Triple Berry Vanilla Yogurt Muffins

Guys, I'm obsessed with these sweet, juicy patriotic muffins for Memorial Day Weekend!

Tender and rich muffins are sweetened with a bit of vanilla yogurt and studded with juicy, fresh berries! If this doesn't scream summer comfort, I don't know what does.

Before gushing more over how much you NEED to make these muffins to kick off all your MDW festivities, I just want to thank you for the great feedback on my meal delivery review post - one of my most read to date! I'm glad so many of you were interested and I will be working on a second review next week. Be sure to share with any friends or family who may be thinking about signing up for one of these services. 

So, muffs, I love muffins. They are pure breakfast indulgence as far as I'm concerned. And these Triple Berry Vanilla Yogurt Muffins are no exception. Imagine a warm Saturday or Sunday morning, sitting outside in the sunshine, with a fresh cup of coffee and one of these gorgeous muffins. It's a match made in heaven! And like I said...you need to make them (sorry for being bossy).

Muffins have made an appearance on GSG twice before - in the banana oat and jumbo pistachio form. The recipe below is more closely related to the pistachio muffins in that we are using a whole stick of butter, for deliciousness and to keep 'em fresh, and we overfill our muffin cups to get beautifully big, round-topped muffins.

I used a combination of chopped strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, but you could certainly sub one of those for blackberries. My raspberries were a bit tart, so for extra sweetness I used brown sugar instead of white sugar and topped the muffins with a small sprinkle of turbinado sugar. From start to finish, these are a wonderful slow weekend breakfast.

I mean....look at that crumb!

P.S. Heading to a cookout this weekend? I'm positive these would make a lovely hostess gift - nothing better than having a home cooked breakfast the day after a party that they don't have to lift a finger for!

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini

 

I am so obsessed with goat cheese. It's one of those things I'll see in a dish on a menu and immediately order that without looking at the rest of the offerings. It's creamy, and soft, and just a little bit tangy.

Goat cheese is an all-inclusive cheese. It works well with savory dishes and is also great with some sweet pairings.

I particularly love goat cheese in these delicious snacks I made last week. The cheese is mixed with lemon and honey, spread on top of crispy crostinis and topped with slices of fresh, ripened strawberries.

These Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostinis are the perfect summertime appetizer or snack. With the exception of toasting the bread, there is hardly any time spent dwelling over a hot stove. The strawberries are sweet and juicy, the perfect compliment to the natural sweetness of the honey. The soft goat cheese spread on top of crispy baguette slices is just the contrast you crave in a small bite. Simple but elegant--sounds like a great deal to me!

Here's what you need for Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostinis (Print Recipe!)

1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
4-6 ounces fresh goat cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
1 cup strawberries, sliced thin vertically

Here's what you do

Place the slices of bread on a dry baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes until just browned. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, use a fork to mash together the goat cheese, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add in a splash of lemon juice if the mixture isn't smooth.

Spread about a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto each baguette. Arrange 2 to 3 slices of strawberries on top of the goat cheese. Drizzle with more honey just before serving. Garnish with torn mint leaves if desired.

Sunday Morning Oatmeal

In my hometown, there are 4 or 5 different diners all within a 10 minute drive. I cannot say why there are so many diners. Perhaps Long Islanders just really LOVE their breakfasts? I'd buy that.

We went to this one diner for a big breakfast on Mother's Day a few years back. I remember having this outrageously amazing waffle...it was a whole wheat waffle (and therefore, of course, completely healthy and guilt free...). The waffle was topped with strawberries, bananas, walnuts, and maple syrup. Amazing,

I was thinking about this waffle recently. I do not know why this waffle randomly popped up in my brain. I think about food a lot...it's a whole thing.

I don't have a waffle maker, but I knew I wanted something filling and delicious this morning for breakfast.

I left out the waffle part of this strawberry-banana-walnut waffle...and then I made oatmeal.

It's genius, really. Oatmeal is the perfect breakfast blank canvas. It's a bit more nutritious than a waffle. But with the right toppings, it was just as delicious.

I'm calling this "Sunday Morning Oatmeal." First, because I made it on Sunday morning. And second, because it was the perfect compliment to a cup of coffee and good book on the porch--something that I try to enjoy every Sunday.