Mini pumpkin muffins }{ recipe

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This week has been busy with preparations for our family's Thanksgiving meal. Today we set the table and I baked mini pumpkin muffins. Each of us will be bringing three dishes, and I figured I would get a head start on mine now.

Tomorrow there will be so much cooking, talking, drinking, and making merry, that I know I won't have time for blogging. So I wanted to share this awesome little recipe with you tonight. It's delicious and it comes in bite sized pieces for less guilt. Well, that word shouldn't be allowed on Thanksgiving at all anyway.

The original recipe is found here: Allrecipes' pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I doubled the recipe and made half with raisins, and the other with peanut butter chips instead of chocolate (as per a family member's request)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of apple sauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup of water
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease or line a pan of 24 mini muffins
2. Mix the sugar, apple sauce, and eggs.
3. Add the canned pumpkin and the water and mix.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then combine them with the pumpkin mixture.
5. Divide the batter however you like and add the raisins and chips. My family wanted more peanut butter chips, so I divided the batter into approximately thirds and added the raisins to 1/3 and peanut butter chips to the other 2/3.
6. Spoon the batter in the liners/greased pan and bake for about 15-17 minutes. Repeat until you use all the batter. We got 60 mini muffins today with these measurements.

I set them on a platter, but somehow the mini muffins seem to be disappearing...

Almost Too Sweet }{ Almond Crunch Bars recipe

In my never ending quest to find new yummy snacks (and meals) to introduce to N. I ran across a recipe on the back of these gluten-free graham style crackers that we had all the ingredients for. I did modify the recipe slightly by adding some oats as well.

It's not the healthiest food (too much sugar and butter), but oh my goodness, it's sooooo yummy.

Ingredients:

• 1/5 package of gluten-free Smoreables Graham Style crackers (from Kinnikinnick foods)
• 6 tablespoons of butter
• 6 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of toasted slices almond
• 1/2 cup of rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place crackers about 1/2 in apart on sheet, and set aside
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the brown sugar until combined but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds and oats. Spread over each of the crackers.
4. Bake for 7-10 minutes (in my oven it only took about 7 minutes until the topping was bubbling). Let it cool and trim the excess topping from the bars. Store in an airtight container.

Again, I thought these were incredible, but as a warning, N. wasn't a fan. She said they were too sweet.  So I'm labeling them as "almost" too sweet. You may want to try it with less butter and less sugar for a not so rich taste. If you do try it, I'd love to hear how it goes.

Strawberry Season

I won't try to give excuses for not being more regular with blog posting. I trust you'll believe me that it's just hard right now. Too much going on, on the verge of many changes.

But I just had to share this! 

We went to a farm to pick strawberries last weekend. Although we didn't pick as much as last year, we ended up doing a lot more with them. And look at all this delicious bounty we ended up with:

Ok, you don't think I'll leave you without some links to the recipes, do you? Nah, I wouldn't do that.

The jam is new for us, and I'm so glad we found it. I'd say it's like strawberry lemonade jam, but that maybe because I used a bit more lemons than the recipe called for. Oh and no need for pectin.

In the back you see some fresh strawberry lemonade. To die for. I used a regular blender and a strainer to get it a bit thinner.

Finally, there's that greek yogurt strawberry banana bread. Yum.

Have you started enjoying some summer fruit harvests? Do share! 

Apple banana muffins for breakfast

Ever wake up craving for some freshly baked muffins? Maybe it's the pregnancy, I'm not sure, but this morning I just needed to bake some muffins.

The original recipe came from here, but I did modify it. I wanted to share with you right away, because it came out so delicious! The original recipe was for banana and nuts, but N. is not a fan of nuts at all. So that had to come out. I also wanted to change some things around to try and get some extra yumminess in there. So, here's the end result. If you do try it, let me know how you like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cups of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of low fat milk
• 1/4 apple sauce
• 3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2 long bananas)
• 1/2 cup of an apple, peeled and diced
• a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar

Steps:

1. Grease a muffin pan and preheat the oven to 400 F
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
3. In a different bowl, combine the egg, milk, apple sauce, and bananas into the flour mixture. Mix the batter up just until moist, but still lumpy, then add the diced apple. 
4. Pour into the greased muffin cups (2/3 full) then add an apple slice (or smaller piece) on top, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes (or until it passes the toothpick test!). Cool and eat. 

Well, try to let it cool. We couldn't even wait 5 minutes, they smelled so wonderful. They tasted just as good too.

What do you crave for breakfast?

Lemony sweet treats

What colors remind you of spring?

For me yellows, pastel pinks, turquoise, light blues and greens. So every spring I feel this need to bring some of these colors in the house - flowers, vases, bowls, art, anything that I can easily place in view.

