Double Chocolate Muffins

Studded with mini chocolate chips, double chocolate muffins are something I would typically serve with lunch or as an afternoon snack, but we've been known to enjoy them as an indulgent breakfast item from time to time. 

These muffins are best served a day or two after they're baked, but they freeze beautifully in an airtight container for up to a month.  To thaw, keep in airtight container as they thaw overnight in the fridge.  I enjoy these muffins chilled or at room temperature, but my girls enjoy them heated in the microwave for just a few seconds to melt the mini chocolate chips.  If you should happen to find yourself with slightly stale muffins, try this indulgent twist - break a muffin into bits, place the bits in a bowl, and drizzle with heavy cream - heaven!

Ingredients:  eggs, applesauce, flour, unsalted butter, the best dutch-processed cocoa powder you can find, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and mini chocolate chips.

Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer).

Use the paddle attachment or, even better, a BeaterBlade attachment!  If you love to bake, do yourself a favor on get a BeaterBlade.  It eliminates the pesky task of having to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl.  Love, love, love this thing!

On a side note - I have tried a similar attachment that's made by the company that makes the stand mixer and there's no comparison, the BeaterBlade works much better.  They're available for various makes and models of mixers so have that information handy before you purchase. 

Back to the recipe - add the eggs, applesauce, and cocoa sifted cocoa powder.  Nothing worse than biting into a dry clump of unsweetened cocoa powder so don't forget to sift that cocoa!! 

Mix until incorporated.  Don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled - it's fine.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; mix until no traces of flour remain.

Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  Did you set aside a few to nibble on?  I did!

Mmmm... time to dish up the batter. 

I use a rounded #20 scoop to portion the batter into a professional grade muffin pan that is lined with these awesome liners that I've absolutely fallen in love with.  I especially like using them for chocolate muffins and cupcakes - they make my baked goods look so rich and decadent! 

(affiliate links)

Using a portion scoop is neat and tidy... and all my muffins are going to turn out the same size.  Win-win!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional muffin pan https://amzn.to/3uBm5uT

• brown grease-proof paper liners https://amzn.to/3uzKEbr

• #20 portion scoop https://amzn.to/34MdFG9

• high quality dutch-processed cocoa powder https://amzn.to/34wD4DI

• beaterblade attachment http://amzn.to/2yxCz9Y

• heavy duty stand mixer https://amzn.to/3HCXIAF

• baker’s joy https://amzn.to/3JfdySc

• The Low GI Cookbook https://amzn.to/3LmQ6o8

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Double Chocolate Muffins

makes 18

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

• 1 1/2 cups applesauce

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick baking spray or paper liners.

3. Cream butter and sugar together until light in color, about 2 minutes.

4. Add eggs, cocoa powder, and applesauce; mix until smooth.

5. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix just until combined (don't over mix); stir in mini chocolate chips.

6. Use a heaping #20 portion scoop to fill cups about 3/4 full.

7. Bake 22-25 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a couple crumbs attached.

8. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan, placing on cooling rack to cool completely.

adapted from The Low GI Cookbook 

Asian-Inspired Sloppy Joes

An unadapted version of this Asian-inspired Sloppy Joe recipe was shared with me a number of years ago by a dear friend Jill - she's a wonderful cook and we have similar flavor palates, for the most part.  I say for the most part because we don't share a love for every ingredients.  Cilantro for example - I love to serve these sloppy joes with lots of fresh cilantro, but she absolutely detests it.  Spicy heat is another area where we don't always see eye to eye.  I like things a bit spicier than she does so if you tend to not like as much spice as I do, go ahead and reduce the cayenne pepper by half (or eliminate it completely). 

Let me show you how these sloppy, gingery, yummy sandwiches are made.

Start with a mixture of minced red bell peppers, onions, and celery.

Saute the veggies in a bit of canola oil until softened and the onions turn translucent.

Done.

Next add ground turkey and cook until no pink remains, stirring frequently to break up clumps. 

I've made this recipe with ground beef, but ground turkey actually works better, much better - the flavors of the ground turkey and sauce are beautiful together. 

Speaking of the sauce, here's the cast of characters (clockwise from left to right):  brown sugar, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, garlic powder, cayenne powder, and ground ginger.

So here's how the ground turkey should look when it's cooked through.

Add all the sauce ingredients and stir well to combine. 

Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat. 

Now this part wasn't included in the original recipe, but Jill highly recommended it and I have to agree, it's an excellent addition. 

Anyone out there have a good copycat recipe for this dressing?  Please share if you do.

Simply buy a bag of broccoli slaw and dress it with Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette, then pile it on top of the sloppy joe filling.  

I like to build these sandwiches on soft, pillowy brioche buns.  Add as much asian sloppy joe filling as you like.

Then add the crunchy broccoli slaw and fresh cilantro (which I highly recommend, but, sadly, didn’t have any on the day I took these photos).

Serve with lots of napkins and enjoy! 

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 12-inch cast iron skillet https://amzn.to/3BlZNPb

• my favorite Wusthof knife https://amzn.to/3NKOoQt

• huge cutting board https://amzn.to/3qSERxM

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Asian-Inspired Sloppy Joes

makes 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped celery

• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 6 brioche buns

• garnish - chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but highly recommended)

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute onions, celery, and bell peppers in oil until they soften.

2. Add ground turkey and cook, stirring frequently to break up clumps, until no pink remains.

3. Stir in red wine vinegar, soy, peanut butter, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cayenne; heat to bubbling, then turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Pile mixture onto hamburger buns that have been lined with lettuce leaves and top with chopped cilantro if desired.

Note

• These sandwiches are excellent on their own, but topped with a layer of broccoli slaw dressed with spicy peanut vinaigrette (and fresh cilantro, if you dare) takes them to the next level. I'm absolutely addicted to Trader Joe's spicy peanut vinaigrette (found in the refrigerator section).  Please drop me a line if you know of a good copycat recipe.