Apples in My Muffins!

I received a new cookbook for Christmas!  I found a recipe that I had most of the ingredients for, and it had apples so I had to try it!  Instead of running to the store, I just improvised!


2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. raw sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
2  eggs
1/2 c. oil
4 medium apples, peeled, cored & chopped (I used Galas)
1/2 c. pecans
1/2 c. dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease that muffin tin!
2. Mix flour, sugar, powder, soda, and cinnamon (in your mixer, YES, I finally used mine again).
3. Separately, in a medium bowl, mix eggs, oil, apples, pecans, and dried cranberries.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and set that mixer on slow speed, and make sure to scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl.
5. Spoon the mix into muffin cups until it just reaches the top.  Use less if you don't want that nice "muffin top" experience.
6. Bake for 20 minutes and cool muffins on cooling rack.

These are not very visually appealing when they come out of the oven, but I had friends over the morning that I baked them, and they pretty much devoured them!

Still Searching for the Perfect Focaccia

I don't know why, but this image haunts me...  Not only am I fearful of my fabulous mixer, but the thought of making bread stops me dead in my tracks!  I decided to attempt to overcome both of my fears by making focaccia bread.  I only like to use yeast when I use my breadmaker (so there's still a part of my fear that I haven't quite decided to face), so I searched my favorite recipe site for a "no yeast" focaccia.  This is what I came up with:

I wasn't super impressed with the flavor, but my hubby liked it!