1.27.2010

Apple Nut Muffins for Britney

Appley muffin recipe for you my friend.

These are daunting when looking at the ingredients list...but they truly are not that bad and they freeze really well (although, whenever I make them, they don't last long). These are some of Dylan's favorites and I haven't made them in a while...so maybe...

Anyway, for you:
Apple Nut Muffins
Yields 1 dozen jumbo muffins or 2 dozen regular muffins
Filling:
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 c. apples, peeled and diced
3/4 c. finely chopped nuts (I like pecans or walnuts)
Muffins:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar (More often than not, I end up swapping brown sugar for white)
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 (12 oz) sour cream
Cinnamon and sugar for dusting the tops

1.) In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Add apples; cook over medium-low heat for 10 min. or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat; stir in nuts. Cool.

2.) In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream--but don't overmix! (Otherwise you'll end up with tough, heavy muffins).

3.) Spoon 1/4 c. of batter into greased jumbo muffin cups. I always used regular and did a little less of the measurements for layering. You say tomato, I say tomato...wait...that doesn't work out so well in print...) Spoon apple mixture into the center of each (do not spread). Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

4.) Bake at 350F for 25-27 min. or until they test done with a toothpick. (If you're using regular muffin tins bake for 16-18 min.) Cool for 5 min. in pans before removing to wire racks.

1.26.2010

Loose Ends of Christmasy-ness

Just a few pics from our late Christmas celebration with Terrah, Lael and Lucy.
We missed you Ben!

Lunch Time with Ada

LOVE


Ada Hearts Babies

Don't let the title of this post get you all excited--it is certainly NOT an announcement of any sort. Don't even go there.

It is simply a statement of the obvious and fact for that matter, that my daughter LOVES babies. She loves to hold babies, rock babies, sing to babies, feed babies, put babies to sleep...it's ridiculous. Lucky for her I do daycare and there is a steady stream of them to "play" with.

Dylan and I have had to create and enfore a strict rule that she can only hold babies if she is sitting in one of our laps. That seems to work out well, although if she stays as petite as she is...we may have to come up with some alternative for her to hold other kids...

1.25.2010

I Heart Snow Days

Today is a snow day!
Hurray! Hurray!

I don't know why, but snow days still continue to hold the same excitement and promise that an eight year old feels. I was elated to get a phone call from my friend Kelly that her work was closed and schools were shut down (including UND--which never happens!).

Awesome.

So I called all my parents to check in with them and see if they were still venturing out in the 38 mph winds and little to no visibility. And all said no! Hurray! Hurray! Snow day!!

So I have taken it upon myself to finally get all the Christmas decorations down (thank goodness we only have decorations inside and not outside!), finish my embroidery projects and maybe bake some cookies and flat bread. We're kind of on a hummus kick at our house (thanks Sheila and Terry for the awesome Magic Bullet) and Greek flat bread or pita bread without the pocket is SO stinkin' expensive! Luckily, prior to this hummus extravaganza, flat bread went on sale at the grocery store for 3pkgs/$5. We stocked up and then I decided I should just find a good recipe and bake it myself. It freezes well, so why not? If I can make baguettes I can surely do this?... I will update you on the results later...if I really am that ambitious today. We'll see.

Snow days also mean that I will be uploading all the forgotten pictures and videos on my camera that have been sitting dejected and sad. I wish I would've brought it to the benefit dinner that was held for Nick because all the kids dancing were so stinkin' cute...but alas...I did not. Braving all the slushy, icky, sticky snow was all I could focus on when getting out the door to the church.

So be excited!! It's a snow day!!

1.18.2010

:( = :)

:( = Problem.

I wanted to post all my pictures and videos from this weekend but I forgot our camera at Terry and Sheila's. Oh well. I will retrieve it later tonight and not deprive you another minute.

:) = Problem Solved.

1.13.2010

Yummy Muffins...and Good for you too!

I made muffins today that are quite tasty, if I may say so myself (and I will). And the even better part is that they're pretty good for you too (minus the assumed slathering of butter of course). I found the recipe in the Food Everyday magazine that I started getting and adapted it a bit to fit our tastes. You should give it a go--they are quite divine and I don't feel guilty about giving them to Ada in ones, twos or threes--should her stomach be so ravenous.