Food as well - fruits, veggies, juice... And these stick around through the summer. Lemons become a staple around here, from spring valleys to the high peaks of summer heat. Ahhh, lemon, how I love thee...

Yes, yes, back to the post.

I found this amazing lemon oat bars recipe over at simple daily recipes and boy, oh boy. She's right when she says you can't stop at one. They're delicious.

A sweet way to celebrate spring

Confession

I have a confession.

I've been sick, exhausted, and barely keeping up with our daily routine. But... I shouldn't complain too much.

There is a good reason for it: We have a new Ricefield baby on the way.

Yep. I'm pregnant and just getting over the first trimester. Looking forward to having a bit more energy, but it doesn't like it's getting better any time soon. I'm not going to lie, pregnancy doesn't make me glow or thrive. It makes me sick. But yes, the end result is more than worth it, so all's good.

We're due in August by the way.

Other than that... We had a good valentine's day with pink cupcakes and origami boxes with treats for N.'s friends and teachers.

Ok, hit me with your good news.

Hot Chocolate and Cake Pops

Sweet November, welcome to my life.

I think I mentioned before that once it starts getting colder, I tend to gravitate towards the kitchen. This weekend was just like that, and full of sweetness too. All three of us kept orbiting around our kitchen table, and even science experiments happened over there (baking soda, food coloring, vinegar, and a baster - N. loved watching it fizzle).

I tried my first cake pops based on Bakerella's tips and recipes, and found out they are much harder then they look, and also that N. is not quite ready to help.

We also found this amazing recipe for hot chocolate. Yum! I don't think I will ever drink any other kind! Of course, I've got to share it:

• 2 2/3 cups of milk
• 6 tbs of Nutella
• pinch of cinnamon (2x)
• whipped cream

First you add 2/3 cups of milk in a saucepan and warm it up on medium. Add the Nutella and whisk it until it's well mixed. Add the rest of the milk and a pinch of cinnamon, and keep whisking until it's warm and frothy. Pour it in cups, add some whipped cream on top and another pinch of cinnamon. Enjoy! (notice the nearly empty cup on top... N. couldn't wait until I took the pictures)

What's your favorite room of the house around this time of year? Do you like to snuggle up under the blankets on a sofa, hang out in the kitchen, or somewhere else entirely?

Gourmet Gifts }{ Book Review and Giveaway

It's been a while since I've done a book review and a giveaway, but I'm glad I waited. This book was very much worth the wait.

Gourmet Gifts by Dinah Corley is a book that bakers, crafters, and everyone on their gift list will love, I'm sure of it. How much better can it get than putting together baking delicious treats, making pretty little packages for them, and giving them away as gifts? *swoon* Well, at least for me this makes the perfect combination. Below are just some of the reasons I'm enjoying this book so much.

Perfect Timing

I don't know what it is about the Fall and Winter seasons, but the kitchen becomes my main spot in the house for the colder months of the year. I love to bake treats, cook hearty soups, and fill the house with the smells of this time of year. So when I received an invitation to review Dinah's book, I jumped at the opportunity. If you haven't had a chance to check her blog, I would do so sometime soon. Her projects look as amazing as they taste. And since we're coming up on a major season of giving gifts, this book truly comes at the perfect time, for it is filled with ideas to give as edible gifts.

Unique Gifts

I grew up with a cultural tradition of giving (and receiving) baskets overflowing with meats, cheeses, drinks, jams, panetones, and other delicious fares during the holiday season. You'd particularly exchange these baskets with those you wanted to remember but who weren't family. It was a more formal, one-size fits-all gift giving. This book reminds me of this tradition, but with a more personal touch and a more unique gift as a result.

Nice Features

• the sections cover smaller gifts, luxury items, budget-friendly, and even care-packages to send away! (I think my best friend who lives a few states away will be getting a surprise in the mail soon) 
• Each item comes with information on the time it takes to prepare and make (active prep and total), how expensive it is, how easy or challenging, and the storage and packaging information.
• There's lots of room for creativity in the packaging section especially. She gives suggestions, but you're only bound by the type of storage the item needs. Oh the possibilities....

Of course, beautiful photos of some of the items don't hurt anything either. I wish there were more, but I also understand that it would be just too much, especially since the book is packed to the brim with information and there are so many projects.

Here's one project I tried this weekend - Cantaloupe Agua Fresca. It's a refreshing drink made on cantaloupes and lime, packaged in glass bottles. I happened to have a bunch of pretty glass bottles with corks waiting for a project, but believe me it was a difficult choice to make. There are so many projects I've bookmarked to try.

