Apple Muffins

Recipe from Kayla, PopCosmo’s Teen Chef: Earth Day is quickly approaching, and that means its time to make some healthy, Earth-friendly recipes! These apple muffins are nutritious, vegan, and delicious! The word vegan, or containing no animal products, tends to trigger negative reactions, and health food conjures images of quinoa and tofu. Such ideas couldn't be more wrong, especially with this recipe! My crew of tasters had absolutely no idea that these apple muffins were vegan until I told them. In addition to tasting fantastic, this recipe is one of the healthiest I've ever made. It is completely fat-free and filled with chunks of apples, so the muffins are perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert! Apple Muffins makes 12 muffins, Adapted from The Happy Herbivore

1-1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 Cup Oats 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Baking Soda 1/4 Cup Sugar 3 T Brown Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon 1/4 tsp Ginger Pinch Salt 1 Cup Applesauce 1 Granny Smith Apple 1/2 Cup + 1 T Maple Syrup 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups. Peel and core the apples. Cut into small cubes. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Fold in the flour mixture and apples. Scoop the batter into the prepared tins. They will be very full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Meanwhile, sift the powdered sugar into the remaining maple syrup. Drizzle onto the apple muffins.

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!

Passover Pleasure: Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

A Matzo Ball Soup Recipe from Kayla, PopCosmo's Teen Chef: This soup is consistently a Jewish staple, but it is especially delicious during Passover, when you can't eat flour and/or leavening. I'm not completely sure what the dietary restrictions are, but ask your local Rabbi if you are feeling curious. To sum up the history of Passover, the Jews were oppressed in Egypt and had to escape on short notice, so they didn't have time to let their bread rise. Therefore, during Passover, Jews cannot eat flour and/or leavening, so they eat matzo, a crisp, flat cracker, instead. A unique matzo ball soup recipe is found in just about every Jewish deli and restaurant, and for good reason - it's delicious! For those of you who have never experienced a matzo ball, make these asap. They are very unique and hard to describe, but they are basically fluffy balls of heaven floating in a flavorful chicken broth. They are so easy to prepare, too! Please note that these are not Kosher because they have butter in them, but you can easily substitute margarine to accommodate Kosher diets.

Matzo Ball Soup Recipe, Serves 4-6

4 Eggs 1/4 Cup Water 1 Cup Matzo Meal 1/3 Cup Melted Butter, Cooled Slightly 1 tsp Salt + More for Soup 2 lbs Bone-In Chicken Breasts 4 Carrots, Peeled & Quartered 2 Ribs Celery, Quartered 2 Yellow Onions, Skinned & Quartered 1 Turnip, Peeled & Halved Chicken Bouillon, to Taste

Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and turnip in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for a few hours, adding salt and chicken bouillon to taste.

Whisk the eggs, water, butter, and salt together. Fold in the matzo meal and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roll the chilled matzo mixture into 10 balls and boil for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Enjoy!

Easter Bread recipe

Easter Bread involves a lot of symbolism, whether it involves the eggs woven into the bread, the shape of the bread, or the bread itself. This particular recipe is delicious, fun, and beautiful to look at. It's a delicate sweet bread that is woven into rings and topped with a dyed egg and some sprinkles. You can dye the eggs whatever colors you want or just leave them plain. I tried to dye mine to match the sprinkles I used. I made mine into rings because I liked the way it looked and the size worked out well, but you can experiment with shapes that you find interesting or symbolize something meaningful. Any way you choose, it is sure to be delicious! ~Kayla from the Nerdy Chef

Easter Bread, Makes 6 Rings, Recipe Adapted from http://italiandish.squarespace.com/

1 Package Yeast 1 1/4 Cups Milk Pinch Salt 1/3 Cup Butter 9 Eggs 1/2 Cup Sugar 5 Cups Flour Vinegar Food Coloring Sprinkles

Boil 1/2 cup water in a mug or glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tsp vinegar and food coloring. Gently place an egg in the mixture and swirl lightly for up to 5 minutes or until desired color. Repeat with 5 more eggs, changing water when necessary or when changing colors. There is no need to boil the eggs before dying because they will cook when the bread bakes, but make sure you refrigerate the bread after you bake it.

Combine the butter and milk in a small pot until the butter is melted. Cool until just warm.

Combine the yeast, salt, butter, 2 eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fold in the milk mixture, then beat in half of the flour using the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough; you may not use all of it. Knead until smooth.

Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1" thick log. Twist two ropes together, then form it into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place the rings on parchment-lined cookie trays. Place an egg in the center of each; it should be fairly snug. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the remaining egg with 1T water. Brush onto the rings, avoiding the egg in the center. Top with sprinkles and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Happy Easter, and we hope you enjoy your Easter Bread recipe!

{Be sure to see our update here: 2013 Easter Bread}