But I'll stop babbling and give you the recipe...

"Healthy Morning Muffins"
Food Everyday adapted by Katie (that's me!)
Makes 24

Nonstick cooking spray/muffin liners
1 1/2 c. all purpose
1 c. whole wheat
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. gound ginger
1 tsp. Kosher salt
2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. raisins (I used cut up prunes because I ran out of raisins
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped; just because I love <-insert your own "that's-what-she-said-joke" here -> nuts.
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (applesauce works just as well though)
2 large eggs (you can substitute 1 med. banana for each egg if you don't want them/run out)
2/3 c. skim milk
8 medium carrots, shredded
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat muffin pans with cooking spray/put in liners. In large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, soda, powder, nutmeg, ginger, and salt til there are no lumps. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts. Add oil/applesauce, eggs, milk, carrots, and banana, and stir til blended.

2.) Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 c. batter (I filled mine more because they don't rise too ridiculously--I think all the extra stuff weighs them down considerably). Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 23-25 minutes (although I cooked mine for 22 and they were done--I think my oven runs a bit hot though).

To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days.
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEElish!!
Give them a try. You won't be disappointed.

1.09.2010

A Bunch of Randoms

Note: This post will be somewhat ADHD and everywhere inbetween...thus..."A Bunch of Randoms." Consider yourselves warned.

My Mom and Dad came to visit today, they're going to a hockey game tonight with Dad's friends and then staying with us and going to church tomorrow morning. Ada is very excited that they are here. Hopefully I will remember to get a few pictures, seeing as I was not so good about it on Christmas or the holidays in general for that matter.

Our computer is also up and running again (obviously). For a few days it would not turn on--even when plugged in--after the batter had died unplugged. This is the first time that it has happened and Dylan and I were worried we would have to invest in another laptop/computer. BIG :(

Luckily the computer gods were looking fondly upon our sad and internetless plight and raised old Compaq out of its grave back to the world of the living--which in turn is also good for you dear readers.

Ada is doing okay. She's getting rid of another cold, poor girl's face was so chapped that we had to start smothering her in Vaseline. Which, by the way, is NASTY. And since her face was so chapped from all the snot, she didn't want to blow her nose anymore and would suck up all the mucous instead. Which of course is horrible for her asthma! Luckily though we have not had to fret too much and she seems to be getting better. We thank God everyday for the doctors here who got her on such a maintenance schedule that she doesn't get pneumonia with every sneeze.

The potty training front has also been put on hold as this last rash of illnesses broke the excitement of going on a big girl potty. It's unfortunate, but I'm not going to push, instead I've upped the bribe and give her a Hershey's Kiss instead of a measly little M&M as a reward. That should work, right?

Abe and Moses are good. Moses is still lazy and needy. Abe is still all energy and runaway...in fact...just an hour ago the brat ran away over the fence after pushing me out of his way. The fence would normally hold him in but since we live in North Dakota and have more than our fair share of snow, he can just leap over the gate via the snowbanks. GRRR.

Dylan is well, he is figuring out the ropes as a shift supervisor at Starbucks. He likes his job for the most part though, which is good since he spends quite a bit of time there.

I am well as well. Ahahahaha.
Daycare is good, I've got solid families still and hopefully will have a couple more in the next few months. I started sewing felt toys for Ada and also for a benefit for a couple at our church whose son has had a lot of medical expenses in the past months. I'm pretty proud of how they've turned out. I'll post pictures of those too sometime soon.

We made Roast Leg of Lamb with Dark Beer, Honey and Thyme last night and paired it with mashed potatoes and buttery, bacony peas. DELICIOUS. In fact, I chopped up a few slices of it this morning and made scrambled eggs with lamb and broccoli. Yum...it makes me hungry just thinking about it.

All-in-all, life is good. We are good and striving to be better. God has blessed us so much already in this new year that I am excited to see what the rest will unfold.

1.03.2010

First Post of 2010

Happy 2010!...three days late!!

We hope the holidays treated you all well and that you are refreshed and rejuvinated!!