Mother's Day Magic With Country Crock®

There is something incredibly sentimental about getting in the kitchen and baking up a favorite dish. It could be cookies or brownies, a family-favorite grilled cheese recipe, or something as simple as frying an egg for toast. But when Mom and children get together in the kitchen, magic happens and memories are made.

Food becomes even more important and memorable around holidays, even Mother's Day.  That's why in preparation for Mother's Day, The Daily Meal and Country Crock whipped up some fresh ideas with contributing pastry chef (and Mom) Jenny McCoy to make the kitchen a place of discovery, a place of learning, and a place to cement new and lasting memories together. Regardless of what's being baked, it is the memories that last and mean the most. When Mom gets in the kitchen with her kids, she has moments to form bonds, make memories and teach skills they'll use forever.

So this Mother's Day, get into the kitchen together, as a family. Try out some corn muffins with a deliciously sweet honey walnut spread. The kids can whisk together the muffins in just a few easy steps. Or perhaps try non-yeasted cinnamon rolls, watching the vanilla cream cheese glaze drip into each and every crevice.

Corn Muffins with Honey Walnut Spread

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cornmeal

⅓ cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

⅔ cup milk

6 Tbsp. Country Crock® Spread

Honey Walnut Spread Ingredients:

8 Tbsp. Country Crock® Spread

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ to ½ cup honey

To make the corn muffins, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, beat together milk, egg and Country Crock® spread until well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the center of the dry mixture. Stir until just combined. Divide the batter between the muffin tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through.

While they cook, prepare the spread by combining Country Crock® Spread, walnuts and honey until well mixed. Adjust the amount of honey to your liking.

Serve muffins with a generous smear of honey walnut spread.

No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Topping

Filling:

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Country Crock®, melted

Dough:

2½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

¼ cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

5 Tablespoons Country Crock®, melted and divided

For topping:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup Country Crock®

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425. Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl, then mix with a fork until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together the buttermilk and 4 Tbsp. melted Country Crock® in another bowl, then pour it into the middle of the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough just comes together. Be sure not to over mix. Knead with your hands until the dough forms a ball then cut it in half. Lightly flour a surface then roll each half into a rectangle. Press half the filling into the center then roll the dough like a sausage. Pinch the seam together, trims the ends and cut into slices about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the other dough half, then place in a non-stick sprayed pan. Brush with remaining Country Crock® and bake for 15 minutes until tops are golden brown. To make the topping, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, Country Crock® and vanilla until smooth. add in a splash of cream if necessary to thin. Pour cream cheese topping over top of cinnamon rolls. Serve warm.

Classic Pancakes with Caramelized Apple Topping

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 Tbsp. Country Crock® buttery spread

For apples:

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. Country Crock® buttery spread

Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl, combine milk, egg and Country Crock® until well mixed. Heat a griddle over medium high.  Melt 1 Tbsp. of Country Crock® on the griddle. Once melted, spoon the pancake batter in 1/3 cup scoops onto the griddle. Cook until the batter begins to bubble, then flip. Cook until golden on the other side. Remove to a plate.

To prepare apples, toss together apples and juice. stir together water and sugar in a skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook another give minutes until the mixture caramelized. Remove from a pan and stir in butter. Toss the apples into the pan and return to medium heat. Cook until the caramel has completely coated the apples, about 2 minutes. Spoon warm apple mixture on top of the pancakes.