Big Bad Costco Chocolate Muffins

This recipe comes from my friend Mindy. I'm so excited to try these because let's be honest... who doesn't like Costco chocolate muffins.


1 Devils food cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt (I have also used plain)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (maybe my oven is just too hot, but 400 was burning mine so just keep an eye on them, next time I will probably do them either rat 350 or 375). Lightly grease muffin pan (this makes about 20 muffins) or use muffin liners. Set aside. In a mixing bowl combine cake mix and pudding mix. In a separate bowl combine yogurt, water, oil, and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake 20 -22 minutes or until center springs back. Cool on wire rack. These muffins will store for a couple of days, if you can avoid eating them that long.

***UPDATE***

So I (AmyLyn) made these on 8/13/09 and they are to die for. So yummy!! They are so easy to make so I probably won't be buying any at costco anytime soon. You have to try them and let me know how they go :)

Homemade pancakes and syrup

Love, love, love, this! I will never go back to store bought syrup, ever!

Homemade syrup

1 c white sugar
1/2 c butter milk
1/2 c butter
1/2 tsp baking soda

cook until thick (rolling boil for about 1 minute)

take off heat and add:
1 tsp vanilla extract

Homemade Pancakes

Mix:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt

then add:
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs (if you use dry eggs, just add the dry egg mix to the dry ingredients and add the water in with the wet ingredients)
1/3 cup oil or melted butter (butter is better)

I like to add blueberries to this... yum!

Peanut Butter Granola

I honestly make this once a week. I absolutely love granola in yogurt, with milk and a strawberries, bananas, raspberries, or blueberries, as well as just to munch on. This recipe is so quick and easy to make. It is super tasty and so much less expensive then store bought granola. And as a bonus, it doubles as a food storage recipe! Try it, I know you will love it.

Mix and heat in a 4-cup class jug for 4 minutes on HIGH:
1-1/2 c white sugar
1-1/3 c margarine
1/2 t vanilla extract
2/3 c peanut butter
1/2 t salt
1 c water

While that is heating...
Mix:
12 c rolled oats
1 t cinnamon

Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix quickly and well. Put onto two greased LIGHT cookie sheets (the darker color burned for me so I just stick with my light colored ones). Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Stir granola and exchange cookie sheets in oven; cook for another 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and let granola dry for several hours.

Once the granola has dried out, I put it in a #10 can next to my cereal. As the week goes on, it will quickly disappear. Enjoy!