Buttery Yummy But Not Pretty Blueberry Muffins

 

 

Good Morning!  It's a rainy Monday here in PA.  A good day to sit with a cup of coffee (or tea if that's your thing), flip through a decorating magazine and indulge in these muffins!   I found this recipe a few months back and after making them a couple times, have decided this recipe is a true keeper.   Mine don't come out as pretty as I'd like but I'm a messy baker so that could be why.  They still taste great though!

 

 

Be sure to use grease proof liners for these beauties, as you can see I didn't and the paper cups lost their pretty.  I increased the amount of blueberries by about a handful.  How's that for a measurment?   Enjoy!!

 

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/

 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg

1/3 cup milk 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup white sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup butter, cubed 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2.	Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3.	To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4.	Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Bird Nest Treats

Happy Spring everyone!!   In honor of getting through a snowy winter, I made these bird nests for the kids to eat.   So easy and super adorable. 

 

 

All you need is a box of shredded wheat, milk chocolate chips and chocolate Mini Eggs.   Add about 4 cups of shredded wheat to a large ziplock bag and crush it up till it's nice and shredded.  Melt the chocolate (I used a whole 11.5 ounce bag) in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between each time you take it out.  

 

When your chocolate is good and melted start adding the cereal.  I found it was easier to add the cereal to the chocolate a little at a time and stir until it is all coated and you can't see the cereal color anymore.   Also, my cereal measurement is kind of approximate.  I used the very precise "eyeball it" method on these. 

 

Scoop a tablespoon of your mixture into cupcake liners and use the back of the spoon to make your nest shape. 

 

 

Press a few mini eggs into each nest and let set.  You can pop them in the fridge for a bit to harden faster.   I don't like coconut in my desserts but I'm sure you could add some of the shredded variety in with the cereal if that's your thing.   

 

Easter is almost here, which means warm weather is coming soon I hope!  

Easy As Pie

I made this pie for Father's day and everyone loved it so I thought I would share! It's not often that I cook. I'm much happier calling for pizza instead of standing at the stove. Sometimes I get the motivation to make something. This recipe requires very little actual cooking.


This recipe came from those cards you get in the mail. Do you know the ones I'm talking about? They send you a pack a week until you've acquired the entire set (as you read this the real cooks are frantically clicking off my blog so as not to be seen with me). You've probably gotten the free ones, kept them and thought, "who actually buys these things?" Ummm...yeah, that would be me.

Butterscotch-Banana Cream Pie

1 (9-inch) graham cracker pie crust (I used a 10 inch, not only do I not cook but I can't follow directions either)

3 bananas, sliced

1 (4 oz.) package butterscotch cook and serve pie filling

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups whipped topping (I used Cool Whip and way more than that)

1. Line graham cracker pie crust with bananas.

2. Prepare pie filling according to package directions, using 2 cups milk. Chill for 20 minutes to thicken.

3. Pour pie filling over bananas.

4. Spread whipped topping over pie filling. Refrigerate until serving time.

Foodie Friday ~ Pumpkin Applesauce Cupcakes

This is my second time participating in this fun, food filled event! Thank you to Designs By Gollum for being such a wonderful hostess. I thought I would share these yummy Pumpkin Applesauce Cupcakes. TGIFridays had a similar cupcake dessert last time I was there and I wanted to make them for my dad for his birthday.

Go ahead, take one while I go dig out the recipe....

Ahhh, found it!

Pumpkin Applesauce Cupcakes

1 Package yellow cake mix (with pudding in the mix)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup applesauce

3 eggs

1 tspn nutmeg (I didn't have it so I used 1/2 tspn allspice)

1/2 tspn cinnamon

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter

1 tspn vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until well blended.

2. Turn mixer on high and beat for 3 more minutes.

3. Line a muffin pan with 24 paper muffin cups.

4. Fill each about 3/4 full.

5. Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

To make the frosting:

Combine all frosting ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth.

Frost cupcakes after cooling.

Now, after I made the cupcakes, I had quite a bit of frosting leftover. It seemed silly to let it go to waste. I had a brainstorm! Stuffed french toast. I took out some Pepperidge Farm brown sugar cinnamon bread from the freezer and went to work.

Mmmmmmm! Sugary and good. Now I understand you may need a visit to the dentist after just reading this post. If you decide to make this "dessert for breakfast" meal, please don't forward your bills to me!

Foodie Friday, The Sandwich

In all honesty, I'm not a "Foodie" and so I am certainly not qualified to participate in this event. I wanted to hop in on the fun anyway! Since there will be much preparation for this St. Patrick's Day party, I'm bringing a nice lunch to eat while you cook your donation to the festivities.

There are a few things I enjoy cooking.....cake, muffins, anything in the crock pot, and a nice big pot of gravy (my great-grandmother was all Italian so I am required by blood to call it that). Something else I do enjoy is a really good chicken salad sandwich. Of course the key ingredient is a nice roll. This is a soft vienna roll, light and so tasty.

Oh no! That bunny looks hungry. Lets hope he stays away from our lunch!



I usually boil about 3 chicken breasts so there is leftover. My husband loves to take this to work. Rip up the chicken and add the appropriate amount of mayo (between you and me, I like to use much more than the appropriate amount). I like sliced grapes in my chicken salad. And once in a while some sweet relish. Then just season with whatever you like. I use a tiny bit of onion power and pepper. Perfect with a big glass of Coke! Enjoy!

Be sure to visit our gracious hostess, Designs by Gollum for more Foodie Friday.

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

Chocolate Drizzle Popcorn

Emidio and I made some popcorn to take around to our neighbors. We started off with butter and caramel popcorn, melted some milk chocolate and drizzled it on top. This looks really pretty with some white chocolate on there too.

He had some of his own chocolate on a spoon to eat. He really enjoyed it!

I wanted to make little tags for the popcorn bags. One thing I enjoy is making a crafting mess!

All packaged up pretty and ready to go!