Monkey Bread Muffins

Yesterday started out like this...

We cuddled in bed and watched cartoons.  It was a perfect start to a rainy day.  Something about this weather makes me want to bake.  I made blueberry muffins this weekend.  I've been wanting to try this Monkey Bread Muffin recipe that I saw on Pinterest.  It is pretty much just the regular recipe for Monkey Bread but put in a muffin tin.  Since I was hosting bible study today, I thought I would try them out.  I ran to the store last night to get some ingredients I didn't already have.  I am a Publix gal but went to Kroger last night since I stopped in TJ Maxx Homegoods looking for a cheap dog bed.  Harley is seriously almost up for adoption.  We cleaned out their room, the laundry room, the other day.  We threw out their old dog beds because they were half eaten, stunk, and the dogs got a bath so we thought it would be a good time to just freshen up their room, my laundry room.  I can't wait to get a fence so they can spend more time outside!  The laundry is right off the kitchen so we love the smell of dinner cooking, fresh laundry, oh and big doggie BO and garbage juice doggy breath.  Chopper has some killer gas too.  Coming from 5.5 acres fenced and room to run to being inside all the time confined to our kitchen, laundry, or den is an adjustment for us all.  Anyhoo, I am rambling.  So I stopped in Kroger after I found a deal on dog beds since its right next to TJ.  I never go in that Kroger 1. I love Publix and 2. Publix is right down the street from us.  But I used to always go in that Kroger growing up.  Mom always shopped there.  I miss her everyday and some days are better than others but its the unexpected lil reminders of her that really get me.  Out of nowhere.  I mean, who would've thought a quick run into Kroger to get some brown sugar would evoke so much emotion.  It was just sad being in there.  I think every other time I have been in that store is with her.  She'd always have to run in there for something.  It made me think about the upcoming holidays.  There's always a late night run to Kroger for something before Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It was such a pain to have to go to the grocery with her when I was little but as I got older, I loved running those last minute errands with her.  She could get in and out of there faster than I could walk through the front door and decide which direction the biscuits were.  I walked through the store getting what I needed and remembering growing up going to that store with her.  It made me smile, cry, and remember a story she once told me about a trip to Kroger.  After my grandfather passed away, she had a really cool experience in that store.  She ran into a man that looked just like him, even wore a rubber band around his wrist like Grandaddy did.  She said he must've known she was sad or something and told her everything was going to be ok.  She continued to shop and get what she needed on that aisle and looked up and the man was gone.  She didn't see him anywhere in the store.  I was hoping for some sign while shopping but I was frustrated trying to locate everything I needed in my not familiar grocery store.  I was standing in front of the brown sugar.  Dark or light brown sugar? The recipe didn't say.  It was totally a moment I would've called mom and asked what the difference was.  Luckily for the iPhone I figured it out and hurried up my shopping as tears flowed.  I thought I better get out of there before people think I'm all crazy crying over brown sugar.  I never got a cool sign shopping at Kroger but I did get a little chuckle driving out of the parking lot.  Wolf Camera is going out of business.  It's right on the corner beside Kroger.  They have big signs up that say going out of business.  It just made me giggle.  Mom always took her pics there to be printed.  No wonder they're going out of business.  She was getting pictures made there all the time.  Not just for her but copies for the entire family.  She was always picking up pictures at Wolf.  She kept them in business.  Made me smile.  So, I got home and Mike gave me a much needed big hug and I made these Monkey Bread Muffins with my lil girl.  Well my lil Cal just watched and asked a lot of questions and ate some sugar.  Here's the recipe.  They turned out delicious but didn't really look like the picture they had.  The next time I make them, I won't shove as many biscuit pieces in the muffin tins.  

Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 can Pillsbury Grands flaky layers refrigerated biscuits

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons water

This recipe makes 6 muffins (I doubled it to make 12 but the recipe here is for 6)

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Spray muffin cups with cooking spray

2.  In small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon.  Separate dough into 8 biscuits; cut each into 6     pieces.  Roll biscuit pieces in sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Place 8 biscuit pieces in each muffin cup.  

3.  In 1-quart sauce pan, heat butter, brown sugar, and water to boiling, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until brown sugar is completely dissolved.

4.  Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons caramel mixture for drizzling after baking.  Spoon remaining caramel mixture over biscuit pieces in muffin cups.

5.  Bake 8 to 11 minutes or just until biscuit pieces are golden brown.  Remove from muffin cups; drizzle with reserved caramel mixture.  Serve warm.

Thanks Pinterest and Pillsbury.com  

Here's a pic of when they first went in the oven.  

Here's the finished product!  They were much better warm out of the oven last night than cold this morning but nothing a microwave can't fix!  Hopefully Gina, Ashley, Lindsey, and Pam enjoyed them.  Suzie and April, you were missed but I will definitely be making them again!