As usual, it’s been a busy week, and this coming week is going to be busier, between getting my house ready for company, I also have to do a couple of things that will take me away from the house, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday! Also, we’re doing work shop getting some things ready for our bake sale, that will be on the 12th. Last week I gave you directions for cinnamon ornaments and sugar cookies. I have used the sugar cookie recipe for more years than I can remember, it is simple and does not have to be refrigerated overnight, and that makes it number one for me! The “cookie paint’ makes decorating super simple and my children, grandchildren, and the older great-grandchildren all love decorating cookies and using it.
Today’s recipe is very simple as you use cooking oil rather than shortening or butter and just put the dough on the baking sheet, no rolling nor cutting!
This week, I’m going to give you a recipe for mini-muffins. This is easy to make for a bake sale, as you get twice the muffins that you get from a regular recipe!
Here’s a bit of Christmas trivia for you. It appeared several years ago during Christmas week in the Victoria Advocate. They stated that is from Old Icelandic tales that give the following as the names of Santa’s elves: Askasleikir, Bjugnakraekir, Faldafeykir, Stekjarstaur, Gattathefur, Giljagaur, Gluggagaegir, Ketkrokur, Og Ketasnikir, Pottaslekir, Skyjarmur, Stufur and last but not least, Thvorusleikir! (This is the source that was listed at the end of the article: Source didyouknow.cd).
Peanut Butter Mini-muffins
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup butter (do not substitute), softened (1/2 stick)
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
¾ cup buttermilk*
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups “M&M’s® Milk Cho9colate Mini Baking Bits
Chocolate Glaze
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 36 mini-muffin cups with foil or paper liners and spray lightly non-stick spray, (I put my liners on a cookie sheet and spray so I don’t get so much spray on the muffin tins.
In large mixing bowl, cream together peanut butter, and butter and sugars util light and fluffy; beat in egg. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix to combine. In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and gradually blend into creamed mixture. Divide batter evenly among prepare cups, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle evenly with ¾ cup of the “M&M’s”. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.
Glaze: In top of double boiler, over hot (not boiling) water, melt two squares of semi-sweet chocolate with 1-tablespoon butter. Stir until smooth, allow to cool slightly and drizzle over the muffins from the tip of an ice-tea spoon or regular teaspoon and decorate with with the remaining “M&M’s”. *If you don’t have buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into your measuring cup and add milk to make ¾ cup. Stir to mix and allow to stand about 5 minutes before using.
Stir and Drop Cookies
2 eggs
2/3 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Beat eggs with a fork until blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, and lemon rind, blend in sugar until mixture thickens. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to egg mixture. Dough will be soft, drop by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly by pressing lightly with a glass dipped in sugar. (Lightly spray or oil glass, dip in sugar, flatten a couple of cookies, continue dipping sugar as you do each cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately. Cool completely.