Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

 

We are on a muffin kick here lately.  They are easy to make with a two year old "helper" and a newborn observer!  These muffins were a great way to use some very ripe bananas we had on the counter.  They were the perfect blend of peanut butter and bananas in my opinion.

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

2 large ripe bananas
1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP butter, softened
1/3 C brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
10 TBSP peanut butter (divided - 8TBSP and 2 TBSP)

Preheat the oven to 325.
Line 12 muffin tins with liners or a light layer of cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the egg whites, vanilla, vanilla, 8 TBSP peanut butter, bananas, and applesauce.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined (do not over mix the batter).
Fill each muffin tin half way with half of the batter.
Place a small spoonful of peanut butter on the top (divide the remaining 2 TBSP of peanut butter evenly among the 12 muffins).
Cover the peanut butter drops with the remaining batter.
Bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (of the batter...there may be some peanut butter).
Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove them from the pan and finish cooling them on a wire rack.

This recipe is adapted slightly from www.skinnytaste.com.

Applesauce Oat Muffins

 

These are some tasty muffins and ones you don't have to feel bad about eating!  They have limited sugar and are made with oats and whole wheat flour.  The applesauce gives them a slightly different texture than if oil were used, but it did not take away from the flavor.  I liked them as a basic muffin and my husband turned them into dessert with a layer of cream cheese frosting on the top!

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

1 C old fashioned oats
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 TBSP butter, melted
1/3 C sugar
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375.
Line 12 muffin tins with liners or a thin layer of cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, and butter.
Add in the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Mix until just combined (you don't want to over mix or you will have tough muffins).
Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin tins.
Bake for 15-20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out of the center, clean).
Let the muffins cool on a cooling rack.
These muffins freeze well (don't put them in the freezer until they are cooled completely)!

This recipe is from www.melskitchencafe.com.

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

These bananas were a tasty snack.  It was great because I used really ripe bananas so they were sweet enough to balance out the whole wheat flour without using any added sugar!  These are not cupcakes (super sweet and filled with sugar) disguised as muffins to try to pass for a healthy option.  Try these muffins for a treat or breakfast and you will not be disappointed.

This recipe makes 12-24 muffins depending on your muffin tin size.

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 C butter, melted
1/3 C honey
2-3 very ripe bananas (2 larger ones or 3 smaller ones), mashed (easy to do with the back of a fork)

Preheat the oven to 350.
Line muffin tins with liners or a light layer of cooking spray (I used "regular" sized muffin tins...that could mean different things to different people, hence the potential quantity of 12-24 muffins).
Put the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, butter, and honey and mix until just combined.
Fold in the mashed banana.
Pour evenly into the muffin tins (the batter should come almost to the top of the tin).
Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean.
Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

 

After I posted the Two-Ingredient Pancakes, a friend of mine suggested these Greek Yogurt Pancakes.  I am so glad she did, too!  These pancakes are fluffy but thick and sure filled myself and my little guy up this morning.

I topped mine with butter and honey and it added the perfect amount of sweetness to the pancakes.  This recipe makes a small batch, so it is perfect when there are only two of us to make breakfast for most mornings!

This recipe makes about 6 small pancakes.

1, 5.3 oz container or 2/3 C of plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C flour (either 100% all-purpose or 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all-purpose)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (the batter will be really thick).
Spoon the batter onto a hot griddle (on medium heat) and spread it out a little bit.
Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until the pancake is cooked through.
Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

This recipe is from my friend, Emily, and I added the cinnamon (because I love cinnamon in all my breakfast foods :-)

Two-Ingredient Pancakes

My little baby is now a toddler.  I am in awe everyday how fast he is growing and changing.  With a toddler comes decisions that I believe should be made now...before he is old enough to be too set in his ways...before habits are so difficult to change.  Those decisions center on healthy living.  I believe in teaching my son (who has a vocabulary of a total of four words) no matter how young, about how to eat well and exercise...and love it!  There is a time and place for treats and food a little more indulgent (holidays, special occasions, etc.) but our daily food choices are as whole and clean as we can make them.  These pancakes were a fun way to jazz up our lunchtime routine and I did not feel any sort of guilt feeding them to my little one.  In fact, he loved them and ate three in the blink of an eye!
(Keep in mind, these are not "bready" like traditional pancakes...they are sweet like ripe bananas and have a slightly different texture.  They are still delicious, but in their own way...not the same deliciousness you would find in a flour based pancake.)

