Here’s a fun project I made with my kids not too long ago. It’s easy, fun and kids love eating the Rudolph cookies once they’re made. I used Nabisco Nutter Butter cookies since I’m not aware of any other peanut-shaped cookie on the market.

The hardest part of making the cookies was inserting the “antlers” into the filling between the cookies. You first need to separate the two halves of the cookies then stick the pretzel pieces into the peanut butter filling, sandwiching the cookies back together once the antlers are in place. Sometimes the peanut butter cookie halves break during this step so be careful when sandwiching the antlers between the cookie halves. Next time I’ll try adding a little dot of melted chocolate to help keep the antlers in place.

For cementing the eyes and nose to the cookies, I used melted chocolate chips instead of buying the candy coating. I had to microwave the chocolate a few times to keep it melted but other than that it worked fine. Enjoy!

Rudolph Cookies
-recipe from Southern Living Magazine

 4 (1-ounce) chocolate candy coating squares
96 pretzel sticks
1 (16-ounce) package peanut butter sandwich cookies
64 candy-covered green, blue, or brown chocolate pieces
32 red candy-coated chocolate pieces or red cinnamon candies

Microwave chocolate candy coating in a small shallow glass dish at HIGH 3 minutes, stirring once.

Place 2 pretzel sticks in peanut butter filling of each sandwich cookie, forming large antlers. Break remaining pretzel sticks in half, and place 1 half pretzel stick next to each longer pretzel stick, forming smaller antlers.

Dip 1 side of green chocolate pieces in melted candy coating, and place on cookies for the eyes. Dip 1 side of red chocolate pieces in candy coating, and place on cookies for the noses. Yield:  32 cookies

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Nabisco brand Nutter Butter peanut butter sandwich cookies.

Southern Living, DECEMBER 1999

I’m linked to:
Motivate Me Monday

Tags: Christmas, holiday, kids, Nabisco Nutter Butter cookies, peanut butter sandwich cookies, reindeer cookies, Rudolph

One of my kids recently requested (verbatim) chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles for his birthday treat. After doing a quick recipe search, I decided to make him a Chocolate Sour Cream Cake. The very moist, very chocolatey and very delicious cake was a hit with the Birthday Boy! Is there anything better than that?

I chose to make my own frosting so I can’t vouch for that part of the recipe. I can, however, vouch for the cake! In fact, I’m having a piece right now as I’m writing this post…Mmmmmm. 

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
-recipe from Hershey’s.com

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 container (16 oz.) dairy sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FUDGE FROSTING(recipe follows)
 
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Frost with FUDGE FROSTING.

FUDGE FROSTING

Makes about 1 cup frosting.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to boil. Pour mixture into medium bowl; cool completely. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk to cocoa mixture, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

I’m linked to:
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Desert Drivel Tasty Tuesday
What’s Cooking Wednesday

Tags: birthday cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream cake, sour cream

Now that we’re heading into Autumn, it’s time to start hauling out the comfort food recipes!!! Chile Mac, a simple and comforting dish, is nothing fancy but it is a good, quick weeknight dinner. Plus, it’s fairly inexpensive to make and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.

I usually use beef broth instead of chicken broth, and I like to add a little more chili powder and cumin. Sometimes I use fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles to add a little more zip. Corn would be a nice addition, too. I garnish each serving with shredded cheddar or jalapeno jack cheese, or a dollop of sour cream. Serve with a big green salad. Enjoy!

Chili Mac
-recipe from The New Boston Globe Cookbook by Sheryl Julian

A great kids’ dish, this mixture of ground beef and macaroni, cooked together with tomatoes and a few spices, makes a fine weeknight meal. Serves 4.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 can (16 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Extra grated cheddar (for serving)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and when it is hot, cook the onion, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

Add the macaroni, tomatoes, stock, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until liquid is mostly absorbed and macaroni is tender but still has some bite.

Add the cheese and stir just until melted. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like. Serve with extra cheddar.

I’m linked to:
Motivate Me Monday
Making Friends Monday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Delicious Dishes

Tags: cheddar cheese, chicken stock, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, cumin, ground beef, macaroni, onion, Pasta, Quick Cooking

I read an article in The Oregonian last week on how to safely pack school lunches. Our kiddos have enough hurdles to face these days at school without the added bonus of their lunch making them sick. The article includes a few simple rules to ensure that a packed lunch stays safe to eat.

