chocolate chip zucchini bread

 

This also makes excellent muffins!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 t. vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two loaf pans (or 24 muffin cups).  In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.  In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture, mixing just until moistened.  Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.  Transfer to prepared pans.  Bake 55-65 min (loaf pans) or 20-30 min (muffins) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

flaky cheddar-chive biscuits

I remember when my husband and I were dating, he came to visit me in college and suggested that we go out to dinner.  I asked where he had in mind and was floored when he said Red Lobster!  Not that I have anything against Red Lobster, but it just seemed odd.

We were young 20-year-old college students who both hated fish...so Red Lobster?

But then I discovered the real reason he wanted us to go there.  He loves the biscuits.  Who cares if we would be the only people of our generation there?  Who cares if we'd have to eat the dreaded seafood?  As long as he got the biscuits, he was happy!

I was so thrilled to see this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine recently and knew we had to give it a try.  They taste very similar to that restaurant favorite and easy to make.

So delicious, especially when eaten fresh out of the oven.  Make sure you have plenty of butter!  Seafood is totally optional. :)

Flaky Cheddar-Chive Biscuits
from Taste of Home

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 t. baking powder
• 2 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 T. minced fresh chives
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk the first five ingredients.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in cheese and chives.  Add buttermilk; stir just until moistened.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times.  Pat or roll dough to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter.  Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.  Yields 10 biscuits. 

Crepes

 

For Easter, my daughter wanted a symbolic breakfast.  She found a recipe for crepes in an old children's cookbook, which she said could symbolize the empty tomb.  We put a strip of whipped cream inside to represent the grave cloth Jesus left behind.  The berries surrounding it were to remind us of Joseph's garden where the tomb was located.  It was sooooo special...and so delicious!

Crepes

• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 T. butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and eggs.  Gradually add the milk and water, stirring to combine.  Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.  Heat frying pan over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray and then pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle.  Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.  Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown.  Loosen with a spatula, turn, and cook the other side.  Serve hot.

almost corn tortillas

Almost Corn Tortillas

• 1/2 cup masa
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 T. oil
• 2/3 cup water
• dash salt

Mix ingredients until a soft dough forms.  Divide into 8 balls.  Flatten each ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll out (should be very thin and approximately 6-8 inches in diameter).  Cook on preheated nonstick skillet about 30 seconds on each side.

Nutrition: 84 cal, 2g fat, 0g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 14g carbs, 0g fibers, 0g sugars, 2g protein,0% vit. A, 1% calcium, 0% vit. C, 6% iron.

blueberry banana muffins

Blueberry Banana Muffins

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1-2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla, and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients, mixing until well combined. Fold in the blueberries gently with a spoon.  Pour batter into greased muffin tins so that each is 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Makes approximately 18 muffins. 

quick sourdough bread

Quick Sourdough Bread
from Gooseberry Patch's Made from Scratch

• 3 T. instant potato flakes
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups warm water, divided
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T. oil, divided
• 1 T. salt
• 6 to 7 cups bread flour
• 2 T. butter

Mix potato flakes, sugar, one cup warm water and yeast in a large bowl.  Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.  In the morning, combine 1/2 cup oil, salt, 1 1/2 cups warm water, and flour; stir into the yeast mixture.  Cover and let dough double in bulk; punch down and divide into thirds.  Knead each third 6 to 8 times; shape into loaves.  Brush tops with remaining oil.  Let rise until double in bulk.   Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.  Makes 3 loaves.

sourdough biscuits

Back when we looked like this...

...and that was a few years ago...but back then, we got engaged.  My father-in-law announced that he was taking care of the whole rehearsal dinner.  And boy did he!

He picked out one of his own prize lambs to slaughter for the big day, and he smoked it for about 4 days before the event.  He made several different kinds of homemade ice cream, froze them in individual containers, placed those containers in buckets of water, froze those buckets, and then covered the buckets in frozen sleeping bags.  I get tired just thinking about it!

And he also experimented with a sourdough biscuit recipe until he got it just right.  :)
  

Everything turned out beautifully.  The lamb was delicious, the ice cream stayed frozen despite the August heat, and the bread was such a hit that I asked for the recipe.  Here it is!

Sourdough Biscuits

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 t. salt
• 3/4 cup oil
• 4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 6 or more cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add remaining ingredients and stir or knead. Continue adding flour until dough is no longer sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl - cover and place in refrigerator overnight. The next day, roll out dough to a 2-inch thickness and cut into biscuits. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 

grandma's bread

 

It's been deliciously cool outside the past few mornings.  With the chill in the air, I almost forget that it's still summer (although the 95+ degree weather later in the day shocks me back into reality).  One of the things I love to do once the weather starts to turn is make bread.  There's just nothing better than warm bread in the oven on a cool day! 

