Apple Raisin Almond Muffins #MuffinMonday

Amaretto-soaked golden raisins are nestled along with chopped tart apples and almond slivers in a delicious muffin batter and baked to golden perfection.

Here’s the thing.  I’m not a big fan of pears (can’t bear the grittiness between my teeth - is it just me?) OR dates (except for in sticky toffee pudding where you don’t even KNOW that there are dates) and that’s what today’s Muffin Monday original recipe was all about.

So then I start to substitute.  What DO I like that is similar to pears.  Apples, of course.  And for the dates?  How about some raisins?  Yeah, golden raisins would be nice.  But that seemed so bland.  What about if I soaked the raisins in something?  Now we were talking!  So I soaked the raisins in Amaretto, which led me to add almonds to the batter as well.  As I told Muffin Monday organizer, Anuradha, when I sent her my link, these muffins evolved on their own!  And all I can say is, Good job, guys!  Now I am just gonna sit back and see what my dinner ingredients do.  Further bulletins as events warrant.

Apple Raisin Almond Muffins

Ingredients
3 1/2 oz or 100g golden raisins
1/4 cup or 60ml Amaretto
1 1/8 cup (tightly packed) or 235g light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups or 185g flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup or 60g butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup or 60ml milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup or 50g slivered almonds, divided
2 small green (or other tart) apples

Method
Soak the raisins in the Amaretto for an hour or two or overnight if you are organized.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.  Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases or grease liberally.  (You may actually get more than 12 muffins out of this batter, depending on your cup size and your apple size.  My batter ending up being enough for 16 muffins.)

In a large bowl, mix together your flour, light brown sugar, salt and baking powder.

In a smaller bowl, whisk your eggs, butter and milk.

Drain the Amaretto that hasn’t soaked into the raisins into this bowl too and whisk again.

Peel, core and dice your apples.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just moistened.

Add in the raisins and two-thirds or about 1/2 cup of the almonds, reserving the rest for topping, and mix gently.

Fold in the apple pieces.  This is going to look like way too much apple and way too little batter, but it works.  Trust.

Divide the batter into the muffin cups.

Sprinkle the tops with the reserved slivered almonds.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin and then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

Doing a little research on one of my favorite appetizers, the jalapeño popper, I discovered that some form of deep-fried cheese-stuffed jalapeño has been around since at least the 1960s, where it was being served in restaurants in Baja California, specifically Ensenada, which Wikipedia informs me is nicknamed La Cenicienta del Pacífico or Cinderella of the Pacific.  With no further information on that, by the way.

Is it because Ensenada is the pretty stepsister that everyone abuses?  Does it have sister cities that get better press despite their ugliness?  A little further reading revealed that Ensenada does indeed have sister cities: Newport Beach, Redondo Beach and Riverside.  Each pretty and amazing in its own right.  So, no wiser about the nickname, let’s just get on to the recipe.  (And this is why your teachers tell you not to use Wikipedia as a reference, people: Gaps.)

This week Sunday Supper turns one year old!  In celebration of that momentous occasion, we have each chosen a recipe from another #SundaySupper blogger that caught our fancy during the past year, to give it a try.  Our Dubai weather has turned a bit chilly in the last couple of days (Yeah, I know, not actually chilly when compared to northern climes but BBC Weather is projecting a low of 45°F or 7°C on Wednesday night!  That’s COLD for us, folks!) so I chose to adapt a wonderfully warming recipe from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks, based on the aforementioned favorite, jalapeño poppers.

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

I left in the seeds and membranes from the peppers so that upped the warmth factor quite a bit but you can totally take them out if you can't do spicy. This chili gets a 10 out of 10 at our house and I will definitely be making it again. Perhaps even for Super Bowl Sunday. I’m kind of even thinking it could be eaten as a hot dip with tortilla chips.  It’s that seriously good.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
4 fresh jalapeño peppers
4 garlic cloves
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 1/4 lb or 600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (15 oz or 425g) can diced or chopped tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups or 355ml chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz or 400g each) cannellini beans
2 cups or 300g frozen corn
8 oz or 225g cream cheese
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup or 50g sharp cheddar cheese
Handful green onion tops, optional for garnish



Method
Cut the stem end off of your jalapeños.  If you want to remove the seeds and membranes, to lessen the spicy factor, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and scrape them out with a teaspoon.

Cut your onion into halves.  Cut the tops off of the red bell pepper or capsicum Remove the seeds and membrane.  Cut it into quarters.

Pop all three into your food processor along with the cloves of garlic or chop them all with a sharp knife, until they are finely minced.

In a pot large enough to eventually hold all of your ingredients, sauté the vegetable mixture in a good drizzle of olive oil for about five to seven minutes, or until they are soft and the onion is translucent.

