Here's a nice little change of pace: this is one of those recipes you want to print out and keep handy in your kitchen. It's just plain fun to make. Super delicious mouthfuls and the whole family will love them, that is if you can contain yourself long enough to leave any on the plate for them!
Really, what could be cuter? Little mini muffins chock full of mini chocolate chips. I originally tried the recipe because I had some mini chocolate chips left over and had tucked this recipe away for just such an opportunity. They turned out so well, now I keep a sack of mini chips in the pantry for those days when I crave something with chocolate. I am not a candy-eater so these are perfect for me. Unfortunately (if you're watching calories), they're also addictive, especially right out of the oven.
I don't know why you couldn't make the dough and stick it in the fridge until you're ready to bake, because warm from the oven you just can't beat them. They'll be a smash hit with your kids.
Mini-mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
From My Baking Addiction
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (try to find dark chocolate mini chips)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray your muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into the well. Stir until ingredients are just combined - do not over mix the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Evenly divide the batter into the prepared muffin pan wells. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Granitas are such an easy dessert, simple to make and you can make them with just about anything. I've posted several in the past, but can't imagine why I never made one with my favorite...rhubarb. So I gave it a try and loved the results.
The rhubarb recipes I am making and posting about now are made with hothouse rhubarb. It's a bright dark red, much brighter than lots of garden grown rhubarb one sees in the summer, so you won't always get this fabulous color if your rhubarb isn't a deep red. Doesn't mean it won't taste just as good.
Rhubarb Granita
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Method:
Bring sugar and 2 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add rhubarb; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Strain though a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids.
Pour into a 9" x 13" baking pan and place in the freezer.
Using the tines of a fork, stir the mixture every 30 minutes, scraping edges and breaking up any ice chunks as the mixture freezes, until granita is slushy and frozen, about 3 hours. Scoop into chilled serving glasses and serve with a sprig of mint.
Seeing a bowl of homemade crackers on the table never fails to surprise and impress guests. Marion's lemon crackers are truly unusual, perfect with soups, salads and yes, even cheese. Or just for nibbling.
I don't know about you, but I don't like tons of salt on things...so I think the tablespoon of salt in the topping is too much. If you like salty, go ahead. If not, cut it down to your taste. 3/4 tablespoon is plenty.
Also, when Marion says to cut the crackers right out of the oven, do so. They crisp up fast and are difficult to keep in squares, although a little unevenness in a homemade cracker is not a bad thing. I found I didn't need to turn them over to bake an additional 5 or 6 minutes either. They browned nicely on the bottom without turning, but you do have to roll out the dough to a 12 inch square, which is quite thin.
These may have some sugar in them, but trust me, they aren't sweet.
Lemon Crackers
From The Supper Book by Marion Cunningham
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
4 tablespoons butter, cold
2/3 cup milk, plus a few drops more if needed
1 tablespoon kosher salt (3/4 is sufficient)
Method:
Preheat oven to 325.
In a processor, mix the flour, sugar, salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon rind. Pulse a couple times. Cut up the butter and add to the flour, pulsing until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the milk, process as little as possible, until the dough comes together, adding a drop or two more of milk if there are any dry crumbs.
Divide the dough in half. On a floured board, form the piece into a square about 4 inches. then roll out into a 12 inch square, flouring the board and rolling pin to prevent sticking. The finished dough should be no more than 1/8 inch thick.
Carefully transfer it to an ungreased cookie sheet. (Sounds difficult, but it isn't.) Score the dough into 2 inch squares, then, with a fork, prick each square three or four times.
Mix the kosher salt and remaining lemon rind, sprinkle over the dough and press into the dough lightly with your fingers. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the cracker over and bake another 5 or 6 minutes. (I didn't need to flip, but it did take longer than 15 minutes in my oven to brown the top side a bit. Keep an eye on it, all ovens are different.)
Remove from oven and immediately break into pieces along the scored lines.
Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cool crackers completely and store in an airtight container.
