Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

*This post has been sponsored by Nielsen-Massey Flavors.  
All views and opinions shared are my own.*

No matter what it looks like outside, these Strawberry Lemonade Muffins will bring some sunshine to your day.  They're light, fluffy and full of flavor.

I don't know if it is because Easter is a week away, or if it is because we've been having spring weather (up til today where we've had over a foot of snow fall!), but I have been craving lemon lately.  Something about lemon just brightens your day and your taste-buds!  So, when I received a bottle of Nielsen-Massey's Lemon Extract I knew I wanted to make something to brighten the start of my family's day, and I decided these Strawberry Lemonade Muffins would be perfect for breakfast or brunch.

The muffins are light and fully and have everything I'm looking for from strawberry lemonade - the natural sweetness from the strawberries and the zest from the lemon.  This was my first time using lemon extract and I found it very easy and convenient.

When using Nielsen-Massey's Pure Lemon Extract in a recipe:

• 1/2 tsp of Lemon Extract equals 1 Tbsp of Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp of Lemon Extract equals 1 tsp of Lemon Zest  

This will be a great pantry staple to keep on hand in my kitchen to be able to add a splash of citrus to both sweet and savory recipes.

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

3/4 cup Butter, softened

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 Tbsp Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract

3 Eggs

3 cups Flour

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 cup Milk

1 1/2 cups Strawberries, chopped

Beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed using your stand or hand mixer until fully incorporated and fluffy.  Mix in the lemon extract.  Add the eggs and beat until combined.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients and milk to the batter, until just incorporated.  Stir in strawberries.

Bake muffins at 350° F for 14 minutes.  Let muffins cool in pan for a couple minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Makes 2 dozen muffins.

So now it is your turn to make a batch!  What's your favorite spring flavor?  Be sure to register for my Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract giveaway and as always, Comments for a Cause!

Also, if you're craving lemons as much as I am, here are a few other great recipes to check out:

• Easy Lemon Pie
• 3 Ingredient Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet
• Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles

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Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffins #AEdairy #dairymonth

* This post has been compensated through the AE Dairy Blog Ambassador program.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Wake up this morning with a warm, soft Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffin - the perfect way to celebrate National Dairy Month!

AE Dairy came out with a new Whole Milk Yogurt product line in May and I was so excited to find several flavors out on the grocery store shelf in time for June Dairy Month.  AE has always been known for their yogurts and it is one way they differentiated themselves from other dairy businesses in the 1960s.  Just like they responded to changing consumer needs back then, they have recognized changing consumer trends today for whole milk products.  

I have enjoyed each of the seven flavors of AE Dairy's Whole Milk Yogurt - Almond Sweet Cream, Banana Custard, Boysenberry, Cocoa Hazelnut, Raspberry, Strawberry and Sweet Cream.  The yogurts are thick and creamy.  Each serving provides 12 grams of protein, calcium and 5 probiotics - and all under 200 calories.  The whole milk yogurts are both delicious and satisfying.

One of my favorite flavors is the Banana Custard variety, and after the first bite I started thinking of different ways to use the whole milk yogurt.  I've used yogurt in smoothies and frozen yogurt pops in the past, but I thought the Banana Custard whole milk yogurt would be perfect in some banana muffins!  I hope you enjoy these pillowy-soft muffins as much as my family and I do.

Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffins

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 - 5.3 oz AE Dairy Banana Custard Whole Milk Yogurt

3 bananas

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp vanilla

Cream butter, sugar and whole milk yogurt.  Mix in bananas.  Add dry ingredients and vanilla.

Add two tablespoons of muffin mixture into each muffin cup and bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen muffins.

I'm going to be celebrating National Dairy Month all week by sharing about some of our ice cream travels as part of our Iowa Ice Cream Roadtrip, as well as sharing two more delicious recipes featuring dairy products!  I've also joined up with several other bloggers this week to celebrate #dairymonth.  So be sure to check out all of their great recipes all week long!

Welcome to our week long celebration of June being #DairyMonth hosted by From Gate to Plate and Cooking With Carlee.  We are putting together our best recipes using cow milk, goat milk, butter, cream and cheeses.  We can't wait to share them with you.

Avocado Ranch Dressing by Tip Garden
Frosty Chocolate Pie by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Gluten Free Penne with Brie, Fig and Rosemary by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Rhubarb Sauce by Grumpy's Honeybunch
Orange Creamsicle Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Orange Creamsicle No Bake Cheesecake by Cooking With Carlee
Peaches and Cream Smoothie from Feeding Big
Strawberry Crisp Milkshake by From Gate to Plate
White Cheddar and Bacon Pasta Salad by Palatable Pastime
Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Cream Muffins by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
Milk Braised Chicken Thighs from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Have you tried AE Dairy's new Whole Milk Yogurts yet?  What is your favorite flavor, or which one are you excited to try?  If you can't find it at your local grocery store be sure to ask for it!  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Six Week Muffins - Tractor Approved Breakfast

One feature this month through my 31 Days from a Tractor Seat series that I look forward to sharing are some of my family's "Tractor Approved" recipes.  During fall harvest I have a unique situation where I find myself in the field pretty much all day, everyday, along with my husband and kids.  Thankfully I have a wonderful mother-in-law that makes box lunches for us everyday at noon and for supper we usually just send whoever is in the semi-truck to pick up some food from the nearest food establishment from the field.  The downfall of this situation is that we don't have that much food in our house during harvest because I don't have that much time to run to the grocery store, especially since we don't live that close to one that is open 24 hours and on Sundays...  But anyways, I try to keep some staples in the house so when we do find ourselves at home we can eat something at home.  Today I'm going to share one of my go-to breakfast muffins - Six Week Muffins!

Why do Six Week Muffins get the "Tractor Approved" seal?  First, my entire family loves them.  They are a hardy muffin that has a slightly sweet flavor.  Second, they are convenient for you to take on the road (or in the field).  During harvest sleep can become an elusive thing, so there are days that you literally wake up early enough to just put on a pair of clothes and get out to the field.  And when you work long hours you really need a good breakfast to get you going, so these muffins are great to grab on-the-go.  Third, you can keep the batter in the refrigerator up to six weeks so you make fresh muffins as much as you want.  I usually split the batter in thirds and make 18 at a time every couple of weeks.

Six Week Muffins
6 cups All-Bran Cereal (Kellogg's)
2 cups Water, boiled
1 cup Shortening, melted
3 cups Sugar
4 Eggs, beaten
1 qt Buttermilk
5 cups Flour
5 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Salt

Pour boiling water over 2 cups of bran and let stand for 15 minutes.  Then mix in melted shortening, rest of bran, sugar, eggs and buttermilk.  Sift flour, soda and salt - and add to the rest of the mixture.

Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Recipe makes 4 to 5 dozen muffins.

You may cover and refrigerate the batter up to six weeks for fresh muffins as much as you want.

What are some of your go-to on-the-go breakfast foods?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

(This post is a part of a 31 Days from a Tractor Seat series.  The best way to keep up with this series is to follow via email on the right sidebar of this post or by following on Bloglovin.  Also be sure to like the Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Facebook page for daily updates from the field.)