Dorie's Corniest Corn Muffins

I only have to work three days this week. I love holidays:) Even though we don't have big Thanksgiving plans, I am still excited for some time off and football. Speaking of football, we saw The Blind Side over the weekend and we LOVED it. I highly recommend it!

I have been making a lot of soup lately. It always hits the spot on a cold day and unfortunately, Utah gets its fair share of cold days. Corn muffins are the perfect side to any bowl of steaming, hot soup or chili.

I made Dorie's Corniest Corn Muffins the other day and they were delicious. I love how easy they were to make. You can whip these up just as fast as a box of Jiffy mix and they are much better. I love the hearty chunks of corn and how moist and tender they are. I think they are best served warm with a drizzle of honey or a little homemade jam. Josh likes to dunk his in whatever soup we are having.

If you are afraid of yeast rolls, make these muffins for Thanksgiving this year. Your guests will appreciate a big basket of Dorie's corn muffins. I am sure of it!

Corniest Corn Muffins

Adapted from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
6 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons corn oil
2 eggs
1 cup corn kernels-I used frozen corn

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter or spray the 12 muffin molds in a regular-size muffin tin, or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.

Working in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In a large glass measuring cup with a spout or in another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin molds.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Pull the pan from the oven and carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto a rack to cool.

Dorie's Storing Tips: Like all muffins, these are best eaten the day they are made. If you want to keep them, it’s best to wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer, where they’ll keep for about a month; re-warm in a 300°F oven, if you’d like, or split them and toast them—do that and they’ll be that much more delicious with butter.

If you like these corn muffins, you might also like:

Spicy Corn Muffins from Two Peas and Their Pod

Skillet CornBread from Two Peas and Their Pod

Whole Wheat and Flax Cornbread Muffins from This Week for Dinner

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins from Awake at the Whisk

The Pioneer Woman Cooks and Skillet Cornbread

The world famous Pioneer Woman, Ree Drumond, was in Utah this week to promote her new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Ree's blog is extremely popular, she has millions of fans. She is loved for her recipes, sense of humor, stellar photography, down to earth personality, beauty, and stories. (I could go on and on, but you all know she is amazing.)

I was fortunate enough to hear Ree speak at the Blogher Food Conference in San Francisco. She was one of the main presenters and I loved hearing about her life and blogging experiences. I even got to meet her after one of the sessions. Gaby and I went up to say hi and she was so sweet to us. So when I heard she was coming to Utah, I knew I couldn't miss out.

Ree was busy while she was in Utah. Everyone wanted a piece of her:) I watched her live cooking segment on Studio 5, the same show I made my banana cinnamon cake on a few months ago. She showcased her flat apple pie. Of course she was stunning and the pie looked amazing! Can't wait to make this one.

That night I attended the book signing with a few of my favorite Utah food blogging friends, Food Finery, Barbara Bakes, The Table Runner, and Vintage Mixer. We knew it was going to be a zoo, so we got there super early. The Table Runner was the first one in line, yahoo!

We had 3 hours to kill until The Pioneer Woman was supposed to speak so we ordered some food from Mazza and had a little picnic. We split vegetarian grape leaves, hummus, baba ganooj, and pita bread. It was quite tasty! Thanks Barbara for providing the blanket:)

While we were waiting in line we met some new friends. One of the girls behind us even was a regular reader of my blog. How fun!

I couldn't believe the massive amount of people that showed up. The line was neverending! There were people everywhere with cookbooks in there hands. You could feel the energy. We were finally let inside and we got front row seats.

When The Pioneer Woman arrived with Missy and her mother-in-law the room exploded with applause and loud cheers. The room was packed to the max! Ree spoke to the group and answered questions from the audience. She talked for about 20 minutes. A few of the highlights: she did her Ethel Merman impression, talked about wearing "spanks," and of course told a few funny ranch stories.

We were the first ones to get our books signed. I am so glad we got the golden A tickets. Ree was so nice and posed for a few photos. We were also able to chat for a few minutes. She remembered me from Blogher Food and even talked about a few of my tweets:) She said she loves Utah and wants to come back. I really hope she does.

When we left the bookstore the crowds were even thicker. There were people everywhere. I am glad Utah showed Ree how much we love her!

Now onto the book. I love it! I got it last week and haven't had time to make very many recipes, but I have enjoyed reading the stories and looking at the amazing photography. You can tell each page was crafted with love. The book reads like a family journal. Ree includes photos and stories about her family, ranch animals, friends, and recipes. Even Josh picked it up and commented on the pictures and pointed out a few recipes he wants to try-the pulled pork is at the top of the list:)

I did make Ree's skillet cornbread and it is fabulous. It took me five minutes to whip up. I don't have a skillet, gasp!, so I made it in a round cake pan. This is the easiest cornbread I have ever made and everyone loved it.

