In Honor of the Rapidly Cooling Weather...Muffins and Mini-Cheesecakes!!!! Mmmmmmmmmm

Hi All,

With fall very much upon us (as the temperature seems to have dropped literally 20 degrees overnight), I've been doing some baking as of late. Though not just due to the cooling air.  I admit it.  I love to bake and will use any excuse I can find to do so ;-)

Therefore, I have a special autumn treat to share with all of you.  Two great recipes that are just perfect for fall.  One for Blueberry Muffins, a perfect breakfast option to grab and go off to work (when paired with a cup of yogurt or piece of fruit, perfect).  And Raspberry Cheesecake Cupcakes with Oreo crust.  Mouthwatering, if I do say so myself.

Both take less then 30 minutes to whip up (time in the oven excluded).

Enjoy!!!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 7 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt or Greek Yogurt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• Just under 1 cup sugar
• 6 oz. blueberries
• 4 oz. cream cheese

(I sprinkled the top of my muffins, just before putting them in the oven, with a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon).

Line a muffin pan with wrappers; preheat oven to 400°F. Melt butter in a medium nonstick pan over low heat. Remove from heat; whisk in the oil, yogurt, vanilla, and eggs. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl, stir in the sugar and salt, then make a well in the middle. Pour the yogurt mixture into flour well. Lightly fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a rubber spatula until the mixture has just come together. Pour in the blueberries, working them into the batter with the bare minimum of stirring. (The mixture will still look lumpy.)

Spoon half the batter into the prepared baking cups. Then dot about ½ tsp. of the cream cheese on top of the batter in each half-filled muffin cup. Add remaining batter, then another ½ tsp. of cream cheese on each muffin. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon on the top of each muffin if you like.  Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Store muffins in an airtight container.  They will still taste delicious for about 3-4 days.

Raspberry Swirled Cheesecake with Oreo Crust

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Crust
• 12 Oreo cookies, crushed into a fine texture
• 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted
Raspberry Swirl
• 1 package of fresh raspberries
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Cheesecake filling
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened well but not melted
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

• For the crust:
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together crushed Oreo's and melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Add 1 slightly heaping tablespoonful to 12 paper lined muffin cups. Press crust firmly into an even layer. 
• 
  
• For the raspberry swirl:
• Add raspberries and 2 Tbsp granulated sugar to a food processor and pulse until well pureed, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. (Though I actually squished mine in a bowl using a large spoon and then warmed briefly in a saucepan as I mixed in the sugar).  Set aside.
• 
  
• For the cheesecake filling:
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Add cream cheese using an electric hand mixer, blend mixture just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and sour cream just until combined. Tap bowl forcefully against counter-top, about 10 times, to release large air bubbles. Divide mixture evenly among cups over crust layer, adding about 1/3 cup to each and filling nearly full. Jiggle pan to level cheesecake filling then dollop about 5 small circle of raspberry sauce over each cupcake, about 3/4 tsp total over each one. Using a toothpick, swirl raspberry filling with cheesecake mixture to create a marbled design. Bake in preheated oven 22 - 25 minutes until cupcakes are puffed and nearly set (they might crack a little but they will deflate while cooling and you won't even see it). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, then chill in refrigerator 3 hours, until set. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
• These will stay delicious and fresh for about 4-5 days.