Double Cranberry Muffins

Cranberries have been one of my favorite dried fruits to snack on during my pregnancy. I’ve put them on everything- salads, pork stuffing and I really like these healthy cranberry muffins from the recipe archives of What to Expect!

Yes, the muffins are a sweet treat, but they are very healthy. Notice the ingredients! I like to have a muffin for breakfast with a tall glass of milk! Enjoy...

Double Cranberry Muffins
From What to Expect.com

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup ground flaxseed or oat bran

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1½ cups old-fashioned oats

2 large eggs

1 cup white grape juice concentrate

½ cup all-fruit cherry or raspberry preserves

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries

½ cup dried cranberries (preferably unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a standard-sized 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In large bowl, combine flour, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in oats. In another bowl, combine eggs, juice concentrate, preserves, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly stir into flour mixture; be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in all the cranberries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack; let cool completely. Store muffins at room temperature in tightly sealed container for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.

You Make Lemonade

Sometimes life throws us lemons…and we make a choice. A.) We either dodge to miss the lemons being thrown at us or B.) We make lemonade. I choose B.

Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and everything in between, but it’s how we get through the tough times that truly matter. That’s what shows our character and our passion.

You all know me from the author of Home Cooking is What I Like, but I’ve also started a new blog that really represents Missouri Local Foods (Unmonitored, Unfiltered and Uncensored). Check out my other blog: "A Taste of Missouri...One Farm at a Time."

It is here that I hope to shed some light on the real issues facing Missouri local foods, its producers and food security. But, I also hope to introduce you to some of the most unique, tasty and sustainable farming operations around our state.

I’ve been so blessed to have met farmers, ag professionals, academia and others dedicated to excelling Missouri’s local food industry. Plus, being a former marketing specialist in the area of direct marketing, agritourism, farmers’ markets and organics I’ve learned marketing techniques that help to set our local foods system apart from other states.

Join me as we “Taste Missouri, One Farm at a Time.” Also, be sure and look me up on Facebook and Twitter as TasteofMissouri.

Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings

If there is one food that goes with a MU tailgate party it’s WINGS! MU takes on Bowling Green for the home opener this weekend and this recipe is sure to be a hit at your game day party!

Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings
Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe follows)
24 (about 4 pounds) chicken wings
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable oil
4 teaspoons butter
2 to 5 tablespoons hot pepper sauce or to taste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Celery sticks

Make Blue Cheese Dressing first and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

Cut off the tip of each chicken wing and discard it. Cut the wing in half (cutting at the joint) to make two pieces. Wash and dry the chicken wings (they need to be very dry to be fried crisp). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a deep fryer or large pot, add vegetable oil and heat to 400 degrees F. or until the oil starts to pop and sizzle. (Note: The oil should be able to cover the wings and still maintain the same temperature.) If using an electric fryer, set the temperature to 425 degrees F.

Add half of the chicken wings and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crisp, stirring occasionally. When done, remove from the hot oil and drain on paper towels (do not pile the wings in a bowl, because the fat will cool and congeal before it runs off). Repeat with remaining chicken wings.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add hot sauce and vinegar; stir well and remove from heat immediately. Add drained and cooled chicken wings and mix together. Using tongs, take chicken wings out of sauce and let the excess sauce drain off. Place the wings on a hot grill or in a 350 degree F. oven for 2 to 3 minutes to bake in the sauce. Serve with Blue Cheese Dressing and celery sticks.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Blue Cheese Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red (cayenne) pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, garlic, parsley, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, blue cheese, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Honey Apple Salad

It's apple season in Missouri! Orchards all over are offering the freshest apples on the farm and at the farmers' market. Check out a local orchard in your area.

Here is a simple recipe for a Honey Apple Salad that is perfect alongside bbq! It's one of my mother's favorites and it brings lots of childhood memories back for me.

Honey Apple Salad
from my mother's kitchen
3 1/2 diced red apples
2 T. lemon juice
2 c. grapes
1 c. sliced celery, thin
1/2 c. chopped dates
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. honey
2 T. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add grapes, celery and dates.

