Therapy

Baking by candlelight.
It is amazing therapy.

Boston Creme Cupcakes

I made these Boston Creme Cupcakes recently.

Start with a yellow cake mix and follow

the directions for cupcakes

 This ice cream scoop is perfect for each cupcake

 Bake according to the directions

 While the cupcakes bake, make two packages

of instant vanilla pudding and refrigerate

 When the cupcakes are cooled, slice them in half.

Place a spoonful of chilled pudding on the

bottom half

 Put the cupcake top on the pudding 

 Drizzle chocolate sauce over the cupcake...

I bet you can't eat just one

Amazingly.....delicious! 

Mini Muffin Smores

***Warning***

The food item described below is dangerous.  You will not be able to eat just one of these mini muffin smores.

This evening we arrived home from a multi-day vacation.  Within an hour of our arrival home, Kidlet Three needed to leave for hockey practice.  Thankfully I had shredded barbecue chicken in the freezer that I could thaw for a quick supper. 

After supper, my sweet tooth was not satisfied and I started craving something chocolate.  One of the recipes floating through Facebook came into my mind and I just knew that was what I needed to make tonight.  The recipe is called Smore Cups aka Mini Muffin Smores.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7 whole graham crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup powdered sugar
6 T. butter, melted

Combine the above ingredients.

Drop a spoonful of graham-cracker mixture into each cup of a mini muffin pan.  Gently press the mixture down.

Bake 4-5 minutes.

Remove from oven. 

I used chocolate chips instead of Hershey bars.  Into each cup I dropped four chocolate chips.

Cut large marshmallows in half.   Place marshmallow cut side down in each cup.

Bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside for 15 minutes.
Remove the smores from the pan. 
As I 'snacked' on them, I decided to not add the additional chocolate to the top. 

Bet you can't eat just one of these amazing treats!

Streusel Apple Muffins

This time-tested, well worn recipe lives in my recipe box.
Years and years ago, I think before I was married,
I cut out this recipe from our Local Town Newspaper.
And I've made these muffins numerous times.
Perhaps you already guessed that from the
crumpled appearance of the paper.

This recipe uses just one apple. 

I make the streusel topping first and set it aside.

Combine
1/3 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Using a fork or pastry blender, mush in
1/4 cup softened butter

Combine until crumbly. 

The apple should be peeled
and finely chopped.

In a new bowl, combine
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon

In yet another bowl, combine
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 beaten egg
1/2 t. vanilla

Make a well in the dry ingredients and
pour the wet ingredients into the well.

Stir just until moistened.

Add the chopped apples.

Grease the bottom only of a 12-cup muffin pan.

Fill each cup three-quarters full of batter.
Sprinkle streusel topping onto batter. 

Bake 18 to 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven.
I had a loaf of cinnamon bread rising while my
muffins baked.
I was in a cinnamon mood that day!

A plate of delicious muffins.

Give them a try.
I bet you'll call them amazing, too!

Sweet Potato and Pork Tenderloin

A recent supper:  baked sweet potatoes, crusted pork tenderloin and broccoli.  Links to the recipes are below.  It was an amazing meal!

 

Sweet potatoes:  baked-sweet-potatoes

Pork tenderloin:  easy-and-elegant-pork-tenderloin



 

 

 

 

Breakfast Muffins

Here is an easy breakfast muffin.
I made batch to freeze.
When I go back to work, I can grab a muffin
or two to eat for breakfast.



1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cup Bisquick (I used Heart Healthy)
1/2 cup milk
3 T. oil
1 egg
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir together Bisquick, milk, oil
and egg.  Stir in broccoli, ham and cheese
just until well mixed.
 

Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.
Serve warm.

A So Amazed easy breakfast that is healthy!

New Bread

 

We've been enjoying a new bread at home

that I've been making from a recipe in

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

by Jeff Hertzbertg, M.D. and Zoe Francois

 

 

This easy-to-make bread is delicious

as sandwich bread.

 

The ingredients of water, flour,

kosher salt, yeast and butter are stirred

together and left to raise for two hours.

Use a large container with the lid off...

can you see why!

 

 

 



The dough is refrigerated or can

be baked immediately. On this day,

I baked a loaf right away.

 

When I grease a pan, I use a baggie.

I put the baggie over my hand and take

a swipe of shortening from the can.

Then I can spread the shortening around

in all corners and up the sides of pans

without getting my hand greasy.

 

Sprinkle flour on the top of the dough and pull

off a cantaloupe-sized ball of dough.

The dough is tucked from top to bottom

and not kneaded.

Pull the dough into an oblong shape.

The pan should be about half-way full.

The dough sits for 40 minutes when baked on

mixing day.  If I'd taken out refrigerated dough

the raising time would be 1 hour and 40 minutes. 



 

The dough will double in size. 



With a serrated knife, make a few slices

in the top of the raised dough.  Melted

butter is then brushed or poured over the

dough before baking.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

After completely cooling the loaf,

it can be sliced.

A slice of bread with homemade raspberry

jam is amazing.

Amazingly delightful!