Easy Carrot Muffins

So, I have been experimenting with some easy baking, with very good results and wanted to share with you!

First, muffins. My boys would eat 5 granola bars a day and I feel very guilty for all the non-recyclable melamine packaging, so I decided to make bran muffins instead.

Tropical Carrot Muffins

Buy any bran or honey bran mix you like.

In a blender add:
1- 2 cup can of pineapple chunks
Put the lid on and blend until pureed.
Then add washed, chunked carrot (I typicall wash and cut a carrot into 2" chunks) one piece at a time blending on low until completely combined. I typically use 3 large carrots or more. Add 2 eggs, blend. If mixture becomes to dry you can add a small amount of water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Combine the mix in a large bowl with the blended ingredients. Mix well. If mixture is too dry, add 1/4 c of water until appropriate consistency is reached.

Spray and fill muffin tins, bake 18-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

The same idea can be used with all kinds of fruits and veggies. I also just do carrot,pineapple with raisins.

You could also try using 1/2 c cocoa and 2-3c grated zuchini, or mashed banana and chocolate chips, or applesauce and raisins with ginger and cinnamon.

The combinations are endless and in 30 minutes you can mix and bake 2 dozen muffins!

Let me know if you have any favourite recipes to share or find a mix that you like (I am trying to find a good wheat-free mix).

Fall is here

I can nearly smell it...fall creeps in quietly, but it can't hide from me...I know it's here...I haven't failed to notice the tips of some leaves changing...the wind and the rain...I being to get the itch to stay home...cook...sew even(?)...

I LOVE this time of the year!!!

The Big Cook

I come from a family of cooks.

My Dad is a Chef and has taught professional cooking for the past 20 years. He makes Gordon Ramsey look like Carrot Top, but he is a great cook. He has temporarily vacated the cookingarena in favour of browner pastures...he currently lives in Qatar and teaches marketing comm.

My Mum is an amazing cook and just has a knack for knowing what flavours go together and how much of something a person needs to make a dish taste just right.

I grew up making deviled eggs, piping chox pastry and washing A LOT of dishes...

One slight problem, however, is that I never learned to cook small...I just cook big. I think that's why the concept of "The Big Cook" appeals to me. Cook all your meals for a month in one day.

So this week I prepared for a big cook of my own. I purchased about $400 worth of groceries, a new stock pot and came up with my own recipes (ok, so I rarely use a recipe more than once when I am cooking).

Last night I made 100 Swedish Meatballs, cooked and frozen.

Today is Beef & Barley Soup, Split Pea & Ham Soup and A HUGE pot of Chili.

Tomorrow will be Turkey and Wild Rice Soup and one of my personal faves "Happy Go Leeky" soup from the "Crazy Plates" cookbook.

Of course, to get the beef for the beef/barley soup, I needed to cook a sirloin tip roast...so we'll be having THAT for dinner tonight...and a Turkey dinner tomorrow!

From the look of things today, I could write my own cookbook and call it "The Bigger Cook"...I think by the time we are finished, we will have approx. 2-3 months worth of meals in our deep freeze. Add a salad, or veggies, biscuits or buns and Voila...meals in minutes.