Hop on over to What's Gaby Cooking for another terrific recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Our goal is to go to the ranch someday:)

Skillet Cornbread
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder & whisk together.
Measure buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup. Stir in the egg with a fork. Add baking soda and stir. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until combined.

In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup shortening in the microwave. Slowly add melted shortening to the batter, stirring just until combined. In an iron skillet over high heat, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. shortening. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread to even out the surface. Cook on the stovetop for about a minute, then bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. The edges should be crispy.

*NOTE* I don't have a cast iron skillet, so I just sprayed a 9 inch round cake pan and baked the cornbread in the oven. I didn't melt the 2 T. of shortening or cook it on the stove. Those were my only changes. I baked it for 20 minutes.

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Most of you know I am a huge fan of the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The bread method is magic. It makes the best bread with very minimal effort. We love making round crusty loaves, pizza crust, baguettes, etc. Well, Zoe and Jeff just came out with a new book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I have only had the book for a week, but I am already in love.

We recently mixed up the master recipe. It was just as easy as the master recipe in the first book. No kneading is involved and you can use the dough for 2 weeks. The main difference is the whole wheat flour, more water, and vital wheat gluten.

On Sunday, we baked a round loaf and it turned out perfectly. I loved the hard crust and hearty flavor. I enjoyed a slice with our homemade plum jam. I love having fresh bread dough in the refrigerator. It is so easy to bake up a fresh loaf and there is nothing better in life than fresh baked bread, especially when it is so easy!

The book has 100 recipes using whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and even gluten-free ingredients. I am thrilled they came out with a book that includes all healthy recipes. I love my whole grains:)

On a side note-I met Zoe at the Blogher Food Conference in San Francisco and she is amazing! Not only is she gorgeous, but she is kind, sincere, and simply fabulous.

For more information about Healthy Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day visit their website. There is also a blogging group that will be baking their way through the book, if you would like to join, visit: Big Black Dog. Go buy the book today! You will be glad you did when you are eating homemade healthy bread with no effort!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Whenever we visit Illinois I make sure there is time to bake with my dad. I have so many great memories with my dad, but spending time in the kitchen is one of my favorite past times. He is a superb baker and I love learning from him.

This time I requested Peter Reinhart's Cinnamon Raisin Bread from The Bread Baker's Apprentice. My dad didn't object because he loves anything and everything with raisins. We left out the walnuts because Josh is allergic and I really don' t like nuts in my bread.

The recipe makes two loaves and they didn't last long. My dad can never wait to slice the bread, I know that is a no-no, but he is right, it is SO good fresh out of the oven. We also used it for toast in the morning-I put extra cinnamon and sugar on my piece) We even tried French toast with the bread and it was Mmmm, Mmmm good!

A group of bloggers are baking their way through the Bread Baker's Apprentice. I am not participating, but I love the book and enjoy following their baking adventures. For more information about the group and book visit Nicole's blog: Pinch My Salt. This is a book you will want to add to your collection for sure!

Banana Bread with a Cinnamon Sugar Topping

I love bananas, but Josh is not a fan. I buy a bunch with good intentions, but I can never eat them fast enough. I don't really mind though, because when they go brown that means I have an excuse to bake:)

I usually make my banana cinnamon chip cake because everyone loves it, but this time I went back to the old fashion banana bread. Banana bread is a classic, there is just something comforting about it. I love the way it smells up the house and of course I enjoy eating it too!

This is an easy recipe that everyone will love. I added a cinnamon sugar topping to make it a little extra special. If you have friends, family, or neighbors to bake for, don't forget about the good old fashioned banana bread. It is always a winner.

On a side note, my S'mores cookies were featured on Baking Bites this week! Yahoo! Check out the post here.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Banana Bread with a Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
(Printable Recipe)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

Cinnamon and Sugar-for the topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

On medium speed, beat the sugar and vegetable oil to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.

Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping evenly over the batter. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 60 minutes.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for for ten minutes. Remove loaf from pan and let cool...or eat it warm. That is the best:)

Zucchini Bread with Dried Cranberries

I have some good news to share; our blog now has its own domain name! We are a .COM! If you type in our old link you will be automatically directed to our blog, but to be safe please update your RSS feeds, bookmarks, links, etc. to: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com.

I also added a printer friendly button below each post. Printing our recipes is a lot easier and much better for the environment now! Thanks to all of our followers! You are the best!

It is zucchini season! We didn’t plant any this year, but luckily friends and neighbors are sharing the wealth. I am glad because I love baking with zucchini. Last week I made a loaf of zucchini bread. I played around with my old recipe-this time I used whole wheat flour, applesauce, and added in dried cranberries. I also sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the loaf before going into the oven.

