Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

Streusel:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp light or dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Muffin:
1 large egg
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup diced rhubarb, in 1/2-inch pieces (from about 6 to 8 oz of stalks)

Preheat oven to 375.  Butter 12 muffin cups.

Make streusel:
In a small dish, stir together flours, sugars, spices and salt.  Stir in butter until crumbly.  Set aside.

Make muffins:
1. Whisk egg in the bottom of a large bowl with both sugars.  Whisk in butter, then sour cream.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, and baking soda.  Stir them into the sour cream mixture, mixing just until combined and still a bit lumpy.
3. Fold in rhubarb and 1/3 of the streusel mixture.
4. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle each muffin with remaining streusel, then use a spoon to gently press the crumbs into the batter so that they adhere.
5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean.  Rest muffins in pan on cooling rack for two minutes, then remove muffins from tin to cool them completely.

Source: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/rhubarb-streusel-muffins/

Spring Mix Salad with Feta, Pecans, and Strawberry Vinaigrette

1 lb ripe strawberries, hulled and halved
8 cups spring mix salad
7 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper

1. Mash enough of the strawberries to measure 1/3 cup.
2. Place remaining strawberries in a large bowl.  Add spring mix, feta, and pecans.
3. Place oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to blend.  Whisk in mashed strawberries.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add vinaigrette to salad and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

Source: Creative Cooking the Costco Way

Try #1 - April 27, 2012
This was a nice, light, refreshing dinner salad.  The dressing makes more than is necessary for the salad, so we had some leftover.  The kids didn't like it... but I didn't expect them to. :)

Beer Bread

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 bottle (12 oz) beer, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375.  In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  Add the beer all at once, mixing as little as possible; the batter should be lumpy.
2. Pour the batter into a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and brush with the melted butter.  Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beer-Batter-Bread-104160

Try #1 - March 2012

This was awesome.  So good.  I substituted some whole wheat flour, and it worked fine.  I used a hefeweizen, which seemed to work fine too.

Try #2 - April 27, 2012
So, IPA (India Pale Ale) is NOT the beer to use for this recipe.  Nathan thinks it was the overabundance of hops in the beer, whatever that really means.  The bread tasted just like beer to me, with all the qualities that I hate about beer - the flavor, the bitter aftertaste, yuck.  The kids didn't seem to mind, and Nathan liked it, since he likes beer.  So if you're looking for a beer-flavored beer bread, use IPA.  As for me, the next time I will try a dark beer, which is what seems to be the recommended brew for beer bread.

Also, I used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.

Sunflower Oatmeal Bread

2 1/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp molasses
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
3 oz warm buttermilk
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (for machines with yeast dispenser, use 3 tsp yeast)

Note: Sunflower seeds may be added at the mix-cycle beep, if your machine is so equipped.

Source: Favorite Bread Machine Recipes

White Corn Bread

2 1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp bread flour
1 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
7 oz warm milk
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (for machines with yeast dispensers, use 3 tsp yeast)

Source: Favorite Bread Machine Recipes

Whole-Wheat Sunflower Bread

1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
4 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
9 oz warm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (for machines with yeast dispensers, use 3 tsp yeast)

Source: Favorite Bread Machine Recipes

Whole-Wheat Egg Bread

3 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 eggs
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp maple syrup
3 oz warm water
3 tsp active dry yeast (For machines with yeast dispensers, use 5 1/2 tsp yeast)

Notes:
1. If your machine is equipped with a whole-grain cycle, use it for this bread.
2. Because eggs vary in their effect on the consistency of the dough, be sure to watch the dough as it mixes. If it seems too runny, add flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the consistency is about right.

Source: Favorite Bread Machine Recipes

Try #1 - April 27, 2012
I'm going to unfortunately have to label this bread a "fail"... I had high hopes, what with the eggs, maple syrup, and copious amount of yeast.  But, it was about the same as my other attempts at 100% whole wheat bread - did not rise well, was too dense, the crust was too dark, and this bread was even more dry than others ones I've tried. I think I'm going to have to give up my quest to find a 100% whole wheat bread for my bread machine - they just don't turn out as well as I'd like them to.

Sunflower Bread

2 1/2 cups bread flour
4 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1/2 cup oat bran (I used rolled oats)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup warm milk
4 1/2 oz warm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (For machines with yeast dispensers, use 3 tsp yeast)

Source: Favorite Bread Machine Recipes, Norman A. Garrett

Try #1 - April 2012
This was a good, unique bread - nutty flavor, and something different than usual.  It rose well and had a nice texture.  The substitution of rolled oats for oat bran didn't seem to affect the recipe.

100 Percent Whole-Wheat Bread

3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast

Select whole wheat or basic bread cycle.

Tip: After removing the bread from the pan, rub a tablespoon of cold butter over the top and sides of the hot loaf as it cools.

Source: The All-New Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, by Tom Lacalamita

Old-Fashioned Oat Bread

3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast

1. All ingredients must be at room temperature. Liquid ingredients should be approximately 80 degrees F. Cut butter into small cubes. Add ingredients in the order specified by your bread machine owner's manual. Do not use delay bake function.
2. Select white or basic bread and normal or medium crust.
3. Remove baked loaf from pan at the end of the baking cycle, and cool on a wire rack at least one hour before slicing.

Tip: Gently brush top of rising loaf with vegetable oil and sprinkle lightly with some rolled oats, at least 10 minutes before the bread machine begins to bake.

Source: The All-New Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, by Tom Lacalamita

Baked Oatmeal Cups (Bird's Nests)

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sucanat or honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
Topping choices: mini chocolate chips, raisins, other dried fruit, coconut flakes, apple chunks

Mix together oats, sucanat, salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs, milk, and melted butter. Scoop batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle toppings of choice into the center of each cup. Bake in a 350° for about 30 minutes, or until the oats are golden brown.

Source: Heavenlyhomemakers.com

Try #1 - April 15, 2012
I made these with Abby today. We used dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips for the toppings. They were pretty good - not overly sweet, and the kids seemed to like them. Thirty minutes was a bit to long - I took them out at 28, and they still were slightly overdone.