he's been my official taste tester (along with my mom). So far, everything has been 2 THUMBS UP.

I was craving something cinnamon-y this morning, so I tried out a Cinnamon Leaves recipe. It's a basic cinnamon roll recipe, where the dough and filling are cut into strips, then cut into squares and stacked into a loaf pan (instead of being rolled).

This a great one!!

Cinnamon Leaves
(This recipe was adapted from Joy the Baker)

For the Dough:


2 3/4 cups plus all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast and salt) together in a large bowl, reserve one cup of the flour. On the stove or in the microwave, heat the milk, water, and butter until the butter is liquid. Allow the mixture to cool until it is still warm, but you can touch it with out burning yourself. Beat the two eggs together in a small bowl. Then add the butter mixture and eggs to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to combine. The dough will take a while to mix. Once everything is a very sticky dough, kneed in the remaining one cup of flour- about five minutes of kneading should do it.
   
2. Place the dough in a greased a bowl, rise with a clean towel over top until double. I like to warm my oven for a five minutes then turn it off and let the dough rise inside the slightly warm oven. It should take about an hour. Bread will rise really fast at about 90 degrees.
   
3. Roll out the dough on a clean surface to 12 by 20 inch rectangle. Now your ready to add the filling. Brush the melted butter over the surface of the rolled out dough. Then mix the cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg together and sprinkle it over top. It will seem like a lot, just trust me on this part.
   
4. Then cut the dough into six strips. Stack the six strips on top of each other. Cut those strips into three or four stacks of squares. Put the stacks of squares into the greased 9x5 loaf pan.
   
5. Allow to rise a second time until double (about 15-30 minutes).
   
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Check to make sure the loaf is done before you tip it out by using a butter knife to press down on the top, if it springs back it is done. If it doesn't the dough isn't quite baked, put it back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.
   
7. Use the butter knife to loosen the edges then invert the bread onto a plate. The syrup that was made from all the sugar, is really hot and will run down the edges. Let the bread set for five minutes before you dig in so you don't burn your mouth.
   

Sticky Lemon Rolls

In honor of Spring break, and the howling wind across the desert, I accomplished my first major baking expedition since Christmas. I've been looking at this recipe for about a year, but haven't had energy to really set aside a morning and try it out. However, today was the day. Currently, my sticky lemon rolls are awaiting a hot oven and my official taste tester, (Dad) who will give me his critique.



Sticky Lemon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze (from thekitchn.com)
Makes 12 large breakfast rolls

Lemon Roll Dough
1 envelope (0.25 ounces, or 2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast

3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F or warm but not hot on your wrist
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 lemons, zested
2 eggs

Sticky Lemon Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 lemons, zested and juiced *
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a couple minutes. With the mixer paddle, stir in the softened butter, sugar, vanilla, and one cup of the flour. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Stir in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is elastic and pliable.

(If you do not have a stand mixer, stir together the ingredients by hand, then turn the soft dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead the dough by hand (see this video for explicit instructions) for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy.)

Spray the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and turn the dough over so it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise until nearly doubled - about an hour.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the nutmeg and ginger, then work in the lemon zest with the tips of your fingers until the sugar resembles wet, soft sand. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon. (Reserve the juice of the second lemon for the glaze.)

Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface pat the dough out into a large yet still thick rectangle — about 10x15 inches. Spread evenly with the softened butter, then pour and spread the lemon-sugar mixture over top. Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the top long end. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even rolls, and place them, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled. (You can also refrigerate the rolls at this point. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour.)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and blend until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.

When the rolls are done, smear them with the cream cheese glaze, and sprinkle the zest of 1 additional lemon over top to garnish. Serve while warm.

More chocolate

More chocolate, why?? Because I'm a girl!! Here are two really amazing recipes to try:

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies (Martha Stewart, thanks Sara!)

Ingredients

Makes 24.

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture just until incorporated; fold in chocolate chips and chunks.
3. Using a 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop or a large spoon, drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (you should have 24) and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange 6 unbaked cookies, 3 inches apart, on each of two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are light golden brown, 17 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Bake remaining dough using new parchment.

