Potting Plants With Grandma (June 2005)
Hey, we can go retro around here once in a while, right? And since a decade is such a nice even number, here’s a shot of Hannah and her Grandma Cottrill potting some plants ten years ago this month…
Just for fun
Cottrill Couch Productions
Over Christmas Hannah and Nathanael put together a puppet show, with home made puppets and everything!
They performed it twice, and we had our wits about us the second time and recorded it. Here it is, for your edification…
Jim’s Chocolate Orange Muffins (gluten-free)
The last recipe of the day – and this time it’s gluten-free!
 |
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Zest from 2 oranges
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and oil a 12 serving muffin pan.
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the pizza crust mix, sugar and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold together, being careful not to overmix.
Fold in the orange zest and chocolate chips.
Pour into the prepared cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for 20-22 minutes until golden and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe was based on this recipe from Bob’s Red Mill. They were pretty yummy. 🙂
Nathanael’s Orange Chocolate Mint Muffins
This is our third muffin recipe of the day, from Nathanael.
Unfortunately, according to Nathanael, this muffins were just too rich. I think leaving out either the orange or mint would have helped – both together was a little much!
 |
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk with a little lemon juice or vinegar stirred in – let sit for 10 minutes)
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp mint extract
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F
Whisk egg with sugar. Whisk in melted butter. Whisk in 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Stir in grated orange zest and mint extract. Stir well until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients briefly until just incorporated.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon into prepared muffin cups or loaf pan(s). Bake at 375F until a toothpick comes away dry or with a few moist crumbs when inserted in the center (typically 15-25 minutes for muffins, longer for loaves).
To create this recipe, Nathanael used the “Muffinator”.
Hannah’s Double Chocolate Orange Muffins
This is the second recipe in a series of four – one from each member of the family.
This is the recipe that Hannah invented, and apparently it was a big success.
 |
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (Hershey’s, of course)
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp oatmeal
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Maraschino cherries, cut in halves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F
Whisk egg with granulated sugar. Whisk in melted butter. Whisk in milk.
Stir in vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Stir in grated orange zest. Stir well until smooth.
In a separate bown, combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients briefly until just incorporated.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon into prepared muffin cups or loaf pan(s). Put 1/2 a maraschino cherry on top of each muffin. Bake at 375F until a toothpick comes away dry or with a few moist crumbs when inserted in the center (typically 15-25 minutes for muffins, longer for loaves).
To create this recipe, Hannah used the “Muffinator”. Try it! 🙂
Shari’s Blueberry Orange Muffins
A little while ago we had a muffin-making bonanza. For our family time together, we decided to invent our own muffin recipes and bake them.
I promised to share those recipes with you. So – ladies first – we’ll start with Shari’s recipe. The rest will follow later today.
 |
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Grated zest of 2 oranges
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 80g oatmeal (about .87cups)
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Optional: 224g blueberries, sugar and cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Whisk eggs together with granulated sugar. Whisk in melted butter. Whisk in milk.
Stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon. Stir in grated orange zest until mixture is smooth.
In a separate bown, combine flours, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients briefly until just incorporated.
Fold in blueberries.
Spoon into prepared muffin cups or loaf pan(s). Optional: cook another 224g of blueberries, along with a little sugar down to make a jam. Divide the jam among the muffins or loaves and swirl a bit with a toothpick of chopstick. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar mixed with cinnamon to taste.
Bake at 375F until a toothpick comes away dry or with a few moist crumbs when inserted in the center (typically 15-25 minutes for muffins, longer for loaves).
To create this recipe, Shari used the “Muffinator”. All who tried these muffins thought they were yummy. 🙂