Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Blueberry Muffins

Every time I post a new gluten-free bread recipe, I mention how hard it is to find a recipe that doesn't end up tasting like a souffle. Most of the time they are just too eggy. And everyone knows how I feel about that.

These muffins are not eggy at all. They have a little bit of a spongy texture. Hubs was turned off by this (he is funny about that kind of thing), but everyone else loved them! They are so good warm from the oven with a cup of hot coffee (with coconut milk of course) on a chilly morning.

I am going to say that this recipe was inspired by the one on the back of the Mama's Almond Blend Flour bag, I ended up changing quite a but of the original recipe. I didn't have butter, so I used cream cheese. I wanted more vanilla flavor, so I added some ground vanilla beans from Williams Sonoma. Instead of a whole cup of granulated sugar, I used half coconut sugar and half granulated sugar. I think next time I might use just coconut sugar, no need to use white sugar if its not needed. I also didn't have any xanthan gum (that stuff is expensive!) so I used ground chia seeds. There are a few more changes I made to the recipe but I don't feel like listing them (lazy).

I used Mama's Almond Blend Flour, but I think the recipe should work with other gluten-free flour blends. I got Mama's on sale and this is the first time I have used it. It is mostly rice flour and for that reason I don't think I will purchase this flour again. I just have such a bad reaction to rice, my hands swell up and get all itchy, its just not worth it to me. But it is a great blend if you don't care about rice.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Blueberry Muffins
(inspired by the recipe on the Mama's Almond Blend Flour bag)

2 cups Mama's Almond Blend Flour (or other gluten-free flour blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans (or one vanilla bean split and scraped)
1/4 salt
1/2 cup cream cheese or butter or ghee, softened
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup yogurt (Greek or regular; vanilla or plain)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream, coconut milk, or whole milk
2 cups frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans (optional)


Preheat oven to 375F. Line muffin tins with muffin cups or grease non-stick muffin tins.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, chia seeds, ground vanilla beans, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer (or with a wooden spoon) cream cream cheese and sugar. Stir in yogurt, egg and vanilla. Beat 1 minute on medium speed until well combined. Stop mixer and add half the flour mixture and cream. Mix on lowest speed for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining flour. Remove mixing bowl. Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin liners to the top with batter. Lightly sprinkle the sugar and vanilla bean mixture over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (20-22 minutes for mini muffins) or until the tops are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

The Best Banana Bread Recipe Ever!

This is one of my oldest and most trusted recipes. I am not sure where it came from because its been in my recipe scrap book for years and years. I started making this recipe in college and haven't looked for a new one since.

as you can see from the stains and notes, this recipe is well loved!

I don't know about your family, but we seem to accumulate brown bananas. Some weeks we will eat a whole bunch of bananas in a few days and the next week we won't eat any, resulting in brown bananas. I hate wasting food and the nice thing about bananas is that once they turn brown you can just pop them in the freezer and leave them there until you are ready to make banana bread or breakfast cookies, or whatever else you might need smooshed-up ripe bananas for.  

Like I said, I have been making this particular banana bread recipe for years and years. In that time I have made bread, muffins and mini muffins. I have mixed in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, and mini chocolate chips. I have thought about adding peanut butter and chocolate chips. I have thought about adding cocoa powder. I have thought about adding blueberries. I have thought about cutting the banana and adding pumpkin instead. I have thought about baking it in a cake pan and then icing it with cream cheese icing or chocolate, or Nutella, or even salted caramel! Oh so many culinary ideas! (What would you add?)

I have learned a few things after making this recipe so many times. First, do not over fill your pans or muffin liners! This batter will rise quite a bit. I learned the hard way with banana bread burning on the bottom of my oven. Fill whatever your baking pan is only about 1/2-1/3 of the way full. Second, make sure to check with a toothpick for done-ness (technical term) and check a few places when making bread. The bread will usually be a lovely golden brown and still gooey in the middle. I usually let it get a nice color and then cover with tin foil to finish baking through. Third, you can make this recipe with or without a mixer. If you have the arm strength/willingness to cream the butter and sugar the rest is a breeze. Forth, one banana equals about half a cup, so you will need roughly four bananas for this recipe. Fifth, experimenting with flavors is awesome! My favorite is chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips is making mini muffins. Sixth, shmere with butter or cream cheese and have some coffee. 

I really hope you enjoy this recipe. It the best banana bread recipe I have encountered.

follow me on instagram (@coreysuzanne) for more yummy inspiration!

What mix-ins do you add to your banana bread?

XOXO,
Coco

The Best Banana Bread

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large over-ripe bananas)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, blueberries, etc... (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour three loaf pans, or put liners in muffin tins.

Mash bananas and mix with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.

Cream the butter and the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until well combined. Beat in bananas.

Sift all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) together. 

Add the flour and sour cream to the butter alternatively, starting and ending with the flour. Mix well after each addition. (Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined.)

Fold in nuts, chocolate chips, blueberries, etc... 

Pour batter into greased pans or spoon into muffin cups. DO NOT over fill pans. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes for loaf pans, 17-20 minutes for regular-sized muffins, 12-15 for mini-sized muffins, or until a toothpick that is inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. If the bread has developed a golden brown color but hasn't baked all the way through, cover with tin foil and bake until done.

Wheat-Free Maple Sausage and Cheese Oatmeal Sandwiches

I love those (totally processes, fat-filled, sugary, fake, and all around unhealthy) Sausage McGriddles with cheese from McD's. For some reason the sweet from the maple syrup and the salty from the cheese mixes so well. However, I am trying to be healthier and thrifty. So, I came up with these (still fattening, but oh so yummy) Wheat-Free Maple Sausage and Cheese Oatmeal Sandwiches.

