Made some awesome pumpkin muffin’s this week. I made the first batch with the recipe below and they were amazing. The cream cheese frosting made it to die for.  However they were so good I could not stop eating them so I had to bring them into work. I decided to make another batch tonight and reduced the fat/calories. I substituted the white flour for wheat flour, used reduced fat butter, and substituted splenda brown sugar for regular. I have to say they taste just as good. I was still tempted to frost them but had to refrain. I highly recommend this recipe for a nice fall treat! Ingredients Muffin Ingredients: 1 cup All-purpose Flour 1/2 cup Sugar 2 teaspoons Baking Powder 1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Salt 4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces 1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk 1 whole Egg 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla 1/2 cup Golden Raisins (optional!) _____ Topping 2 Tablespoons Sugar 1 teaspoon Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg _____ FOR FROSTING: 1/4 cup Softened Butter 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese 1/2 pound Powdered Sugar 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Preparation Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into a greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting. To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature. High-res

Made some awesome pumpkin muffin’s this week. I made the first batch with the recipe below and they were amazing. The cream cheese frosting made it to die for.  However they were so good I could not stop eating them so I had to bring them into work. I decided to make another batch tonight and reduced the fat/calories. I substituted the white flour for wheat flour, used reduced fat butter, and substituted splenda brown sugar for regular. I have to say they taste just as good. I was still tempted to frost them but had to refrain. I highly recommend this recipe for a nice fall treat!

Ingredients

  • Muffin Ingredients:
  • 1 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
  • 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1/2 cup Golden Raisins (optional!)
  • _____
  • Topping
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • _____
  • FOR FROSTING:
  • 1/4 cup Softened Butter
  • 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 pound Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into a greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

My roommate gave me this recipe and I am in love. It is so simple and very tasty. You also can prepare the night before and bring it for lunch the next day. Take a look at Kalyn’s Kitchen blog. It has some great recipes! Garbanzo, Tomato, and Cilantro Salad with Lime and Chile Dressing (with or without avocado) Ingredients: 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed well and drained 4-5 tomatoes or 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, diced in 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 cup green onion, sliced 1 cup (1 large bunch) cilantro, washed, dried, and chopped coarsely with chef’s knife or food processor 1 avocado, diced (optional, but good) Dressing Ingredients: 2 T fresh lime juice (plus 2 tsp. more for avocado, if using) 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (I used Shirrachi) 1/2 tsp. chile powder (mild) 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. onion powder zest from one lime salt, fresh ground pepper to taste Instructions: Drain beans into colander and rinse until no foam remains. Let drain well. Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, ground Chipotle powder (or hot sauce), chile powder, ground cumin, onion powder, and lime zest to make the dressing, then put beans and dressing into a plastic container with a snap-on lid and shake a few times to combine. (Use a bowl that’s big enough to hold all the salad ingredients.) Let beans marinate in dressing one hour or longer. If using avocado, peel and dice the avocado and toss it with 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Dice tomatoes, place in colander with a small amount of salt and let tomatoes drain 10 minutes while you dice onions and chop cilantro. (You can skip that step if using cherry tomatoes or if your tomatoes aren’t that juicy.) Thinly slice the green onions and wash, dry, and chop the cilantro. Combine marinated beans with dressing, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro and stir gently until well combined, then gently stir in the avocado (if using.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

My roommate gave me this recipe and I am in love. It is so simple and very tasty. You also can prepare the night before and bring it for lunch the next day. Take a look at Kalyn’s Kitchen blog. It has some great recipes!

Garbanzo, Tomato, and Cilantro Salad with Lime and Chile Dressing (with or without avocado)

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed well and drained
4-5 tomatoes or 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, diced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1 cup (1 large bunch) cilantro, washed, dried, and chopped coarsely with chef’s knife or food processor
1 avocado, diced (optional, but good)

Dressing Ingredients:
2 T fresh lime juice (plus 2 tsp. more for avocado, if using)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (I used Shirrachi)
1/2 tsp. chile powder (mild)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
zest from one lime
salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
Drain beans into colander and rinse until no foam remains. Let drain well. Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, ground Chipotle powder (or hot sauce), chile powder, ground cumin, onion powder, and lime zest to make the dressing, then put beans and dressing into a plastic container with a snap-on lid and shake a few times to combine. (Use a bowl that’s big enough to hold all the salad ingredients.) Let beans marinate in dressing one hour or longer.

If using avocado, peel and dice the avocado and toss it with 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Dice tomatoes, place in colander with a small amount of salt and let tomatoes drain 10 minutes while you dice onions and chop cilantro. (You can skip that step if using cherry tomatoes or if your tomatoes aren’t that juicy.) Thinly slice the green onions and wash, dry, and chop the cilantro.

Combine marinated beans with dressing, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro and stir gently until well combined, then gently stir in the avocado (if using.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.


This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

I also made some pretty delicious vegetarian chili. It also was very fast to make! Spicy Chili Spicy V8 tomato juice 1 can of chili beans diced celery chopped onions 1 can of garbonzo beans 1 can of kidney beans 2 tbs of sriracha sauce 1 chopped red bell pepper 1/2 can of zucchini Dash of Bazil and pepper

I also made some pretty delicious vegetarian chili. It also was very fast to make!

