Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

I was on the search for a healthy muffin. That's hard to find so I created my own from a really delicious recipe of my Moms. The recipe originated from Kentucky when my Mom worked there many many moons ago. Probably before I was even a thought.

The original recipe creates a rich, heavy muffin that I just love. It's a quick breakfast recipe that I can whip up and bake before I lose the attention of the little ones. It's one of those really messy pages in my cookbook. You know what I'm talking about.

So here is the original recipe.

Kentucky Blueberry Muffins (or Banana Nut)
2 c. Flour sifted
1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

Cream together: 1/2 c. butter and 1 c. sugar.
Add: 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla
Beat together on high. Alternate flour mixture and 1/2 c. milk
Fold dusted blueberries into batter just before baking

Bake 20-25 minutes 375 degrees.

So simple right!

Well recently I have been doing my best at cutting any sugars out of my diet but was craving muffins, so I made a few changes to the original recipe. This creation goes to show how hardy a muffin recipe is. I knew what flavors I wanted to taste and I knew what the consistency of the batter should be and came up with:

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

1 c. Whole wheat flour sifted

1 c. Flour sifted

1/2 c. Oatmeal

1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

Whip 1/2 c. butter until creamy. 

Add 1 c. applesauce (room temp), 2 eggs, and 1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together on high dry ingredients with wet ingredients adding 1 c. milk

Fold in dusted blueberries just before baking

Bake 20-25 minutes 375 degrees.  

I basically added whole wheat flour, oatmeal and applesauce, then increased the milk to get the consistency needed to spoon the batter into to muffin cups. 

Because they are what I consider to be a healthier muffin, they do lack that sugary rich muffin flavor (but they are oh so moist!) so I cheated and added a dollop of cream cheese frosting to the top. So much for less sugar and healthy! Next time I will add agave to the recipe to make them a little sweeter. I also thought about adding peanut butter for protein.

I store my muffins an old pickle jar to keep them moist.

Best Way to Freeze Soup

Use up old milk cartons to freeze just about anything, especially soups. 

This makes it easy for thawing and removal.

Open up the top of the carton, wash and dry.

Add the soups and tape it shut with packaging tape.  

Tape a label on it with the date. 

Store in the freezer. These are easily stackable and can be organized nicely in your freezer. When the time comes to use the soup, just cut the box open, remove and put in your soup pot. 

No Bake Snack - Peanut Butter Honeybee's

A perfect project for a snowy October day. We had a little lesson on honeybees then went to work making some of our own. Did you know bee's have 5 eyes! 

These little snacks might not quite resemble honeybees but sometimes with a 4 year old and a 1 1/2 year old, things don't always turn out like they're supposed to! 

BUT, they are delicious, healthy and super easy to make!  

No Bake Peanut Butter Honeybee's
1/2 cup peanut butter (we had chunky, I'd recommend smooth)
1 TB honey
1/3 cup nonfat DRY milk
2 TB sesame seeds
2 TB toasted wheat germ
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Sliced almonds
Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Step 1:  Toast sesame seeds and wheat germ. Can toast the almonds too. Pop in the oven on cookie sheet with parchment at 350 degrees for about 5-7 minutes.
Step 2:  Mix peanut butter and honey
Step 3:  Add the dry milk, sesame seeds and wheat germ until well mixed. Use your hands. Better yet, use your kids' hands! If too crumbly add more P.B.
Step 4:  Shape into ovals and place on parcment paper cookie sheet (the same one you used earlier).
Step 5:  Dip a toothpick in cocoa powder and press gently across the top of the bee body.
Step 6:  Stick sliced almonds on the sides for wings. My kids thought they should have eyes so we added chocolate chips. Not so sure they look like bee's anymore with the chocolate chip eyes but that's kids for ya!
Step 7:  Chill bee's in fridge for 30 minutes.

If your kids are like mine, they will snack on the ingredients the entire time they are making these. I didn't mind, it's all good for them!  

After chilling them on the cookie sheet (and eating one or two!) I put them in an airtight container so they wouldn't dry out. Back into the fridge - wheat germ needs to be refrigerated. 

Daniel started calling them cracker jack's for some reason. He says they are like crackers but chewey. Okay, sounds good buddy! Crackerjacks it is.

Free Range Eggs vs. Grocery Store Eggs

Check this out!

Can you guess which is which? The upper egg is directly from the farm. The bottom egg is from the grocery store. 

Farm eggs have a harder shell and take two hits on the counter to open them. Grocery store eggs crack when you barely squeeze them! 

Farm egg yolks are richer and make anything your using them in (cookies) orange. The yolks are even harder to mix/scramble because they are so thick. The yolk will stick to the edges of the bowl and you need a spatula to get it all out.

Grocery eggs are pale yellow and seem slimy, but they whip well and seem fluffier.