I loved the finished product. The bread was very moist and the dried cranberries added a nice sweetness. The cinnamon sugar crust gave the bread a nice texture too. If you don’t know what to do with your zucchini, give this bread a try. It is excellent!

I am out of zucchini now, so if anyone wants to share, let me know:)

Zucchini Bread with Dried Cranberries

(Printable Recipe)

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 3/4 cups shredded zucchini
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Fresh ground nutmeg-I didn’t measure, just a bit
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-3/4 cup dried cranberries
• Cinnamon/Sugar to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (to yield 1 3/4 cups); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs.

2. Into a small bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini and dried cranberries.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture-if you wish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert, top side up. Cool completely before slicing.

Recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I love whole wheat bread, but Josh isn't a huge fan. He loves it for toast or a BLT, but prefers white bread for his other sandwiches. He claims most whole wheat bread is too dense. I do buy white bread for Josh because I let him eat what he wants, but of course I prefer we both eat healthy:)

When we were in Colorado the friends we were staying with had a couple loaves of homemade whole wheat bread. Josh tried it and loved it. I was amazed, he said he would even use it for sandwich bread if I made it. So of course I snagged the recipe.

We ran out of bread this week and since I am trying to spend $100 on groceries/food this month, it was time to make our own. The recipe makes two big loaves and is really easy. My KitchenAid did most of the work:)

I was nervous it wouldn't turn out as good as our friends, but it did! I love that the recipe calls for ALL whole wheat flour. It also has a little vital wheat gluten, which adds protein and improves the texture and elasticity of the dough. This bread has a very nice texture, it is light, fluffy and all whole grain. It is perfect for toast and sandwiches.

I am glad Josh likes this bread. I will be making our own every day bread from now on.

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I haven't spent any money this week so I am still at $8.28. I am running low on produce so I will have to make a grocery run this week. I can't live without fresh fruits and veggies. I will shop the sales though:)

Some of you are probably wondering what we are eating, I promise we are eating well. Breakfast is oatmeal for me and cereal for Josh. I've always packed our lunches, so that hasn't changed. For dinner, we are using more of our freezer and pantry food. It is actually fun being creative with what we have. So far the challenge is going well!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Stouts' recipe

(Printable Recipe)

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 T vital wheat gluten (find it at Whole Foods, Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur, etc.)
2 packets of yeast (I used rapid rise)
2 1/2 cups warm water

In a large mixing bowl (preferably a KitchenAid), add the 3 cups flour, wheat gluten, and yeast. Stir. Add in warm water and stir until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.

1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 T salt
3 1/2-4 cups whole wheat flour

Mix the oil, honey, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture after the 10 minutes. Mix until combined. Add in the additional flour and mix. Now knead the dough for ten minutes with the dough hook. When it is done divide the dough into two loaves. Make sure they are even. Shape them into loaf form. Place the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the loaves have risen, bake them for 30 minutes. They should be golden brown. Let cool before slicing, if you can wait:) You can freeze one of the loaves if you wish.

Italian Sausage Lasagna

My dad is visiting from Illinois. He drove out to Utah last week, which is a 22 hour drive. My dad doesn't believe in stopping, only to fill up on gas, licorice, and M&M's. He says he just closes his eyes and keeps on driving:) We are having a great time so far. It is always nice having him around.

Sunday night my sister's family came over for dinner. We made homemade lasagna, an Artisan Bread in Five Loaf, and salad for dinner. Everything was quite tasty. We had to do two lasagnas though, a meat lover's and a veggie. I don't mind pleasing everyone, different strokes for different folks:)

Today I am sharing the Italian sausage recipe. I didn't have a taste, but everyone else enjoyed it. Josh made homemade noodles and I worked on the sauce and fillings. The lasagna came together in no time. I included the recipes for the sauce and noodles. Of course you can use store bought, but we believe fresh is best:) We use our KitchenAid mixer and pasta attachment and it makes pasta making super simple.

It was fun having the family over for dinner. As you can see below my niece, loved the ABin5 bread. She is always the life of the party!

Italian Sausage Lasagna

(Printable Recipe)

Marinara Sauce

Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper flakes
Fennel seeds
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
Fresh basil, chopped
Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, cook until tender. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds.
2. Add in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir.
3. Add in fresh basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Noodles

4 large eggs

1 T water

3 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1. Place eggs, water, flour and salt in mixer bowl. Attach flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds.

2. Put on the dough hook. Turn to Speed 2 and knead for 2 minutes. Remove dough and knead by had for 2 minutes.

3. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Follow pasta maker's instructions. You can roll it by hand, but we use our KA pasta attachment, which is worth every penny!

