Week Thirteen Recipes & Shopping List

Day One:

Crab Cakes and Spicy Mustard Sauce
adapted from a recipe on myrecipes.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Crab Cakes:
1/3 cup green or red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed

Spicy Mustard Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Directions:
1. Combine first seven ingredients. Add 1/3 cup panko and crab; toss gently. Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions; shape each into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Place remaining panko in a shallow dish. Gently dredge patties in panko.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and crab cakes.

3. Combine remaining ingredients; serve with crab cakes.



Day Two:

Chicken Linguine with Brie
Adapted from a recipe on myrecipes.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces brie cheese
12 ounces dried linguine
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & coarsely shredded (boiled works well)
Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a 4- to 5-quart pan, combine chicken broth, wine, heavy whipping cream, lemon peel, fennel, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, trim rind from brie. Cut brie into about 1/2-inch chunks.

Add linguine to pan, pushing it down into boiling liquid. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken and stir to blend. Stir in chunks of brie. Remove pasta from heat and let stand, uncovered, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often to make sure all the cheese melts.

With tongs or two forks, lift pasta into wide soup bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan. Serve.



Day Three:

Crockpot Beef Broccoli with Mandarin Oranges
adapted from a recipe at crockpot.com

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into strips
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
¼ cup cooking sherry
2 cups broccoli florets
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
4 cups cooked white rice

Directions:
Combine steak, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce and sherry in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets and mix to combine. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the crockpot. Stir. Cover and allow to cook for 30 more minutes.

When done cooking, toss the steak mixture with the mandarin oranges and green onions. Serve over white rice. Serves 4.



Day Four:

Easy Taco Salad
Recipe courtesy of AngryJulieMonday.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1 can of pinto beans
Shredded lettuce
2 cups of shredded cheese (we use the pre-shredded Mexican style)
Catalina Salad Dressing
Tortilla Chips, Corn Chips, or Doritos-style chips

Optional Ingredients:
Chopped Tomatoes
Chopped Green Onions
Salsa
Ranch Dressing instead of Catalina
Thousand Island instead of Catalina

Directions:
Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble until well done; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix.

Add pinto beans to beef (which has already been seasoned with the mix). Put on lid to skillet and let beef and bean mix simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on how soupy the mixture is.

Set beef and bean mixture aside to cool.

Get large bowl and crush tortilla chips (we use Dorito’s) into bite sized pieces. Add meat/bean mixture(after it has cooled for a few minutes), lettuce shreds, and cheese. Toss it all together. Depending on your preference, you add more/less chips, cheese, lettuce.

Add in Catalina Dressing and toss the salad all together.

Scoop in bowls and eat.



Day Five:

Rum Chicka Rum Chicken
Recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2/3 cup dark rum
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed of excess fat
1 orange, thinly sliced into rounds, for garnish

Directions:
Whisk the rum, orange juice, orange zest, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and cilantro together in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and place the chicken on the grill and cook until browned on both sides and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes per side, basting with leftover marinade a few times throughout. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and garnish with the orange slices.



Shopping List for Week Thirteen
3 cups chicken broth
orange juice
2 cups dry white wine
dark rum

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces mushroom-flavored brie cheese
Grated parmesan cheese
sour cream
2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese

1 lemon
2 green or red bell peppers
green onions
fresh parsley
fresh cilantro
1 bulb garlic
fresh ginger
2 cups broccoli florets
Shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes
1 orange

Cayenne pepper
fennel seeds
salt & pepper
panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
olive oil
mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
white wine vinegar
soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
oyster sauce
cooking sherry
cornstarch
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
Worcestershire sauce
dark brown sugar
12 ounces dried fettuccine
white rice

1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into strips
1 pound of ground beef
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 can of pinto beans
Catalina Salad Dressing
Salsa
Tortilla Chips, Corn Chips, or Doritos-style chips

Yummy little side dish...

So tonight I made these yummy little potato stacks. They were really easy but they took a long time to cook. My family loved them. I had them in the oven before I started making the pork chops with the roasted red pepper cream and everything was done at the same time. Thought I'd share the recipe! :)


Roasted Potato Stacks
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Gourmandrecipes.com




INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. Russet potatoes
Salt and pepper
sprinkle dried thyme leaves








DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make the garlic oil: combine the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and gently warm over low heat until fragrant but the garlic is not brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice them with a mandolin.
4. Brush 8 muffin tins with thr garlic oil with a pastry brush. Layer a potato slice in the bottom of a muffin tin and brush it with a thin layer of garlic oil. Layer another slice of potato and brush it with the garlic oil. Repeat until it stacks up to the top of the muffin tin.
5. Repeat step 4 with a new muffin tin until you have a total of 8 potato stacks.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the potato stacks with the dried thyme leaves.
7. Bake the potato stacks in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and cooked through.
8. Serve immediately with any main entrees.

