Morning Glory Muffins, or Golden Harvest Muffins as they are also called, are one of my absolute favorite kinds of muffins to bake and to eat.
Wholesome morning glory muffins are my filled with lots of goodness, so its no wonder they are my favorites. With plenty of fiber and loads of taste, they always go down a real treat.
Baking a batch of these can be somewhat daunting to the smaller household. Making 24 delicious muffins, the original recipe is just super large, no matter how tasty. You can find the full sized recipe here.
I decided to try to small batch them, because they are my favorite muffins. Happy to say I had great success in this endeavor which I am sharing with you today.
I have been making and baking these delicious muffins for years and years. They are like a glorified carrot muffin, but so much more than just that.
I first started to bake them when I owned my own coffee shop back in the late 1980's. These were the most popular muffin on the menu, and no small wonder that!
With two kinds of flour and plenty of add ins, they are wholesome and delicious. They are also hearty and incredibly moist, quick and easy to make and (if you are tempted to make the full batch) they freeze very well.
The use of grated fresh carrot and apple insures that these muffins are always moist and delicious. Carrots and apple are also very good for you, being filled with loads of fiber, taste, nutrients and natural sweetness.
There is nothing artificial here. Just wholesome natural ingredients. Coconut, apple, carrot . . .
Crushed Pineapple (a recent addition), plump sweet raisins, toasted walnuts . . . and a mix of whole wheat and white flours.
Canola oil, milk, sugar. Nothing out of the ordinary really. You probably have everything in your house right now to make these.
You don't need to use the pineapple, although I will tell you right now it is an excellent addition. My original recipe doesn't use pineapple, but I had pineapple leftover from making my coleslaw the other day and I thought why not!
I like pineapple and it is an ingredient which I use in my carrot cake from time to time. So, I know it goes well with carrots.
I also hate waste and so I substituted some crushed pineapple for half the amount of the apples. If you don't have pineapple or don't like pineapple, just use an additional 1/2 cup (70g) of grated apple in its place.
(that's a little dollop of butter on that warm muffin) If you are querying the difference in weight between the apple and the pineapple, its a simple fact that pineapple weighs a lot more than apple per volume.
I weighed out everything precisely on my kitchen scales as I was going along, so you can be sure the weights are exact if you bake by weight.
Baking by weight was not something I did prior to moving over to the UK. All of their recipes go by weight, so I started doing it while I lived there.
I always bake by weight now. It is a much more concise and accurate way of baking, I have to say. I only ever rarely bake any other way now.
If you are not fond of raisins, leave them out, or substitute them with some dried fruit that you do like, in the same measure. Chopped dried dates are delicious.
Dried Cranberries are also delicious, as are dried blueberries.
You can also leave the coconut out if you wish to, don't like or cannot eat coconut. Leaving it out will not make much of a difference texture wise.
If you don't like walnuts, try substituting them with a nut you do like. Pecans are excellent in every way. I dare say even macadamia nuts would go wonderfully.
Don't like cloves? Leave them out. There is not a lot of them in there anyways, only 1/8tsp. The flavor is very subtle, however so I suggest you leave them in.
Also do not leave out the cinnamon. It is integral to the taste of these muffins.
The smell of these when they are baking is amazing! It really sets your taste buds up to tingling!
I used my melon baller and serve this warm with a small ball of butter melting into them. Oh boy, some good. Yes, I am a bonafide glutton through and through.
There is really not a lot of fat in these, due to the high moisture content of the apples, carrots and pineapple, so I thought a little ball of butter would do no harm.
Shhh . . . please don't tell me otherwise. We need to have our little pleasures in life. Pick our battles, which ones we choose to fight and which ones we don't choose to fight.
In any case these are a gloriously delicious way to begin your day. Filled with goodness, texture and plenty of flavour.
I hope you will try them, and I hope that you will love them as much as I do! I predict that you will!!
Morning Glory Muffins (small batch)
Yield: 6
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
I small batched one of my favourite muffin recipes. These are moist and filled with goodness with grated carrot, apple, coconut, pineapple, toasted nuts, whole wheat and plain flours, etc.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (70g) plain all purpose flour (
- 1/2 cup (70g) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (25g) grated raw carrot
- 1/4 cup (30g) shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup (30g) chopped toasted walnuts (or a mix of walnuts and sunflower seeds)
- 1/2 cup (70g) grated fresh apple
- 1/2 cup (225g) crushed pineapple, well drained
- 1/4 cup (35g) raisins
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1/8 cup (30ml) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large free range egg yolk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter six muffin cups really well. Set aside.
- Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, including the sugar. Stir in the carrot, coconut, walnuts, apple, raisins and pineapple.
- Beat together the oil, milk, vanilla and egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients and mix together just to moisten and so no dry streaks remain.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, dividing the mixture equally between them.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown, risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the pan for five minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack. Serve warm with or without butter.
My brother-in-law had a birthday this week. He turned 51. When asked what he wanted for his birthday meal he had two requests, a homemade beef lasagna (with ricotta cheese) and a double chocolate cake!
I said to my sister, let me make the cake! I have the perfect recipe for it and I think he will love it. Ironically she had picked out the same recipe, so we were really on the same wave length!
One of my favorite cookbooks has always been Dish Entertains, by Trish Magwood. It is a book that was popular with my boss when I worked at the Manor, and one which I loved to cook from when she had luncheons, etc.
The recipes in it range from everyday simple to special occasions. It even won a James Beard Foundation Award, a silver Gourmand World Cookbook Award, and a Silver Cuisine Canada Culinary Book Award.
If a birthday isn't a special occasion, I don't know what is, and I knew there was an excellent chocolate cake recipe in the book. I had given my sister a copy of the book and she had ear-marked it as well. The decision was made!
According to Trish, this is a four generations old recipe. A fabulously old fashioned one-bowl chocolate cake, and perfect for family celebrations!
If turning 51 isn't a special occasion I don't know what is! This is a delicious chocolate cake filled to overflowing with fabulous chocolate flavor.
But you don't need anything special to make it, unless you count buttermilk as being special. I love anything baked with buttermilk. It has the ability to render any baked good incredibly moist, and is great for marinating chicken in prior to cooking it.
It makes great biscuits and pancakes, waffles, scones, etc. And it makes for one very fabulous chocolate cake!
This recipe doesn't require fancy chocolate either, no chocolate chips, etc. or pudding mixes, etc. Just plain old cocoa powder.
Just make sure you use cocoa powder and not chocolate drinking powder or hot cocoa mix. Plain old baking cocoa powder. I use Fry's cocoa powder. Its the only cocoa powder that I have ever used in North America. Its the best as far as I am concerned.
One year my sister and I both entered baked whoopie pies, using my whoopie pie recipe into our respective county fairs. She was in a different county to I. We both won the Fry's Cocoa Powder blue ribbon of excellence for them!
What fun that was for both of us to come first! We got a cash prize, a ribbon and a set of oven mitts and an apron! Those were the days!
This lovely cake uses the one bowl method. What that means is that all of the dry and wet ingredients are mixed together in one bowl. There is no separating of the eggs and beating them separately. No creaming of the fats and sugars, etc.
Just look at how lovely and moist it is. (No, I did not take the cake over there with a piece missing, lol I took it over whole and then brought a piece home to take a photo of the slice!)
You can tell that this cake is not only moist but is filled with a rich and chocolatey flavor! It makes either a nine or an 8 inch double layer cake. But don't worry if you don't have a lot of people to feed.
This chocolate cake recipe can also very easily be halved to make only one layer, which makes it perfect for the smaller family as well. You can also bake it as cupcakes!
Not only is it the perfect celebration cake, but it is a fast and easy, reliable cake to bake as a last minute dessert when you need one!
Included also is a fabulous chocolate frosting recipe, which fills and covers the cake quite generously! It, too, only needs simple ingredients. Melted butter, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar and some strong brewed coffee.
No worries however, if you are not a coffee drinker like I am not, or if you are making the cake for children. You can substitute buttermilk in its place.
I found I needed a bit more liquid with the icing than she suggested. So just play with it and if you think the icing is not fluffy or creamy enough, beat in extra liquid by the TBS. My icing was a bit like play dough until I did this.
I was quite concerned because I didn't have any more icing sugar to make another icing, so just persevere and add more liquid a small amount at a time until you get the right consistency.
She also seemed to think it made an extra large amount of icing and that there would be some leftover. I found this to be exactly the right amount needed for both filling and coating the cake.
All in all, everyone really enjoyed this fabulously tasty and moist chocolate cake, especially Dan! I decorated it with sprinkles that reminded us of the stars, planets and moons. He is a sci-fi buff!!
If you are looking for an excellent chocolate cake for whatever reason, look no further. This one fits the bill perfectly on all counts! I am even betting that you will have everything you need to make it in your cupboard right now! Let the baking begin!
