Strawberry Orange Muffins

Wow!!! Sorry for my lack of posting! Spring Break has just been too much fun. I was determined to make this week super fun for my kids (and cheap) and it has been a blast! Can't say I even touched my Spring Cleaning. Oh well...there is always next week, right? I can't do it all...I am not Martha.

Speaking of the devil...My mom is a little like Martha Stewart. (besides the jail thing, and the blond thing, and the men's shirt thing...) We always tease her about her perfectionism. Last summer, during our family reunion, the Keith Family Amazing Race #5 (more details about this to come), she made these muffins. My mom can turn a quick brunch into a five star feast. She experimented with these healthy muffins...and they were a HIT!! The second I got back home to Colorado I called her requesting this recipe. The streusal topping is amazing!! These are worth the long list of ingredients and the extra effort...don't let the recipe intimidate you....

Strawberry Orange Muffins

Source: Eating Well Magazine

Throw the following ingredients into your cart...

3 tablespoons almonds

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

3 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest, divided (see Variation)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup white whole-wheat flour , or whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries , (about 8 ounces)

Put your apron on and ...

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Process almonds, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and stir to combine.

Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl with buttermilk, orange juice, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the almond topping, gently pressing into the batter.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes more before serving. juice.

Chicken Pesto Calzones

Ok! Calling all fellow bloggers!!! How do you keep up with the cooking and baking without getting the baker's belly?! I just started this little hobby and wowza (yes...that is a word...) I have decided I better start running. I am short and climb up on the counters to reach the top shelf. Today after performing said feat...there was a jiggle in my mid section that could not be denied. Better get back on my clean eating path...at least once a week, right?! Please send any and all suggestions my way.

Made these for dinner last week. Not terrible for ya. And not bad either. Last summer I made a bunch of pesto with my basil from the garden. It freezes beautifully. This recipe is my favorite way to use it. I have included the dough and calzone instructions and will post the pesto recipe later this week with some picts. Till then, look at these and anticipate when YOU will make these bad boys! Chicken Pesto Calzones Source: My Kitchen Addiction dough from The Pioneer Woman

Toss the following ingredients into your cart...

For the dough...

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

To finish the calzones:

1 cup pesto

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

4 ounces Provolone Stravecchio cheese, shredded(or substitute any provolone or mozzarella)

Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle on top)

Italian seasoning

To prepare the dough, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the yeast and sugar are dissolved in the water. Add the olive oil, salt, and bread flour. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add the whole wheat flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to pull from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and continue to knead in the rest of the whole wheat flour (or just knead in the bowl, if you prefer) until the dough is smooth. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 475°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. Divide the dough into four portions and spread each portion of the dough into a rectangle/oval on a lightly floured surface. In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken and the pesto. Spoon 1/4 of the chicken pesto mixture onto half of each piece of dough. Top with the provolone cheese. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal the calzone. Transfer each calzone to a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. I brushed mine with a little parmesan cheese also. Bake for about 12-14 minutes unto golden.

Tow Mater Cupcakes

I feel like everyone I talk to and everywhere I look lately is mentioning Bakerella. If you have never visited her site...do now. She is creative and pretty much is the idea behind the cake pop sensation.

She is sick right now, in the need of a kidney transplant. I know everyone is pulling for her and everyones thoughts are with her. I was grateful for her creative genius a few weeks ago when I made these Tow Mater cupcakes for a friend's sons birthday. They were so fun! And they didn't require fancy knowledge or equipment. Just cake, frosting and candy. Anybody could do it. Check out her instructions for these here. My pictures and personal tips are below.

Tip #1. To keep these affordable...be willing to veer from the candy Bakerella suggests. I bought small generic chocolate cookies instead of the 100 cal packs she used. Mine were cheaper and look the same. Also, a package of white M & Ms were $4. Ouch. I got Peppermint Patty hard candy coated candies for $1.50. Just browse your candy Aisle and see what you can find.

I used my homemade chocolate cake recipe and tried a new frosting recipe. Best chocolate frosting yet folks and I will share it with you tomorrow.

Buttermilk Syrup

While Paul and I were on Christmas vacation in Utah a few months ago, we left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and met with all of Paul's siblings (and spouses) for brunch. We had a blast. It was such fun to catch up with each other WITHOUT kids interrupting every few seconds. Sometimes, driving back to Colorado after a few days with family, Paul and I will look at each other and wonder how everyone is REALLY doing. Entertaining the kids, breaking up fights, keeping every one safe, naps, bedtimes...etc. on vacation seem to over power befriending the grownups in our lives. Have you experienced this? I think, now, we are going to insist on this precious adult-only time.

Whoa!!! I got a little off track there. Anyways, we met at a great breakfast joint called Maglebys Fresh. DE-LI-CIOUS! I had french toast with their homemade syrup. It was amazing. All of us were gushing over the warm, caramel-y, syrup. I was excited to try this recipe in hopes that it would compare. It does! Try it next time you make pancakes. And, really, probably not much worse for you than the preservative- filled- maple- syrup- with -corn -syrup- as- the -first- ingredient-that-we-all-buy....right?! Don't mind the dog in the background of the photo...just our chocolate lab Libby...Hey Girl! She wanted pancakes too!