I made oatmeal for breakfast a few days ago and stuck the leftovers (there seems to always be leftover oatmeal) in the fridge. Found a blog post  about using leftover oatmeal to make pancake like fritters. I changes up the recipe and the little cakes turned out wonderfully. They are really good just on their own, but add the sausage and cheese patties and you have a breakfast fit for cool fall weather. Almost enough to make me want to live in a tiny cabin in the woods where I could sit outside, wrapped in a blanket, and watch the leaves change while drinking hot coffee and munching on these beauties.

Wheat-Free Maple Sausage and Cheese Oatmeal Sandwiches

Oatmeal Cakes

• About 3 cups leftover oatmeal (I used Irish steel cut oats) 
• Two eggs
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Raisins (optional. I had cooked my oatmeal with the raisins, so they were already in with the leftovers)
• Butter for cooking

Mix everything (except the butter) together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop the batter into the skillet and cook until crispy and golden brown on each side. 

NOTE: Because this recipe uses leftover oatmeal, 3 cups is not an exact measurement. I am estimating that is about how much I used. To make sure you get the proportions right, add one egg at a time and 1/2 cup of flour at a time. Your mix should resemble a very lumpy (because of the oatmeal) thick pancake batter. If the egg-flour ratio isn't right the cakes will fall apart when you try to flip them. No worries though, just adjust the ratios before cooking the next cake.

Maple Sausage and Cheese Patties

• 1 lb. sausage (the kind that comes in a tube, like Jimmy Deans)
• 1 and 3/4 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese (or one brick Cracker Barrel cheese)
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup 

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a cookie sheet with cooking oil. Mix everything together in a large bowl, I used my hands to make sure everything came together completely. Spray a skillet with cooking oil or use a non-stick pan. Form patties with your hands and cook them over medium heat until each side is golden brown and crispy. Transfer the patties to the cookie sheet and finish cooking them in the oven for about 7-10 minutes, or just until they are cooked (no pink) all the way through.

Assemble the sandwiches by stacking a oatmeal cake and then a sausage patty and then another oatmeal cake. Serve with maple syrup hot. These are also great at room temp or cold!

If you don't care about being wheat-free then just use regular all-purpose flour.

One more thing. I hate eggs (like they turn my stomach in the worst way kind of hate), but I am sure if you like eggs these sandwiches would be great with an egg (over easy/over hard) in the middle. The sausage patties would also be awesome on an English Muffin! 

Beach House Cooking and Crock Pot Cinnamon Nuggets

Vacation!

We haven't have a family vacation since before we got married. Its been forever. Needless to say, we had been looking forward to this trip for quite some time.

Me and my husband love the beach. I wish we could move to a beach town (Savannah anyone?) and just live. If both our jobs didn't depend on cities, and if we could convince our families to relocate with us, I think we would move in a heartbeat. As it is, we will have to enjoy our liitle beach trips when we can get them.

One of the great things about family beach trips is the house. Everyone under one roof, for a whole week, eating together, laughing, screaming (kids and parents at kids), wispering in your room when you need to have a private conversation, etc... Its great.

Learning to live with people you grew up with, plus their spouces and kids, is such a weird experience. One of the places this weirdness is really prominate is the kitchen. Cooking in a beach house kitchen is a weird exerience to begin with. You are totally unformillar with the layout (took me three days to find a spatcula); there are is weird assortment of utencils and equipment; you have to bring your whole spice rack just incase you might have a craving for something that requires marjrom.

Crock pot cooking is the very best at the beach. Fix it, leave it, come home to a totally done meal. I love doing that at home, and its even better at the beach. After a long day in the sun and sand the last thing I want to do is cook a full dinner.  

When I think of crock pot cooking I don't ever think of breakfast. However there are really great breakfast options that can be made in the crock pot. Oatmeal can be put in overnight and is really great in the morning, and there are egg cassirols that are (reportably) yummy too.

When it comes to breakfast I love a pastry and a good cup of coffee. This year I wanted to make a round of cinnamon rolls, however I didn't want to do the work. So, I did a bit of recipe research and came up with these Crock Pot Cinnamon Nuggets. Cinnamony goodness, gooey, sugery, unhealthy, vacation food.

The only issue I found with this recipe is that it takes longer to cook than I would have liked for breakfast. I woke up early to put everything together in the crock pot and then we still had to wait three hours to eat. It turned out to be more of a brunch food item, but no complants here! Plus the house smelled amaaazing while it cooked.

Cinnamon Nuggets

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cans refridgerated homestyle buiscuits (this recipe would work with one can of buiscuits too)
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pecan or walnut pieces (optional)
• raisins (optional)

In a large zipper bag shake up the sugar and cinnamon to mix well. Cut the buiscuits into quarters with scissors. Dump the buiscuits pieces into the zipper bag and shake to coat. This is the perfect thing for helpful little hands, have a shaking dance party! Dump the contence of the zipper bag into a large crock pot. Mix in the nut pieces and raisons.

Melt the butter in a sauce pot on the stove, add the brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour this mixture over the nuggets in the crock pot. Place a paper towel (to catch the condensation) on top of the crockpot and then put to lid on. Cook for two to four hours on low.

Glaze

• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (may need more to reach desired consistancy)

Stir together ingredents until combined. Drizzle glaze over nuggets when they are done cooking. 

Notes:
I think these could be cooked in a glass cake pand in the oven (350 for about 30mins?). I also think using cream cheese icing would be great too. It seemed like the nuggets on the edges of the crock pot cooked much more quickly while the nuggets in the center were still gooey, not sure how to fix this.