Recipes

Muffins – Devourable Blueberry Muffins: Breakfast of Champions

ChelanLeave a comment

So easy, even a 9 year old can make it! (if watched like a hawk) – These muffins are the bomb. I like using frozen blueberries but can subst. with frozen blackberries & raspberries too… which thaw out & get all juicy in the baking process, making the muffin even moister.

Totally stole the recipe from online – but since we liked it so much here, thought I’d blog on it!  Here’s a photo I took as I pulled them out of the oven…

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.
PS – I always cut 3 minutes off the lowest oven time – so baked mine for 17 minutes and they were perfect. I left a few in there for 3 more min.s to see the difference, and they were too done.
Enjoy ’em like we did:
Slice one open shmear a slab of cream cheese on it & closed it up again. Hang out for a minute while the cheese softens and …devour.
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Favorite Carrot Cake

Chelan1 Comment

Janis Ebner Piland’s

Famous Favorite Carrot Cake

This cake is made by my mother in law, Janis, & I get to enjoy it at least once a year, when I request it for my birthday. It is my (needless to say) favorite cake, ever, ever. So while visiting them this weekend, I had to note just how she makes it. Here goes!!

2 c. Flour

2 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Cinnamon

****

3/4 c. Oil

3 Eggs

3/4 c. Buttermilk (or for a richer texture, Sour Cream)

****

2 c. Shredded Carrot

1  1/3 c. (3 1/2 oz.) Coconut

2 c. Sugar

1 (8 oz.) c. Crushed Pineapple, drained

1 c. Chopped Walnuts

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Mix flour, b. soda, cinn., & salt. Set aside. Whisk oil, buttermilk, & eggs well. Add in sugar, shredded carrots, pineapple, coconut & walnuts; add to flour mix. Mix well.

Pur batter into sprayed or greased/floured 9×13. Bake for 40-45 min. @ 350.

carrot-cake-best

Cream Cheese Frosting (Carrot Cake is NOTHIN’ without this frosting) ~ 1 stick of butter, 1 8-oz. pkg of c.chs., 2 tsp. vanilla, & 2 c. powdered sugar. Beat & spread atop of chilled cake. Chill cake in fridge for an hour (or not, if you can’t wait!).

How to Make an American Family Tradition: Lemon Lush

ChelanLeave a comment

This Wednesday, the neighborhood mom’s group I’m in, is celebrating our diversity with a multi-cultural potluck. I’m gettin’ more & more excited. So far, the cultures I know that will be represented are: Mexico, the Philippines, Lebanon, the United States, & possibly Spain & Ireland!

Years ago, I went over to the Bebb’s house (not my dad’s, but Steve, his brother- and their family). Aunt Debi brought out this mushy-gushy yellow & white cloudlike dessert & we about keeled over, it was so good. Later, after getting her recipe, I started making it, but only to witness the entire 9×13 of it disappear, the same night (mostly b/c of RICKY)…but most people get 2nds or even 3rds. I’ve tried many variations, but here’s the basics of Lemon Lush …or you could call it “Crusty Creamy Sloppy Dreamy” ~

  1. crusty layer (she uses 2c.flour & 1c.butter, pressed & baked into a 9×13 for about 10 min. or til golden.  or… split & squish out a tube of pre-made sugar-cookie dough & bake for 12-13min. or til golden. i’ve tried graham cracker crust, but it’s just not the same) {update: sugar cookie crust is good, but too sugary for an already sweet, rich dessert like this. Go with the flaky flour & butter pressed mix}
  2. creamy layer (after crust is cool, spread this mix: (2) 8oz. pkgs cream cheese, 3/4 c.sugar & 1 tsp of vanilla)
  3. sloppy layer (mix 2 sml pkgs {she uses both lemon. i use 1 lemon & 1 cheesecake} pudding with  3  3/4c.milk)
  4. dreamy layer (whipped cream – if you’re up to it, whip some real cream!  if not, cool whip will work jus’ fine. refridge for a few hrs.)

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Above: Crusty – this time I used sugar cookie dough, but I think the flour/butter crust might taste better.

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Above: My ingredients

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Above: Creamy ~ Mixin’ away

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Above: Lemon Pudding (make “pie” consistency)

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Above: Me, sloppin’ the Sloppy, before adding the Cool Whip as the finishing touch.

lemon-lush

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Let me know if you try & like this recipe as much as our family does…

or any other sweeet variations!

a new recipe to try

Chelan2 Comments

~ thought i’d switch things up a bit & post a recipe today ~

SPAZ bread (sweet potato and zucchini)

a good way to get the kiddos to eat their veggies! too much sugar? use splenda & tell me how it comes out.

makes 1 loaf. preheat oven to 350°F.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups grated peeled sweet potato
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Prep:

  • butter and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl.
  • beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla to blend in large bowl.
  • mix in zucchini and sweet potato. + dry ingredients, then walnuts; stir well.

transfer batter to prep’d pan. bake about 1 hour 20 min.

cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. cut around bread to loosen. turn out onto rack and cool completely. (can be prepared 1 day ahead. wrap in foil and let stand @ room temp.)