This recipe will serve 2 (about 8 small pancakes).

1 large, ripe banana
2 large egs
cinnamon (optional - use as much or a little as you would like)

Bring a large pan or griddle to medium heat - depending on your pan, you may need to coat with a layer of butter before pouring on the batter.
Mash the banana really well (you don't want it to be too chunky).
Add the eggs and cinnamon and mix everything together really well with a fork.
Pour the batter in 4-5" diameter circles onto the griddle.
When the batter starts to bubble, flip the pancakes.
Cook for another minute or two until the pancake is cooked through and serve warm with your favorite pancake toppings.

Variations of this recipe have been circulating the internet and my dad gave me this version.

Orange-Cranberry Muffins

 

With oranges in season right now, these muffins were a great seasonal blend of the citrus and dried cranberries.  These are a sweet muffin that make a delicious addition to any brunch or snack.

This recipe makes 18-24 muffins.

 Muffins:
1 egg
1 C sugar
1 TBSP orange zest
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 C Greek yogurt (you could also use sour cream)
2 C flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C dried cranberries

Glaze:
1/3 C orange juice
3/4 C sugar (divided into 1/4 C and 1/2 C)
1 TBSP orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350.
Line 12-24 muffin tins with a light layer of cooking spray or muffin liners.
Mix together the egg and sugar.
Add the orange zest, vanilla, and melted butter.
Stir in the yogurt (or sour cream).
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.
Fold in the cranberries.
Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins.
Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, prepare the glaze.
In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice and 1/4 C of sugar.
Simmer on medium-low heat until it forms a glaze.
Evenly combine the remaining 1/2 C sugar and orange zest in a bowl.

When the muffins are done baking, let them cool on a wire rack for five minutes.
Brush each muffin with the glaze.
Dip the top of each muffin in the sugar mix.

*This recipe is adapted from bakingdom.com.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This bread was so good and I cannot wait to make cinnamon bread french toast with a loaf this weekend!
(Please ignore the fact that my cinnamon bread here has a little hole in the middle.  It came out of the oven and what did I do instead of let it sit and cool completely?  That's right...slice it for my husband and I to eat right away...I am a sucker for warm, fresh bread.  As it cooled, it sunk a little in the middle.  It is in no way doughy or weird as a result, it just developed a nice hole in the middle as a result of my impatience!)
This bread looks so pretty and can easily be made into cinnamon swirl raisin bread, too.

Bread:
1 C milk
6 TBSP butter
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 eggs
1/3 C sugar
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp salt

Cinnamon Mixture:
2 TBSP softened butter
1/3 C sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon

Egg Coating:
1 egg
1 TBSP milk

Melt the butter into the milk in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat.  Do not bring it to a boil.
Let the milk/butter mixture sit for a few minutes until it is cool enough to touch,
Sprinkle the yeast over the butter/milk mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Mix the sugar and the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the milk/butter/yeast mixture.
Add half the flour and mix it until combined.
Add the rest of the flour and knead the dough (with a dough hook on a mixer or by hand) for 10 minutes with a mixer or about 15-18 by hand.
If the dough is still sticky, add a little bit of flour until it is no longer sticky to touch.
Put the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly greased and let it rise for 2 hours.
Butter a bread loaf pan.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar together for the filling.
Roll the dough out on a clean lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle that is 18"-24" long and almost as wide as the bread loaf pan you are going to bake the bread in.
Spread the 2 TBSP of softened butter over the dough rectangle.
Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter.
Roll the dough tightly to make a loaf.
Pinch the seams and place it in the buttered pan.
Let the loaf rise for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Whisk together the egg and 1 TBSP milk.
Brush it over the top of the loaf.
Bake for about 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Let it cool before slicing and serving (if you can wait).

*This recipe is from www.thepioneerwoman.com

Holiday/Weekend Breakfasts

 

I love "special" breakfasts.  Long weekends, holidays, or guests are fantastic reasons to have some fun with breakfast.  Try one (or all) of these fun recipes this holiday season!

Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Holes

Blueberry Scones

Peach Cobbler Scones

Monkey Bread

Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Pancakes

Banana Zucchini Bread

One more zucchini recipe for you and this one is amazing!  The combination of bananas and zucchini in one muffin make this bread so moist and delicious.  This is a perfect way to bid those last few zucchini plants good-bye.

This recipe makes one loaf of bread (9"x5" pan) or 12 muffins.

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1/4 C canola oil
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium, ripe banana
3/4 C zucchini, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350.
Line 12 muffin tins or grease one 9"x5" bread pan.
Cream together eggs, sugar, canola oil, applesauce, vanilla, and banana.
Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Do not over mix or your bread will be tough.
Fold in the zucchini.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins or bread pan.
Bake muffins for 18-22 minutes or bread for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
Remove it from the pan and let it finish cooling on a wire rack.

This recipe is adapted from www.browneyedbaker.com.

Blueberry Scones

Here we are, back on the blueberry kick.  Seriously though...some delicious things came out of the last batch of fresh blueberries I got!  These scones were good no matter how we ate them.  Fresh out of the oven they were warm and soft and the blueberries burst in your mouth.  The next morning, the scone was cool, but just as tasty.  The scones we froze (unbaked) baked up nicely later on in the week.  Basically, however you are going to eat them, just eat them!

This recipe makes 8 scones.

8 TBSP frozen, unsalted butter
1 1/2 C fresh blueberries, washed
1/2 C milk (I used 2%)
1/2 C sour cream
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C sugar + extra for sprinkling
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 425 with a baking rack in the middle.
Grate the frozen butter.
Put the blueberries in a small bowl and place them in the freezer.
Whisk together the milk and sour cream.  Keep it in the fridge.
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 tsp of the lemon zest.
Add the grated butter and combine it with the dry mix with your fingers.
Add the milk and the sour cream mixture and stir it until it is just combined.
Turn the dough out onto a large floured surface.
Knead the dough with your hands a few times until the dough holds together in a rough ball. (You can always add a little more four - you don't want the dough sticking to everything.)
Roll the dough into a 12"x12" square (approximate).
Fold the dough into thirds so it makes a long, thin dough rectangle.
Fold the dough into thirds again by bringing in the short ends, to form a square.
Put the dough on a floured plate and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
On the lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12"x12" square again and sprinkle the blueberries on top and then gently press them partway into the dough.
Roll the dough into a tight log (using a spatula to get the dough off the floured surface may help).
Put the roll seam side down on the lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 12"x4" rectangle.
Using a sharp knife, cut the rectangle into four even squares.
Cut each square in half to form two triangles.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the scones on the parchment paper.
*If you would like to freeze the scones, place the scones on the parchment paper and then into the freezer for 20 minutes.  Then place them in a freezer safe, airtight container or bag and keep them in freezer until you are ready to bake them.  They may need additional baking time depending on your oven.  Keep and eye on them and remove them when golden brown.*
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tsp of lemon zest and sugar (or you can just use sugar).
Brush the top of each scone with melted butter.
Sprinkle with the lemon zest-sugar mixture.
Bake for 15-22 minutes until the scones are golden brown.
Cool slightly on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

This recipe is adapted from www.annies-eat.com.

Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Crumb

These muffins are perfect because of the little lemon/sugar mixture crumbled on top.  The combination of the sweet lemon with the blueberries and soft, moist muffin are perfect for breakfast, a snack, lunch...well, anytime really!
I love this time of year and all the fresh produce available and on sale!!  Blueberries are not cheap so when they go on major sale, I buy a lot and make as many things as I can with them.
Enjoy these little muffins soon!

This recipe makes 2 dozen (24) muffins.

Lemon-Sugar Topping
2/3 C sugar
3 tsp grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

Blueberry Muffins
2 C fresh blueberries, washed
1 1/8 C + 1 tsp granulated sugar
1 TBSP water
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 C buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest for the topping and then set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Prepare 24 muffin tins with liners or a layer of cooking spray.
In a small saucepan, simmer 1 C blueberries, 1 tsp sugar, and the water over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
While they are simmering, mash the berries.
The mixture will reduce and thicken.
Put the berries in a small bowl and let them cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 1/8 C sugar in a large bowl.
Add  the eggs, butter, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Fold in the remaining cup of blueberries until everything is just moistened.  You do not want to over mix the batter.
Scoop the batter evenly into all of the muffin tins.  The batter should only fill the tins about halfway.
Using a small spoon (about 1 tsp), scoop a little bit of the blueberry mixture onto the top of the muffin mix.
Using a toothpick, swirl the blueberry mixture into the batter.
Top each muffin with a little bit of lemon sugar.
Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden.
Let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is adapted from www.acooksquest.blogspot.com.

