Jack Daniels Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are perfect for Fathers Day!  Delicious, chocolate-y, with a hint of Jack Daniels flavoring....Dad will love 'em!  These cupcakes were featured on Style Me Pretty - skip on over to see the whole photo shoot.

Jack Daniels Whiskey Cupcakes:  

A variation of these: (http://fieldsofcake.blogspot.com/2011/06/fathers-day-cupcakes-just-for-dad-dark.html)

2 Cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup strong coffee

1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In separate bowl (I use a 4 or 8 cup measuring vessel) combine the eggs, coffee, whiskey, buttermilk and oil.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into prepared cupcake cups.

Bake in preheated oven about 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: (http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/356/Buttercream_Frosting59669.shtml)

6 tablespoons butter, softened

cocoa powder, see below

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For light chocolate frosting use 1/3 cup cocoa powder. For medium chocolate frosting use 1/2 cup cocoa powder. For dark chocolate frosting use 3/4 cup cocoa powder.  In mixer bowl cream the butter. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency adding more milk if needed. Blend in vanilla.

Photos by Teale Photography

The BEST Skinny Margarita!

As summertime approaches, we all start being a little more mindful of what we eat and drink. We take in more fruits and veggies and less comfort foods and cookies.  That is why this Skinny Margarita is seriously amazing, it is full of all natural, healthy ingredients (well outside of the Tequila!) and tastes fantastic.

Skinny Margarita

recipe adapted from cookieandkate.com

Ingredients

-Kosher Salt

-2 Ounces (1/4 cup) of Silver Tequila-I used Hornitas 100% Agave

3 Tablespoons (about 1 1/2 limes) Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

2-3 Tablespoons  Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

(about a half of a medium Orange or a quarter of a large Orange)

1 teaspoon of light Agave Nectar

Lime round or wedge for garnish

Start by prepping your margarita glasses. Pour a generous amount of salt on a small plate.  Take a small slice of lime and run around the rim of the glass.  Run the edge of your glass in a circle around the plate at an angle to get desired amount of salt.  Fill your glass with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all the ingredients above. Shake, shake, shake your cocktail shaker for about 20 seconds or so and then pour your tasty skinny margarita into your salt rimmed glass. 

Enjoy your Skinny Margarita, guilt free, out on the patio with a good book, in the sunshine-while your baby is napping......It's almost like being on vacation. :)

Salute!

Kara, Kate and Kacey

Antipasto Kabobs

This past weekend we hosted a Kentucky Derby Party, complete with Mint Juleps, hats and smoked pulled pork sandwiches.  We had a bunch of appetizers to munch on before race time and this is seriously one of the easiest and tastiest appetizers you can bring to your next party.  

2 packages genoa salami-pre sliced or order from the deli counter

2 packages of marinated small mozzarella balls

1 container of peppadew peppers

1 large package of cheese tortellni-cooked to package instructions and then marinated in Italian dressing prior to placing on skewer

1 container of olives (I omit this ingredient-but most people LOVE olives)

1 package of skewers

Cut the salami in half so you can get "two pieces" out of each slice

Cut small Mozzarella balls in half as well

Place ingredients on skewers in whatever order is most pleasing to you!

And there you have it....Easy Antipasto Appetizer.  It's a serious crowd pleaser. These are definitely on the top of our "what to bring to a party" list!
*My son deleted my photo of my skewers from the party-soooooo I had to find an image to share with you. :) Oops!

image via

Mangia!

Kara, Kate and Kacey

Speedy Chicken Enchiladas

My husband taught me this recipe when we were first married!  It is extremely quick and easy - once again perfect for a week night.  If he can do it, so can you :) (Love ya, honey!)

Speedy Chicken Enchiladas

*Makes 1 9x13 pan of enchiladas - serves 4-5

1 Rotisserie Chicken

1 can Red Enchilada Sauce (14 oz can is plenty, I use Medium heat)

10 Corn Tortillas

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Canned or Frozen Corn

Black Beans

Cumin

Garlic Salt

Shredded Lettuce

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: salsa, sour cream, taco sauce, etc.

1.) Shred the meat from the rotisserie chicken and place in a bowl.

2.) Spray your 9x13 pan. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

3.) Create your assembly line: line up a bowl of shredded cheese, 

a bowl chicken, and a bowl of enchilada sauce.  Dip a tortilla in enchilada sauce.  

Add chicken and cheese, and roll up the tortilla placing it seam side down in oven pan.

4.) Continue dipping, filling, and rolling tortillas until pan is full (about 10 enchiladas).

5.) Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas.  

Sprinkle more cheddar cheese on top.

6.) Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 10 minutes.  Take off foil, and continue to bake 

for another 10 minutes - or until the tortillas and cheese get a little crispy.

7.)  While tortillas are warming, heat up the black beans (sprinkled with garlic salt and ground cumin to taste) and the corn.  Shred the lettuce.

8.) Serve enchiladas with corn, beans, and lettuce on top.  Add any extras - sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, your pick!

Happy Wednesday!

Our DIY Painted Shelves were featured on We Like To Learn As We Go!

Check it out!!

Hand Down Best "Made From Scratch Pancakes" Recipe!

Why not treat yourself this weekend and make these can't miss pancakes? They are just as easy as using a pre-made batter mix, but infinitely more tasty.  Serve them classic style with butter and syrup OR eat them like we do up at the lake - butter and a layer of sugar.  

So. Worth. It.