And while we’re on the subject of brown bagging it, I recently bought these nifty Ziplock Divided Containers. They are reusable, dishwasher safe, and come in a 2-pack. They are similar to the hip bento box containers that are popular right now but less expensive. Plus, I won’t need to freak out if one gets lost or accidentally thrown away.

Follow the ABC’s of food safety when packing a school lunch
By DANIELLE CENTONI
Special to The Oregonian

Back to school means back to the daily grind of packing lunches — an activity that’s definitely low on parents’ lists of favorite things to do.

It’s hard enough to come up with nutritious choices that your kids will actually eat, and even harder to predict which of their favorite foods they won’t be “tired of” that day.

But no matter what meal you send your child off with each day, make sure you follow basic food safety rules to keep the food from spoiling.

Rule No. 1: Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. While a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can linger at room temperature, anything made with meat or dairy products needs to be kept out of the danger zone (40 to 140 degrees).

Insulated lunchboxes/bags (rather than paper bags or metal lunchboxes) go a long way toward keeping things at the right temperature, but you still need to tuck an ice pack in there to keep things cool. A frozen water bottle or juice box can double as an ice pack and be ready to drink by lunchtime. Or buy several lunchbox-size ice packs so you always have one ready. These days, ice packs come in fun, kid-friendly shapes; thin, flexible “mats” ; or styles that have colorful cloth covers to soak up condensation.

When the weather cools, hot lunches are especially welcome and a good way to change things up. Invest in a couple of insulated containers for sending hot items like soup or warmed-up leftovers. Be sure to preheat them first by filling them with piping hot water and letting them sit for a few minutes while you get things ready. Then pour out, dry and fill.

Rule No. 2: Keep things clean. Once that lunchbox returns home, throw away anything partially eaten or perishable and wash out the box with hot soapy water. Leaving food in there only invites mold and mildew to grow. So wash it out as soon as you can and let it air dry until completely dry before storing. Once a week, it’s a good idea to sanitize the lunchbox with a mild bleach solution (1 teaspoon bleach per 4 cups of water).

Many schools ask parents to send children off with a water bottle each day. This a great way for kids to sta hydrated without having constant stream of children running off to the water fountain during class. But don’t think you can just leave that water bottle there all week without washing it. It’s easy for germs and bacteria to get into the bottles with every swig, and as the bottles sit at room temperature, those nasties multiply like crazy.

So wash the water bottle every day with hot, soapy water and let it dry completely before putting it away (again, mold is a risk if you don’t). And sanitize the water bottle when you sanitize the lunchbox.

Rule No. 3: These rules aren’t just for kids’ lunches. When you’re brown-bagging it, follow these food safety tips to keep yourself from getting sick, too. Protect your youngsters from food-borne illness with these guidelines on keeping packed lunches at safe temperatures, and containers and bottles clean.

Tags: brown bag, cold lunch, food-borne illness, kids' lunch, lunch, safety

Since we still have a few more prime grilling weeks left before the cooler weather of Autumn sets in, I thought I’d share this recipe for Grilled Buttermilk Chicken. The simple marinade not only tenderizes the meat but gives it a light lemon and dill flavor. Plan ahead so the chicken can marinate for at least a few hours. Serve with Green Bean, Red Onion and Roast Potato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette or Mediterranean Rice Salad. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Buttermilk Marinade
-recipe from Martha Stewart.com

A shallow, nonreactive dish allows marinade to coat food evenly and is easy to transport to the grill. You can also use a large resealable plastic bag; if marinating meat in the refrigerator, rest the bag on a plate in case of leaks.

Serves 4.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
Buttermilk Marinade (recipe below)
Salt and pepper

Heat grill to medium; oil grates. Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag. Add Buttermilk Marinade; turn to coat. Cover; marinate 30 minutes at room temperature — or up to overnight in the refrigerator — turning occasionally. (Bring to room temperature before grilling.)

Remove from marinade; season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes per side.

Buttermilk Marinade
Instead of dill, try finely chopped chives. Or substitute limes for the lemons. Use with chicken, fish, or other seafood.

1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (3 cloves)

In small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Makes enough for about 2 pounds of meat or fish.

