Sunday mornings are the most relaxing for me. I’ve done my grocery shopping, I may have some laundry to do, but I like knowing I don’t have to be anywhere most Sundays.
Hannah had to work in the early afternoon, so she and I had a diner breakfast at home – bacon, sauteed apples, eggs/egg white scramble and hash browns. With some fresh coffee, this was a delicious way to start the day. This plate is 8 points.
Then we ran to Walmart for a couple things and then hit up the gym. I ended up doing 8.2 miles on the bike, resistance 15 the whole time in 40 minutes. Hannah snapped this picture of us – it looks like my baseball hat is trying to knock her out!
Tony watched on America’s Test Kitchen yesterday about how to make a great cranberry muffin. Can I just tell you how excited I am that Tony’s appetite is coming back? I didn’t even think twice about making these for him.
And as always, America’s Test Kitchen never fails. These were amazing! The batter was light and tender, you got a nice sweet and sour kick from the fresh cranberries – totally worth the points! Obviously I wouldn’t make these every week, but if you have to bring something to a brunch, bring these muffins.
Cranberry Pecan Muffins with Streusel (makes 12 – 9 WW points each)
Ingredients for the struesel topping:
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
For the muffins:
- 1 1/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups pecans
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons of melted butter, cooled
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar.
Instructions
- 1. FOR THE STREUSEL: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and salt in food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand, 4 to 5 pulses. Add pecans and process until pecans are coarsely chopped, about 4 pulses. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.
- 2. FOR THE MUFFINS: Spray 12-cup muffin tin with baking spray with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt together in bowl; set aside.
- 3. Process toasted pecans and granulated sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to large bowl and whisk in eggs, butter, and milk until combined. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until just moistened and no streaks of flour remain. Set batter aside 30 minutes to thicken.
- 4. Pulse cranberries, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until very coarsely chopped, 4 to 5 pulses. Using rubber spatula, fold cranberries into batter. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups, slightly mounding in middle. Evenly sprinkle streusel topping over muffins, gently pressing into batter to adhere. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 18 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin on wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tony said that he could eat the streusel all by itself!
Um, turns out pecans are expensive. I lucked out on the sale rack at Wal-mart – these must have been leftover from Christmas? I don’t know, but I only paid $1.99 for this can vs. $6 for an equal amount of bagged pecans.
The idea of porcessing the berries with powdered sugar is to sweeten them, and the dash of salt masks the bitterness:
I actually thought of adding lemon zest to this step, but followed the directions as is – next time I will though.
The topping was so crunchy and delicious:
The cranberries got evenly distributed – the muffn is so light and tender. My mouth is literally watering as I type this!
These will be easy for Tony to have with his morning coffee. 😀 Um, let’s just say one of these muffins was my lunch!
Dinner was simple and delicous. I roasted a chicken in a little butter, rosemary, lemon and salt. Made baked potatoes on the side. I plan on making chicken and biscuits later in the week with the leftovers, then making chicken noodle soup with the rest.
Our temps this week will be in the mid-40’s so I’ll be getting some lunch time runs/walks in too. 😀
Happy Monday! How was your weekend?
Hi Biz! Oh, I love cranberries, and streusel, and the pink speckled look of it all!!! To eat something yummy and adorable at the same time–that’s where it’s at.
🙂 Marion
I am so glad to hear that Tony’s appetite is returning. Those are some gorgeous looking muffins.
I had a great weekend. Friday night was spent visiting one of my best friends in upstate NY. She is 8.5 months pregnant and I haven’t seen her since her wedding a year and a half ago. The visit was way too short, but so great to see her and her husband. Then my husband, son and I headed even farther north over the border for a night in Montreal. First time there for us and we had a wonderful time. The weather was ridiculously pleasant for January!
Hope your week is going well.
Hmmmmmmm those muffins look delicious and so does the chicken. When I think about it I hardly ever roast a chicken in my oven. Strange because I do like it. Going to remind myself to do that someday soon.
Aaaah, I wants a muffin now! But I just started the 17 day diet so I’ll try to dream about the chicken instead, which shouldn’t be hard after seeing that picture. It’s gonna haunt me (in a good way).
I’m glad Tony’s appetite is revving up again…that’s a great sign! 🙂
When I see a muffin like that, I nibble off all the streusel topping first. They are irresistible!
I’m not even remotely hungry right now, but I would snarf one of those muffins in a heartbeat (anything with streusel, really)! I wonder if I can find fresh cranberries here on the prairie….
Sunday dinner at our house was a smoked chicken that hubby made! Great minds think alike and I am so looking forward to the leftovers.
Those muffins look crazy good – but 9 points – I would have to play with that recipe and make them healthier!
