Bran muffins

I got this muffin recipe from my mother {it's out of the "You winning recipe" book}.  I remember she always made them. They are delicious and they great for a lunch boxes or picnics.  Only 20min to bake {just the time you take to make a great cuppa} and the best part if you don't need the whole mixture you can keep it in the fridge for up to a month.

So freshly baked muffins for a month... sound good!

What you need:
6 cups of Bran
2 cups Boiling water
1 cup of Butter {melted}
3 cups of Brown sugar
4 Eggs
4 cups of Buttermilk
1 Tbsp Bicarbonate of soda
2 1/2 cups Cake Four {sifted}
2 1/2 cups Wholewheat Meal
2 tsp Salt
{Optional: 1 cup of Raisons and/or 1/2 cup coconut}

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven at 220 C.

Step 2: Grease the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.  {Alternatively you can use the cupcake cups, then pack them out on a baking sheet.}

Step 3: Mix the bran and the boiling water in a large mixing bowl.

Step 4: Add the melted butter, stir and allow to cool slightly.

Step 5: Add the sugar, eggs, and half of the buttermilk.

Step 6: Combine the bicarb, and the rest of the buttermilk and add to the bran mixture.

Step 7: Combine the cake flour, wholewheat and the salt {and raisons/coconut if you wish to add it}

Step 8: Add the flour mixture to the bran mixture and blend to form a soft dough.

Step 9: Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan {or cupcake cups} until two-thirds full.

Step 10: Bake the muffins in the middle shelf for 20 min.

Step 11: Remove muffins from the pan {if you baked them directly in the pan} and allow to cool.

Serve with butter.

Breakfast frittata's {mini}

There are few "nice" ideas for breakfast, other than layered muesli with fruit, or stacked flapjacks! 

So this is a dedication to making brunch {or breakfast} special :-) with mini Frittatas. I enjoy making individual portions, it's lovely to make variation and it also looks beautiful, so I made these in muffin pans to make small servings and this recipe makes 12.

FYI
Frittata is an egg-based dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta.  It may be flavoured with herbs. Place of origin is Italy. {wikipedia}

What you need:
Oil or cook n spray
8 large eggs
1/3 cup full cream milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan {or mature cheddar}
1/2 cup grated Cheddar
Salt and pepper {to taste}
Any left overs or whatever you have in the fridge {experiment}

Some ideas:
grilled veggies {chopped up into small cubs}
bacon and spinach
ham and mushrooms {cooked}
caramelised onion and cooked sausage
Steak cut into small pieces with mushrooms and onions {cooked}
Potatoes {cooked}, caramelised onion and thyme

Method:
Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius {before you start chopping and mixing}

Spray or oil the muffin tins well {you don't want these to stick, cause then it's a mess}

Whisk the egg, milk, parmesan, salt and pepper in a large bowl and blend it well

Put the "filling of your choice in the muffin cup and fill with egg mixture almost to the top

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese

Bake for about 10 min in a pre-heated oven until the egg mixture puffs and it is set in the centre

They will be all puffy but will settle once removed from the oven

Run a knife around the edge to loosen the frittata from the muffin pan, slide onto a platter.

Serve immediately

Share if you have more ideas for combo's to put into your mini frittata's :-) by commenting below!

Carrot cake and brunch ideas

I had my sister's baby shower this week-end and thought I'd share some of the brunch idea's...

For dessert I made a lovely carrot cake {from a previous blog post :-) } it's lovely and moist and very easy!

Some croissants with a piece of wax paper tied with bakers twine just for the finishing touch ;-)

Plain yoghurt, drizzled with  honey and pieces of a seed bar that I cut up and put into the yoghurt.

Serve with a pretty container filled with yummy muesli.

Mini blueberry muffins... {yes I cheated and bought them} and they fit beautifully in the ramekins, so they almost looked like they were baked in them! ;-)

Homemade Muesli

Visiting my sister {Leigh-Ann in Europe} we had homemade muesli every morning and I just had to share her recipe with you. It's a bit more effort than buying the muesli, but it's sooooo worth it!

What you need:
850 ml Oats
200 ml Almonds
200 ml Sunflower seeds
200 ml Pumpkin seeds
75 ml Sesame seeds
1 tbs flax seeds
125 ml Apple juice
200 ml Honey
4 tbs olive oil


Heat the oven to 160 C

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir it carefully.  Using baking paper to line the baking pan, spread the mixture evenly.

Bake for approximately 30 min {until golden brown}. And stir occasionally while baking {gently}

Allow to cool down and store in airtight container once cooled down completely

Serve with yogurt and berries :-) or with some milk

And I assure you you'll have a good start to everyday!