Cranberry-Carrot Muffins

Good to make with leftovers!
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp gingr
1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup pureed, cooked carrots
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup cranberry relish/sauce (homemade or out of can; I just simmered water, sugar, cranberries, and orange marmalade -- Lily's homemade orange marmalade -- for my cranberry sauce)

Directions:
Preheat over to 375. Line or grease 12-muffin tin.

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmet, and ginger

In large bowl, cream butter on medium speed until lightened. With speed on low, slowly add sugar. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly and scraping down sides with spatula. Add carrot puree and orange zest and beat until well combined. With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. Gently fold cranberry sauce into batter with spatula until evenly distributed.

Evenly divice batter among into muffin tin and (optional) sprinkle a little sugar over the top of each. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

*** I got this from Food Network. Some of the comments suggested using sweet potato instead of carrots, adding extra whole cranberries, and sprinkling nuts on top. I have some pumpkin right now, so I may try this again with pumpkin. ***

Costco-esque Chocolate Muffins

My verdict: Very tasty and chocolatey.  I haven't had a Costco muffin in a long time, so I can't vouch for it tasting like that... but I think it's very possible.  I made this to go with dinner one night, but I feel like it's almost too dessert-y for that.  I froze some of the leftovers so maybe I'll use them for an after-dinner snack one day.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk (I used skim)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

In a small bowl, remove two tablespoons of flour from the 2 1/4 cups (now 2 cups and 2 tablespoons remains) and mix with the chocolate chips. Set aside

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a different bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips/flour mixture.

Fill lined cupcake pans 2/3 full with batter.Bake at 325 degrees for 18-24 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from: AllRecipes.com- http://allrecipes.com/recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Add vanilla. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Notes:

~I used frozen blueberries, which I de-thawed before mixing in (I didn't de-thaw them so much that there was tons of liquid after).

~I used a different crumb topping, based off of reviews:

"try this fail proof one I use that has less butter (perfect amount if doubling recipe): 2/3C brown sugar, 1/4C flour, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 2T butter. Use fork to mix and has nice coarse texture."

I halved this, and still had A TON.  I am just saving it for now, for next time I make muffins of banana bread of something.