Blueberry Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

These are incredible.  The only mistake I made was making a single batch instead of doubling it first thing!
These muffins are a lot healthier than a standard muffin recipe but taste amazing.  They are hearty without tasting "healthy".  They are great warm or cooled.  I could eat the entire batch on my own...and I just might as soon as I am done writing this for you!

Make 12 muffins.

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 1/4 C oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C buttermilk*
1/4 C brown sugar, packed
2 TBSP canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 C fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375.
Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
Mix all of the ingredients except the blueberries together in a large bowl until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 16-20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out of the center of the muffins clean).
Cool on a rack.

*Out of buttermilk?  See my buttermilk replacement tutorial!

This recipe is adapted from annies-eats.com.

Multigrain Pancakes

I love breakfast and I love a slightly healthier breakfast option since often times pancakes and waffles are smothered in various versions of sugar!  These were a tasty pancake that delivered in taste and ease of creation.  Enjoy them tomorrow morning!

Makes about 6-8 pancakes.

1/2 C flour
1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C cornmeal
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 C buttermilk
2 TBSP butter, melted

Whisk together all of the ingredients until they are just moistened and combined.
Pour the batter 1/4-1/3 C at a time and flip when it begins to bubble and the cooking side is golden brown.

This recipe is from Taste of Home Breakfast.

Eggs Benedict

I love eggs benedict.  It is a meal my husband introduced to me when we were married.  He makes the sauce and I make the English muffins.  The sauce is tangy and it is balanced out by the eggs and the English muffin.  This is such and easy and different breakfast (or lunch or dinner, because really, breakfast is great all day long).

Hollandaise Sauce:
3 eggs
1/2 C butter, melted
3 TBSP lemon juice
mustard to taste

Sandwich:
3 English muffins, halved
6 slices of ham
3-4 scrambled eggs
6 slices Swiss cheese

To prepare the sauce, place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.  Taste the sauce and make adjustments according to taste.  It should be a tangy sauce.
Lay out the English muffin halves, face up, on a foil lined pan.
Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese on an English muffin.
Broil for a few minutes on low until the cheese is melted.
Top with the scrambled eggs and Hollandaise sauce.

*The sauce recipe is from my husband.

Homemade English Muffins

These English muffins were unbelievably delicious.  We made eggs benedict for dinner and I hunted around for an English muffin recipe in order to avoid the dry, sometimes cardboard-tasting store bought English muffins usually used.  This recipe did not disappoint.  The outside is crisp and the inside is so soft and the hint of honey taste is just amazing.  I was so pleased with this recipe - I wouldn't change anything!

1 C milk
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP honey
1 C warm water
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2 TBSP cornmeal
5 C flour + extra for kneading dough
1 tsp salt

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it is slightly foamy.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter, and honey on medium-low heat until the butter is melted.  Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes and cool off a little bit.
Add the milk mixture to the yeast and water.
Sift 3 cups of the flour into the wet mixture.
Stir the mixture until smooth.
Sift in the remaining 2 cups of flour and the salt and stir until combined.
Knead the dough on a floured surface (I used my KitchenAid) until it is slightly elastic.
Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and lightly sprinkle each with cornmeal (use about 1 1/2 TBSP).
Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1/2" thick.
Cut the dough out using a round cookie cutter or glass (I was able to make about 20 English muffins).
Place the dough circles on the parchment paper and sprinkle the tops with cornmeal (use the remaining 1/2 TBSP).
Cover with a light towel or cloth and let the muffins rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until they have almost doubled in size.
Place a large skillet on the stovetop on low heat (the original recipe called for a heavy bottomed skillet - I don't have one and a regular skillet worked just fine for me - the key is to keep the temperature fairly even and consistent).
Let the skillet heat up for about 5 minutes.
Gently (they are extremely fragile) lift each English muffin and set it in the pan (you will have to do a few batches depending on the size of your skillet) without touching the other muffins.
Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side (until a typical English muffin color appears as seen in the picture above).
Let the English muffins cool on a wire rack.
Freeze any that are not going to be eaten within a day or two of cooking.

