Refrigerator Bran Muffins

We have been searching for this Refrigerator Bran Muffin recipe for a while now. Make ahead of time and store in pre measured ziploc bags for up to 30 days in the refrigerator.  Bringing breakfast together in the morning was easy, and only a muffin pan to wash is even better! Surprisingly, these Bran Muffins are sweet and delicious and the kids ask for them all the time. 

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

Makes 48 muffins 


Ingredients: 
4 cups what bran flakes 
2 cups bran buds
2 cups boiling water 
4 cups buttermilk 
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups freshly ground wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt 


Directions: 
In a large bowl pour boiling water over wheat bran flakes and bran buds, and mix well. Stir every few minutes while the mixture cools to room temperature. Add buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add wheat flour, baking soda and salt. mix well to combine all the ingredients.  


The batter can be covered and kept in the refrigerator (over divid out into serving sized bags).  To bake, scoop the batter into greased muffin tins, Fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 14-16 minutes. 


Word of caution: unless you regularly eat bran and freshly ground wheat flour one muffin is PLENTY, or you might spend a lot of time in the restroom.  They are so yummy so it might be hard to resist! 

Kneaders Sugar Cookies

Welcome to Friday Favorites! Each Friday we post one of our most popular recipes, today we are reposting Kneaders Sugar Cookies. Here are some quick tips for you on this recipe. You can purchase rolling pin rings that slide on your rolling pin to make sure your dough has even thickness at Sur La Table -- you can also purchase Lemon Extract in powder form at Adams Extract.

Kneaders Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

7 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract powder or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

2. Add eggs, then milk. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as you go.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dough will be soft and sticky.

4. Place dough on well floured pastry cloth or workspace.

5. Knead in just enough flour to make dough workable. Dough will be very soft. It is best to knead with a rolling motion so you have a smooth surface and you will not get cracks on the tops of your cookies.

6. Gently roll out to 3/8 inch thick.

7. Cut into desired shapes and place on baking sheet lined with parchment.

8. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes or until just the edges barely start to change colors.

Makes 4 dozen

Icing:

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tablespoons corn syrup

3 Tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract powder

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

Dip cookie in icing and smooth with palm of hand. Let set.

Halloween Bark

There are so many wonderful things that come with fall, caramel apples, pumpkin treats galore, the leaves turning colors, the days cooling down, football, and back to school. No wonder it's our favorite time of year!  We are so excited to break out the fall soups, and cuddle up by the fire we just might explode! This version of Halloween Bark is colorful, bright, easy and delicious. All the giggles that will fill your kitchen you'll get to keep, and the bark, well deliver to kids friends. What a wonderful memory!

Photo by Your Home Based Mom

Halloween Bark

Ingredients:

14 whole Halloween Oreos, broken up.
1 1/2 cups pretzels sticks, broken into pieces
1 pound almond bark
1 cup candy corn
brown and orange colored sprinkles

Directions:

Cover a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Spread broken cookies, pretzels and 3/4 cup of candy corn onto the wax paper.  In a sauce pan over medium heat melt almond bark, stirring frequently, so almond bark doesn't burn. When almond bark is melted and is nice shiny and a nice consistency pour over the cookie mixture, spreading with  spatula if needed to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining candy corn and colored sprinkles over the almond bark while it is still wet. Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm. Remove and gently break bark into pieces.

Scott Peacock's Secret Pecan Rolls

These pecan rolls are cooking guru Scott Peacock's best kept secret. He shared his wonderful, intense recipe with Better Homes and Gardens. They are absolutely soft and covered in gooey sweet goodness, well worth the effort and all the rising time. It is an investment of time, but perfect for a baking day, and you will be well rewarded. 

Scott Peacock's Secret Pecan Rolls

Ingredients: 

Dough:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water 

3/4 cup milk 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Topping:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup mild honey

pinch of salt

3 tablespoon water

1 cup pecan halves

Filling:

 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions: 

In bowl of a stand mixer stir together water and yeast; let stand until foamy. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low, heat milk just until it begins to steam. Add the 6 tablespoons cut up butter and sour cream. Stir just until melted. Cool. Stir mixture  along with eggs and 1 1/2 cups of flour into the foamy yeast. Add the 1/4 cup sugar and the 1 tablespoon salt. Beat with the stand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Mix until smooth.

