Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Batter:
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
6 maraschino cherries
1 (20oz) can pineapple rings

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. Place butter and milk for the batter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl to cool.

Prepare the pineapple topping. Into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan, add 1/2 Tbsp unmelted utter, then evenly sprinkle 1 Tbsp brown sugar over the bottom. Place the pan in the oven until the butter melts, about 3-5 minutes.

Halve each maraschino cherry, then cut the pineapple rings into quarters. Place a cherry half, sliced side up, int eh center of each cup and lay a pineapple quarter on each side. Press the fruit gently down into the butter-sugar mixture, then set the prepared pan aside.

Finish making the batter. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the ingredients with a fork until they are evenly blended. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Add the milk/butter mixture and stir well until mixtyure is smooth.

Pour the batter into the muffin pan, dividing it evenly among all the cups. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly browned, dry around the edges, and pulling way from the pan a little, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to carefully loosen each cupcake from the edges and bottom of the pan, then place a cookie sheet over the top. Invert the pan, turning the cupcakes out onto the cookie sheet, then transfer them back to the rack to cool completely. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Comments:
These are awesome! I made them for my daycare kids and they devoured every single one! The only difference in mine was I did not add the cherries.

Vegetable & Sausage Tarts

Makes about 24 Tarts

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
12 tablespoons margarine
12 teaspoons cold water
pinch of salt
1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 roll ground sausage
2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
Filling:
Brown the sausage in a medium pan. Once browned add the frozen vegetables and cook until they are tender.
Dough:
Mix Flour, salt, and margarine in bowl until it looks like crumbs. Add water and mix until dough forms. Sprinkle flour onto flat surface and roll the dough out to approximately 1/8 inch. Press out 12 circles using either a cookie cutter or glass just slightly larger than the muffin tin opening. Place the cut outs into the greased muffin tin and press up the sides forming a shell.

Fill each shell about 3/4 full. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven on 375 approximately 15-20 minutes until they are golden and puffy.

Comments:
I made these for my daycare kids and my own kids and they all loved them. Even with the vegetables in there they ate 2 or 3 each. Easy for lunch and a great way to get the vegetables in them. You could also do other variations like sausage, egg and cheese for breakfast, sloppy joes, shredded chicken, etc.

Banana Muffins - No Milk or Eggs

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas

Directions
1.Note: This recipe does NOT contain eggs or milk. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter for about 5 minutes (mixture does not get smooth). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with bananas, beating after each addition (the batter will be thick). Spoon into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done with a toothpick. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Comments:
Surprisingly these are really good and very moist. Now I did use more than 1 cup of mashed banana. I used about 5 medium bananas that were really ripe so the mixture wasn't so dry. I started with 3 and then added more until I got the right consistency.

Ingredients
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
12 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
1.In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in sausage and cheese.
2.Spoon by 1/3 cupfuls into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean

Corn Dogs

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1-2 packages of hotdogs or mini sausages
oil for frying

Directions
In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk. Place in refridgerator to chill until ready to use. Preheat oil in a deep saucepan or deep fryer. Dip hotdog into batter until well coated. Fry 2 or 3 hotdogs at a time until lightly browned. Drain on paper towel.

Comments:
Made these as mini corn dogs. Just cut the hot dog up into 1/2-1" pieces. Use a wooden skewer or a fork to dip the pieces in the batter and then drop into oil. The kids love them!