This bread comes from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook, and it is sooooooo delicious.  The texture is amazing, and the flavor is perfect. I love it toasted with homemade peach jam. :)

My cousin and I nicknamed this bread "all day bread" because it seems to take all day to make.  It rises not once...not twice...but FOUR times!  But even though it's time consuming, it's totally worth it.  Trust me.

Grandma's Bread
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T. shortening
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.  Place salt, sugar, and shortening in a large mixing bowl.  Pour boiling water over mixture, stirring constantly to melt shortening.  Add milk and eggs; mix well.  Add yeast and stir until well blended.  Add 3 1/2 cups flour and mix for 3 minutes.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Shape into a ball, place and let rise in a warm place until double, about one hour.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead again, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Place dough back into bowl and let rise about 45 minutes. Punch dough down, turn onto lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half and place each half into a 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Let rise until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.  Remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks.

quick brown bread

This bread was a fantastic find.  I whipped it up in about 5 minutes, and it finished baking just in time for the soup to be done.  It's made with all whole wheat and flavored with molasses, so it passed my "relatively healthy" test.  And, it's amazing in the morning with jam or Nutella.  Loved, loved, loved it!

Quick Brown Bread

From Gooseberry Patch's Rush-Hour Recipes

• 1 cup milk
• 1 T. white vinegar
• 2 cups whole-wheat lour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup shortening, melted and cooled, or oil

Combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl; let stand for a few minutes.  In a separate large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Mix thoroughly and set aside.  Add remaining ingredients to milk mixture.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just enough to barely mix.  Pour batter into a well-greased 9"x5" loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center tests clean.  Makes one loaf.

french boule bread with garlic dipping oil

I'm excited to welcome a guest blogger - Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles!  This bread looks fantastic...I can't wait to give it a try.  

Now, I know what some of you are thinking - you don't bake bread, right?  Well, let's change that because this is a super simple bread recipe that you cannot mess up.  I promise.  No kneading and no mixer involved.  Seriously, you make the dough, let it rise and then shape into rolls like I did here, or you can make 4 small round loaves instead.  This is one of those recipes that will impress your family and friends so please don't run away.  Enjoy these French Boule rolls with a garlic infused dipping oil that is also simple to make.  The boule recipe is from Grace at Anderson Family Farm and the dipping oil is family recipe that my Dad perfected.  Let's get started!

French Boule Bread with Garlic Dipping Oil
Ingredients:
for the bread

• 3 cups warm water
• 1 ½ heaping Tablespoons of dry active yeast
• 1 Tablespoon honey or sugar
• 1 Tablespoons coarse salt (like Kosher)
• 6 cups flour (half bread flour, half whole wheat)

for the dipping oil

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley, or 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped fine)

Directions:

Measure your water in a large measuring cup.  You want the water to be warm, but not hot!  Add your yeast to the warm water with the honey or sugar and set aside for a minute or two. If you don't buy yeast in bulk, you can use one of the little packets (just measure the yeast out of that). Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add water mixture to dry ingredients and stir by hand until there are no dry pockets.

The dough should be quite sticky and wet, if it is not then you were too heavy on the flour and you’ll just need to add more water. No kneading, remember?

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise at room temperature for about an hour or longer.  Once it doubles in size and starts to collapse you know it is ready.  But this is easy, remember, so if you can't tell if it is doubled or starting to collapse, just go for it after an hour or so.

This is what my dough looked like after an hour and a half.  Perfect. Now preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place a stoneware pan in the oven (if you don't have one you can use a baking sheet upside down).  Place an oven safe pan (metal - don't use glass!) on the bottom rack, underneath the rack with the stoneware pan.

Flour your counter really well and scoop your dough out onto the counter.

Use a sharp floured knife to cut the dough in half, and then in half again, giving you 4 quarters.

Cut each quarter into 4 equal sized pieces, giving you 16 pieces of dough total.  They don't have to be exact, just eye it and no worries if some end up a little bigger or smaller than others.

Place a piece of parchment paper on top of an upside down baking sheet (or a baking peel if you have one, I don't) next to your work surface and start shaping the rolls.  Using well floured hands roll each piece of dough into a round ball, pinching the bottoms together towards the center.  Do this step pretty quickly, taking only about 20 seconds per piece of dough so you don't overwork it.  Place the round balls of dough, seam side down, onto the parchment paper.  Continue with remaining pieces.

Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with a little more flour and let them rise for about 20 minutes.

After about 20 minutes they should start to look puffy and they are ready for the oven.  Add a cup of cold water to the metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven.  This will create steam inside the oven, giving your rolls a nice crisp chewy texture on the outside.

Slide your parchment paper full of puffy rolls off the baking sheet and onto the hot stoneware pan, being careful not burn your hand!  Bake the rolls for 20 minutes.

Now while the rolls are baking you can make the dipping oil.  It is sooooo good.  Add about 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Heat until you warmed through.

Add one clove of minced garlic to the oil and shut the heat off and let it sit and mingle for a few minutes.  You don't want to cook the garlic, just infuse it into the oil.

Grate about 1/4 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese.

Measure out 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and 1 Tablespoon of dried parsley (or double of fresh parsley).

Add the crushed red pepper flakes and parsley to the garlic infused oil.

Mix well.

In little bowls, place 1 Tablespoon of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Pour the oil mixture over the cheese and mix.  The smells are going to overwhelm your senses here and you might drool.  Apologies in advance.

Take your rolls out of the oven and let them cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before you dig in, if you can.  I usually can't.

Enjoy with the dipping oil and marvel that you just made a wonderfully impressive French bread.


The dipping oil is the perfect condiment for these delicious rolls.  See the chewy crust all around the edges of the roll?  That steam in the oven really gives you a professional bakery result.  See the herbs and cheese in that oil?  Seriously amazing flavors. Are you drooling yet?

I told you this was easy, and these step by step pictures (taken by my best bud Travis) will help you along the way.  Hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I enjoyed sharing here on Delightful Country Cookin'. I have plenty more recipes over at my little blog, Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles.  Enjoy!

pita bread

These taste as good as they look.  So far, I've had mine with egg, hashbrowns, and salsa stuffed inside...yum!  And, my favorite, a seasoned chicken and peppers pita...doubly delicious!

Homemade Pita 

• 2 1/4 t yeast
• 1 1/2 C warm water
• 1 T sugar
• 4 C flour (I used all-purpose)
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 t salt

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Allow to bubble up. Add to flour, olive oil, and salt in bowl of mixer. Knead with dough hook for 10 minutes. Add additional water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until dough forms a slightly sticky ball.  Place dough in large bowl coated with olive oil; roll dough in oil until coated.  Cover and let rise until doubled.

Shape bread into 10 rounds (5-6 inches across).  Allow to rise for another 10-15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees with cookie sheets inside.  Place dough on hot cookie sheets and bake at 500 degrees for 3-6 minutes, or until pita have puffed.

Note: These go stale pretty quickly, so the best way to store them is in in a bag in the freezer. You can reheat them for 20 seconds in the microwave after spritzing with a little water.

Nutrition: 213 cal, 3g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg cholesterol, 235mg sodium, 40g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g sugar, 6g protein, 0% vit. A, 0% vit. C, 1% calcium, 14% iron.

blueberry corn muffins

Everyone in my family loves cornbread...and blueberries.  Cornbread and blueberries.  Hmmm.... 

There is no question that we absolutely LOVE these muffins.  The only question is...are they for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert?

Blueberry Corn Muffins
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2002

•  1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup blueberries

 In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Add egg; mix well. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin liners two-thirds full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.  Makes 1 dozen.

german chocolate muffins

I love a good muffin...especially a good chocolate muffin!  These German chocolate muffins are deliciously light and moist.  They are also full of surprises - they only have five ingredients, are chock full of vitamin A, and are really not all that bad for you.  The majority of the fat is the good stuff that comes from the added coconut and nuts, not from eggs, oils, or butter...you can't beat that!  

German Chocolate Muffins

• 18.25 oz. German chocolate cake mix
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients and spoon into muffin tins.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Makes 18.

Nutrition per muffin (calculated with Betty Crocker's Super Moist German chocolate cake mix): 173 calories, 5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 1mg cholesterol, 245mg sodium, 30g carbs, 2g fiber, 16g sugar, 2g protein, 85% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 4% calcium, 7% iron.

Made without the chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or coconut flakes (and assuming it only makes 12 muffins without the added ingredients), the nutritional information amounts to 174 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0g cholesterol, 352mg sodium, 38g carbs, 2g fiber, 19g sugar, 2g protein, 127% vit. A, 3% vit. C, 5% calcium, 9% iron.

hearty oat loaf

If there's one thing I love, it's bread. :)

Bread has the ability to turn a meager meal into a big one, freshen up your whole home, and add an air of warmth and love to any mealtime.  

