If you give El Belle a Chocolate Chip Banana Cauliflower Muffin. . . . .

This muffin holds a secret that was NEVER EVER suppose to be revealed!

Meet my niece, El Belle.  She is a "junk food" eater.

The "Bah Humbug" hat says it all about her displeasure of healthy fare.  If it is a vegetable, she won't eat it.  If it is a wholesome dinner being served, she backs slowly away from the table.  If it is filled with fiber, she gags.  AND so on. . . .  .

Meet my baby sister (she is the one in the middle between my parents.)

Suzanne is on a mission for 2010 for her four children.  The mission is simple, less junk and more nourishing "good" for you cuisine.  This is where I come in.  I am the baker.  I am the one bringing all the treats. This is where the muffin story starts.  

This muffin held a secret in the form of cauliflower.  Yelp, cauliflower.  It was a strongly guarded secret until I told my sister. 

You see, Ellie had eaten several of my muffins and "loved" them.  She ate them for breakfast.  She nibbled on them for a snack.  They were packed in her lunch box.  Over a day's time, there were just a few left.

The other night  Ellie had declared my sister's dinner inedible! 

"Mom, can I please have one of Aunt Gin's muffins instead?" Ellie asked my sister.

"Sure, why not.  They are packed full of cauliflower," my sister mumbled.

"YUCK!"  Ellie yelled and vowed never to touch another Chocolate Chip Banana Cauliflower Muffin to her lips. 

Now, the remaining muffins sit on a plate getting more stale as the time goes by.

Gin's Chocolate Chip Banana Cauliflower Muffins

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups steamed fresh cauliflower, mashed

Directions
(1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line twelve standard muffin cups.  (2)  In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking soda.  Stir in the sugar and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.  (3)  In a mixing bowl stir together the eggs, milk, melted butter, mashed bananas and cauliflower.  All to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.  (4)  Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the muffins.  (5)  Bake approximately  15-20 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan.  (6) ENJOY!  

This is an easy five-star muffin recipe that is moist and sumptuous.  The crowning touch of the muffins are the chocolate chips that rest lazily in top.   You will definitely be asked for seconds, if you can keep the secret!

Can somebody please tell me if this means spring is coming?

Have a wonderful day and a great week!!

Pass the Sweet Tart Mandarin Orange Muffins PLEASE

Mandarin Oranges are in every grocery store around here. These oranges are awesome. They are sweet, easy to peel, a great to go snack, and good for you!! What more can you ask for? I will tell you!! For them to go away!! Bear with me on this. When you buy fresh Mandarin Oranges, they come in a big pack. It is like you are buying them in bulk. You bring them home. You peel and eat, and eat, and eat, and eat...... You can not eat them fast enough before they start to spoil, or you become sick of them. What is a foodie to do?

I peel a bunch of Mandarin Oranges and freeze them. They are great to add to smoothies. You can add them to salads for a different taste twist. Finally, you can bake with them. This brings me to the Sweet Tart Mandarin Orange Muffins.

Sweet Tart Mandarin Orange Muffins

3 eggs
2/3 c. orange juice
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 cup melted vanilla chips
1/2 c. butter, melted
3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
10 peeled Mandarin Oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1/2 almond extract

(1) Gently mix all ingredients except Oranges. (2) Gently fold in Oranges. (3) Fill prepared muffin cups to the top. (4) Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

If you like, you can add a crumb topping to your Mandarin Orange Muffins. It is simple and adds an additional sweetness to these delectable treats. Here is what I like the most about these muffins. They are not too sweet or not to tart. It is a perfect combination of flavors. These are great with morning coffee, or a big glass of cold milk. I carefully packed them and shipped a batch to my son who is in college. They arrived at his apartment and were all eaten the same day. You never have to worry about shipping food to college students and it spoiling!!

I would like to tell you that I bought my Mandarin Oranges at Jungle Jims. I wish I could blog about this place, but I could never make you understand what it is without pictures. No photography in Jungle Jims! I have put a call in to Jungle Jims asking if I could have permission to take some pictures? No word yet, but I am keeping my fingers crossed! Until then, go to their web site and see what I have in my back yard!!