Pineapple Carrot Muffins

My first test run on this muffin recipe was a few months ago when we were having a breakfast at Faye's (the brains behind LiveBakeLove).  She had invited a few friends and their kids to just hangout and have breakfast.  She asked me to bring muffins since we were going to have kids around.  I have a basic muffin recipe which I have posted on LivebakeLove a few times using different flavor combinations, love the recipe.  Since pineapple is in season right now, it's cheap and perfectly sweet so I thought this would be a good starting point for a muffin.  I was going to follow my normal recipe and add pineapple  and carrots when I realized I didn't have enough all purpose flour, but I did have wheat flour and cake flour.  So I said, what the heck.. let me give it a try. There you have it, the creation of my Pineapple Carrot Muffins!

 

Honestly, these muffins are so delicious, no wonder the kids at the party loved them so much. And the funny thing is they were eating fruit and veggies without knowing it. 

 

I decided to remake the recipe this past weekend and brought it to a potluck party.  I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on top of them and served them as "cupcakes" without frosting, well... a hit again!  The flavor of the fresh pineapple and carrots with a hint of cinnamon makes these muffins delicious. Not overly sweet, but just enough sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth.

 

I hope you give these muffins a try.

 

Happy Cooking Everyone

Pineapple Carrot Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients
3/4  cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup fresh crushed pineapple
1 egg, room temp
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)

Prep-work:
1. Carrots- I took, grated carrots you find already packaged at the store and put them in my food processor for about 1 minute. Love the way the carrots grate down to little bits. You will need 1 cup of these grated carrots.

2. Pineapple- I took fresh pineapple which I had cut into chunks and put them in my food processor for about 1 minute. Once done, I drained the excess juice.  You will need 1 cup of the crushed pineapple.

Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk the three flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, milk, cooking oil and vanilla.  Whisk until smooth.

3. Add the carrot and pineapple to flour mixture and toss with a rubber spatula until combined. Mixture will appear crumbly.

4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stir just until moistened, but do not over mix or you will have tough muffins.

5. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups

6. Bake for 20-24 minutes at 375 degrees.
7. Muffins will appear fluffy.

8. Serve warm or wait 10 minutes to cool and sprinkle with powder sugar.

Banana Pineapple Coconut Mini Bundt Cakes

This recipe doesn't really have a good story behind it other than the fact that I had two over-ripe bananas that needed to be used up. Those bananas, along with a can of pineapple and some coconut oil turned into these delicious Banana Pineapple Coconut Mini Bundt Cakes!

This recipe makes a lot so I shared them with Faye, my Parents and some coworkers. Based on the positive feedback I received from everyone, this is a recipe I will definitely be making again! The cakes are easy to make, super moist and have lots of flavor, all thanks to two leftover bananas...

I hope you give this recipe a try.

Happy Cooking!

Banana Pineapple & Coconut Mini Bundt Cakes
Adapted from Poet in the Pantry
Makes 24

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3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking spice (or ground cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 20oz can sliced pineapple rings, drained and juice reserved
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup of the drained pineapple juice

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons of the drained pineapple juice


PREPWORK:
Preheat oven to 350
Butter 24 mini bunt cups, or muffin cups
Cut Pineapple into small pieces.

1. Combine Flour, Sugars, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Baking Spice and Salt in a large bowl using a whisk.. Add Shredded Coconut

2. In a separate bowl, combine Eggs, Banana, Pineapple, Coconut Oil, Butter and Juice.  Mixed together till all ingredients are well in combined.

3. Make a well in the middle of the flour bowl ingredients and add all the wet ingredients.  Slowly stir together till combined. do not over beat.

4. Add Pineapple Coconut Banana batter into each of the cups, filling 3/4 full.

5.Bake for 20-25 minutes
6. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from cups and put cooling rack to cool completely.

Once the mini cakes are cooled.. make the glaze

1. Combine powder sugar and pineapple juice.
2. Drizzle on top of each of the mini cakes.

Let a few minutes  pass for the glaze to dry. 
ENJOY!

Moms Pineapple and Peach Empanada

Mom’s Pineapple and Peach Empanadas

I know all of you foodies like me have a few special recipes your mom, grandmother or auntie has made that makes you just salivate at the name of it. Well, that is how it is for me with my mom’s empanadas.   Empanada is a Mexican term for an American turnover.   As a kid, it was a special day when my mom made empanadas which can be filled with numerous fillings.  Traditionally in Mexico, they are made with calabaza (pumpkin), but there are a lot of variations.  My favorites are my mom’s Pineapple or Peach Empanadas. The filling is sweet and tart, while the pastry has mild butter taste.    I was luck today to spend the day with Mom and get her recipe to share with you all. I guarantee you will not be able to eat just one. Happy cooking everyone!

Filling

20 oz can of crushed pineapples in juice (not heavy syrup)

15 oz can of peaches pieces (or sliced and cut into ½ inch pieces)

2/3 cup sugar (1/3 cup for pineapple filling and 1/3 cup for the peach filling)

½ cup water (1/4 cup for the pineapple filling and ¼ cup for the peach filling)

4 tablespoons cornstarch (2 tablespoons for pineapple filling and 2 tablespoons for peach filling)

Pastry

4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 Teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

¾ cup soften butter

½ + 2-4 tablespoons of warm milk

Egg Wash

1 egg white

½ teaspoon water

Filling-

-In two small sauce pans over medium heat, pour the contents of the crushed pineapple into one sauce pan and the contents of the peach pieces into the second pan.

-add 1/3 cup of sugar into each pan. Stir and bring to a boil

-mix ¼ cup of water into 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (do this twice, once for each filling)

-pour cornstarch mixture into filling.  Mix. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until its thick.

-remove from heat, cook in ice water for 30 minutes and then remove and put aside.

Pastry-

-mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a medium size bowl with a whisk

-add both eggs to the center of the bowl, using your fingers, mix eggs into the flour.

- add soften butter to the center of the bowl. Using your hands, mix butter into the flour until dough has a crumb texture.

-add ½ cup warm milk to flour and mix until dough starts forming a ball.  Add additional milk if needed.  Dough ball will have an elastic texture.(as picture attached)

-cover bowl with kitchen towel and set aside in warm area for 30 minutes

(Preheat oven to 350 as you wait for the dough)

Making empanadas-

- take dough ball and start cutting off small pieces to make 2 inch balls.  Should make between 18-24 balls

-on a floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll dough balls out to 6 inch circles.

-add 2 -3 tablespoons of filling.

-fold in half, press end together tightly.

-staring at the left end, using left index finger, start folding over end, then continue to the next section forming a scalloped edge.

- Place on cookie tray

-Once you are done making all the empanadas, combine 1 egg white with ½ teaspoon of water. Beat for 2 minutes.   Using a pastry brush, brush each empanada with the egg wash.  This will help the empanadas get a nice golden color on top.

-Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown on top.

- cool for 10 minutes (yes, it will be hard to wait but worth it since you will not burn your mouth! )