Blueberry-Poppyseed Muffins

Blueberry-Poppy seed Muffins
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
3 cups flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds
1 1/2 t. almond extract
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Beat the milk, 1 1/3 cups oil, eggs, poppy seeds and almond and vanilla extracts until combined. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until will combined. Fold in blueberries with rubber spatula.
2. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full with batter and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely. Makes 48 mini muffins.
(For loaves, fill two greased loaf pans and bake for 60-70 minutes)

I got the recipe from Food Network but it is similar to a recipe found on Our Best Bites called Almond Poppy Seed Bread. Mmmm

Two Timin' Pasta Bake

Two Timin' Pasta Bake

1 box penne pasta

1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce or 2 cups of homemade Alfredo suace

1 (24oz.) jar Marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions and drain.  Mix the sauces together in a large bowl.

Add the mozzarella and stir to combine.  Then toss in the penne and toss to coat.

Pour pasta into 9x13 baking dish and cook on 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.  

The kids LOVED this. They devoured it. For me, though I felt like it needed something else to go with it. Like some kind of garlicky breaded chicken or something.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
2 tsp poppy seeds
 Glaze:
1 teaspoon melted  butter
powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice

 Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.
Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. Whisk sour cream, buttermilk and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon zest in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream/buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix just until blended. Stir in poppy seeds. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 – 22 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pans and cool on rack.
Mix together melted butter, lemon juice and enough powdered sugar to make a glaze.  Drizzle or pipe glaze over tops of warm muffins.

Makes 48 mini muffins or 12 large muffins.

 I can't actually tell you if these tasted good or not because I have a cold and can't taste anything. But Brandon really liked them so they must have tasted good. Oh, and I forgot to add the poppy seeds...

It's hard to see the glaze but I did make it and put it on top. I should have used more powdered sugar and made it thicker. Most of it ended up on the counter.

Baked Ziti (Freezer Meal)

Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta

1 onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef (season with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and

minced garlic)

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

8 slices provolone cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook

according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti

sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 8x8 inch pans with non-stick cooking

spray. Layer as follows in each pan: 1/4 of the ziti, 1/4 of the sauce, 4 slices of

Provolone cheese, 1/2 of sour cream,  1/4 of ziti, 1/4 mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of

sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted. Each 8x8 serves 4-6.

 

We LOVED this meal!  And I'm so excited to have another one waiting in the freezer whenever we want it! This would be such a great meal to make for sick neighbors or for new moms.

Chocolate Bowls

Chocolate Bowls

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 T. oil (optional)

Melt chocolate chips.
For microwave: heat in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until melted.
For stove: Heat in sauce pan over low heat until melted.

 Dip a partially inflated balloon into melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to cool a bit before dipping. (I got too excited and didn't let it cool enough. Balloon popped. Chocolate everywhere....) You might need a spoon or spatula to help spread it around the balloon.

Spoon a small amount of chocolate onto parchment paper to create a base for the bowl. Place chocolate covered balloon on top. Place in fridge to harden.

Oh, and, ya know, there will probably be some chocolate left over. I used some bananas to finish it off :)

 When chocolate has hardened, cut a small hold at the knot of the balloon to slowly release air. If you let too much air out the bowl will crack.

 Carefully peel balloon away from chocolate. (One of mine cracked a little)

Serve with ice cream, brownie, etc.

Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies
 
 Make one batch of plain dough, and another batch with red food coloring added.
 1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla or peppermint extract
2 tsp. red food coloring
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat for a minute, until smooth and light. For red dough, add the red food coloring.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the sugar mixture and stir by hand just until you have a soft dough. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or until chilled.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll walnut-sized pieces of dough into ropes, then twist one red and one white piece together to make something that resembles a peppermint stick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet (curled at the end like a candy cane or not). Bake for 15 minutes, or until set and pale golden on the bottom and around the edges.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

You can use any Basic Brownie recipe (you can use a box mix if you would like) here is the one I used:
Brownie
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in eggs.  Stir cocoa and flour together and add to creamed mixture.  Press into a greased 9 x 13 in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Do not over bake. Cool completely.  I actually put it in my freezer to help it along.


Make cookie dough:
Cookie Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup chocolate chips or regular

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended.  Alternately stir in flour and sweetened condensed milk until blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread onto cooled brownies. Put back in fridge to harden a bit

Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon oil in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted.  Spread on top of brownie/cookie dough and return to fridge until chocolate is firm

These are best served at room temperature.

I know, right?