Cut your chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season them lightly with salt and black pepper.

Drain and rinse your cans of cannellini beans.

Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add in the pieces of chicken.  Lightly brown the chicken on all sides.

Add in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.  Stir to thoroughly coat the chicken with the spices and vegetables.

Add the can of chopped tomatoes, rinsed beans and corn to the chicken pot.  Stir well and then add the chicken stock.  When it starts bubbling again, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, grate your sharp cheddar cheese and fry your bacon until crispy.  Cut the bacon into little pieces.   Chop your onion tops, if using.

Cut your cream cheese in slices if it comes in one big block.  Smaller pieces will melt faster into the chili.  As you can see from my photo, our cream cheese, brand name: Kiri, comes in small blocks so, while it was a process to open up enough little packets, the cutting was not necessary.

Add in the cream cheese and stir until it is completely melted, about five minutes.  Remove from heat.

Ladle the chili into a bowl and top with crumbled bacon and cheese, adding a sprinkle of chopped onion tops for color, if desired.

Enjoy!

Have a look at some of the other Happy Birthday, #SundaySupper dishes that are being posted today! So much deliciousness!

Sunday Supper Appetizers:

• Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks inspired by Comfy Cuisine
• Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart by Noshing With The Nolands inspired by In the Kitchen with KP
• So Simple Pizza Puffs by The Weekend Gourmet inspired by Hip Foodie Mom

Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:

• Chicken Noodle Soup by Big Bears Wife inspired by My Catholic Kitchen
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings by Comfy Cuisine inspired by The Messy Baker
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup by My Trials in the Kitchen inspired by Damn Delicious
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup by Webicurean inspired by Family Foodie
• Honey Butter Dinner Rolls by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Lasagna Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Soup by Damn Delicious inspired by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Tomato Florentine Soup by Mama Mommy Mom inspired by The Meltaways

Sunday Supper Main Dishes: 

• (GlutenFree) Chicken Bruschetta by The Meltaways inspired by Family Foodie
• Bigos by Maroc Mama inspired by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Carnitas Pizza w/ Chipotle-Avocado Crema by girlichef inspired by Damn Delicious
• Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas by Country Girl in the Village  inspired by Webicurean
• Chicken Burger with Curried Cabbage Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings inspired by Soni’s Food
• Corn and Basil Handpies by Curious Cuisiniere inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by From Fast Food to Fresh Food inspired by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
• Dorie’s Chicken-in-the-Pot by Hip Foodie Mom inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Drunken Meatballs by Small Wallet Big Appetite inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
• Feijoada Portuguese Bean Stew by Kimchi Mom inspired by Family Foodie
• Fish Tacos by Cookistry inspired by Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Goat Cheese Rigatoni Alfredo by Magnolia Days inspired by Family Foodie
• Hoisin Asian Meatballs by Gotta Get Baked inspired by Damn Delicious
• Homemade Harissa by Masala Herb inspired by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili by Food Lust People Love inspired by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lentils and Chorizo Stew by Galactosemia in PDX inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken by Cupcakes and Kale Chips inspired by The Meltaways
• Mac n Cheese Cups with Pork Shoulder Ragu by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends inspired by Hip Foodie Mom
• New Orleans Style White Beans & Rice by Catholic Foodie inspired by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in Chorizo Sauce by Supper for a Steal inspired by Family Foodie
• Pulled Pickled Pork by Juanita’s Cocina inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Shrimp-Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes by Daily Dish Recipes inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinade by Peanut Butter and Peppers inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Tropical Salsa by The Urban Mrs. inspired by Family Foodie
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Family Foodie inspired by Kimchi Mom
• Sweet & Tender Brisket by Daddy Knows Less inspired by Juanita’s Cocina

Sunday Supper Veggies: 

• Carrots au Gratin by Shockingly Delicious inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Skillet Spinach Corn with Edamame, Cilantro & Bacon Bits by The Lovely Pantry inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks: 

• Angel Cake Sandwiches by Ninja Baker inspired by That Skinny Girl Can Bake 
• Apple Pull Apart Bread with Caramel Drizzle by Cravings of a Lunatic inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen inspired by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
• Caramel Apple Bread by The Foodie Army Wife inspired by Fam Friends Food
• Cheesecake with Fresh Berries by An Appealing Plan inspired by The Messy Baker Blog
• Cherry Tart by Happy Baking Days inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Chocolate Brownie Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake inspired by Magnolia Days
• Chocolate Chip Cut-out Cookies by Basic and Delicious inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream by The Messy Baker Blog inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas by La Cocina de Leslie inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Shortbread Bars by Kelly Bakes inspired by Baker Street
• Orange Rolls by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pumpkin Donut Puffs by Soni’s Food inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Rosettes by Simply Gourmet inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by Vintage Kitchen inspired by girlichef 
• Sweet N Spicy Roasted Spiced Nuts by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz inspired by The Foodie Army Wife

Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:

• Budget Friendly Breakfast Freezable Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches by In The Kitchen with KP inspired by Big Bear’s Wife
• Raspberry Hot Chocolate by My Catholic Kitchen inspired by Momma’s Meals
• Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Oat Muffins by In the Kitchen with Audrey inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Food Blog Love Fest 2013

Photo credit

Sometime back in December, my fellow food blogger and friend, +Jennifer Field, aka PastryChefOnline suggested to a bloggers group we both belong to that we should each post about some of the bloggers that inspire us and the blogs we really love to read.   So I started making a list of my favorites.  I’d like to share some of them with you today.

Eggton – I discovered this blog in late 2011 as I started to become really involved with other food blogs for the first time.  It’s written by the very funny Katherine who left her job as an attorney in the big city of New York to move to Alabama and entertain us by writing hilarious posts about her experiences, accompanied by delicious recipes and adorable photos of her pups.   Here’s her backstory which is also the first post on her blog.  I started reading her back here and spent the next few hours reading all of her posts from the archives.  And then every post since. You should too.  Try not to snort coffe out of your nose.  After all, who hasn't done this with the hotel minibar? 

Movita Beaucoup – This one’s another blog full of humor and good recipes.  Movita Beaucoup aka Rachael Dyer is a ballet teacher recently turned baking school student whose seasonal competitions (Pumpkin carving,  gingerbread house making and birthday cake baking) have become legend.  Because of the rigors of school, her posts don’t come as often as they used to, but I always do a small happy dance when there is a new one in my inbox.  And she has the best one pot, yes: pot, brownie recipe.

Pastrychefonline  - Jenni Field is a former special ed teacher who became a pastry chef, who loves to teach.  And we are her willing pupils!  Because she is awesome like that.  Her Facebook page  is filled with happy postings of home life and kitchen shenanigans that draw friends into her world and the joy of baking and cooking.  One of her specialties is Van Halen pound cake and she often bakes these for fans!  Her website has wonderful recipes as well as explanatory videos that teach solid techniques.  On my to-do list this year:  homemade puff pastry from this video right here. 

Dear Lauren, Love Mom - Each post is written as a letter from mother to daughter and it’s the stories of their lives in food. Many of them are touching and have great family history stories but each post is like a love letter with a good recipe (The best kind of love letter, don’t you think?) and this is the blog I most wish I had thought to write. Who doesn't want to leave her daughters with a legacy of recipes?

The Skint Foodie - A good fun read from a guy who was down and out and managed to pull his socks up.  (N.B. Skint means broke.) I find his story inspiring in so many ways, not the least of which is his ability to create beautiful meals on a very frugal budget.  Some of my favorite posts are the cheese board challenges, where he commits to choosing a cheeseboard, with three cheeses, for under £7.50 (US$12) which include notes from the cheese shop girl.  I always learn so much and have added many To-Try cheeses to my list.  As a single man living alone, he cooks for one and most of his posts are for delicious recipes for one or two.  Perfect for me most of the year but easily doubled if you have a larger family.  If you like the British sense of humor, you are gonna love this guy.  And you cannot help but admire him.

One Man’s Meat - Conor Bofin is a funny, dry Irishman, with a great sense of humor, who is also a great cook. He has a way with words and cooks good wholesome food with a personal flair.   His long-suffering family eats very well.  He’s one of those bloggers that raises the game for commenters.  When the writer is so witty, the commenters feel they need to be too.  Or is that just me?  And if you are a food blogger, you’ll like this one.

The Curvy Carrot - I found this blog while looking for vegetarian dishes for when my daughters were visiting.  Shanon Lacy is a doctor, in fact, a board-certified pathologist to be exact, but except for on her About Me page it doesn’t come up and her recipes are all about being healthy and indulgent.  Sometimes I just sit and browse because her gorgeous photos are so, well, gorgeous. And she made cheese soufflés! 

And one final blog for today.  I have many more on my list so I hope to do the occasional post like this till I get through them!

Back Road Journal - These beautiful recipes and photos come to us from Karen, who lives in a 1730s house in New England with 300 apple trees and a husband who, like her, loves to travel.  The house is a feature in most posts lately, all decorated for Christmas, and, I can’t get enough of it!  It’s not that I want to live in the country, but I would sure love that dream house.  And to travel with her while she takes the back roads and enjoys the often missed good things that the freeway passes by. 

I hope you pay these lovely people a visit and enjoy their blogs as much as I do.  Tell them Stacy sent you.  Some of them won't have a clue, but that's okay. :)

Enjoy!

Follow the links below to see the blogs my fellow bloggers love.  And spread the LOVE!