With the tender texture of a moist cupcake, these little gems are delectable.  Luscious blueberries will work too ... just drain them very well before adding to the batter.

CRANBERRY MUFFINS

3/4   cup butter

1 1/2   cups sugar

3   eggs

2  teaspoons vanilla

2 3/4    cups flour

1 1/2   teaspoons baking soda

1/2   teaspoon salt

1 1/2   teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2   cups sour cream

1  cup chopped fresh (or thawed) cranberries or whole blueberries

SUGAR TOPPING

1/4  cup brown sugar

1/4   cup sugar

1  teaspoon cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon cloves

1  teaspoon orange peel

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one by one, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla.  Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the butter mixture.  Dust the cranberries with a little flour and fold them into the batter.

Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill 3/4 full with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 23 - 25 minutes, or until done.  Yield:  24 muffins

SUGAR TOPPING:

In a small bowl mix the ingredients together with a fork.  Melt 1/4 cup butter.  When the muffins have cooled about 20 minutes, brush their tops with melted butter and dredge them in the sugar topping.

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It's been quite a while since I last posted on Oregon Mom's Empty Nest.  A lot has happened during my period of hiatus ... recovery from a surgical procedure to remove a spot of basal cell cancer from my face, getting our youngest child back to college after a long holiday break, and a few other events thrown in there that placed numerous items on the "wait  list".   Whew ! ! Our family's 2010 had an interesting beginning!  We also feel anguish for the people of Haiti at this time.  Please know that we are praying for you, your country's future, and will do our part in helping to make your recovery from this disaster a little bit easier.

Today begins 2010 on the Kitchen page with a fabulous recipe sent to me by two guest chefs, Tim and Peter.   This will make you smile .  Here are two young boys that know what to do with a mixer and aren't afraid to put it to work!  I LOVE this.  And I love that their mother has taken the time to get her boys familiar with the kitchen and the basics of preparing food.  Kathy ... stop and listen for my loud applause for you !   In their own words, here's Tim and Peter :

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Tim writes:

Dear Joyce,

Here is our recipe for Chocolate swirl bread. We took it to tech team on Sunday. People liked it so much that it took the name of “Kuskie bread'”. We often heard, “What's that on the table?”.  Another person would say, “Oh, that's Kuskie bread.”.  When I heard that, I would laugh my lungs out!  Um, people liked it so much that soon, in less than 1 hour, there would be no more bread left.  I really like the streusel topping.  I like to scrape it off the crust and (I'm a little bit picky) ate off the streusel with my fingers.

Peter writes:

The hardest part about making the bread is trying not to sneak a bit of chocolate.  My favorite part of the bread is eating it.  I like to pick the streusel off the top and put margarine on the bread and save the streusel for last.  It's a fun thing to make with the family.  I need help with the mixer, and the stove.

Chocolate Swirl Bread

Combine 2 cups flour and the yeast.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  To the butter, add the ¾ cup sugar, the water, 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk, and the ½ teaspoon salt.  Heat and stir till warm (110⁰ to 120⁰).  Add to the flour mixture along with the eggs.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then on high speed for 3 minutes.  Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3-5 minutes total).  Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl; turn once.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine ¾ cup chocolate pieces, the remaining evaporated milk, the 2 tbsp. sugar, and the cinnamon.  Cook and stir over low heat till chocolate melts.  Grease a 10-inch tube pan by brushing the bottom and sides with melted butter.

Roll dough into an 18x10 inch rectangle.  Spread chocolate mixture to within ½ inch of edges.  Roll up from one of the long sides.  Pinch to seal.  Bring ends together to form a ring; seal ends.  Place seam side down in the well-greased tube pan.  Sprinkle streusel topping (see below) over the dough.  Cover; let rise till nearly double (about 45 minutes).  Bake in a 350⁰ oven for 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan.

Streusel Topping:  Stir together ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Cut in ¼ cup butter.  Stir in the ¼ cup chocolate pieces.

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If you like coconut.  If you like chocolate.  Then you'll love these.   Easy to make, so get your mixer out and turn your oven on!

MACAROON COOKIES

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons orange juice (or water)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 cups flaked coconut, divided

1 package Hershey's Kisses Chocolates, unwrapped

Beat the first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add egg yolk, orange juice and vanilla.  Beat well.   Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture until well blended.  Add 3 cups coconut until blended in.  Cover and chill 1/2 hour.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls.   Roll balls in remaining 2 cups coconut.  Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees 15-17 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and press 1 chocolate kiss into center of each warm cookie.  Remove to racks to cool.

Oregon Mom's note:   Next time I make these I'll add 1/2 cup chopped almonds to the dough.  I think the nuts would add a great texture to the cookie along with the coconut.

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This is one recipe that I haven’t changed, re-arranged, altered, modified, or revamped.  Not one bit.  In other words, it’s a winner just as.  In fact, it really is a winner.  It’s a recipe that won a Pillsbury Bake Off Contest for Miss Wilkins, and the prize money was $2,000 back then.   This is a rich and sweet date bar that’s easy to make and keeps well in the refrigerator.  I’ve even frozen some of these bars for another occasion, and they tasted just as delicious when thawed.

DATE BARS

Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter, softened

Filling:

1 cup chopped dates

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 egg, well beaten

2 cups crisp rice cereal

1 cup chopped and toasted pecans (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the first three ingredients, mix until crumbly.  Press into an ungreased 11x7 or 9 inch square pan.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

In a medium saucepan, combine dates, sugar and butter.  Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly.  Simmer 3 minutes.  Blend about ½ cup hot mixture into beaten egg, then return to saucepan.  Cook until mixture bubbles in center, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in rice cereal, nuts and vanilla.  Spread over baked crust.  Cool.

Combine frosting ingredients until smooth using an electric mixer.  Spread over filling.  Makes approximately 2 dozen bars, depending on how large you cut them.

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