In a small bowl combine mayo, honey, sour cream and salt, mix.

Pour over apple mixture and toss; stir in walnuts.

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

It's surprising to me that being pregnant I haven't really cooked a whole lot of new dessert recipes. Guess i just turn to the old stand byes- guess that's human nature in us all though.

(PHOTO: 28 weeks and counting)

My sister-in-law Annie gave me a cookbook awhile ago and I was thumbing through it last week (I finished my fifth baby book and was in the reading mood- just completed the book Your Best Birth...I think it's the one book every pregnant woman should read). I came across a recipe for Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins and thought to myself...cream cheese, blueberries and lemon peel- how could you go wrong!

I also liked that the recipe included healthy ingredients like bran flakes! I just took these lovely muffins out of the oven about 30 minutes ago and they smell and taste wonderful!

They will make me and Caston (our little one that's on the way) a great late night snack tonight and a sweet start to breakfast in the morning!

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup, plus 1 T sugar or sugar substitute
2 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup bran flakes cereal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup soy flour (or just use another 1/2 cup of ap flour)
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
3 T melted butter
1 jar of no sugar added blueberry fruit spread (you'll find it with the jams and jellies at your local grocery store)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, lemon peel and vanilla and beat.

Combine cereal, flour(s), 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Whisk milk, butter and 1 egg in small bowl, then add to cereal mixture. Mix gently until blended.

Spoon about 2 T of cereal batter into all muffin cups. Spread a about 1 tsp of fruit spread on top of batter. Then spread cream cheese mixture over fruit spread. Combine remaining 1 T of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over cream cheese mixture.

Bake 33 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool muffins for about 10 minutes. Refrigerate leftover muffins.

Another State Fair Down

I apologize for the blog not being updated for awhile. Each year during this time I sorta blank out because of the Missouri State Fair. We just got back today from the fair and I am so thankful for another fair to be done.

At the fair I help organize and run the Missouri State Fair Farmers' Market, which takes a lot of work and time. Plus, this year we added local food cooking demos to the area. I conducted 7 cooking demos and they went very well. I'm amazed how each time a do one it gets easier and easier.

We had both professional and amateur chefs and all demos were very well attended. Missouri Farmer Today had a nice article about the area, as well as a tv report from KOMU TV.

One of the four different recipes I demonstrated was a very quick and simple recipe for what I call "dressed-up tomatoes." This is how we like to eat tomatoes at our house. I coudl actually make a dinner out of eating tomatoes and veggies!

Dress-Up Tomatoes

By Lane

3-4 different heirloom tomatoes, sliced

feta cheese, herb flavored

balsamic vinegar

basil leaves, chopped

kosher salt

On a tray, plate your tomato slices. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh basil.

* This is a very easy way to add some zing to a simple plate of tomatoes.

Pasta with a Twist

It always amazes me how well my husband and I work as a team. Yes, it wasn't always like that. Every couple has to learn about one another and it's not always easy, but it sure is a fun journey! It's taken us a little over 5 years, but we think we have a lot of it figured out.

Building our little man's baby room proved just that. From painting (no, I didn't paint, but I like to say I helped supervised), putting together the furniture, deciding on a theme for the room...it's all about teamwork.

We are definitely going to have to learn about teamwork when our little man comes in November- that's a given. But, I'm not worried. I know that together- Charlie and I make an incredible team and will make great parents.

It all really started right after we got married and started cooking together. Through the years we both cook dinners together about every night and I truly cherish those times.

Tonight was one of those nights in the kitchen. We were both hungry, but didn't feel like making a meal that would take forever- so we opted for a quick pasta dish. Garden tomatoes and basil, capers, olives...and some grilled chicken breast. Talk about a light and healthy meal- and oh so delicious!

Try this recipe for a weeknight meal- you won't regret it!

McConnell Fresh and Light Pasta

3 cups Penne Pasta (wholegrain)

1/3 cup kalamata olives, diced

2 T. capers

1/2 cup garden tomatoes, diced

15 basil leaves, chopped

1 lemon squeezed

3 T. olives oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

Toss everything in a large bowl and serve with toasty french bread!