Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

My friend came over awhile back and she loves my muffins so I decided to make these ones since I had some really good help. They turned out so good...except in my rush to get them done I didn't grease the muffins tins! But I am happy to say that I was able to get them out in mostly one piece. These muffins are really decadent and my friend's husband said they were the best muffins I have made. They are even a bit healthy too!

• Ingredients
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground flax
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Add the applesauce, egg, honey and butter milk and mix. Then add slowly while mixing flax, flour, baking soda and salt. Next fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin tins about a 1/4 full.

Next mix together until smooth; cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg, sour cream and vanilla. Put a tablespoon or more on top of the batter in the tins. You may have more than you need. Then top the cream cheese mixture with more batter. And bake at 375 for 20 -25 minutes.

Decadent Pumpkin Muffins

This are so full of calories I almost decided not to make them but I am so glad that I did.  Even I just eat one a week they are the most delicious things ever!  I had both girls sleeping so I decide to make these muffins because they was a lot involved and I didn't want to have Ally helping.  There is a fair bit to do but it isn't hard.  I have been wanting to make muffins with a gooey center for awhile but have been scared by the work and messing them up.  The nice thing about these muffins are that the cheese kind of bakes too so if you don't get it right in the center it doesn't over flow and burn.  I was a bit worried about over-flowing so I only put in a bit of the cheese mixture but I wish I hadn't because the cheese mixture is amazing and makes the muffins.

Ingredients

Cheese Mixture

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese ( I used light)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Topping

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons white sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Muffin Mix

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.

2.    To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.

3.    For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

4.    For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.

5.    Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Then add more of muffin mix on top. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.

Berry Cream Cheese Muffins

I am going to turn this into a muffin/journal blog, I want to write more about what is happening in my life.  So I hope not to bore you but my life is a bit on the boring side but I love it.

This week Ally and I have started potty training so we have been staying home.   Potty training is not fun.at.all.  I am sure it will be but....I think I would rather change diapers.  I do enjoy seeing the look of pride on Ally's face when she goes on the potty.  I dislike having to fight with her to sit on the potty.  Maybe I am doing something wrong?  Today was day 3 and it went really well.  From the stand point that no one yelled at the other.   She had one accident and went twice on the potty.  I think she may have been holding it in but...hey, potty training is all about control isn't it?

Today is also week 4 of my marathon training!  I am really proud of myself for sticking to an exercise program this long.  I am training to walk the Calgary half marathon on May 31.  I have been treating myself at the end of each long walk on Sunday and this week's treat is to sign up for the marathon.  I waited this long because I didn't want to waste the money and typically I start something and then quickly lose interest.  So I am excited to be an actual marathoner!  

Today we decided to keep busy by doing our favorite hobby - making muffins!  I accidently bought to much cream cheese the other day and I searched for a  muffin recipe using cream cheese and voila!  I found this recipe.  It sounded delicious...maybe not healthy but who cares?  The muffins were fantastic!  I think my favorite yet.  They are like little muffin cheesecakes.  A little on the heavy side but just so darn good.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3  cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/3  cup  butter, softened
• 1/3 apple sauce
• 2  cups  sugar
• 3  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 4  large egg 
• 4 cups  all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tablespoon ground flax
• 2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  low-fat buttermilk
• 4  cups  fresh or frozen raspberries  ( I used a berry mix from Costco)
• 
  

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries.

Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.