Love Muffin

For the upcoming lovey holiday, I wanted to make a special treat and somehow incorporate chocolate covered strawberries.  They're one of my favorite indulgences and when I saw this recipe that incorporated them into a muffin I got right to baking them.  

In a large bowl beat together egg, milk and oil.  In a spearate bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  

Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Add diced strawberries and chocolate chips. 

Lightly grease muffin or cupcake tins.  Fill with the batter until 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 minutes.

While the muffins are cooling make the chocolate drizzle.  Heat butter, milk and chocolate chips together over medium heat until completely melted. 

Take the greens off however many strawberries you need to put on top of each muffin (I needed 6.)  I dabbed a little chocolate on each strawberry so they'd stick better to the top of each muffin.

Place on top, then drizzle with the rest of the chocolate mixture.  No scientific way of doing that.. usually I splash it all around, make my kitchen really dirty, and they turn out looking good!  

These muffins were moist and full of flavor.  Plus the bonus chocolate covered strawberry on top - that you can treat as an addtion or a completely separate treat.  Either way, it's delicious and the perfect little love muffin!  

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablepsoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced strawberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate Drizzle

1/2 cup chocoalte chips

1 tablespoon butter

1 teasoon milk

In a large bowl beat together egg, milk and oil.  

In a spearate bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  

Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Add diced strawberries and chocolate chips.

Lightly grease muffin or cupcake tins.  

Fill with the batter until 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 minutes.

While the muffins are cooling make the chocolate drizzle: heat butter, milk and chocolate chips together over medium heat until completely melted. 

Place strawberries on top of each cooled muffin then drizzle with the chocolate.

Blackberry-Oat Bran Muffins

July and August are the best time of year to buy blackberries, and although I haven't cooked with them a whole lot I thought this recipe would be perfect to make while on vacation.  They are easy and can sit on the counter so anyone can pick one up whenever they're hungry.  Oh, and did I mention they're delicious?!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line muffin cups with paper liners (we were on vacation and no one wanted to run to the store again, so we made do without!)  Whisk together flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl using a mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar on high until light and fluffy. 

Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with buttermilk.  

Fold in blackberries.  Divide the batter amount muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining sugar.  Bake for around 20 minutes until toothpick entered comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Let cool on a wire rack for around 5 minutes then take out of pan and let cool completely. 

These were moist and full of flavor!  186 calories of delicious-ness that you won't soon forget.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Blackberry-Oat Bran Muffins

Adapted from Everyday Food

Serves 12

1 1/2 up flour

2/3 cup oat bran (I used rolled oats)
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups chopped blackberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  
Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Whisk together flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl using a mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar on high until light and fluffy. 
Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with buttermilk.  
Fold in blackberries.  Divide the batter amount muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining sugar.  
Bake for around 20 minutes until toothpick entered comes out with moist crumbs attached.  
Let cool on a wire rack for around 5 minutes then take out of pan and let cool completely.