February is Bake for Family Fun Month...It's a Recipe for Fun!

Feb. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- February is Bake for Family Fun Month, so independent cookbook publisher Gooseberry Patch is encouraging its community of customers and fans to get in their kitchens and share the goodness of baking with their families.

The Home Baking Association, founder of Bake for Family Fun Month, says, "Baking is an inexpensive family activity that provides opportunities for families to share baking traditions, recipes and family heritage that can be handed down through each generation."

At Gooseberry Patch, we couldn't agree more! From toddler to grandparent, baking is the perfect family activity. Join Gooseberry Patch in celebrating Bake for Family Fun Month with this recipe for Jam Surprise Muffins, from our classic cookbook, Kids in the Kitchen.

Jam Surprise Muffins
from Kids in the Kitchen: Recipes for Fun
© Gooseberry Patch, 2006

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup milk
non-stick vegetable spray
1/2 cup favorite-flavor jam

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with a fork or a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Form a well in the center. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk; pour into the well in the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are moistened, about 25 strokes. Batter will be lumpy. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick vegetable spray and lightly dust with flour, or use paper liners. Fill muffin cups  about 1/3 full of batter. Spoon one tablespoon jam on top of batter; top with enough batter to fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tip: Use the toothpick test to see if your muffins are finished baking! After 20 minutes, remove muffin tin from oven. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs clinging to it, the muffins are finished baking. If there is uncooked batter or many damp crumbs on the toothpick, return the muffins to the oven and bake for a few minutes longer.

About Bake for Family Fun Month
Bake for Family Fun Month was established by the Home Baking Association. Its mission is to promote home baking by providing educators tools and knowledge to perpetuate future generations of home bakers. For more information, please visit http://homebaking.org/.

About Gooseberry Patch
Back in 1984, Vickie Hutchins and Jo Ann Martin were next-door neighbors raising their families in Delaware, Ohio. They were two moms with small children looking for a way to do what they loved and stay home with the kids too. They shared a love of home cooking and making memories with family & friends. After many a conversation over the backyard fence, Gooseberry Patch was born.

Today, Gooseberry Patch is best known for its homestyle family-friendly cookbooks and line of art calendars. With more than 200 titles and nearly 9 million copies in print, plus a new collection of eBooks, Gooseberry Patch has grown from a kitchen-table operation to a nationally recognized best-selling publisher. Affordably priced from 99 cents to $16.95, the books are themed with today's time-strapped, budget-conscious families in mind. Many recipes include personal stories from contributors, giving the cookbooks a warm community feel that has proven extremely popular among cookbook fans and collectors. For more information, please visit http://www.gooseberrypatch.com.

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Started by two moms, Gooseberry Patch has been publishing cookbooks since 1992 and their offering includes over 200 titles. Each is priced under $17, filled with easy & affordable recipes and geared toward today's time-strapped, budget-conscious family.