Lasagna

Lasagna noodles
Italian sausage
Fennel seeds
Crushed red pepper
2 cups Ricotta cheese
2 eggs
Black pepper
Dried basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese,plus more for the top of lasagna
Mozzarella cheese
Sauce

1. In a large skillet brown the Italian sausage with fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. I don't measure the seasons, just a dash or two. Cook sausage until brown and cooked all the way through.
2. Mix ricotta cheese, eggs, black pepper, dried basil, and parmesan in a small bowl.
3. In a large casserole dish or pan start creating the lasagna.
4. Spoon some marinara sauce at the bottom, add a layer of noodles.
5. Next, add sauce, ricotta mixture, sausage, and mozzarella cheese. I don't measure just spread around evenly. Be generous with all of the ingredients.
6. Add another layer or noodles and continue the layering process.
7. When you are finished layering, top the lasagna off with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until bubbly.
9. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Artisan Bread in Five Pizza Party!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes. I do appreciate all of your kindness and support. I am feeling a little better, still not back to my "normal" self yet. I have lost my love for cooking, baking, and eating. So sad!! I might need Josh to take over for awhile if this week doesn't get better. 

But today is all about partying with pizza! We recently invited some friends over for an Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day pizza party. Josh made the master recipe a couple days prior to the party. This made hosting so much easier. The day of the party we made a homemade sauce, collected a bunch of toppings, and pulled out the dough from the refrigerator. Talk about simple!

When the guests arrived Josh rolled out the dough for everyone. We let our friends create their own pizzas. We had a bunch of toppings to choose from: peppers, olives, tomatoes, onions, pepperoni, canadian bacon, fresh basil, and of course mozzarella cheese. It was a ton of fun! 

Our friends were amazed at the ABin5 crust. It really is SO easy and SO delicious! Next time you are in the mood for pizza, give it a try. And if you are looking for a fun dinner party idea, try an ABin5 pizza party. It was loads of fun! My pizza sauce recipe is below and if you want the dough recipe buy the book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

Pizza Sauce Recipe

Olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Fennel seeds, a dash

Crushed red pepper, a dash

2 cans of petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 can of tomato sauce

Salt/pepper, to taste

Fresh basil, a small handful, chopped

Italian seasoning (I use a blend by Emeril)

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large sauce pan. Saute onion until tender. 

2. Add in garlic, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper. Saute for a minute or two. 

3. Add in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. 

4. Season with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and Italian seasoning. 

5. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce until you get the consistency you are looking for. I do this to make it more of a "sauce." If you don't mind the tomato chunks, you can skip the blending part. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the sauce to a regular blender and puree. 

6. I let my sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavor. 

7. Spread on pizza dough when ready. You can freeze leftover sauce! 

Recipe for Orange Rolls

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. My boss let me leave my work trip because I was so sick, Josh came to my rescue. I am feeling better, not great, but better. Thanks again for all of your well wishes.

We enjoyed Easter dinner at the Dewey's this year. They are not technically family, but close enough:) They always include us in their family events, they are too good to us! We had a huge feast on Easter: Honey Baked ham, roasted asparagus, fresh green beans, salad, fresh fruit, sweet potatoes, and orange rolls. Everything was super tasty.

Today I am sharing the orange roll recipe. We kind of cheated though, we used Rhodes rolls since we were short on time. We usually make homemade rolls, but we thought we would give these a try.

We let the dough thaw out on the counter and twisted them into knots. We then dipped them in butter and a mix of orange zest and sugar. We let them rise for about 40 minutes and baked them up. We let them cool for a bit and then smothered them in an orange glaze.

I usually turn my nose up to store bought baked goods and mixes, but these orange rolls were OH SO GOOD! I loved them! The rolls were light and fluffy and the orange sugar and glaze really made them special. Everyone devoured them. There were no leftovers and we made a ton! I think we will have to make these every Easter! A new tradition!

Rhodes Orange Rolls

(Printable Recipe)

1 package of Rhodes frozen roll dough

Butter, softened

Sugar

Orange zest

Powdered sugar

Fresh orange juice

1. Let the frozen dough thaw out on the counter for about two hours.

2. Once the dough is workable, but still cool, roll the dough balls into ropes and then tie a knot.

3. Dip the knots in softened butter.

4. Combine the sugar and orange zest with your fingers. Dip the buttered knots into the orange/sugar mixture.

5. Place rolls in a greased pan and let rise for at least 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until they are golden.

7. Let the rolls cool. Make a glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange zest, and fresh orange juice. Whisk until smooth. I didn't measure but you want the consistency to be a glaze.

8. With a spoon ice the rolls with the orange glaze.

9. Eat up!