I have some of both in my fridge. I tend to use both. The farm eggs are much smaller than the 'large' eggs from the grocer. So if I'm making 3 eggs in the morning for my breakfast burrito I'll use 2 farm eggs and 1 grocery egg.

Lego Cake

There are many versions of Lego cakes that you can find online. This was a super quick and easy Lego cake that can be done by the average baker and decorator.

And since you are an average baker and decorator I can give you a quick idea of how to do it.

• All it takes is one 9" x 13" cake. 
• Cut into thirds. 
• Cut one of the thirds in half. 
• Decorate each third or half the colors you desire. 
• Use marshmallows to complete the Lego look. 
• Decorate the marshmallows with your fingers. 

Of course I cooled the cake completely then put them in the freezer to make them stiff. Put on a crumb coat, froze or cooled again then decorated. Took me probably 3-4 hours. Always a late night but most enjoyable!

Tractor Cake

A great cake for a fall birthday.  

A simple 2 layer chocolate cake decorated to resemble corn rows and harvest time. 

Tools needed for decorating:

Lazy susan

4 pastry bags

4 tips: #6, #7, #47, #789 

Candy circles

Plastic spackle tool

Cardboard cut into a circle covered with tin foil or a cake plate

Plastic trees

Tractor and trailer

Decorating Instructions:

Step 1:  Apply a crumb coat using tip #789, smooth it out with spackle tool. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. 

Step 2:  Apply a thick coating of frosting and smooth out while spinning it on your lazy susan. Smooth the sides first, then the top. 

Step 3:  Apply the boarder using tip #47. 

Step 4:  Create the green grassy area for the trees. Can use tip #47 to give it a more grassy look.

Step 5:  Make your rows using tip #47, leaving a space between each for the corn and leaving a spot for your tractor and trailer. 

Step 6:  Add candy circles. 

Step 7:  Using tip #7 or similar, add corn to your husks and any other creative lines to the boarders and sides. 

Step 8:  Writing on cake can be done using tip #6 or similar.

Step 8:  Now you can put the trees and Tractor/trailer on your cake. 

Tip:

You can go to your local large chain grocery store that decorates cakes (Ralphs, Vons, Cub Foods, Publix, Walmart etc.) and purchase any of their cake decorating kits. Flip through the book and decide what you want. I have even just asked for a random thing like a snowmobile kit, even though it was not in their display book and they had it. Grocery stores have shelves upon shelves of cake decorating kits. They cost about $5.

Plumsauce and Applesauce

 Who's Who? The above picture are wild plums, below are little apples. 

 Step 1 -  Pick a whole lot of apples and/or plums

Step 2 -  Bring them to a boil with about 1/2 water in a big kettle.

Step 3 -  Boil until the skins split and they are soft.

Step 4 -  Scoop them into a food mill. Out comes your hot apple/plum sauce

 Step 5 -  Add a whole lot of sugar. As much as your tongue desires.

Step 6 -  Scoop 2 cups into freezer bags and freeze. If I had more time I would have canned it so it wouldn't take up freezer space.

Mmmmm hot applesauce and ice cream! 

Homemade Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

Ever wonder how to make doughnuts? It's quite simple and doesn't take much time. I can make a batch of cookies in about the same amount of time.

Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate icing and sprinkles

The recipe comes from an old, really old, Tupperware specialty cookbook/pamphlet.

I made 4 different recipes this week for cake doughnuts and these turned out the best. Especially when eaten warm with the edges still a little crispy.

12-Step Buttermilk Doughnut Recipe
Makes roughly 2 dozen doughnuts

4 c. all purpose flour (I used half cake flour)

4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, beaten (room temp if possible)

1 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. vegetable oil (I used Crisco)

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. buttermilk (room temp if possible)

Other items needed:
2 cookie sheets
2 dish towels or wax paper
Extra flour
Rolling pin
Apron
Ruler
1 or 2 Skewers
Metal tongs or slotted spoon with holes
Paper towels
Tin foil
Plastic wrap
Kitchen timer, watch or clock with second hand for frying
Deep fryer and canola oil, Dutch oven works too. If using a Dutch oven, fill with oil 2" from the bottom and leave at least 2" from the top. Measure temp with candy thermometer.

Step 1 - Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and soda. 

Step 2 - In your mixer bowl, blend eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored.

Step 3 - Stir in oil/shortening and vanilla (shortening will make mixture clumpy).

Step 4 - Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with dry. ingredients. Beat just until incorporated - dough will be sticky. 

Step 5 - Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes in bowl with plastic wrap covering it. 

Step 6 - Lightly flour the counter top.

Step 7 - Roll out sticky dough, adding as much flour as needed so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin or counter top. Roll out to 1/2" thick. Measure this with a ruler if needed because it makes a big difference when it hits the hot oil-they expand.

