Cannes Cannes' Creations - Muffins with Coconut Oil

I wanted to give you a coconut oil update! I just tried making muffins, and while I was a little concerned at first (can I microwave coconut oil to soften it?!), they turned out great!

Check it out:

It was really an improv recipe - some coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, 1 egg and some milk for the base; then I added raisins, softened pears, cinnamon, oats, flour and corn flour. Since I eat these for breakfast, I added various seeds on top for a little more va-va-voom to my morning (flax seed, sunflower seeds). Voila! I baked them until they looked done and then promptly taste-tested one.

FCC says: trop bon! They were fluffier than my normal muffins that I usually make with butter, but the taste was richer somehow.  I'm so happy that my coconut oil adventure worked! Merci Alt-Mama!

Cannes Cannes Curiosity - Coconut Oil?

I was catching up on blogs earlier this week and found a very cool recipe for holiday spice cookies using coconut oil instead of butter from Alt-Mama.  Just like my search for molasses, I was determined to find coconut oil in France and the organic grocery store biocoop did not disappoint!

Check it out:

Cuisine de Cannes Cannes - Turkey Day à Paris!

We're getting ready for Turkey day over here at French Cannes Cannes - the big celebration will take place tomorrow with a group of Frenchies and Americans all mixed together.  Normally, Copain and I have a Thanksgiving party and I force our guests to wear headdresses and make turkey hands with construction paper.  But since we live in the teeniest apartment of the century, the Turkey Day party chez nous is on hold and has been replaced with a beautiful sit-down dinner with friends - chez someone else. 

For me, the importance is that we celebrate and that we uphold the tradition (though I will miss my creation of the Thanksgiving dinner cocktail I had in Cannes - turkey on a stick anyone?).

This year, I am in charge of pecan pie, cornbread and cranberry sauce.  I got to work at about 8pm and just finished my soirée of cooking.  Behold, my masterpieces:

Cuisine de Cannes Cannes - Pumpkin Muffins

I've been in love with baking muffins ever since it started getting cold in Paris. Basically, I make a muffin batter base, and then I add whatever sounds good in the moment (or whatever I have in the cupboard!): apples, figs, raisins, cranberries, bananas. One thing never changes: cinnamon is always included in my recipes; it's my absolute favorite spice.

My newest creation - pumpkin muffins!  I take one to work with me every morning for breakfast and enjoy it with a cup of steaming hot coffee.  It's my morning happiness and is delicious after my Velib adventure. 

My solution to American pumpkin in a can - Merci Picard!

Ingredients:

1/2 box of frozen purée de potiron from Picard (if you double the recipe, you will use the entire box)

2 cups flour 

1/2 tsp  salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (if you use self-rising flour (farine pour des gateaux), then you can leave this ingredient out)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more if you are like me and LOVE cinnamon!)

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

4 tbsp softened unsalted butter

3-4 tbsp granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/ cup milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

raisins, walnuts or dried oats are optional - I think this would also taste amazing with apples or dried cranberries!

My cookbook (and pumpkin in a bag :-)

Directions: (I've simplified here :-)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cream together butter and sugars, then add the egg, pumpkin, vanilla and milk.  Mix well.  Add dry ingredients, saving the flour for last.  Don't over-mix the batter.  If you are using a silicon cupcake mold or cupcake paper cups, then there is no need to grease the pan.  However, if you are using a regular cupcake tin, use butter to grease before putting batter into the tin.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Yields 6 huge muffins (FCC style!) or 8 to 10 smaller muffins. 

After 7 years in France, I still can't cook using the metric measurements! I have cups! If you'd like to switch to metric just go to this conversion chart.

All ready for the oven...

Bon Appétit!

In Honor of Fall - Partie II

I just can't kick the cooking bug when the weather gets cool...

Since I'm still fighting La Crève and since Copain is probably going to be next, we decided to stay in on Saturday night and warm ourselves up with hot soup and cookies.

My strange soup creation - fèves (fava beans), carrots and onion with parmesan on top

Snickerdoodles with with a twist - apples inside! (A great way to use the apples I hate to eat!)

And of course, Sunday morning I thoroughly enjoyed my banana bread and coffee - le bonheur total :-)

Why I Love to be Home

American breakfast made by Papasan - sunnyside up, avo, toasted baguette.

oh. yes.