This particular bread has been a favorite of mine for several years.  I first discovered it in Taste of Home's Light and Tasty magazines.  The heartiness and beauty of the bread caught my eye, and then I noticed just how healthy it was!  I've been making it...and loving it...ever since.  If Cookie Bandit comes home to a loaf, he does a jig and a cheer.  We're kinda food nerds like that. :)

This bread is an easy fix and perfect alongside soup, salad, or any main dish.  You simply must try it...the sooner the better!

Hearty Oat Loaf
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2003

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T. oats, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 3 T. canola oil

In a large bowl, combine the flours, 1/2 cup oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.  Spread batter into an 8 or 9-inch round baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with remaining oats.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm.  Makes 10 servings.

cornbread

This is the best cornbread in the world.  It's slightly sweet and perfect with a big dab of butter!  I make it in the cast iron, as squares, or even as muffins...it never fails to disappoint.

Cornbread

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup oil

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, egg, and oil. Beat until fairly smooth. Bake in a greased 8" square or round pan in preheated hot oven (425 degrees) for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

barley quick bread

About 20 minutes in the oven is all it takes to get this delicious bread.  It's got a fun, almost nutty texture because of the barley.  And the flavor is out of this world.  I liken it to eating a nutty biscuit or even a soft biscotti.  It's  the perfect accompaniment for soup or salad, and I bet it would make amazing croutons as well (my batch didn't stick around long enough for me to find out).

Barley Quick Bread
from Gooseberry Patch's Merry Christmas

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup pearled barley, uncooked
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together first 6 ingredients; stir in buttermilk.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead.  Roll dough into an oval shape, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Score dough with a knife and prick with a fork; place on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack and brush with melted butter.  Serves 4 to 6.

hawaiian sweet bread

I've always wanted to go to Hawaii (doesn't everyone?).  My husband went when he was in high school, and he still talks about it.  The gorgeous beaches, the beautiful sunsets, the chocolate-covered macadamia nuts...sigh.  I'd love to be there right now instead of baking in the hot Texas summer.

Someday I'll go to Hawaii.  Until then, I'll just get a taste of it by baking up fresh loaves of the sweetest bread around.  This Hawaiian sweet bread is deliciously sweet and moist thanks to the secret ingredient - a baked potato!  It's perfect for chicken salad sandwiches, if you can get the loaf to last that long.  Most of the time, we just eat it fresh out of the oven.  SO good.

Hawaiian Sweet Bread

• 1 large baking potato
• 3 T. sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 cups bread flour

Boil potato until soft.  Save 1/3 cup of boiling water and cool to lukewarm.  Peel and mash potato; measure 1/2 cup.  Add 3 tablespoons sugar and yeast to lukewarm water.  Stir until dissolved.  Stir in potato and set aside to rise until doubled.  Scald milk and salt.  Add butter to milk mixture and stir until melted.  Add eggs and remaining sugar to milk mixture; stir to combine, and then add to potato mixture.  Gradually add flour until mixture is in dough form (dough will be soft and sticky).  Place dough mixture in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover.  When dough has doubled in bulk, divide into two equal parts and place in two greased loaf pans.  Let dough rise again until double in bulk.  Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until tops have browned. 

banana nog bread

One of my favorite snacks this time of year is warm banana bread with a glass of egg nog.  I thought...why not combine the two?

Banana Nog Bread

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup smashed very-ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
• 1/4 cup egg nog
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. baking soda
• nutmeg to taste

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, bananas, egg nog, and vanilla; mix well.  Add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; mix well.  Pour into a greased loaf pan; sprinkle nutmeg over top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Makes 1 loaf or 3 mini loaves. 

chocolate chip muffins

I love, love, love me some chocolate.  Today's recipe is one of the best muffin recipes I've found - they are absolutely gorgeous and brimming with chocolate chips.  This muffin bakes up so beautiful and round that it's the perfect thing to make for company.  But I really love how the breading just melts in your mouth leaving you with nothing but the chocolate chips melting on your tongue.  Delicious!


Chocolate Chip Muffins
from Tasty Kitchen

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup (approximately) milk

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.  Place vegetable oil into a 1-cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to make 1 cup of liquid.  Beat gently and then mix with flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Fill greased muffin tin about 2/3 full with batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes.  Makes 6-9 muffins.