brown sugar, pumpkin bars & zucchini muffins

Can you tell my tastebuds are ready for fall?!? I had a can of pumpkin that I used in a few shakes, and I incorporated the rest of it into our weekend desserts.  You can't go wrong with Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars.  Early saturday morning I realized I was out of brown sugar....after I went to the store.  I quickly whipped up a batch of brown sugar - it is super simple!  All you need is sugar and molasses!  Click on each picture to take you to the fabulous recipes!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

I must have been in the muffin mood yesterday.  I made a batch of Nutella banana muffins in the morning for the girls to eat fo breakfast.  While I was in the pantry looking or the Nutella, I found this:

Oh my.  I laid the girls down for a nap, and whipped up a batch of these Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins.  I love having muffins in the freezer for the mornings when I don't have time to make breakfast for the girls.  Here's the recipe...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

(Baking Bites)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2/3 c brown sugar

6 T Butter, melted and cooled

1/2 c peanut butter (dark chocolate, regular, crunchy)

2 eggs

1 c milk (i used skim and they turned out fine!)

3/4 chocolate chips 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Line or grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, peanut butter, eggs and milk until smooth.  Pour over the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Stir in the chips.

Divide the batter between muffin cups - fill them up to the top!  Add a couple chocolate chips to the top of the batter too! The will dome nicely this way.

Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the muffin springs back when you press it.  

Cool....and enjoy!

Currently my Favorite Muffin Recipe - Blueberry Banana Streusel

My sweet husband bought me a new camera for my birthday! I have decided to start taking pictures of all the food I make, and eventually make a picture cookbook of my favorite recipes! I thought I would post this one on my blog....SUPER easy, and SO YUMMY! Streusel topping is optional...they taste great either way!

For the muffins...
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (or two medium-sized bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

For the Streusel topping...
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating well. Add flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg; beat just until blended.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tray with muffin cup papers.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together with a wire whisk.
Add butter, eggs, bananas and vanilla.
Mix on low until just combined.
Fold in blueberries...batter will be thick!
Add Streusel topping to each muffin.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Makes 12-15 muffins.