Step 8 - Cut with floured doughnut cutter

Step 9 - Lift from counter top with metal turner (flipper) and set on a cookie sheet that has either wax paper dusted with flour or a dish towel dusted with flour. 

Step 10 - Fry in hot oil. I gently slide the metal flipper under them and slowly slide them off in the hot oil. Oil should be 375 degrees, fry for about 1 minute per side - dark golden brown. I flip mine with a wooden skewer and remove them with metal tongs. 

Step 11 - Dry them on a drying rack covered tin foil (less mess) and paper towels to absorb grease. 

Step 12 - Let cool before adding icing. The icing was my own creation made with a combination of recipes and I did not write it down but it's basic:

Icing Recipe 

 From memory -- not real accurate but you can play with it, it's very forgiving. 

3-3 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

8-9 Tb cocoa powder

1/3-1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. water with 1TB granulated sugar heated to boiling on the stove, simmer 1 minute.

Step 1 - Whisk powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and salt in bowl.

Step 2 - Add the hot sugar water. Whisk until thick.

Step 3 - Begin to add cocoa powder and milk alternately - the mixture should be smooth and drizzly :-)

Step 4 - Taste it. See if you need more cocoa powder. I just kept adding and adding until I liked it. As I added more cocoa I also needed to add more milk to smooth it out.

Step 5 - Dip cooled doughnuts in icing

Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!


Enjoyable Doughnut cookbooks that I have used:
Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home by Lara Ferron
Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipies for the Home Baker by Mark Klebeck

Eggs Need Hats Too!

You'll never look at an egg the same. It will seem like something is missing. 

These guests arrived at my Bed and Breakfast this afternoon and are staying through Sunday.

This is Elizabeth, from the sweet town of Custard Ohio. She took a dip in her pool and her mascara ran all over. I re-did her make-up after she toweled off. Note: use a permanent marker or draw the eyes after dipping them. Cupcake paper hat with carstock lining, cupcake paper polka dot dress.  

This is Senor Pepe'. He lives in Dallas and makes the best Texas omelet around. Old headband suspenders, and a toilet paper roll cowboy hat makes him the best around. 

This is Bobby from Zeno California. His favorite thing to do is ride The Wisk at the county fair. Egg carton hat with a red felt brim and lettering. 

This is Princess Rosalee, owner of the Grand Empire on Mille Lacs Beach (MB). She loves to toss coins into the wishing well (wishing for her prince of course). Felt crown complete with Amethyst, Emerald and Peridot jewels. Vera Wang slim fitting egg carton dress. 

 Ah yes, Robin of Hood Fan Montana. Skipping from fry pan to fry pan taking from the omelet to give to the poor scrambled eggs. Triangle shaped, yellow feathered felt hat. Green carton tights.  

The victory Viking from Minnesota. Rooting for the home team. Purple pride pinstripe carton pants, long yellow threaded hair, and card stock horns. 

They each get a room with a view. 

  My own collection of Elizabeth's, and Pepe's.

The April 2012 edition of Family Fun magazine gave us more Easter hat and craft ideas. You didnt think I came up with this on my own did you? Have fun!

80th Birthday Cake

Grandma's 80th Birthday Cake

 A carrot sheet cake, with cream cheese frosting! 

Cant forget the cupcakes!!

Those are gum paste Gerbera Daisies. I purchased a sunflower cookie cutter and instead of laying them flat (like a sunflower) to dry, I used old egg cartons to form them. Lined the holes with tinfoil and gently pressed them in. There are over 55 of them. It took a few different nights to do all of them.

 

I also made little circles with the extra dough to use on future cakes. Gum paste doesnt have much flavor, but keeps for months. All the kids wanted to eat the flowers, but to their surprise, they dont really taste like much of anything. I used gel food cloring.

There she is, sweet old Grandma!

Easter Salad

A simple favorite. This recipe has evolved from the basic tuna noodle salad, and now, after a few revisions, it has turned into a pasta salad worth eating!

Here is the base:
1/4 brown sugar (sometimes I substitute with agave)
1/c salad dressing (I like to use 1/2 c. Mayo & 1/2 c. Miracle Whip)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 TB white vinegar
1/4 tsp. (or to taste) Spice Islands Beau Monde seasoning

Here is the rest:
2 c. cooked chicken, cut into chunks or 1 can tuna
2 c. shell noodles, cooked and chilled with cold water
1 c. celery, chopped
2 Tbls. sweet onion, chopped
1 c. cherry tomato's, sliced in half
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 c. chickpeas
2 c. spinach leaves, ripped and stems removed if desired

Try adding:
- Water chestnuts or cashews for crunch,
- Grapes for sweetness
- Shredded carrots for added color

Mix it all up and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Tips:
- Tastes best when made the day before.
- Add the spinach and cashews just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- Cook the chicken in chicken broth and season with lemon pepper. 

