The Easiest Chocolate Muffin recipe

The Easiest Chocolate Muffin Recipe

This is seriously the easiest chocolate muffin recipe you can make. I cannot take credit for these, someone gave me the recipe and I am unsure of the origin. But thank you to whoever thought of it. The idea seemed strange but I quickly realized what a great way to get a vegetable into my child who seems to be allergic to almost every other vegetable except broccoli and cauliflower.  So here it is …. couldn’t be any easier and they will never even know there is pumpkin in them.

The recipe is simply a package of Devil’s Food Cake Mix and one 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree. I tend to use the Libby’s Pumpkin Puree but I think any brand would be fine as long as the only ingredient is pumpkin. The cake mix I prefer is Duncan Hines Cake Mix because they have not shrunk the package like all the other brands, so the ratios still work great. The trick here is cooking spray. Spray everything: the bowl, mixing spoon, scoop, and muffin tin. It is hard to mix and the batter sticks to everything. Don’t give up. It just takes a second and then it all comes together. It tends to be a bit lumpy, don’t worry about that. Do not use muffin liners, the muffins stick to them. I usually add chocolate chips to the mix and that is wonderful also.

It is always the simple that produces the marvelous

Amelia Barr

These is the easiest chocolate muffin recipe ever and they are perfect for breakfast, packed in school lunches or for an afternoon or after school snack. I have heard friends use other flavors of cake mixes for this and have had success, but I stick to the chocolate.

If you are interested, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes and restaurant reviews.

Allergen Information: Egg free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free (All this is dependent on the cake mix that you use)

The Easiest Chocolate Muffins

These muffins are so easy and are a hidden source of vegetables…Pumpkin. Great for breakfast or an afterschool snack.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: after school snack, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 box Devils Food Cake Mix Whatever brand you prefer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. liberally spray your bowl and utensils with cooking spray to avoid sticking. DO NOT USE CUPCAKE LINERS. The muffins will stick to them.
  3. Combine the cake mix and the pumpkin puree. This is harder than you would expect. It takes a bit, but be persistent and it will all come together.
  4. Spread evenly in muffin tin. An ice cream scoop and an extra soup spoon work well here. You should get 12 muffins out of it. This step is very sticky.
  5. Cook for 15 minutes and they are done. Great warm.

Notes

Notes:  I have tried to use a mixer and it doesn’t work. Do not bother. 
Allergy Information: Depending on the cake mix that you use, these are very easy to adapt to whatever your allergy may be. 

Simple Mango Salsa

Simple Mango Salsa is the perfection addition to your summer menu. The versatility is endless. Add something here or subtract something there. It is all wonderful. Spring is here …. despite the 40 degree weather. And it is time to break out all the spring and summer recipes. This Simple Mango Salsa is the first one that I thought of. It is so wonderful and versatile. I first made this salsa years ago and it has been on regular rotation ever since. It is simple to make and elevates anything you put it on …. grilled chicken or fish, tacos, salad, chips or in any bowl now a days. This is especially good on my Crazy Good Fish Tacos.

We have some food allergies here, so sometimes I leave out the beans and add the red peppers. Some like it spicy, so I add more jalapeno. You really cannot go wrong here. Chop all the ingredients and combine in a bowl. Good luck cutting the mango. I think mangos are my least favorite thing to deal with. I make a huge mess trying to cut them, but it is worth it. Well worth it.

My advice is to let the salsa sit in the fridge for a few hours, but if you don’t the time, feel free to eat immediately.

Life without Mexican food is like no life at all.

-Unknown

Simple Mango Salsa

This mango salsa is great as an appetizer, condiment, side dish. Great on fish or chicken. Perfect to bring to a party as chips and dip also. So easy and fun to eat.
Course: Appetizer, condiment, dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Fresh Mango Peel, sliced and diced
  • 1 cup Black Beans Rinsed
  • 1/2 Red onion Diced
  • 1 Red Pepper Diced
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp Fresh cilantro Chopped fine
  • Salt To taste
  • 1 Jalapeno De-seeded and diced fine. This is optional and you can add as little or as much as you want to.