Gradually beat in remaining 3 cups flour with mixer for 3 to 4 minutes until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl and is only slightly sticky. Do not be tempted to add more flour.

Transfer dough to a bowl. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with pan spray, then cover the bowl with a second piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size ( 90 minutes).

While dough is rising, butter the sides of a 3 quart rectangular glass baking dish. In a medium bowl stir together 1/2 cup softened butter, the 1 cup brown sugar, honey and a pinch of slat until well combined. Stir in 3 tablespoons water. Transfer topping to pan with a spatula to distribute in an even layer. Scatter pecan halves over the butter-sugar mixture. 

Remove the risen dough from bowl and gently roll out on a very lightly floured surface, to an 18 x 15 inch rectangle. 

Spread the 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over dough. In a bowl combine 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over dough. In a bowl combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar , cinnamon and pinch of salt; sprinkle evenly on dough. Distribute the 1/2 cup chopped pecans over the dough. Tightly roll the dough beginning at one long end, keeping the roll as uniform as possible. Pinch the edges to seal. Using a serrated knife, trim both ends. Then cut the roll in 12 slices. Arrange rolls in a baking dish, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3 each. Then use your hands to gently press the rolls into the pecans. Cover dish loosely with buttered plastic wrap and let rolls rise until fully doubled (60 minutes) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Uncover rolls and bake 40 minutes, rotating dish once and tenting loosely with foil when buns begin to brown too quickly. Let pecans rolls stand in dish of for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving platter. Serve warm. Makes 12 buns.

Neely's Jumbo Coconut Shrimp

We have grown to LOVE shrimp even more since we moved close to the Gulf.  Driving down the street with fresh shrimp trucks peppering the side of the road is such a fun new experience for us. The Neely's know how to do Coconut Shrimp! Butterfly cutting the shrimp gives you more coconut crunch from each piece of shrimp, and their zesty dipping sauce is fabulous. 

Neely's Jumbo Coconut Shrimp 

Ingredients: 

Peanut oil, for frying

1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

 Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

4 large eggs

Directions: 

Preheat oil, you want the oil to be about 350 degrees F. 

Butterfly shrimp and set aside

In a medium bowl mix together panko and coconut. In another medium boel beat eggs and dash of salt and pepper. In a third bowl mix flour, onion and garlic powder together. Dredge shrimp in flour, then egg, then the bread crumbs. 

Place in preheated oil and fry, until crisp and golden brown; 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Serve hot with Zesty Dipping Sauce on the side.

Zesty Dipping Sauce: 

1 (6 oz) jar orange marmalade

1/4 cup sweet Asain chili sauce

Juice of 1 lime

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Softest, Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

Chocolate chip cookies are a classic, it seems like everyone love them. These cookies are fluffy and delicious, the perfect, classic, but unique recipe. Can you believe its already time for school to be back in session. The kids would love a yummy cookie when they get home from school.

Softest, Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together butter, sugars and pudding mix, beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin to add eggs one at a time. After eggs are incorporated scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla. 

In a separate bowl blend together flour and baking soda. Add slowly the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, and mix just until incorporated. By hand stir in chocolate chips.   

Place by heaping tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until center of the cookie no longer looks wet, and edges are lightly browned.

Feed The 5000 Chicken & Rice

Welcome to Friday Favorites! Each Friday we post one of our most popular recipes, today we are reposting Feed the 5000 Chicken & Rice. We prepared this dish last night for friends we had for dinner, and as always it was a huge hit. We modified this recipe from our original posting, give this new version a try and let us know what you think. 

Feed The 5000 Chicken & Rice

Ingredients:

6 cups prepared rice 

4 cups cooked chicken, sliced

2 cups slightly cooked broccoli - boil with chicken for the last 3 minutes

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1-2 tablespoons red curry powder (to taste)

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup mayo

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together soup, curry powder, milk, mayo and lemon juice. In a large casserole pan layer as follows: rice, chicken and broccoli, top with curry soup mixture, and finish with shredded pepper jack cheese and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.Turn heat up to 425 and cook for 5 minutes, just to add a nice brown color to the top of the casserole.