Supernatural Brownies (bakeorbreak.com)

16 tablespoons butter 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 4 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups chopped nuts (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Turn off heat. Set a heatproof bowl over water, and put butter and chocolate in bowl. Melt, stirring occasionally.In a separate bowl, whisk eggs. Add salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture. Fold in flour and nuts.Pour batter into a 9″x13″ pan that has been buttered/sprayed. (The recipe also suggests lining the pan with buttered parchment or foil.) Spread batter evenly in pan.Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top will form a shiny crust and the batter will be moderately firm. Cool on a rack. Cut brownies into squares and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins

Good morning internet world,
Behold a tasty treat to get you through a snowy, cloudy, rainy winter....well, those of you that are in the middle of a season known as winter.
As for myself and the 99,000 retirees in Las Cruces, we've been enjoying 60-70 degree days and sunshine. Our winter was a small dip in temperature between the week of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. A total of 7 days perhaps?

I indulged my inner hippie yesterday and had breakfast at the local-across-from-the-university coffee place, Milagro. Silly me, I left my Obama/NPR bumper sticker on my other car, and forgot to wear Chaco's or Birkenstock's. In my defense, I hadn't showered yet for the day. So I was partially in good company.

Those dirty hippies can make a mean non-fat latte and fresh bagels with sundried tomato spread though.

In order to feel cool and be a "locavore", I picked up a pound of their espresso roast beans to take home and this morning, was able to enjoy fresh ground coffee with these tasty banana muffins.

I've made a few modifications to the recipe...

• Used 2 whole eggs instead of 3 egg yolks (I didn't have a 3rd egg)
• Used 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and half white flour
• Used only 2 cups of mashed bananas instead of 2 1/4 cup

Notes:

• I typically keep my overripe bananas in the freezer until I make something with bananas, but they are usually very "liquid-y", so this time I used paper towels to soak up the excess liquid before adding it to the batter. I noticed that it really made the muffins lighter and not so dense from the banana liquid.
• Cinnamon chips are next to chocolate chips at the grocery store.
  

Whole Wheat Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour

1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 C ripe mashed banana
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C sour cream (not low fat)
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 eggs (or, as original recipe calls, 3 eggs yolks)
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 C pecan or walnut pieces (I didn’t use)
3/4 C cinnamon chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the mashed banana, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and vanilla together.

Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until the ingredients are mixed well. Do not over stir. Overstirring muffins makes them tough. Fold in the nuts and chips.

Fill the well-greased tins about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Makes about 18 muffins

Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Let sit for five minutes and remove the muffins from the pan to a rack to cool.

Favorite snacks and an eclectic New Year's goal list

As I'm slaving away for the final 6 weeks of grad school, I've rediscovered a new love of snacks to keep me going.
Here are some of my favorites:

• Reduced Fat Wheat Thins + Red Pepper Hummus
• Mozzarella Cheese sticks
• Plain greek yogurt + 1 Tb. real maple syrup/honey + sliced fruit
• Frozen grapes
• Frozen chocolate covered banana bites
• Bagel Thins (the small bagel slices) + hummus + apple slices + a slice of cheese and broil until cheese melts, 5 mins
• Skinny Cow ice cream treats (everything is 100 calories)
• JIF's new "all natural" peanut butter + apples

And in honor of a new year, here are my fitness goals for 2011:

• February 12- Cupid's Chase 5k in Las Cruces
• March 27- Bataan Marathon (15 mile) at White Sands Missile Range

Other goals:

• Buy a bike and cross train more often
• Do more yoga

My other health goals are:

• Eat recommended daily servings of fruits/vegetables. I'm pretty sure that the rule..."the darker the color = the more nutrients" doesn't apply to chocolate.

To finish my very eclectic laundry list of a blog post, I'll leave you with a home office I'd love to somehow incorporate into my very small abode:

http://www.unplggd.com/unplggd/home-tech-tours/rebeccas-loving-living-small-home-office-home-office-tour-125921

I need to hit up a World Market and Ikea to do that....(did someone say a Tuscon trip??)

And very lastly, here are some precious people that I got to see over Christmas break:

Yes, I do "outside" things...

I even have my own Camelbak...I'm legit