Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Homemade muffins are a special addition to breakfast or brunch. Enjoy them with friends and family, or make them as a grab-and-go breakfast for busy work weeks. Warmly spiced with cinnamon, Morning Glory muffins are made with grated carrot, apple, raisins, walnuts, shredded coconut, and sometimes pineapple. While the list of ingredients is long, the process for baking these muffins is simple and well worth the required steps.

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​​This recipe makes 12 muffins. ​​

Things You\’ll Need

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup shredded coconut

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup grated carrot (about 1 large carrot, peeled and grated)

• 1 cup grated apple (about 1/2 large apple such as Honeycrisp)

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped

• 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Box grater

• 2 mixing bowls

• Spoon or fork for mixing

• 12 disposable baking cups

• 12-hole muffin tray

Tip

• To save time, use a food processor to shred the carrot and apple.
• Not a fan of gluten? Replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• For naturally sweetened, refined sugar-free muffins, replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar.
• You can choose to use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grate 1 cup-worth of carrot, and 1 cup-worth of apple.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt to a mixing and stir together.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add the grated carrot, apple, raisins, and walnuts to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture and stir well until a thick batter forms.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Line a 12-hole muffin pan with baking cups. Scoop batter into the pan using an ice cream scoop or small measuring cup, filling the holes 2/3 of the way up.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until muffins test clean when poked with a toothpick.

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Julia Mueller/Demand Media Image Credit: Julia Mueller

What to Do If Yeast Won\’t Foam? Image Credit: GANCINO/iStock/GettyImages

Pure, refined baker's yeast was one of the great culinary advances of the 19th century. Instead of nurturing a finicky sourdough starter a home baker could start and finish bread in just a few hours, getting a reliably high and soft loaf. The earliest commercial yeast was sold fresh, with a shelf life of just a week or two under refrigeration. During the 20th century manufacturers developed dry yeast, which extended yeast's usable shelf life from days to months. However it must be foamed, or proofed, before it can be used.

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Active Dry Yeast

Active dry yeast in your supermarket yeast packet is the same pure yeast found in the soft commercial fresh yeast favored by professional bakers. It has been dried and rolled in a coating made primarily of spent yeast cells, from the vats where the yeast is grown. These little pellets of yeast will return to life once they come into contact with warm water, but in their dry form they remain dormant for months or even years. To return the yeast to its active state, it must be soaked in water, or proofed.

Signs that Yeast is Viable

Yeast is proofed by placing it in a cup filled with warm water, 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, with a small amount of sugar to speed yeast growth. The water dissolves the yeasts' coating, and the yeasts reactivate as they become hydrated. They begin to consume the sugar they've been provided, as well as their own coatings, and excrete alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. The visible evidence of all this activity is a cap of light, frothy foam with a yeasty aroma. Foamy yeast is exactly what you're looking for, because it tells you your yeast is fresh and energetic.

When Yeast is Not Viable

It takes 10 minutes or less for the coating to dissolve, and the yeast to demonstrate itself as viable. Sometimes, though, the yeasts either foam weakly or not at all. The layer of yeast floating on the water does not thicken and become frothy, but forms a thin beige layer on top of the water. If this should happen, check the water temperature first. If the water was too hot it might have killed the yeast. However, if the water temperature is correct, the yeast is no longer viable and must be discarded and replaced.

There\’s No Easy Workaround

If your yeast is sluggish or doesn't foam at all, don't waste your time and flour trying to coax it into life. There isn't an easy substitute you can use to create a light and fluffy loaf without yeast, so you have just two real options. One is to put your bread-baking on hold while you run to the store for fresh yeast. The other is to shift gears and choose a form of bread that doesn't require yeast, such as flour tortillas or fluffy biscuits made with baking powder or baking soda.

Quick-Rise Yeast

Quick-rise yeast is a newer form of dry yeast, milled into smaller particles. Because of their tiny size, the pellets of yeast absorb water quickly and do not need to undergo the foaming process. Instead it is simply incorporated into the dough as part of the dry ingredients. However, if there is any doubt about the freshness of the yeast, quick-rise yeast can also be proofed in the traditional way. If it foams up properly it can be used in the same way as active dry yeast. If it does not, it should be discarded and replaced.

From basic green, to mint, lime and dark green – you can easily use food coloring to mix a whole range of hues for the color green. Just follow these instructions.

Note: These colors can be used in a variety of recipes or crafts, but to best show you the different variations of green we're using buttercream frosting as our visual "canvas."

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Things You\’ll Need

• Blue food coloring

• Yellow food coloring

• Rubber spatula for mixing

• Bowl

• Drop stopper, optional

Tip

The drop stopper will help you count the drops of food dye. Alternatively, if you don't have access to a drop stopper, you can try to count the drops added individually. Another good way to measure the drops needed is by thinking that 100 drops of food coloring is equal to about 1 teaspoon.

Mix the Colors

Basic Green

To make basic green, add in 30 drops of blue food coloring and 75 drops of yellow food coloring. Mix to combine.

Lime

To make a lime color, add in 9 drops of blue food coloring and 29 drops of yellow food coloring. Mix to combine.

Mint

To make a mint color, add in 19 drops of blue food coloring and 54 drops of yellow food coloring. Mix to combine with a rubber spatula.

Dark Green

To make dark green, add in 65 drops of blue food coloring and 115 drops of yellow food coloring. Mix to combine.

Tip

You can test the green coloring to make sure that it's the shade you desire by placing a few small drops of it in a pouring jug filled with water.

The drops of dye needed will slightly vary depending upon the type and quantity of base that you are coloring. Test the strength of the color as you go. It's quite easy to over-color and difficult to lighten the shade after the food dye has been added.

If you're a fan of cheesecake, you'll love this mini cheesecake recipe with a seasonal twist. From the homemade apple pie filling to the caramel sauce topping, these treats taste just like autumn. Plus, you can easily double or triple the recipe, so it's perfect for using up those hand-picked apples. Read on to learn how to make mini caramel apple cheesecakes.

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Apple Pie Filling

Things You\’ll Need

• 2 medium apples

• Juice of 1/4 lemon

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 2/3 cups sugar

• 4 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch of nutmeg

• Pinch of salt

Step 1

Peel, core and chop the apples into small cubes.

Step 2

In a bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice. Set aside.

Step 3

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and cornstarch. Mix until combined.

Step 4

Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a low boil and cook for 3 minutes, mixing continously.

Step 5

Add the apples and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the apples are soft and tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes

Things You\’ll Need

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup sugar

• Cooking spray or butter

• Apple pie filling

• Caramel sauce

• Silicone cupcake liners

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, combine the graham crackers and melted butter. Mix until the consistency is similar to wet sand. If needed, slowly add more melted butter.

Step 2

Grease 12 silicone cupcake liners. If using paper cupcake liners, add to a muffin tin then grease. Scoop the graham cracker mixture into each cup, pressing down into an even layer.

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined and smooth.

Step 4

Scoop into the cupcake liners, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Carefully add a heaping tablespoon of apple filling to each cheesecake. Check to make sure the cheesecakes are not overflowing, then top with the remaining apple pie filling. Another option is to top the baked cheesecakes with leftover apple filling.

Step 5

Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until the cheesecake portion has set. A toothpick should come out clean. Let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

If you're pressed for time, place the cheesecakes in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Drizzle the cheesecakes with caramel sauce and serve chilled.