Try it Tuesday Two-fer

Today is Try it Tuesday and I am trying two new recipes today.

The first recipe for muffins, I concocted myself using a basic muffin recipe and adding to it.

The second recipe for Reuben Pizza comes from Cuisine at Home, Exclusive Members Edition. Issue #104.

I am naming the first recipe Carrot Spice Muffins....original huh??  I am writing the recipe to be made with an 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple but for today's version I used leftover Baked Pineapple that I had in the refrigerator.  You could make this recipe a little healthier if you used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all purpose flour (I was out of Whole Wheat).  You could also substitute unsweetened applesauce for some of the oil.

Carrot Spice Muffins

2 c. all purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. kosher salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. nutmeg

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. canola oil

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal

5 carrots, shredded or grated (I pulsed mine in the food processor)

1 (8 oz) can pineapple with natural juices

Mix dry ingredients in the large bowl of a stand mixer.  Using paddle attachment add oil , eggs, one at a time, and vanilla just until moistened. Add oatmeal, carrots and pineapple with the juice.  Mix just until incorporated.  Bake in a muffin tin treated with cooking spray at 350* for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.  Print Recipe

They turned out moist, spicy and not overly sweet.

Delicious!!!

I decided on the Reuben Pizza when I made my menu because I knew I would have leftover corned beef from our dinner on Sunday.  I guess today could be Leftover Tuesday too.  I had originally thought that I would make a Reuben Soup out of the leftovers but then I saw this pizza recipe and figured I could kill two birds with one stone, Try it Tuesday and a Year of Pizza.

Frank and I finished off 2/3 of the pizza all by ourselves.

We forced ourselves to leave some for Mom and Nancy to have for lunch tomorrow.

Reuben Pizza

slightly adapted from Cuisine at Home Issue #104.

1/4 c. ranch dressing

3 T. dill pickle relish

2 T. ketchup

1 T. chili sauce 

1 t. yellow mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl to make sauce.  Set aside.

1 lb. pizza dough, homemade or purchased.

1 c. cooked corned beef, diced

1 c. sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1.5 c. shredded swiss cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Chopped dill pickles

Place a Pizza Stone in the oven and set heat for 400* for 15-20 minutes.

Roll dough into a 12" circle on a lightly floured surface, then place on a pizza peel that has been dusted with cornmeal.  Spread sauce on the center of the dough leaving a 1/2" border.  Layer on the sauerkraut, corned beef and cheeses.  Slide onto pizza stone and bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden.  Top with chopped dill pickles before serving.  Print Recipe

When making my Weekly Menu, I often include planned leftovers like this Reuben Pizza today.  It helps to keep costs down and makes sure that those leftovers don't linger around until they go bad and end up as garbage, which to me is like throwing money in the trash.  Join us on Thrifty Thursday for more money saving ideas.

Making a meal plan also helps me to Thrive at Home.  Join us at Thrive at Home Thursday. It is very inspirational!