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Prep time: 12 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 52 Min
This old fashioned one-bowl chocolate cake is meant to be shared and is the perfect way to celebrate any occasion. Delicious and moist. You can cut the recipe in half and bake in one pan for a single layer cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 large free range eggs
- 2 cups (480ml (approximately, see instructions) buttermilk
- 2 cups (280g) all purpose plain flour
- 2 cups (390g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking mix)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
For the icing:
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking mix)
- 4 cups (520g) icing sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60ml) strong brewed coffee (or buttermilk if making for children)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Generously butter 2 nine or eight-inch round cake tins and line the bottoms with some parchment paper. Set aside.
- Measure the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Give them a quick whisk together.
- Place the eggs into a measuring cup and add buttermilk only to make 2 cups (480ml) in total. Add the oil and vanilla. Slowly beat this into the dry ingredients on low speed to combine. Once combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
- Divide the batter between both prepared layer tins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the tins to a wire rack and cool completely in the pans.
- Once cold, run a sharp knife around the edge, unmold and remove the paper from the bottoms of the cakes.
- To make the icing, measure all of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat together until creamy. You may need a bit more liquid to get the proper consistency.
- Place one layer of cake on a plate. Spread a portion of frosting over top. Place the other layer on top of that and then proceed to ice the whole cake.
- Decorate or not as desired. Cut into wedges to serve.
National Fish and Chip Day, is back for its sixth year and will take place on Friday 4th June 2021!
To celebrate we have created this fabulous video showing a day in the life of the biggest fish and chip restaurant in the UK....Papa's.
https://vimeo.com/558010317
The celebration of the nation’s favourite dish will bring together everyone involved in creating this iconic British dish; from Fish & Chip shops, pub chains, restaurants, retailers, to the fishermen and farmers who provide the sustainable and natural ingredients needed to create this family favourite.
Please share and spread the joyous news that today is National Fish and Chip Day!
Despite 2020 being a year like no other, this amazing industry, who are at the centre of every community, adapted the way they operate to ensure they could continue to keep the nation fed, just as they did during two world wars.
National Fish and Chip Day 2020 saw people across the country coming together to celebrate their love of fish and chips.
Source Getty Images
Speaking about this year’s event, NEODA President, Gary Lewis said “National Fish and Chip Day 2020 was always going to be very different to previous years and none of us really knew what to expect. The focus was very much on the resilience of the fish and chip sector and wow...did that shine through on the day!
We were completely bowled over by the number of shops, both those who have previously celebrated the day with us, but especially the many new shops, who got involved in any way they could. We are delighted that so many shops, hard hit by the pandemic, embraced their special day and threw everything they had at it!
Fish and chips will remain at the centre of every community and we are delighted to be able to bring this very special awareness day to the nation again in 2021.”
(source)
This not-for-profit event is championed by trade organisation, The National Edible Oil Distributors Association (NEODA) who represent all the major refiners, key packers and distributors of edible oils as well as suppliers of non-oil products (such as batter mix, sausages, packaging, range manufacturers and potato preservatives) in the UK.
The Fishermen’s Mission charity is a beneficiary of many fundraising events run on National Fish and Chip Day. They say, “National Fish and Chip day is a fantastic event which brings together the very best of the industry.
Fishing continues to be the most dangerous peacetime occupation with a 1 in 14 chance of being killed at work, the funds generated through National Fish & Chip day allow the Fishermen’s Mission to continue to provide Welfare and Emergency services to our Fishermen and their families, so on behalf of the Fishermen’s Mission team, and on behalf of all our beneficiaries, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your incredible support during this event.”
One of my favorite things to eat is Pasta. I do need to control myself as I would happily eat it every day, three times a day. As a diabetic this wouldn't be a very smart thing to do however, so I do keep myself reigned in.
Also its not so bad so long as I use a high fibre or whole wheat pasta and include plenty of vegetables in the dish. That makes this hearty and simple pasta dish something which I can truly enjoy on occasion!
I have also downsized the recipe to feed just one, moi. If you are wanting the full sized recipe, you can easily access it here.
One of the things I thought I would really miss here, now that I am back in Canada, were the lovely sausages that I was able to buy in the UK, or bangers are they are lovingly known.
I am happy to say that there are now some really great sausages here that are available in the shops. PC free from sausages. (And I have not been paid to say that. I speak the truth.)
They come in a wide variety. They have them called simply Bangers, then there are the Honey Garlic, Sweet Italian and Hot Italian. All are very good. If there are any more varieties I haven't come across them yet. I like the free-from because they are made from meat which has been raised without anti-biotics, and grain fed. It is also Canadian Pork. No GMO.
I know that might not mean anything to some people, but it does mean something to me. In any case, these are delicious sausages. Nice and meaty, well flavored and not filled with too much fat and fillers.
