Cranberry-Orange Wild Rice Muffins

These tart-sweet muffins are low in sugar and rich in whole grains, which makes them a perfect grab-and-go option for busy weekday mornings. (Bonus: They are equally delicious alongside holiday roasts!)

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoons orange zest, divided
• 2 tablespoons coarse white deocrating sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cooked wild rice*
• Ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Lightly coat 6 (3 1/2-inch) jumbo muffin cups or 9 to 10 regular (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine chopped cranberries and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar; set aside. For topping: In another small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the orange zest, the coarse sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder, coriander, the remaining 1 teaspoon orange zest, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and the salt. Make a well in the flour mixture; set aside.

4. In a large glass measuring cup, combine the orange juice with enough buttermilk to make 1/2 cup liquid. Add the beaten eggs and melted butter; whisk with a fork. Add orange juice mixture all at once to the to dry mixture; stir until combined. Gently fold in the cooked wild rice and reserved cranberry-sugar mixture.

5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with topping and additional nutmeg. Bake in a 400 degrees oven for 21 to 24 minutes for jumbo muffin cups (or 15 to 18 minutes for regular muffin cups) or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean and the tops of the muffins are golden.

6. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm or cooled.

Tip:

• *For rice: In a small saucepan bring 1 cup water to boiling; add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slowly add 1/4 cup uncooked, rinsed wild rice and return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 40 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed. Drain, if necessary; set aside to cool.

Source: recipe.com

Gluten-Free Caramel Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients:

 
19 ounces cream cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Caramel:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk 

 

 Crust:

1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Crush your slivered almonds. 

In a mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour, almonds, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine with a spoon.

Line a muffin tin with liners. Push the almond mixture into the bottom of the liners. 

Bake for 10 minutes to set. 

Turn oven down to 300°.

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. 

Spoon mixture into the muffin tins with prepared almond crust. 

Bake for 40 minutes. 

While cakes are cooking, start on the caramel.

Combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently for 3 minutes.

Stop stirring and continue cooking 10 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar. Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk. Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. 

Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened. 

Take cheesecakes out of the oven when they are done. Once cool, the middle will slightly fall and this is the perfect indent for the caramel.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake. 

Eat. 

 

Source:  whatsfordinner-momwhatsfordinner.blogspot.com.au

Lazy Eggs

Ingredients:

Muffin Pan
Nonstick Spray
Ham Slices
Diced Tomatoes
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Eggs
Salt & Pepper

Directions:


1). Spray each muffin pan with nonstick spray
2). Place a slice of ham in the bottom of each muffin well.
3). Place about a teaspoon or so of diced tomatoes on top of the ham.
4). Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese over the tomatoes.
5). Break egg into each spot.
6). Sprinkle salt & pepper on each to taste.
7). Bake @ 350 for 18-20 minutes or until the yolks are as firm as you desire & the whites cooked

Source: Just Recipes

Mini Pot Pies

Ingredients:

4 cans of small biscuits-10 count-store brand works great
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (canned chicken works great if you're short on time)
2 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup
2 10.5 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
1 2/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
2 tsp oregano

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Separate biscuits and place each biscuit in a cup of a lightly greased 12-count muffin pan, pressing dough up sides to edge of cup. 

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, vegetables, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and oregano. 

Mix well.

Spoon chicken mixture into prepared biscuit cups. 

Top with remaining 2/3 cup of cheddar. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove from oven. 

Place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve.
 

Potato-Topped Mini Meatloaves

Ingredients:

1     lb.  ground beef or turkey

1     pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix

1     cup  water

2     Tbsp.  A.1. Original Steak Sauce

6     oz.  (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

3     cloves  garlic, minced

3     cups  hot mashed potatoes

1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley

1     jar  (12 oz.) beef gravy, warmed

Directions:

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

MIX meat, stuffing mix, water and steak sauce; press into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray.
 
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until done (160°F).
 
ADD cream cheese and garlic to potatoes; stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in parsley. Scoop over meatloaves. Serve with gravy.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Healthy Living

Save 80 calories and 10 grams of fat including 4 grams of saturated fat per serving, by preparing with extra-lean beef, PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese and fat-free beef gravy.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with a mixed green salad and glass of fat-free milk to round out the meal!

 

Source: Kraft Foods

Muffin Pan Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 2/3 to 1 3/4 pounds ground sirloin
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
2 ribs celery from the heart of the stalk, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper
1 large egg plus a splash of milk, beaten
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
1 cup smoky barbecue sauce
1/2 cup tomato salsa
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Put ground beef into a big bowl. Put onion and celery into a food processor. Cut the bell pepper in half, rip out the seeds and throw them into your garbage bowl. Cut the pepper into a few pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse the processor blades to finely chop the vegetables into very small pieces then add them to the meat bowl. Add egg, beaten with milk, bread crumbs and grill seasoning to the bowl. Next, mix together the smoky barbecue sauce, the salsa and the Worcestershire sauce. Pour half the sauce mixture into the bowl with the meatloaf mix. Mix the meatloaf together with your hands. Wash up. Brush a 12-muffin tin (1/2-cup each) with vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Use an ice cream scoop to help you fill meat into a each tin. Top each meat loaf with a spoonful of extra sauce. Bake about 20 minutes. Cut open 1 muffin to test that the middle is cooked through.