Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Streusel

1/4 cup quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon margarine/butter or dairy & soy free spread, melted

Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

2/3 granulated sugar

4 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup fat free milk or almond milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 egg whited or 1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 400 degree. Grease muffin pan with Baker's Joy or line with paper baking cups.

Combine streusel ingredients, mix well. Set aside.

Combine dry muffin ingredients. Combine the muffin's wet ingredients and the lemon peel; mix into dry ingredients until moistened. Fill muffin cups almost full. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter, patting gently.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Let muffins stand a few minutes; remove from pan.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Here's our traditional St. Patrick's Day Dinner, we're posting it early so you have enough time to corn your beef in for the holiday.

Corning your own corn beef - it will take 10 days to brine.

Boiled Corn Beef Dinner

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I've been trying to come up with better breakfast options (you know, not just cold cereal, a slice of toast, and a fruit) for the boys so that they have a more filling meal to last them until lunch. We've done a variety of things: hot cereals, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and. . . muffins.

I really love this muffin recipe because it is so moist and delicious. The big plus is that it has zucchini in it, which means the boys will actually get a vegetable that day. And they love it!

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used a mix of semisweet and milk)

1 cup shredded zucchini (I peeled the zucchini first)

Baker's Joy spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan with Baker's Joy or line with paper baking cups.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Combine sour cream, oil, eggs and milk in small bowl until blended; stir into flour mixture until just moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini. Spoon into prepare muffin cups, filling1/2 full.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until wooden toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 12 jumbo muffins or 18 -24 regular muffins.

If you decide that you want to double the recipe, I would recommend doing it in batches. The batter is really thick and heavy.