Week Twelve Recipes and Shopping List

Day One:

Indoor BBQ Chicken Skewers
*can be done on an outdoor grill as well
adapted from a recipe in cooks country

Ingredients:
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup bbq sauce
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro OR 1 tsp dried

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to highest position (about 5 inches from broiler element) and heat broiler. Set wire rack over rimmed baking sheet. Combine brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Thread seasoned chicken onto 12 inch skewers, either metal or bamboo soaked in water.

Whisk ¾ cup bbq sauce and 2 tbsp vinegar in small bowl. In second bowl combine sour cream, cilantro, bbq sauce and remaining vinegar; set aside for serving.

Brush each kebab with bbq sauce/vinegar mixture. Broil until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip kebabs, brush with remaining sauce and continue to broil until chicken is lightly charred and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with sour cream sauce.


Day Two:

Margherita Pizza (Pizza Margherita)
recipe courtesy of food.com

Ingredients:
12 inches thin pizza crust ( Boboli 12 inch thin crust)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 -4 large basil leaves, cut into strips
2 small tomatoes, cut thinly
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Drizzle the olive oil over the pizza shell. Use a brush to spread it around and make sure to get the crust!
Next, disperse the finely chopped garlic evenly.
Spread the mozzarella cheese throughout the top, but keep it thin.
Place the thinly sliced tomatoes across the entire pizza.
Lightly salt and pepper the tomatoes with the kosher salt.
Spread the fresh basil leaves, making sure to get some on tomatoes and on just the cheese itself.
Cook the pizza in the oven for about 9-10 minutes, or until sufficiently crispy and melted to your liking.
Add a little Parmesan cheese and (optional) crushed red pepper and enjoy!


Day Three:

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Croutons, for topping (optional)

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, half-and-half, both potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; add 3 tablespoons water and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes; drain.

When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup and transfer the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot and thin with water, if necessary. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in the broccoli and season with salt and pepper.

Add the cheese and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons, if desired.


Day Four:

Pork Chops with Roasted Red Pepper Cream
Recipe courtesy of cooks country

Ingredients:
4 bone in or center cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ onion, sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup chicken broth
¾ cup heavy cream
1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained & chopped
2 tsp light brown sugar
¼ cup chopped fresh basil OR 1/4 tsp dried basil leaves

Directions:
Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and cook until well browned, about 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer to serving platter and tent with foil.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to empty skillet and cook until softened and browned, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, cream, roasted peppers, and sugar and simmer, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add any accumulated pork juices back to pan and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chops. Serve.


Day Five:

Basil Garlic Shrimp Linguine
adapted from a recipe in cooks country


Ingredients:
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper
1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup white wine
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried basil
3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 tbsp capers, drained & minced
1 tsp lemon juice

1 pound linguine

Directions:
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate.

Heat salted water for linguine in a large pot. Cook 1 pound linguine according to package directions.

Meanwhile, Add remaining oil, garlic and a dash of pepper to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in basil, butter, capers and lemon juice. Add shrimp and any accumulated juices to skillet. Cover and let sit until shrimp are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Serve over cooked linguine.


Shopping List

Vegetable oil
Olive oil
crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
Salt and pepper
brown sugar
paprika
ground cumin
dried basil (if not using fresh)

bbq sauce
cider vinegar
3 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers
capers
white wine
lemon juice
Croutons (optional)

2 heads of garlic (14 cloves)
1 pkg fresh basil (if not using dried)
2 small tomatoes
2 medium onions
2 stalks celery
1 pound russet potatoes, about 4
1 pound sweet potatoes, 2 large
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
fresh cilantro

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/3 cups)
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
½ cup sour cream

Boboli 12 inch thin crust
1 pound linguine
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 bone in or center cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Week Twelve Recipes Currently Being Tested!

Well my family is in the middle of another experimental week. Week twelve! Last night's indoor BBQ skewers turned out so good! Hopefully all the recipes will continue to be that way. New recipes should be up on Saturday! Keep checking back. :)

Week Eleven Recipes and Shopping List

Day One:

Pepper Steak:

Ingredients:
2 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra for passing at the table
1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin against the grain
1 cup plus 2 tbsp low sodium beef broth
2 tbsp dry sherry
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 med red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 med green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 med onion, halved & sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
salt & pepper

Directions:
Toss soy sauce & steak in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing other ingredients. Whisk 1 cip beef broth, sherry, and cornstarch together in medium bowl.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large, nonstick skillet over med-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning once, until browned at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to clean plate. Add 2 tsp oil to pan, repeat with remaining beef, and transfer to plate.

Add remaining 2 tsp oil to pan and heat until shimmering. Add peppers, onion and garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add remaining 2 tbsp beef broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until peppers are soft, about 2 minutes.

Return beef to pan along with cornstarch mixture. Increase heat to high and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and season with salt & pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra soy sauce at table.



Day Two:

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried basil leaves
4 cups hot cooked extra wide egg noodles
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat 2 tbsp oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet.

Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir soup, water, tomatoes, vonegar and basil in skillet.

Return chicken to skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken and sauce over noodles. Sprintkle with cheese if desired.



Day Three:

Shrimp & Tortellini in Tomato Cream

Ingredients:
1 pkg (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
dash crushed red pepper flakes
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 bottle clam juice (4 oz)
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup half & half cream
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried chives

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, cook shrimp in 2 tsp oil until shrimp turn pink. Stir in lemon peel, 1/8 tsp pepper and pepper flakes. Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, cook shallots in remaining oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until gloden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.

Add the tomatoes, clam juice, wine, vinegar, thyme and remaining pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, Stir in the cheese, cream, basil, chives and shrimp.

Drain tortellini; stir into shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese if desired.



Day Four:

Fish with Fennel

Ingredients:
1 medium lime
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 striped bass or tilapia fillets
1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds

Directions:
Cut lime in half, cut four slices from one half for garnish. Finely grate enough peel from remaining half to measure 3/4 tsp. Squeeze juice from lime half. Set aside.

in a large saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add sliced fennel and salt; cover and boil for 6-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and pat dry.

In a large, nonstick skillet, saute fennel in 2 tsp oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until fennel is lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook fillets in remaining oil for 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Drizzle with lime juice; sprinkle with lime peel and fennel seeds. Serve with sauteed fennel. Garnish with fennel fronds and lime slices.



Day Five:

Southwest Frito Pie

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup water
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, rinsed & drained
corn chips
shredded cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
chopped green onions
sliced black olives*
sour cream*
chopped fresh cilantro*
(*optional)

Directions:
In dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chili powder, flour, salt and garlic powder until blended; gradually stir in water.

Add the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

To serve, divide chips among serving bowls. Top with beef mixture, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and onion; garnish with olives, sour cream and cilantro if desired.



Week Eleven Shopping List

1 pound lean ground beef
4 striped bass or tilapia fillets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound sirloin steak tips
1 pkg (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 can (15 oz) pinto beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 8oz bottle clam juice
1 small can sliced black olives

Corn chips

Lettuce
1 tomato
2 medium onions
Fresh Garlic
3 shallots
1 fennel bulb
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
1 lemon
Sliced sun dried tomatoes

Red pepper flakes
Chili powder
Flour
Salt
Garlic powder
Sour cream*
Cilantro*
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Red wine vinegar
dried basil
dried chives
Soy sauce
Beef broth
Dry Sherry
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil
Balsamic vinegar
Dried thyme leaves
White wine

4 cups extra wide egg noodles

1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup half & half cream

A New Week of Meals coming next weekend!

I need to apologize. Anyone NOT on my facebook page, or a friend in real life, probably doesn't know why I have disappeared as of late. I recently accepted a very exciting new DAYSHIFT position and in doing so I got very, very busy for a few weeks.

First there was the heartache of leaving a place that I truly loved working. That was hard. I had built up some great relationships in five years of being there. While it's true it's not goodbye forever, it is the realization that I don't get to see those people every day that made me sad.

So then after that, I had two weeks of travel in order to be trained for my new job. I left my husband with the children and I went travelling to a couple of different states for a couple of weeks. Not as glamorous as I had pictured. I'm all trained now, back in Arizona, and I'm in my first week of actually working in the building. I haven't done any real work yet but I will, starting next week.

I have enjoyed coming home before 5pm and cooking dinner with my husband. As long as we remember to pull out something the night before to defrost, we're good. We're flying by the seat of our pants as I get used to this routine. BUT I'M ON DAYSHIFT!!

I know what will help... It's time for some meal planning! By next Sunday I'll have a new week of recipes and a shopping list up. My new coworkers are fantastic so I think I'll be making some treats to break in our new breakroom... If I do, I'll post that recipe too. Salty Caramel Snickerdoodle Blondies..... yum! Thanks for your patience everyone! xoxo

Raspberry Muffins

So I had this recipe emailed to me and it looked really good. The recipe was actually for sugar crusted raspberry muffins but when I tried it, the batter wasn't sweet enough and the tops of the muffins stuck like glue to the top of the muffin tin. They weren't very pretty when I wrestled them out with a butter knife! So, as I always do, I made some modifications. Now they're sitting there, tempting me and every time I walk by I eat another one. This recipe is great for the friends back home that have raspberries ready in their gardens. I had to buy mine at the store but if I close my eyes I can pretend I picked them myself. Enjoy!

Raspberry Muffins adapted from a recipe from Real Simple



Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (I used two 6oz containers)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin tins generously with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

In mixing bowl combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter and combine. Add egg, milk and vanilla and combine until well blended.

In another bowl, toss the berries with the remaining flour. Don't worry if the berries break up. Fold the berry mixture into the batter.

Fill the muffin cups and bake 20 minutes for large muffins, 15 minutes for mini muffins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Leave muffins in tins and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing.

Makes 24 large muffins or 36 mini muffins.