It was a success. I had most of the ingredients ready, as well as materials I could use for the packaging. It took me a bit longer than the time listed in the book since I triple filtered the drink, but in the end it was worth it. It's delicious! And it looked so cute in the bottles that N. kept begging me to drink them right away. I had to convince her to give me at least enough time to take photos.

Now that the photos are taken, the drinks are all gone. Yep, all three bottles we made. Gone. In one day.

Check the Giveaway for a chance to win Dinah's book

To keep this post from becoming its own book, I'm putting the rules and details in a separate post. Head on out to this post for a chance to win  Gourmet Gifts.

Fall goodness

I love Fall.

Loooooooooove it.

The colors, the smells, the cooling off after a hot and muggy summer, what's not to love?And the tastes! Pumpkin pie, apple pie, butternut squash baked with brown sugar and cinnamon... Oh my.

And all the anticipation building up to the holiday season with Thanksgiving just around the corner and then Christmas/the winter solstice/Chanukah. I get giddy just thinking about all the fun we'll have.

So yeah, Autumn makes me happy.

What do you know, it's already started. We went apple picking a couple of weeks ago, and I'd like to share with you some of the results. Oh, and that jam you see there? It's caramel apple jam and it's amazing. I highly recommend it.

What does Fall feel like for you?

Mini drawstring bags

We had such an eventful weekend over here. It was my husband's birthday and he was home, so we celebrated it with a small party. It was so much fun - friends, good food, and lots of playing. I made some shrimp dip for the crackers, and chocolate cake with brigadeiro frosting and raspberry preserves for the filling.

We also had further proof that our little one is quite the sensitive child - we went to a live entertainment show and she was terrified of the dark lights and loud speakers.

I've also been continuing to work on things for the shop. I finished making some mini drawstring bags, complete with crochet flowers attached. I know some of you were wondering what I'm planning to sell. Well, to be honest, a bit of everything just like on the blog. I just like all the different crafts too much! So,  the shop will have small items of sewing, photography, watercolor, drawing/sketching, crochet and knitting... It's a hodge podge of crafts.

It's been such a busy month already and it will only get busier. I say, bring on the challenges, summer. I love it!

How has your summer been so far?

Time for something sweet (panna cotta)

Would you care for some panna cotta?

We got the recipe in this month's issue of Family Fun magazine (which I love, by the way), and I just had to try it. It came out just as pretty as I thought it would. Then I added some strawberry preserves on top because you just can't satisfy my sweet tooth. Et voila. I think this may become a favorite around here.

What are some of your favorite desserts for summer?

Baking experiments

It's been a while since I wrote a post on baking. Last time was the coconut cheese cake. Did anyone try making it? What did you think?

A couple of weeks back I found this blog Making Food and Other Stuff, by the lovely Katie (newly appointed, Dr Katie), where she talked about cooking with stevia. I'd been wanting to try healthier alternatives to sugar and her post was just the push I needed.

You see, I sometimes worry about our diet around here. I try to avoid granulated sugar, oil, and empty calories. I do my best to add lots of vegetables and fruits to our diet at home. But I also love baking - cupcakes, cookies, breads, etc. N. always joins me too, which makes it that much more special to me. The result is that we always seem to have plenty of sweets and treats in the kitchen....

So, I took the plunge and decided to make a good recipe into a healthier one. My chosen victim came from Parents Magazine - a messy-looking but potentially-yummy Zucchini and Blueberry bread.

Why this one? Not only does it use a whole lot of zucchini (veggie) and blueberries (fruit), but it also calls for whole wheat flour. All good. So what I did was to substitute NuStevia powder for the granulated sugar in the recipe and applesauce for the oil.

It came out awesome! It looks messy, but it was delicious - just enough sweetness but not too overwhelming, and the applesauce made it so mushy and soft. If you've never tried to substitute oil with applesauce, do it. Baking with applesauce is not only healthier, but tastier too. Anyway, I digress...

N. loved it too and with every bite, she took in a whole lot of zucchini, whole wheat, and blueberry goodness. Bonus points all around.

Here's the recipe I ended up with, with substitutions in red:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of whole wheat all-purpose flour (I like the King Arthur brand - their flour seriously makes a difference)
• 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup of packed light-brown sugar
• 1 small packet of NuStevia powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp pure, non-alcohol vanilla extract
• 2 cups of shredded zucchini
• 1 cup of blueberries

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9-inch bread pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Mix the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in another bowl. Add it to dry mixture and stir until combined.
4. Gently stir in zucchini and then blueberries.
5. Spoon batter (it will be thick) into pan and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown (do the toothpick test).
6. Allow it to cool, remove from pan, and enjoy it.

Don't let the gooey-ness scare you. Those berries are delish!

What have you experimented with in your kitchen lately?

