Apple Maple Oatmeal Muffins with Spiced Butter

I found this gem on Bunny's Warm Oven, I tweaked it a bit to suit my needs, as always but I did want to give her the credit she deserves.
These remind me of a cold winter morning when mom used to make oatmeal, with pure maple syrup. Always pure maple syrup, if you haven't tried it, please do, i know it seems pricey, but a little goes a long way. Always look for a container that says PURE maple syrup.

1. 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
2. 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
3. 1/2 cup milk
4. 1 cup flour
5. 2 Teaspoons baking powder
6. 1/4 Teaspoon salt
7. 1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
9. 3/4 cup real maple syrup
10. 1/4 cup melted butter, cooled
11. 1 egg, slightly beaten
12. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided

1. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use paper liners. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. 1. In a medium mixing bowl combine the oats and milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
3. 2. In a large bowl combine flour,baking powder,salt and cinnamon, mix with a fork to combine. Make a large well in the center of the flour mixture, set aside.
4. 3. To the oat and milk mixture add the maple syrup,vanilla, melted butter and slightly beaten egg. Stir to incorporate. Add the oatmeal mixture all at once to the flour mixture, stir until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in apple and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
5. 4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes, or till golden brown. Cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes. Remove from tins and serve warm.
6. Spiced Butter
7. 1/2 cup butter, softened
8. 2 T. pure maple syrup
9. 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
10. 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
11. Blend well. 
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13. Enjoy!

Beef Jerky!

What is it about beef jerky that everyone paying top dollar for a few pieces of leathery dried meat? Why pay that much when you can make your own right at home?
it’s really very easy if you know what marinade you like, and have an extremely sharp knife. Sometimes your local butcher will even slice it up for you.
You don’t need a smoker, just an oven and some patience.

~You are going to need ~
1 cut of beef. i used a top round roast this time and it worked perfectly.
ziplock bags
marinade or rub of your choice
liquid smoke seasoning
Racks to place over the pans in the oven, you don’t want the meat touching the pan, it dries better if sitting up on the racks so the air can get all around it.
Slice the meat, across the grain, into very thin pieces. Place into ziplock bags with marinade. I let mine sit overnight for best flavor and tenderness.
I tried out Hannaford seasonings that i had on hand.
One was Taste of Inspirations Cabo Chipolte rub. Not too spicy, but a good dose of flavor. I aaded the rub, a splash of olive oil, a few tablespoons of vinegar and a drop of Liquid Smoke.
The other was a Taste of Inspirations “Steak Buger” seasoning, it’s sort of like Montreal Steak seasoning, very peppery and garlicy. I added a bit of oil, about 2 tablepoons of vinegar.
last and certainly not least, Taste of Inspirations Sweet Apple Grilling Sauce. This stuff is unbelievable. It’s good on chicken, pork, beef.. anything. Just pour into ziplock bag with meat and a drop of Liquid Smoke.
Marinate overnight.
Next, lie the pieces on racks, not touching each other and place in a 200 degree oven. it takes a few hours and the aromas filling the house will be so enticing, but it is sooooo worth the wait.
I store mine in the refrigerator, i don’t know how long it lasts because it doesn’t last more than a few hours in my house.
See how easy it is? I guess i am off to make more!

Maple Glazed Peanuts with Bacon

3 thick slices of bacon (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3 cups unsalted roasted peanuts (1 pound)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 325°. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then finely chop.
In a medium bowl, mix the thyme, salt, Old Bay, cayenne and dry mustard. Add the peanuts, maple syrup and bacon and toss until the peanuts are evenly coated. Scrape the nuts onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once, until the maple syrup has thickened. Let the peanuts cool completely, stirring frequently to break up any large clumps. Transfer the peanuts to glass jars or a large bowl and serve.

Kale Chips

To anyone who hasn’t tried these, PLEASE do. They are loaded with vitamins, and taste awesome too. Besides being in a hot sausage soup, i think this is the best way to enjoy kale. They make a great veggie side dish with your meal or just a snack. My kids absolutly love them! ( how a bout that, green veggies and kids do mix!)



1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon California Olive Ranch Olive Oil
2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serving Size	1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe	6
Amount Per Serving
Calories	58
Calories from Fat	25
	% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2.8g	4 %
Saturated Fat 0.4g	2 %
Cholesterol 0mg	0 %
Sodium 185mg	7 %
Potassium 337mg	9 %
Total Carbohydrates 7.6g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 1.5g	6 %
Protein 2.5g	5 %
** Sugars 0g
Vitamin A	230 %
Vitamin C	149 %
Calcium	13 %
Iron	13 %
** Thiamin	8 %
Niacin	10 %
Vitamin B6	13 %
Magnesium	9 %
Folate	12 %