B6»Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 14, 1998 Muffins On The Rise Muffins come in all flavors and sizes. Whether it is breakfast on the run or a sit-down and savor the taste, muffins are a popular choice. Baking powder and baking soda arc generally used to give muffins a rise. Muffins have been around for centuries, but they enjoyed a big comeback several years ago when people considered muffins a low fat alternative to a fat-laden break fast. People often surmise that muffins are more nutritious than yeast breads. But, beware. Just because the sign and shapes identi fies it as a muffin, doesn’t mean that it isn’t loaded with calories. In fact, a muffin at a popular eatery can have as high as 29 grams of fat. Remember that both white and whole wheat are considered wheat products. If you looked at the nutrition facts label, you might be surprised how little difference there is between most whole wheat muffins and enriched flour good ies. Look for a whole grain ingre dient since whole grains generally have more fiber and more vita mins. While it is true that refined flour is enriched to replace some of the vitamins removed during pro cessing, not all of them are replaced. You can’t really tell that Featured Recipe This featured recipe might not sound appealing to all readers. But, consider the source. It comes from Allctta Schadler, Lebanon County home economist, who has the undying devotion of thousands of fans who consider her to be the ultimate cook. Alletta, or better known as Lettie, keeps up-to-date on what’s in vogue in cusine and cooked up a lot of specialties for the holiday program held by the Lebanon County Extension last week. If you don’t want to tty this recipe, turn to page B 2 for more of Let tie’s recipes. You’re sure to find one to suit your taste. ARTICHOKE AND GOAT CHEESE BUNDLES 2 tablespoons butter '/a cup chopped green onion 1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme 1 clove garlic, crushed 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, chopped 2 tablespoons chicken broth 8-ounces goat cheese '/»teaspoon salt 9 sheets frozen Phyllo dough, thawed 6 tablespoons melted butter Melt 2 tablespoons butler in large skillet Add green onion, thyme and garlic; cook and stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until onions are tender. Add artichoke hearts and broth to mixture in skillet Simmer, uncov ered about 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat Stir in goat cheese and salt. Cool slightly. Unfold Phyllo. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a cutting board lined with waxed paper, keeping remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap. This is vety important or the sheets will quickly dry out and break. Generously brush the sheet with some of the 6 tablespoons melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo, then brush with more melted butter. Repeat with third sheet Trim stacked phyllo sheets into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 four-inch squares, using a knife. Place about 2 teaspoons filling in the center of each square. For each bundle, bring the four comers together; pinch and twist slightly. Repeat with remaining phyllo dough, butter, and filling to make 36 bundles. Place unbaked bundles in a single layer on baking sheets and freeze until firm. Place frozen bundles in freezer container and freeze up to 3 months, if desired. To serve, place frozen bundles in a single layer on baking sheet. Do not thaw before baking or pastries will be soggy. Bake uncovered in a 375-degree oven for 18 minutes or until golden. Note; freezing is not a necessary step. You can assemble them and put the bundles directly into a 375-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 36. Other fillings can be used in place of the arti choke mixture. from the nutrition label, since not all vitamins and minerals are listed on the label. Folic acid, a B vitamin, is one example. It has made headlines as a possible supplement in bread to help prevent birth defects, ward off heart attacks, strokes, and some kinds of cancer. According to one analysis, white bread provides about 8 to 10 micrograms of folate a slice. Whole wheat bread pro vides about three times as much— but not nearly enough to meet the 400 micrograms recommended for women in their child-bearing years. Trace minerals are also more prevalent in whole wheat There is more than three times the magne sium and twice the copper in whole wheat compared to white bread. Potassium and zinc are two others that arc missed in the enrichment process. Enriched white flour is likely to have the same amounts of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and iron as whole wheat. Muffins made entirely from whole grain have more fiber and some other advantages. But beware—a darker color doesn’t necessarily mean that the muffin is made from the whole grain rather than refined flour. Satisfying, simple-to-make muffins can be served for snacks, breakfast, lunch, din ner, tea, and for dessert. Here are some recipes to make your own muffins. CIDER MUFFINS 2 cups unbleached white flour I'A teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda Vi teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon % cup raisins 1 large egg V« cup fresh apple cider 4 tablespoons melted butter V* cup maple syrup Cinnamon sugar: 3 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter, melted Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the raisins and toss to coat with the flour mixture. In a smaller bowl, beat egg until light and slightly thickened. Add the cider, butter, and maple syrup and beat mix. Add to dry ingre dients and stir with a spoon just until flour is incorporated. Spoon the batter into prepared pan filling cups two-thirds full. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle tops with mixture of cinnamon and sugar mixture. 12 muffins. LO-CALORIE APPLE MUFFINS 3 apples 3 eggs 3 tablespoon sugar substitute '/«teaspoon orange extract 'h teaspoon vanilla '/« teaspoon cinnamon ’/«teaspoon nutmeg 3 slices white bread Grate apples. Beat eggs and add spices. Break bread into small nieces and mix. Blend grated apples into mix. Place in six sec tion muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Use a non stick spray instead of fluted paper cups. About 40 calories per muffin. These taste like high-calorie baked goods. You can’t taste or tell the difference. Pauline Fisher Lancaster Recipe Topics If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include accurate measurements, a complete list of ingredients and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our office one week before publishing date listed below. November 21 - Thanksgiving Favorites 28 - Food Gifts 5 - Christmas Cookies 12 Holiday Entertaining December COFFEE MUFFINS 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 'A teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 4 tablespoon butter, melted 1 cup strong coffee 'h cup brown sugar 1 large egg Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line muffin pans. In a large bowl, stir together flour, bak ing powder, and salt. Stir in walnuts. In a smaller bowl, mix melted butter, hot coffee, and sugar. Beat in the egg then mix with the dry ingredients. Spoon into prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Yields: 12 muffins. (Turn to Pago B 8) 3. Light Lebanon
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