It’s great news that Tony is getting his appetite back and requesting food. Oh, happy day! 🙂
Everything looks delish as usual! Got a hankering for chicken now! Glad Tony is getting his appetite back, it’s good to hear! 🙂
Glad Tony is feeling better 🙂 Those muffins look amazing, and they are so pretty!
You and Hannah look like sisters Vat!!! How fun!!!! I’ve bookmarked this recipe. Must make some soon! Have a great Monday! Hugs.
Mm, these muffins sound delicious! ^^ I love streusel and the fact that there are cranberries and nuts involved..yum!
I’m laughing because we bought a huge roaster this week and it fills three of our dinner meals – roasted chicken [Pooldad calls it “mini Thanksgiving dinner] one night, chicken noodle soup the next and chicken salad with tuna salad, egg salad and tossed salad on the third night. Pooldad balked a bit on the 12 dollar price tag on the chicken, but it is enormous and it feeds us for 3 nights. I like the idea of a 4 dollar/per meal main course.
And there is no where to find fresh cranberries here now. Sigh. I love anything cranberry.
I have an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook I haven’t even opened yet, I need to give it a read.
I emailed you the first time, but I forgot how I did it so here it is in the comment section
Got it! I erased it too so your address wasn’t floating around! 😀 I’ll forward it onto Chobani.
Those sound and look incredibly delicious – and flavorful! Your chicken looks stunning, too.
Those muffins look AMAZING! Definitely something I couldn’t make & have sitting in the house – NO self control whatsoever! :p
That chicken looks devine… I love the colors of a nicely roasted chicken. I think this is going on my menu for this weekend when the in-laws come over.
I roast my chicken at 450 degrees, just brushed with about a tablespoon of butter, rosemary, salt and pepper and lemon slices under the skin and in the cavity. Usually a 3 pounder takes just 60 minutes. 😀 Although I forgot to take the lemon slices off before serving, so one of Tony’s bites was a bit sour! 😀
I’ve never even heard of ATK before I “met” you. 🙂 I’m an addict now and love them! Everything I’ve tried from them has turned out amazing. I’m bookmarking these for a future teacher’s brunch at my daughter’s preschool.
Hope you have a good Monday, Biz!
Those looook deeeeeelicious.
Hmmm – these muffins look absolutely glorious. Wish I was enjoying one right now!
These muffins are beautiful! I love the flecks of cranberries in them.
I think I could eat ANYTHING if it had streusel topping. I love it SO MUCH.
My weekend was great! Nice and relaxing – just how I like it. 🙂
What a fabulous day. BRINNER! My favorite. So amazing. The muffins look fantastic- especially the struessel topping
mmm! My mouth of watering, I’ve already had breakfast, and it’s only 9:51 in the morning. Is is lunchtime yet? And we ARE having cranberry pecan muffins and roast chicken for lunch aren’t we! So glad Tony has his appetite back. That’s a sure sign he’s getting better.
I love cranberry/pecan anything – these muffins look great! And I KNOW about the price of pecans, which is why it killed me the other week when I burned two batches of my granola – there went two cups of pecans!!!
Dear Bizzy,
I would love to have your average blood sugar right now. I am a type 2. I can’t eat potatoes or anything with flour. When I do.. BLAM sugar levels are off the chart. Exercise helps. My endo wants to try a few meds before going to insulin. I would rather have the lower sugar levels. I have lost 15 pounds since Sept and I am keeping it off. But the BG is creeping back up. grr. I love your awesome attitude. I am trying hard not to hit, “Diabetic burn out”. Been there before. Thanks for sharing your pictures, your family and your recipes. I am still praying for your Tony. Keep writing, keep exercising and keep on keeping on.
Amy in Florida
Being on insulin has its good and bad points. It wasn’t until I started on insulin that I gained 30 pounds back in like 3 years. All of a sudden stuff like baked potatoes and pretzels were okay because I could just give myself more insulin!
I do know that when I was just on medication – I had to eat carbs with protein, otherwise my blood sugar shot up too – and if it was high I had to get moving to bring it down.
Hugs!
I love picking up Cook’s Illustrated when thrifting,it is the biggest score because those magazines are expensive! I love reading about the whole process of why certain ingredients work and certain increments.
I am surprised the blended cranberries didn’t turn the whole batter pink, I am guessing because they were blended with sugar? Anyhow, they look absolutely delicious, their recipes are always winners.
I definitely need astacsinse loosing weight. I can’t believe how fat I am right now. I already lost like 60 pounds but i still need to lose like 25 more. ive stayed the same weight since august but i cant find motivation to start up again.
I love the last picture of the chicken’s ARSE……it reminds me of you always saying how things taste like ARSE……glad Tony is feeling better.
I’m glad Tony’s appetite is coming back! The muffins look & sound great!
Have a great week!
I made some muffins too this weekend – definitely a treat though, not something to eat everyday. And in the great minds think alike category, we had a rotisserie chicken last night 🙂
Glad to hear Tony is on the mend!