Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
These are extremely good and moist, with not to big of a pumpkin flavor. Also this makes ALOT of topping. So, if you want you can 1/2 the topping recipe, or freeze the other 1/2 for a coffee cake, or different batch of muffins. Though if your a streusel lover :) Keep it the way it is, and you won't be disappointed!
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line twelve muffin cups with paper liners or lightly grease the tin.
Make the streusel:In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and rub the butter in until the mixture is crumbly. This will be a bit of a sticky operation because the butter is soft, but take your time. Once it is crumbly, gently squeeze bits of the mixture together to form larger pieces of crumble/streusel. Set aside.
Make the muffins:In a large bowl, combine melted butter, pumpkin, yogurt/sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt, then stir in the sugar. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and sir until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups and top with streusel.Bake for 16-19 minutes at 400F, until a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.Cool muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes to allow the topping to set up, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.Makes 12 muffins.
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line twelve muffin cups with paper liners or lightly grease the tin.
Make the streusel:In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and rub the butter in until the mixture is crumbly. This will be a bit of a sticky operation because the butter is soft, but take your time. Once it is crumbly, gently squeeze bits of the mixture together to form larger pieces of crumble/streusel. Set aside.
Make the muffins:In a large bowl, combine melted butter, pumpkin, yogurt/sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt, then stir in the sugar. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and sir until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups and top with streusel.Bake for 16-19 minutes at 400F, until a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.Cool muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes to allow the topping to set up, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.Makes 12 muffins.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
2 (10 ounce) cans chicken chunks, drained
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 (8 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 (10 ounce) cans chicken chunks, drained
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 (8 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients above, and chill till ready to serve. This you can also serve on lettuce, or in a pita.
Yields:8-10 servings
A few scone tips
Scone Tips
Don't Cut Corners - Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. This will help create uniform pieces and will melt the butter less than using your fingers.
Chill the Butter - Butter for scones should be cold and firm, so that when you cut it into the dry ingredients it forms pea-sized pieces. This will make the scones light and tender as the pieces form air pockets when the butter melts.
Don't Overdo It - Scone batter should be mixed just until the ingredients hold together and the dry ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing will result in tougher, heavier scones.
Get the Scoop - Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to portion perfectly round, uniform scones.
Don't Cut Corners - Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. This will help create uniform pieces and will melt the butter less than using your fingers.
Chill the Butter - Butter for scones should be cold and firm, so that when you cut it into the dry ingredients it forms pea-sized pieces. This will make the scones light and tender as the pieces form air pockets when the butter melts.
Don't Overdo It - Scone batter should be mixed just until the ingredients hold together and the dry ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing will result in tougher, heavier scones.
Get the Scoop - Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to portion perfectly round, uniform scones.
Aren't these the cutest?!?
Here's an easy breakfast treat you can whip up this weekend--you can even give them a crafty touch by using colorful sanding sugar, which I think looks like glitter!Sparkle Scones
Ingredients:
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour• 4 teaspoons baking powder• 1/4 cup white sugar• 1/8 teaspoon salt• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold)• 1/2 cup mix-ins (mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, etc.)• 1/2 cup milk• 1/4 cup sour cream
Toppings: berry preserves and/or coarse sanding sugar
Preheat oven to 400°. Dump dry ingredients in a bowl and "sift" them together using a wire whisk to combine and break up any lumps (a trick I picked up from Martha Stewart). Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until you get pea-sized lumps. Stir in any mix-ins. Combine milk and sour cream and add to dry ingredients, combine gently--careful not to overmix. Turn dough out onto lightly-floured surface and pat into a round shape with domed center. Use a sharp knife or pastry scraper to cut into 8 wedges. Use a teaspoon to create a small depression in the top of each wedge, spoon in some preserves (I used seedless blackberry). Sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar and bake on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes (or until lightly browned).
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