Method
 

  1. Peel and dice the mango into small pieces.
  2. Chopped the red onion fine and add to mangoes.
  3. Rinse the black beans and add.
  4. Chopped the Cilantro fine.
  5. Combine all the ingredients along with cumin and orange juice.
  6. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Notes

This mango salsa is the perfect addition to any meal. It goes great as an appetizer or snack combined with tortilla chips as a chip and dip recipe. You can also serve on top of grilled chicken or fish or a side dish. 
This fruity salsa is healthy and kid friendly. Mango salsa is also allergy friendly. 
Allergens: Contains black beans which are a legume. DAIRY FREE, TREE NUT FREE, PEANUT FREE, EGG FREE, GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE

If you are looking for some other great recipes, check out the recipes page of my Sunday Chefs blog.

GREAT GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES

I am the only gluten free person in our house (intolerance not allergy), so it can get complicated sometimes. On the rare occasion that something is so good my family likes to eat it even though it is gluten free is a true miracle. This recipe is one of those rare instances. I have tweaked this recipe a few times over the years, but I think I have found the sweet spot. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a game changer and I recommend everyone give it a try. This is an unsolicited recommendation. I made Irish Bread the other day (another recipe to come) and it was fantastic. Now I am going to get fat eating all this stuff I had to avoid before!

We are a big breakfast family and we are always making pancakes. Undoubtedly, I will try them and end up feeling horrible for a few days, so I am always on the lookout for a good gluten free pancake. There are multiple food allergies in our family and this one helps with a lot of them. It is peanut free, tree nut free, gluten free and can be dairy free if you substitute the dairy milk for almond or oat milk. I am always on the lookout for recipes that are family friendly and easily adaptable to be allergy friendly.

I have also used this in a waffle maker to make gluten free waffles and it came out wonderful also. I do recommend making these on the smaller side. I have found that when making gluten free pancakes they can be a bit grainy and mushy in the middle. Cooking them slowly and on the smaller side helps with this a lot. Also, for leftovers, I find they work best when toasted.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you have tips on how to make them even better, I would love to hear them.

What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?

Anthony Bourdain

Great Gluten Free Pancakes

With the invention of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, making pancakes is now a regular occurrence in our house. So good even my non-gluten free family will eat them for breakfast. These gluten free pancakes are easy to make and very easily adaptable. A very kid friendly recipe your whole family will love.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cup Gluten Free Flour I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1-to1 Baking Flour
  • 1 tbsp. Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 2 tbsp. Melted Butter
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk I only had the light buttermilk on hand and it worked fine. I bet you could substitute Almond or Oat Milk in this for those with Dairy Allergies.
  • 1/4 cup Fat Free Milk This is all I had but I think any would be fine.
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla (Optional) I have left this out and might almost like it better without.
  • Chocolate Chips, blueberries, bananas Optional ideas

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing Bowls
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Griddle or skillet Waffle Iron if you decide to make waffles instead

Method
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl mix all your dry ingredients. (Flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Put the butter into a microwave dish and cover with a paper towel to avoid messing up your microwave. Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
  3. Combine the milks with the vanilla and the butter.
  4. Add the egg to the milk mixture and whisk together.
  5. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour ingredients and mix until just combined. Will be a little lumpy. Feel free to add a little more milk here if needed.
  6. Warm up your griddle to medium heat. When a splash of water bounces on the griddle it is ready. After the grill is warm enough grease with a bit of butter or cooking spray. You should not have to do this between every pancake. Usually only once but if you are making a lot you may need to add more down the line.
  7. I like to make these on the smaller side because they can be a bit mushy if large and cooked to quickly. So I stick with the 1/4 cup size.
  8. This is where I add some additions, like chocolate chips or bananas. (You can add to the mixture if you want also. When the edges start getting bubbly check to see if they are browning. If they are, give them a flip.
  9. These are best if eaten right away.
  10. Leftovers: I freeze them if I will be eating a lot later or a Ziploc bag in the fridge.
  11. Because Gluten Free pancakes can get a bit mushy inside, I find that toasting them to reheat works best.

Notes

These are the best Gluten Free Pancakes I have ever had. Give them a try and let me know how you like them. Also, this recipe could easily be used in a waffle maker too!
Allergens: Dairy, Egg