I recently started working again and I find  it’s fun getting up in the morning, brewing my coffee, grabbing a piece of toast on the way out the door.  I love morning… driving to work, feeling the nitty gritty of the city, greeting my co-workers, having a little spring in my step…. it’s exciting.  Then once 10:30-ish rolls around, my tummy starts to grumble. It’s not quite lunch time but I need a little something to hold me over, something I could pick at while sitting at my desk.  Sometimes it’s fruit, other times it’s a Toblerone, but today it was my peanut butter banana muffin with hints of mexican chocolate.  I made a slew of them to share with my gals in the office.  It was a hero move and for the rest of the week, I’ll have a small army behind my ideas.  Ahhhh the persuasion of food! 🙂

Ingredients for peanut butter banana chocolate muffins:

1/3 – cup oil

2 – eggs

1/3 – dark brown sugar

1/2 – cup sugar

1/2 – teaspoon almond extract

1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

1 – cup mashed banana

1/2 – cup smooth peanut butter

2 – cups flour

1- teaspoon baking soda

1/3 – teaspoon salt

1/4 – cup grated Ibarra mexican chocolate (about half a disk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Ready 11 muffin baking cups on a cookie sheet or line baking cups in a muffin pan.  Set to the side.

In a mixer bowl add oil,eggs, brown sugar, sugar, almond extract and vanilla extract.  Mix on medium for 2 minutes or until combined.

Then add mashed banana and peanut butter.  Mix it on medium until fully incorporated… about a minute or so.

In a small bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, and mexican chocolate.  Mix together then pour into peanut butter mixture all at once.

Mix to combine.  Then take 1/4 cup of muffin batter and fill cups.

Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Eat plain or frost with a cream cheese frosting sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese frosting:

4 – ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 – cup butter (room temperature)

1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

1 – cups confections sugar (powdered sugar)

In a mixer combine cream cheese and butter, and mix for 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add vanilla and mix till combined.  Last add in confectioners sugar a little at a time till completely combined.

ENJOY!!!!!

All photos taken by: Mando Lopez and Nicole Presley

Who doesn’t need a “pick me up” in the morning?  I know I sure do, sometimes I need one mid-day too!  I attended a Got Milk event not too long ago and learned all these fancy ways of combining coffee in appetizing drinks by none other then Heather Perry the two time national champion barista.  She got me thinking about my coffee and how I choose to enjoy it every morning.  This is what I call “a morning pick me up” here in my house, we love it and insist on having it.  Coffee brewed with cinnamon tea, a touch of Ibarra chocolate, a big wet kiss of piloncillo, and a lovely splash of creamy milk.  Cheers to you and your loved ones….  Now go out with a bounce in your step and face a brand new day!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for easy cafe de olla:

16 – ounces of water

1 – cinnamon stick

2 – tablespoons coffee

1 – tablespoon crushed mexican chocolate (I use Ibarra)

1 – teaspoon crushed piloncillo

a splash of milk

In a small saucepan over a medium flame add water and cinnamon stick. Let it come to a boil.

In a 16 ounce french press add 2 tablespoons of coffee.

Then add mexican crushed chocolate

Then pour hot cinnamon tea into french press and let brew for 5 to 10 minutes.

While waiting for coffee to brew, grab your favorite mug and add piloncillo.

Then pour brewed cinnamon coffee into cup.

Then swirl in a splash of milk. Enjoy anytime of the day!

Can’t wait for tomorrow morning to do it all over again.