Tags: buttermilk, Chicken, fresh dill, garlic, grilled, lemon

I love muffins, and I’m always trying to find new and delicious ways to whip up a batch of these easy-to-make treats. The house smelled so good while these Sweet Peach Muffins were baking! The recipe says to eat them 5 minutes after they come out of the oven. I tried that and burned my fingers on molten chunks of peach. I suggest waiting a bit longer for the muffins to cool, especially if kids will be enjoying them. One of my kids even inhaled two of the muffins in one sitting.  The combination of perfectly ripe peaches, warm spices and the streusel topping is delicious!

I skipped the walnuts in the streusel topping because I’m not a fan of walnuts. Pecans would be a great substitute but I chose to forgo the nuts because I thought the kids would like the muffins best without them. Either way, the streusel topping is tasty. This recipe is versatile and can be used with a variety of fruits depending on season. I haven’t tried any of the other versions, but I’m looking forward to trying the muffins with pears and apples in the Fall. Yumm!

Sweet Peach Muffins with Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping
-recipe from The Foster’s Market Cookbook by Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King

These are best when peaches are at their summer peak, although they’re good made with frozen peaches, too. The streusel topping can be made in advance. These muffins are best eaten warm. Variations: Almost any fresh or frozen fruit (except for very soft fruits like bananas, papaya, or mango) can be substituted for the peaches. Try blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries. In autumn, try chopped fresh apples or chipped pears.

Makes large 12 muffins.

Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping:
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Muffin Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon dark rum or pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peeled, pitted, chopped peaches

For the topping: Combine the walnuts, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix until well blended. Set aside or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners and spray the top part of the pan lightly with nonstick spray.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, sour cream and rum or vanilla until well blended. Fold in the peaches.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just moist and blended. Do not overmix.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3-cup scoop). The batter will come to the top of the paper liner or pan. Sprinkle with the Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping and lightly press the topping into the muffin batter.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan, and serve immediately.

I’m linked to:
Foodie Friday
New Friend Friday
Finer Things Friday
Friday Favorites
Favorite Things Friday
Cupcake Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Tastes

Tags: Baking, Breakfast, brown sugar, cinnamon, Foster's Market, Muffins, peach, Sara Foster, streusel

A friend recently requested chocolate cupcakes with coconut frosting for her birthday treat. She was very specific; she wanted a bite-sized dessert that would taste like a Mounds candy bar. After doing a recipe search and not finding exactly what I was looking for, I decided to wing it. Since I wanted a moist and very chocolatey cupcake, I went with a recipe for Dark Chocolate Cupcakes that I’ve had great results with. The batter is made with sour cream and two kinds of chocolate (bittersweet and cocoa powder). Yumm!

I made a basic cream cheese frosting and flavored it with a little coconut extract, vanilla and sweetened shredded coconut. I mounded a blob of icing onto each cooled cupcake, swirling it around to make it look pretty then garnished it with a bit more shredded coconut. The result was a perfect Mounds Cupcake. My friend was so excited when she saw them, and even more excited once she took a bite.

These delicious dark chocolate cupcakes go great with a variety of frostings, such as cream cheese, vanilla, or berry (strawberry, raspberry). Enjoy!!!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
-recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (March 1, 2005)

This recipe does not double very well. Cupcakes made from a doubled batch and baked side by side in the oven yield a slightly compromised rise. It’s best to make two separate batches and bake each separately. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Makes 12 cupcakes. 

 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (1 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
2 large eggs 
3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon table salt 
1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. (To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.)

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Cupcake Carnival
Cupcake Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Tastes
Delicious Dishes
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Chocolate Fridays

Tags: birthday treats, bittersweek chocolate, cupcakes, dark chocolate, kid treats

Pudding is comfort food, and in this case it’s delicious, chocolatey and super easy to make. A small amount of this pudding goes a long way because it’s so rich. Normally, I’d serve the chocolate pudding with some lightly sweetened whipped cream but since I was making it for my munchkins, I didn’t bother. My 6-year-old exclaimed after eating a few bites, “Mommy, how did you make pudding so good?” Priceless! I told him I was magic.

I altered the recipe just a tad based on a few reviews I read about it on the epicurious.com website. I reduced the cornstarch to 1.5 tablespoons and used 1 cup of half & half and 1 cup of 2% milk. The pudding was thick enough without being too thick and had a nice, silky texture. If you substitute semi-sweet chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate, reduce the sugar a bit (bittersweet has less sugar). Serve as is or garnished with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and fresh berries. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Pudding
-recipe from epicurious.com

It’s the extra chocolate that enriches and elevates this dessert from the simple to the sublime. And it takes about 2 minutes longer to prepare than pudding from a boxed mix. What a difference 2 minutes makes. Makes 6 servings.