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup
Source: Our Best Bites cookbook

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 Tab. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Put your apron on and get busy... combining buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a saucepan.

Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low-just make sure it's still bubbling. Cook, stirring constantly for 7-9 minutes or until the syrup reaches a golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

This syrup lasted my family or four about three mornings, just re-heated it each time and kept it in the fridge.

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Pancakes

There is something so therapeutic about Spring. I mean, really!!! Sitting outside and feeling the warmth of the sun...there is NOTHING better after a long winter. I did just that this morning...rolled my pants up, watched my kids play (and the three others I have here today), and tried to let my pastey white legs catch some rays. Truly...they are scarey (my legs that is, not the kids).

And then you have all the fun holidays to get ready for...Easter, 4th of July, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and 2 of my boys' birthdays. Fun in store for me!! And don't forget Mexico around the corner...ohhh baby! Life is good! Can't wait to bake and blog.

Eat these healthy, homemade pancakes and think about what fun is in store for you this Spring! Why don't you leave me a comment and let me know what you are looking forward to.

P.S. I will share the buttermilk syrup recipe with you guys manana (practicing my espanol for the upcoming vaca...!)

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Pancakes
Source: Can You Stay for Dinner?

Makes 8-10 3 " pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat pancakes
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tab. sour cream


Put your apron on and...

whisk the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Separately, whisk the egg into the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Spoon about a quarter cup of batter onto a griddle over medium, and heat that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Flip after 3-4 minutes, just as you notice bubbles forming around the edges of each pancake, and cook 2 minutes more.

I served mine with homemade buttermilk syrup.

No Wait Breadsticks

I have said it before, and I am sure I will say it again...my boys are bread LOVERS. Heck?! Who isn't?! Another quick and easy bread recipe that doesn't require rising...and they are GOO- OOD (pronounced in two syllablles...) I sprinkle mine with garlic bread seasoning (recipe below) and whatever shredded cheese I have on hand. I saw the idea of stretching the breadsticks and shaping them in a Semi-Homemade magazine.In case you can't tell in the picture...I shaped them into hearts and spirals. I served them in the mason jars going down the center of the table. So...cute...yet easy...and YUM! (Do I overuse the ...?)

No Wait Breadsticks
Source: The Sisters Cafe

Toss the following ingredients into your cart...

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tab. yeast
2 Tab. sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt


Put your apron on and get busy...

mixing your dough! Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in your mixer. Add sugar and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. Add salt and flour and knead in mixer for about 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes in the mixer. On a sprayed cookies sheet, spread dough out to cover sheet. Cut to desired width. Then you can twist, keep flat, shape, whatever. Brush with butter and any of the following: cheese, garlic salt, parsley, italian seasoning, parmesan...etc... I use the garlic bread seasoning below. You can roll them out to fit the cookie sheet and they will be puffy and soft. If you prefer a thinner, cruncy breadstick roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and a half.

Preheat your oven to 375. While it warms, your breadsticks will rise for 10-20 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden.

Garlic Bread Seasoning
Source: Our Best Bites

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 tsp. Kosher salt

2 Tab. garlic powder

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. basil

2 tsp. marjoram

2 tsp. parsley

Dinosaur Topped Cupcakes

My oldest son Ben and I had a blast at a friend's birthday party last weekend! Nicest people in the world, great food, great company, and cute dinos everywhere. The birthday boy is one of my daycare kids that I LOVE dearly. Seriously, I have contemplated kidnapping him. Don't call the authorities...I won't. I have more kids than I can handle as it is!!!! ANYWAYS.... they hired me to do all the cupcakes and I had so much fun. I will tell you what I did... First I asked the mom of the birthday boy for a napkin/plate/something from the decorations to match colors and dino shapes. I bought dinosaur cookie cutters. They seemed a little too big for the cupcakes so I ended up using an Xacto knife to cut the shapes. I bought Wilton ready to roll fondant in neon and primary colors. 1 week before party day I rolled the fondant out and started cutting. I used wax paper to trace the dino shapes from the napkin and made one shape a little big and one a little smaller, till I felt like they were perfect size. Then I cut the wax paper template out, placed it on the fondant, and traced with an edible marker. Last, I carved each shape out with an Xacto knife. I made 24 shapes start to finish in 2.5 hours...time consuming!! I would recommend finding the right size and shape cookie cutter on line and ordering it. They are cheap and just plan ahead!!! I would make the dinos at least three days ahead so that they are plenty dry and stiff for party day.

The night before I used royal icing and tinted it a shade lighter than the dinos to outline and add spots and eyes. The black speck in the eye is a food writer marker. The dinos dried over night. And I baked chocolate chip cupcakes and oreo cupcakes. In the morning I piped on grass with a multi-opening grass tip. #233 Wilton tip. I used cream cheese frosting tinted green. Don't put your dinos in the grass til party time. Mine had delicate little legs that snapped sitting in the frosting. (Luckily, I tested this out with only one...that would have been a disaster!) I added a rock candy that I wanted to look like a rock. My candies were a little large and looked like dino eggs...but it worked!! Such a fun, inexpensive, easy project...with little stress because the dinos can be made so far ahead of time.

These dino fondant toppers were easy. No creative molding needed. Try them for a little guy you love!!! Or use the concept for another shape/theme!!!