Anniversary Ginger Carrot Cupcakes

Anniversary Ginger Carrot Cupcakes
Made for my Grandparents 65th Wedding Anniversary. 65 years!! 65 years!! That is incredible!

They go together like carrot cake and cream cheese frosting! 

These ginger carrot cupcakes are dense and moist and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting. The fresh ginger gives it a little different flavor from your average carrot cake and a nice change. 

Recipe here!

It is always a joy for me to be baking in the kitchen. Especially with the kids. As impossible as it can be at times, its all so much fun, and they just love it, as long as I continuously feed them! I only have a small window of time to bake from about 8am to 10am. After that there is nap time for the little one, then prep for lunch, eat and clean up, another nap and dinner prep eat and clean up. That pretty much takes care of the day until bedtime. That's when I do the decorating! So if I can get the cakes and frosting made, I'm good to go! 

Carrots: a bunnies favorite snack

 Daniels job is to line the carrots up in the food processor, then push the button. One of his favorite movies is 'the food processor movie'. The one that came with the FP. It has a chef on there making a bunch of different recipes using the 'prep 7 food processor' (that he, the chef, says about a hundred times!). Daniel would watch it every day, over and over if I let him. But he can tell me exactly how to make a pie crust using the FP! He's so visual.

Before doing anything else, get those walnuts roasted. They need to cool before adding them to the batter. The best way I found was to bake them at 320-350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until they start to crackle.

Daniel and I watched a few YouTube videos on how to roast walnuts. I knew how but wasn't quite sure how long and the temp, so maybe I didn't really know how. But again, this is a favorite thing for Daniel, to watch cooking shows. I think it's wonderful!

They will be light brown when toasted correctly. They smelled so good and toasting them really brought out the natural flavors.

 I ate about half of them! And then once the cream cheese frosting was done, I would take a walnut and pipe a little dot of frosting on it, then eat it. I don't understand how my Mom can bake and not taste-test anything. That would be pretty much impossible for me. 

 He has his own whisk.

Whisking eggs is a daily job around here. Every morning we make eggs for breakfast. Those delicious free range green eggs have such a deep yellow yolk. I think my Dad eats eggs every day too. And I'm pretty sure my brother does. Must be something we learned growing up on the farm. 

Dolly is my helper, or mess maker, whichever way you want to look at it! I think she's helping in her own little way. She has her own chair that she pushes over to the counter herself, she also pushes a short little bench over too so she can get up and down from the chair. Smart as a whip and oh so independent! Reminds me a little of myself.

Ginger, Sweet Ginger! 
Fresh ginger was the key to making this cake different. The smell of fresh ginger is irreplaceable. 


The recipe called for 2 tsp and that was plenty. Once the cakes were baking, it filled the whole house up with the smell of ginger. I happen to like ginger, but not everyone does. 


You can replace it with ground ginger which I think would make it a little less 'gingery' if that's a word. 

I only needed a few cupcakes so I made a little layer cake also.

And look at those cute little cupcake papers! My mom found these Wilton papers at Walmart! I also just saw them at JoAnne. Love them and want more!

Ahhh the cream cheese frosting. Num num. It took 3 batches of this to pipe the cupcakes and the layer cake. I had about 2c. left over.

 I have to admit, that every time I bake anything, the kids get a huge spoonful. They stand there begging me saying 'can I have some now?" over and over. I try not to let those little fingers in the bowl, but Lydia is so quick. Today I was making a marble cake and she snuck her little fingers right into the bowl, got a big huge handful! But that's the fun of being a kid AND the fun of baking!

I always use my Pampered Chef cookie scoop to drop the batter in. That way each cup cake is equal. But, you already know that trick. I wonder at what point my cookie scoop will end up in the sandbox?  

  Now it's time to decorate, my favorite part! I wouldn't mind having someone bake the cakes so I could just decorate them. But then, my Uncle Dick reminded me, that I could just use a shoe box if I just wanted to decorate something! Ha! he's right!

 Of course it has to have a carrot piped on it. Have you ever seen a carrot cake w/o a carrot on it?

I totally messed up and did not take a picture of the final layer cake. BUT here is a lovely picture of the crumb coat! So imagine this looking a lot like the cupcakes but in layers :D

All in a days work. Or maybe it was two days. I am for hire if anyone has a request ;-) The more tricks I learn the more fun I have. It's really just a matter of when there is time. Next month I'm learning how to play with gum paste and fondant!

All cakes I decorate are done in the wee hours of the night. I cant think straight when I have kids glued to me. Guess that's another reason why God made me a night owl. Oooh, how about an owl cake....there I go dreamin again.


Happy Anniversary Oma und Opa!

Your family appreciates every minute of those 65 years spent together! Thank You!!