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch (I used 1.5 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups light cream
3 ounces chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cream until smooth, then whisk in the remaining 1 cup cream. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to whisk and boil for 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla. Let stand for 5 minutes until the chocolate is melted, then stir gently until the pudding is smooth. (Do not stir too much or the pudding might thin out.)

Divide the pudding among 6 small dessert dishes. Let cool for about 20 minutes to serve warm and soft, or chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Mothers’ Little Helpers
June 1999
by Melanie Barnard

I’m linking to these blog parties:
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Finer Things Friday
It’s A Hodgepodge Friday
New Friend Friday
Company Girl Coffee
Chocolate Friday
Friday Food
Follow Me Friday
Favorite Things Friday

Tags: bittersweet chocolate, cornstarch, double chocolate pudding, half & half, light cream, milk, sugar, unsweetened cocoa

When I think of sloppy joes, the old Saturday Night Live Lunch Lady skit with Adam Sandler & Chris Farley comes to mind. It’s quite funny if you haven’t seen it (and if you have seen it, it’s worth another viewing). I can’t remember when I had my first sloppy joe but I know I’ve always liked them…all that messy, meaty goodness. I’ve tried different recipes over the years. One time I tried a turkey version and Husband immediately asked upon taking his first bite if it was a Healthy Joe. This time I decided to try Real Sloppy Joes, a recipe I found on the Williams-Sonoma website. Fortunately, my whole family liked them…even my Picky Eater (yahoo!).

Note: The recipe calls for ketchup-style chili sauce (I used Heinz Chili Sauce), not the spicy Asian chili sauce.

For more great recipes, check out these blog parties: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Tastes, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Friday Favorites, Follow Me Fridays , Company Girl Coffee, Favorite Things Friday, Foodie Friday , Hodgepodge Friday , I’m Lovin’ It Fridays, No Whine Wednesday.  

Real Sloppy Joes
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

The poor sloppy Joe has gotten a bad rap. Perhaps the uninspired versions served by overworked school cafeteria staffers dulled whatever luster it ever possessed. Here’s a recipe that returns the sloppy Joe to its rightful position as a dish to cherish when you want a quick and unpretentious supper on a bun.

1 Tbs. canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup-style chili sauce
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 sesame-seed sandwich buns, split

In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the beef, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomato sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors.

Toast the buns. Place the bottom halves of the buns, cut side up, on warmed individual plates and top with the beef mixture, dividing it equally. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately. Makes 6 sandwiches.

Variation:Sloppy Joes are just as good when made with ground turkey or ground chicken. Some cooks like to add 1 to 2 cups cooked kidney or pinto beans to the beef mixture just before it is ready. Or, you can top the beef mixture with thin slices of cheddar cheese before covering with the bun tops.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).

Tags: bell pepper, ground beef, hamburger, onion, tomato sauce

These orange-scented muffins are moist, not too sweet and studded with chocolate chips. I’m eating one now between sips of freshly brewed French roast coffee…Yumm! I got the recipe out of the Fresh Every Day Cookbook by Sara Foster. She calls the muffins Orange Chocolate Muffins, but I renamed them Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins since they’re not really chocolate muffins (other than the chocolate chips).

I followed the recipe as written, using Trader Joe’s High Fiber cereal in place of All Bran or bran flakes. The addition of the fiber cereal means you’re getting some roughage along with your chocolate. See…chocolate can be healthy! Next time I make them, I’ll definitely add dried cranberries, too, since I love the flavor combo of chocolate, orange and cranberry.

Orange Chocolate Muffins
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

These are best served warm, fresh from the oven. Makes 12 large muffins.

1/2 cup bran flakes or All Bran cereal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
Grated zest of 2 oranges and 1/2 cup of their juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line 12 large muffin cups with liners and spray the top of the pan with vegetable oil spray or grease lightly.

Stir the bran flakes, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add the sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add the bran-flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips to combine. Do not mix any more than necessary.

Use a 1/3-cup measure or ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them to just below the rim of the cup. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of a muffin and the muffins spring back when touched. Let the muffins rest for about 5 minutes before turning them out. Serve immediately or cool on a wire rack.

Tags: bran cereal, butter, chocolate chips, Muffins, orange, orange juice, orange zest, sour cream