Spicy Chili

Spicy V8 tomato juice

1 can of chili beans

diced celery

chopped onions

1 can of garbonzo beans

1 can of kidney beans

2 tbs of sriracha sauce

1 chopped red bell pepper

1/2 can of zucchini

Dash of Bazil and pepper

So I have been cooking a lot lately. I like to try to make different things. This weekend we had a girls night on Friday and everyone brought a case of a different domestic beers. I cooked a homemade pizza and made a 7 layer salad. Here are some of the recipes below.

7 Layer Salad

For dressing mix 1 cup mayo , 1 cup sour cream and 2 tbs sugar together.

In bowl mix with dressing

lettuce

carrots

peas

onions

mozzarella and cheddar cheese

(Top with bacon and eggs)

Pizza

Wheat or White premade crust

tomato / pizza sauce

topping : caramelized onions (in olive oil)

chopped muschrooms

spinach

feta cheese and mozzerlla cheese

Me and Ali stayed in on Friday and made a fabulous dinner! Onions and Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Ingredients 4 large onions 150g/5 0z goat’s cheese, crumbled or cubed 50g /2oz / 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 8 sun dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped 1-2 garlic cloves 2.5 ml chopped fresh thyme 30 ml /2 tsp chopped fresh parsley 1 small egg, beaten 3 tbsp pine nuts 2 tsp oil from the sun dried tomatoes Preparation (Serves Four) 1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the whole onions in their skins and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut each onion in half horizontally and peel. 2.) Using a teaspoon, remove the center of each onion, leaving a thick shell around the outside. Reserve the flesh and place the shells in an oiled ovenproof dish. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. 3.) Chop the scooped out onion flesh and place in bowl. Add the goat’s cheese, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme, parsley and egg. Mix well, then season with salt and pepper and add the toasted pine nuts. 4.) Divide the stuffing among the onions and cover with foil. Bake for about 25 mintues. 5.) Uncover the onions, drizzle with the oil and cook for another 30-40 minutes, until bubbling and well cooked. Bast occasionally during cooking. Nutrition Facts 402 calories protein 14.8 g Carbohydrate 25 g 11.7 g of sugar Fat 24 grams Fiber 3.2 grams Sodium 346 mg High-res

Me and Ali stayed in on Friday and made a fabulous dinner!

Onions and Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

4 large onions

150g/5 0z goat’s cheese, crumbled or cubed

50g /2oz / 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

8 sun dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped

1-2 garlic cloves

2.5 ml chopped fresh thyme

30 ml /2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 small egg, beaten

3 tbsp pine nuts

2 tsp oil from the sun dried tomatoes

Preparation

(Serves Four)

1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the whole onions in their skins and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut each onion in half horizontally and peel.

2.) Using a teaspoon, remove the center of each onion, leaving a thick shell around the outside. Reserve the flesh and place the shells in an oiled ovenproof dish. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.

3.) Chop the scooped out onion flesh and place in bowl. Add the goat’s cheese, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme, parsley and egg. Mix well, then season with salt and pepper and add the toasted pine nuts.

4.) Divide the stuffing among the onions and cover with foil. Bake for about 25 mintues.

5.) Uncover the onions, drizzle with the oil and cook for another 30-40 minutes, until bubbling and well cooked. Bast occasionally during cooking.

Nutrition Facts

402 calories

protein 14.8 g

Carbohydrate 25 g

11.7 g of sugar

Fat 24 grams

Fiber 3.2 grams

Sodium 346 mg

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/mini-moon-pies-recipe/index.html So today the foodnetwork came to work and gave us delicious moon pies. They were to die for! Of course they were made by some fabulous chef and then flown in from Maine. Go figure. But how cool would it be to be able to cook these treats. Maybe one day I will try. As of now I love the upfront season in advertising. Sooo much fun! Everyday is like Christmas. Today the moonpies made the 1 1/2 presentation fly by. I was def hyper after all of the sugar.. that is for sure.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/mini-moon-pies-recipe/index.html

So today the foodnetwork came to work and gave us delicious moon pies. They were to die for!

Of course they were made by some fabulous chef and then flown in from Maine. Go figure.

But how cool would it be to be able to cook these treats. Maybe one day I will try.

As of now I love the upfront season in advertising. Sooo much fun! Everyday is like Christmas. Today the moonpies made the 1 1/2 presentation fly by. I was def hyper after all of the sugar.. that is for sure.

Ok so I have only been in Chicago 3 weeks and I have already gotten the down low on all the amazing stuff here.

We have so much food catered in at work it is crazy. I am probably going to gain at least 10 pounds.

I have had corner bakery for breakfast around 6 times, blue plate, and sugar bliss.

Corner bakery is just like a panera„ a little better in my book.

BUT let me tell you about these sugar bliss cupcakes. They were to DIE FOR! I mean I seriously was in heaven. I got way to dang excited over this cupcake I was told to eat. They tell me to eat it. I listen. I think my co workers thought I was slightly crazy for a moment.

Anyways you have to try this place out if you live in the Chicago area. I am going to pick up a dozen because it is on my the way home from work. Because really those things are money.

http://www.sugarblisscakes.com/