Berry Berry Muffins

Are there are days when you just don't want to make something from scratch, but you want it to taste like it? I have those days too. So I add to boxed meals and baking products (which we already know I'm not much of a baker). The recipe that follows uses a simple Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin mix, easily found in ANY grocery store.

I made three types of muffins using the ingredients listed below by adding certain thing to the individual muffin tins instead of in the mix. I'm allergic to nuts so they went on some just for my hunny to eat. I ended up making 18 mini muffins.

1 pkg Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Strawberries, diced small
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips
Nuts (optional- I used walnuts chopped in small bits)

1) Preheat oven to package directions. Prepare muffin tin.

2) Mix all ingredients in large bowl and fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions.

3) Due to the chocolate, let cool completely before trying to remove from tins.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake & Muffins

This is something I came up with years ago out of necessity. I was working on a cake to bring to work and realized I didn't have any oil. It was right around eleven at night and I was not about to head to the store... after all, everything else was ready to go. So I went on a hunt and found a can of cherry pie filling. The cogs in my head slowly started to turn and the little light finally came on. Why not use the filling as the oil? It came out marvelous!

I can't tell you how many people have begged for the recipe over the years, but I always held onto it like my life depended on it. Not even to family would I hand it over. So feel lucky my loyal readers, I am finally going to hand it over to you... if I can ever hit the "Post" button that is! ;-)

(So good it doesn't need frosting! But you can frost away if you want!)

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
2-3 Eggs (depending on the amount the box calls for)
Water (depending on how much we improvise)
2 can Cherry Pie Filling, drained (reserve liquid)
Chocolate Chips
Frosting, optional

For Cake:

1) Grease and flour your cake pans. Spread drained cherries in a single layer in each pan. Set oven to 350 (or which ever temp your cake mix calls for).

2) In large bowl mix eggs. Look at the amount of oil on the box and use the appropriate amount of reserved cherry liquid instead and pour it into the bowl. Same thing with the water. If you do not have enough liquid to make the water, add water from the tap to fill it up. Mix your ingredients with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes unitl the batter is nice and smooth. Pour over top of the cherries in the prepared pans. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips to cover it. Bake according to package length or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out without cake on it (although you might have cherry or chocolate on it).

3) Let cool a couple of hours on a wire rack before removing from pans. This is sweet enough for most tastes but go ahead and ice it if you want.

For Muffins:

Same ingredients as above.

1) Line your miffin tin with muffin paper cups. Set oven to cake mix temp.

2) Mix ingredients as stated above. Using spoon add batter to muffin cups to fill halfway. Place 2-3 cherries in each muffin and press down slightly. Fill muffins with remaining batter. Spinkle 6-8 chocolate chips on top and lightly press into batter. Bake for reccomended time on package.

Pomegranate, Apple & Bourbon Muffins

I was on a search of a different recipe using up the remaining apples I had sitting on my counter. I hate to waste anything, but one person can only eat so many apples in their salads before they explode. On top of that, my partner isn't too keen on apples, so hiding them in food for him has become a challenge. What I ended up with worked out pretty well. The flavors complement each other without anything being over powering.

I used Red Stagg Black Cherry Bourbon for this. The fruity flavors blended nicely with the apples. This makes about 12 muffins.

1 cup Pomegranate, dried
1/3 cup Bourbon 
1 3/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger, fresh grated
1/4 tsp All Spice
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, fresh grated
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 cup Splenda (real sugar works as well)
2/3 cup Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Medium-Large Apple, peeled, cored and diced small

1) Soak Pomegranates in bourbon no more than 30 minutes, strain, reserving liquid and bring liquid back to 1/3 cup.

2) Preheat oven to 375. Grease muffin tins.

3) In medium bowl combine flour, spices, baking powder and baking soda.

4) In large bowl beat the sugar, oil, eggs and lemon until smooth.

5) In portions, add in the flour mixture and stir until semi smooth. Then add in the fruits and bourbon. Mix with spoon until all is well blended.

6) Using spoon, place mixture into muffin tins to fill up to the top rim. Bake about 20 minutes. The top will brown nicely and you should be able to insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin and remove it cleanly.

Now, this recipe doesnt call for a frosting, but I found that adding a light drizzle of sugar glaze to them makes them outstanding!