To Infinity and Beyond!

Actually, no, not really. My post today has nothing to do with Buzz Lightyear. I just like to say that in a deep voice and arms stretched out.

The last few days have been insanely busy, and today was... unbelievable. I didn't know you could fit all that into one day. So, I actually had choices for my title:

• Trouble in paradise: N. and papa fight over how to set up the garden. Well, actually N. had her heart set on making the garden one way that was practically impossible. She didn't take it very well when papa insisted on making his box for the vegetables.

• Tragedy in the oven: I baked some pink cookies, and they looked delicious... until they burned in the oven. 

• Tasty Treats: still, the above mentioned burned pink cookies turned out very tasty, especially since we added a bit of frosting and sprinkles. Sprinkles make everything better. 

Happy East everyone!

Kitchen fun

N. and I love to bake together.

Muffins, cakes, cupcakes, anything sweet and fun.

She helps me with the eggs, mixing, and decorating (her favorite part).

Yes, it gets messy, but the memories we make around the kitchen table are so worth it.


Do you have special "grown up" activities that you do with little ones? 

Coconut and cheese cake plus changes to the blog

"We want cake! Where's our cake?" (from one of N.'s favorite songs: "7" by They Might Be Giants)


Well, before we get to that.

You may have noticed that I have changed the background and banner. Again. Like, for the umpteenth time.

Is that a blogging faux-pas?

I'm trying to find something that I can be happy with for extended periods of time, but haven't found it yet. So every time I get tired of a look or background, it's "off with their heads" and a new one gets done.

Maybe I should just make a seasonal schedule for changing the background. In any case, for now it's blue and green. And the header needed to be minimalist, it just needed to be.

Ok, so now for the cake.

When my mom and sister were visiting over Christmas, my mom made this awesome cake that I used to devour when I was a kid. I always thought it was a fairly common cake, but I haven't met any other Brazilians here who have even heard of it! So I've decided to share the recipe for my letter C day.

How could I not? It's Coconut and Cheese Cake. That's a whole lot of C. My mom calls it "filipeto."

(warning: don't judge a book by its cover, or a cake by its frumpiness! This cake is delicious)

(warning #2: it is also very, very sweet, feel free to take out some of the sugar in the recipe)

Recipe:


1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
2 cups of sugar (feel free to use 1 instead)
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of butter (don't fill it to the brim)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix everything together in a blender, pour the mix in a buttered tube pan and bake it for 45 minutes. At that point, lower the temperature to around 200F and leave it for another 15 minutes or until the cake is golden brown. Let it cool and enjoy. Oh, and the cake should only look sticky and gooey. But it should be firm and thick, not truly gooey.


Se outros brasileiros estiverem lendo este blog, alguem ja ouviu falar desse bolo? (trans. if other Brazilians are reading this blog, have you heard of this cake?)

Does your family have a recipe or craft that you've never found anywhere else?

Cookie goodness

Wait, what did I say about taking a break because I'm too busy?

Yeah, I don't know how to stay away. This is my sanity-saver.

Sooo, I know I've mentioned Koralee of Bluebird Notes a few times before (seriously, go check out her blog - it's a daily dose of warm rays of sunshine). Well, just look at these cookies she shared on her blog a week ago!

I tried my hand at making them, and they are scrumptious! AND they're also good for those of you with dairy and/or egg allergies, as long as you substitute the butter for margarine/soy butter and skip the chocolate.

I suggest you stop reading right now and go bake some. Your taste buds will thank you.

What's your favorite baking recipe?

Happy Valentine's Day!

(yeah, I know I'm just a little bit late)

Here's what I ended up doing to give away for Valentine's day.

I hope you had the sweetest day!

Project done but...

It didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it. Take a look:

The eyes are uneven... So is the mouth and the nose. But it gets worse.

See the bumps? The arms? Poor thing. She suffered from my hurriedness. But you know what? I still like her, with all her imperfections (she's the first doll I've ever sewed).

Now on to tastier subjects. I baked some banana apple muffins yesterday, in the shape of hearts. My daughter helped me frost them, posed them for the picture, and only then bit into it. I was so impressed with her self-restraint! But now every time she eats a muffin she asks me to take a picture. Who am I to say no.

What have you cooked up lately? And any advice for my future dolls?

Back from the (happy) depths of Christmas

*gasps for breath*

Wow, I survived! This Christmas was a whirlwind.

• My mom and sister came and had a blast with N; 
• we did lots and lots of baking; 
• I finally sewed the stockings; 
• celebrated with family on Christmas eve
• went to church, and had brunch with family again on Christmas day. 

It was wonderful. Now I am exhausted. But happy.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Merry Christmas! (albeit a little late)