*This recipe is from myfairbaking.blogspot.com.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

I had never really made oatmeal before last week.  I know, crazy.  I think it smells good and looks good but I am a huge texture person so I didn't think I would like it.  I tried this basic recipe, tweaked it a little and loved it!

Basic Oatmeal (single serving):
1/4 C oats
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP brown sugar
maple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring them to a boil for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens.
For extra sweetness, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Add 1/2 small Granny Smith apple, finely chopped to the basic oatmeal recipe above.
When it is finished cooking, top with chopped pecans and maple syrup if you want some extra crunch and sweetness.

My Favorite Smoothie

This is my favorite smoothie...aka what I have with breakfast EVERY morning.  It is "green" without actually being green!
Take creative liberty with this smoothie.  Mine is slightly different each morning - I never measure ingredients for this.  To give you a starting point I have included some rough measurements, but adapt it to your taste.

2 C spinach and or kale
1/2-1 C orange juice
1 banana
1/2-1 C mixed frozen berries (mine includes blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)

Blend the spinach/kale and orange juice until smooth.
Add banana and berries and blend until smooth.
The orange juice and berries really change your consistency so change your ratios depending on whether you want a runny or a thick smoothie.

Banana Coconut Lime Bread -or- Muffins

A friend of mine brought this bread over a few weeks ago and we loved it so much!  I could not wait until I had bananas ready for banana bread so that I could make this recipe.
We go through bananas pretty quickly in our house and when I finally had some ready for banana bread I only had two (half the amount needed).  I decided to make muffins instead so that I could have the banana bread I was craving but only making half the recipe.

**To make a loaf of bread, use the entire recipe.  Coat a 9"x5" bread pan with a light layer of cooking spray and bake at 350 for about 40-60 minutes (until a toothpick comes out of the middle clean).

**To make muffins, make only half the recipe and line 12 muffin tins with liners and fill about 2/3 of the way with batter.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out of the middle of a muffin clean).

Bread:
2 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C mashed, ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt (I used sour cream)
3 TBSP milk or apple juice (I used milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C coconut flakes

Topping:
2 TBSP coconut clakes
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 TBSP lime juice
lime zest (1 small lime) - optional

Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare the bread pan or muffin tin, depending on whether you are making bread or muffins.
Beat the sugar and butter until blended in a kitchen aid or with a hand mixer.
Add the eggs and beat until combined again.
Add the banana, sour cream/yogurt, milk/apple juice, and vanilla.
Beat until creamy.
Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut flakes and beat on a low speed until all the ingredients are just combined (do not over beat).
Pour the batter into the applicable pan.
Sprinkle the additional 2 TBSP of coconut on the top of the bread or muffins.
Bake according to the directions above - once again, depending on whether you are making muffins or a loaf of bread.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime juice, and lime zest until it is smooth.
Let the bread/muffins cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
Once it is removed, drizzle the lime glaze over the top.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving (if you can wait that long).

* This recipe is from ourbestbites.com.

Crepes

I love crepes.  They are so versatile.  Crepes can be sweet or savory and eaten for any meal of the day.  These crepes were enjoyed with fresh strawberries and syrup...two of my favorite breakfast toppings!

2 eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 C flour

Whisk all ingredients together until batter is smooth.
Pour an 8"-10" (will make 6-8 crepes), thin circle of batter onto a round pan or griddle set on medium heat (it is easiest to flip the crepes if you coat the pan with a thin layer of butter before the first crepe is poured on).
When the crepe begins to bubble and is cooked almost all the way through, flip and finish cooking.
Serve warm and filled with your favorites.

Pumpkin Pancakes

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love made for me...warm, pumpkin pancakes!

These are soft and oh so good.  Serve them with some homemade syrup and you have the makings for a delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

1 1/2 C flour
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 C milk
3/4 C canned pumpkin
1/2 C ricotta cheese

Combine all dry ingredients.
Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together.
On a hot griddle or pan coated with a thin layer of butter, drop 1/4-1/3 cup of batter.
Cook on medium until the batter bubbles - flip the pancake.
Cook until golden brown.

*This recipe is from Taste of Home.