I love this simple pasta sauce. It is rich and creamy, and filled with flavor, depending on the type of sausage you choose to use.
I like a nice peppery sausage, but not overly spicy. I chose to use the sweet Italian today and it was excellent. In the UK, I always used a good Cumberland sausage.
This recipe is also a great way to use up any bits of cabbage you have going in the refrigerator. You don't need a lot, only about a cup of it. I tend to buy my cabbages either on the smaller size these days, or cut in halves or quarters. I just don't and can't use up a whole cabbage anymore unless I have company and am wanting to eat a lot of coleslaw.
The cabbage gets sautéed in a heavy bottomed skillet along with a medium onion which you peel and cut into half moons. I hand shred my cabbage so that it is not too fine, but neither do you want the pieces too large.
I sauté them with the onions in a mix of olive oil and butter. You can use just the oil if you wish, but I like the extra flavor that the butter gives.
I find it also aids in the caramelization of the vegetables. You get a lovely nutty flavor from the cabbage, kind of sweet. I love it.
Once the vegetables have softened and begun to caramelize you can add the sausage. You will need to skin it, which is very easily done. Simply run a sharp knife down the length of it and peel the skin away, discarding it.
This gets broken up and torn and thrown in with the cabbage and onions. Just stir fry it, until it too starts to caramelize and turn golden brown in spots and slightly sticky.
You need two kinds of mustard for this. A good Dijon mustard and a grainy Dijon mustard. Both have qualities that add something unique to this dish. Do NOT be tempted to use regular North American Mustard. The flavor of those is too sharp and harsh and vinegary, plus the color is far too bright.
Dijon has a nice mellow flavor. Yes, there is a bit of heat, but it doesn't slap you in the face. I like that. In fact it is my mustard of choice now for most things.
There is a place for North American Mustard, but its not here.
You will also need a quantity of heavy cream for the sauce. Not a lot, really, only 1/3 cup/80ml. If this bothers you then you can use evaporated skim milk in its place.
This will give you the silky richness without the fat. Don't worry the other flavors will make it very difficult to detect that you have used canned milk. I have this so infrequently that I just use the cream.
In for a penny, in for a pound, no pun intended. The sauce is rich and creamy. Depending on the sausage you have used you may or may not need seasoning. Taste it and adjust as necessary.
At this point you can also throw in half of the chopped parsley, and get on with the business of cooking the pasta.
You could certainly use whichever pasta you like here, but I like to use one that will grab onto and "hug" every bit of that lucious, rich sauce. Something which will cup the sauce.
Today I used Cappelletti. It is shaped like little saucers. You can use anything similar, baby shells, etc. All work well. I dare say you could even get away with elbow macaroni.
This is delicious. You get the caramelized sweetness from the onions and cabbage, along with the spicy tang of two mustards, and the richness of a good sausage.
Then there is the cream . . . what's not to like about this?
Some nice crusty bread on the side to help sop up that sauce and you are in pasta heaven. I can't think of anything else you might need, save it be perhaps a salad on the side and if you are a wine drinker a nice glass of merlot would go nicely.
I am not a wine drinker, so enjoyed it with a nice glass of cold sparkling water!
Pasta with a Creamy Mustard and Sausage Sauce
Yield: 1
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 14 MinTotal time: 19 Min
I have down sized one of my favorite weeknight supper pasta dishes to serve just one person. This is quick and easy with a deliciously different, rich, and meaty sauce.
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half moons
- 1 cup (130g) white cabbage, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 fat good quality sweet Italian sausage (or hot if you prefer a bit of spice), skinned
- 1 TBS flat leaf parsley, chopped coarsely
- 1 heaped tsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 heaped tsp of grainy Dijon mustard
- 1.3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 ounces (about 2/3 cup) pasta shapes (use one which will cup the sauce such as Conchiglie or Cavatelli. I like Cappelletti)
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a medium, heavy bottomed skillet just until the butter begins to foam. Add the cabbage and the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until they begin to wilt and caramelize a bit. I usually cover it with a lid for the first five minutes to help it soften a bit faster.)
- Tear the sausage up into bits and add it to the cabbage and onion mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and golden brown in places.
- Stir in both mustards and the cream. Heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in half the parsley and remove from the heat. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions in some lightly salted boiling water. Cook just to al dente. Once done, using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked pasta directly out of the cooking water and into the skillet with the sauce. (Its okay to have a bit of water in the sauce, but take care not to add too much.)
- Give everything a good stir together. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Scatter the remaining parsley on top and serve immediately with some crusty bread if desired.
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