Hand Down Best "Made From Scratch Pancakes" Recipe

Makes 8 pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/4 cups skim milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
blueberries Optional

1.) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 

baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. 

2.) Make a well in the center of dry mix, and pour in the milk, egg, 

vanilla and melted butter.  Mix until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat. 

Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using 

approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.  If using blueberries
add a couple to each pancake before you flip.

Let both sides of the pancake get golden brown, and serve hot.

Mmm Mmm Mmm,

Kate

Ginger Beef and Kale Stir Fry

Healthy, quick, delicious!  Make this Stir fry tonight, you won't be sorry.

Ginger Beef and Kale Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Marinade

2/3 cup low sodium Soy Sauce (Green lid!)

1 cup broth (chicken, vegetable - your choice)

5 tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 tbsp corn starch

4 tsp ground ginger

fresh ground black pepper

Stir Fry

1 lb. flank steak, cut into thin slices

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz (1 small box) white button mushrooms

1 bunch organic Kale

1 organic red pepper, thinly sliced

Garlic Salt

1.) Whisk together all marinade ingredients and pour in a plastic bag with sliced steak. 

Let marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to a few hours.

2.)  Pour olive oil into a large saute pan. 

Add garlic and saute at med-hi for a minute.  

Using a slotted spoon, remove steak from plastic bag and put in pan (Save marinade).  

Saute for 5 minutes, or until cooked through.

3.)  Remove steak from pan, and set aside.  Toss in kale, mushrooms, 

red pepper, and the rest of the marinade plus a sprinkle of garlic salt.  

Stir often until kale begins to wilt and the sauce thickens.  Add steak back in 

and stir for another 3-5 minutes.

Serve stir-fry over a big pot of brown rice.

enjoy!

Kate

Healthy Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt, Honey, Apple, and Avocado

Coming up with different ways to get my fruits and veggies can be routine sometimes.  I loooooove Chicken Salad, but I don't always like to eat all that Mayo...as much as I love mayo:)

I decided to experiment with Greek Yogurt today for lunch...Here's what I came up with!!

Healthy Chicken Salad:

1 cup of shredded or chopped chicken breast

(I used Rotisserie today!)

1 small can water chestnuts, chopped

1/2 chopped Organic Fuji Apple

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 TBSP chopped walnuts or almonds

1 avocado, chopped

3/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 TBSP fresh Honey

1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar

1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

1 TBSP White Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix it all together and voila!  It's delicious with a brown rice cake, stuff it in a Pita, or have a sandwich with some whole wheat bread and lettuce!

Mangia Mangia!

Kacey

Lime Chicken with Avocado-Cilantro Salsa

Baked or grilled chicken breast is a staple at our house.  I get tired of the same old recipes, however.  Finding different "salsas" or toppings to spoon over chicken keeps things feeling fresh!  We loved this Cilantro Lime inspired salsa!

Lime Marinated Chicken Breast with Avocado Cilantro Salsa

SERVES: 4

4 organic Chicken Breasts

2 1/2 tbsp minced cilantro (fresh)

3 tbsp lime juice (fresh squeezed if possible)

1 1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Salsa

1 avocado diced

1 cup chopped tomato (seeds removed)

2 tsp finely chopped onion 

3 tsp finely chopped cilantro

3 tsp fresh lime juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.) Marinate the chicken by combining the first 5 ingredients.  

Whisk together the olive oil, cilantro, and lime juice and add 

chicken breast. Let marinate for as long as you can, at least 15 minutes.

2.) Remove chicken and place in sprayed pan. Sprinkle chicken with salt to season.

3.) Either grill chicken until done OR cover with foil and bake in oven at 375 degrees 

for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

4.) Salsa time! Combine the diced avocado, chopped tomato, chopped onion, 

additional chopped cilantro, lime juice in a bowl.  Add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Serve Chicken with Salsa spooned on top.

I paired our chicken with a with a Mexican Style Quinoa:

Mexican Style Quinoa

cooked quinoa (made from 1 cup dry Quinoa)

1 can of black beans

2 tsp finely diced onion

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

2-3 limes - squeezed in quinoa

Garlic Salt

1.) Mix together all ingredients.  Season with garlic salt (or regular salt).

Gwyneth+Conscious Uncoupling+Healthy Side Dish!

I have always had a little crush on Gwyneth Paltrow.  First came Shakespeare in Love, then she married Coldplay front man Chris Martin (!), and then I became a bit obsessed with her healthy lifestyle and her fabulous blog GOOP.  So imagine my surprise when I got my usual GOOP email on Tuesday, and I couldn't open it.....it said the server had crashed.  What?  I continued on making my other daily internet stops and I read that Gwyneth and Chris are "Consciously Uncoupling".......say what?? I guess announcing that news on your website would make it crash when you are Gwyneth Paltrow. 

Conscious Uncoupling......that's a new one......apparently they released the news while in the Caribbean......vacationing...... as a family. 

Huh......

So that must be what "consciously uncoupling" looks like. 

Ok then.  :)

So anyway.......in lieu of the news of their "uncoupling",  I thought it was the perfect time to share my absolute favorite recipe from her It's All Good cookbook.  :)

Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas with Mustard+Parsley

Ingredients

14oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained and dried with a kitchen towel

1 head of cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon seeded mustard

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar-all I had on hand)

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley (I didn't have this so I didn't add)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle.  Toss the Chickpeas and Cauliflower with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Roast veggies for about 45 minutes stirring around occasionally until veggies are a golden/dark brown and cauliflower is soft. 

While veggies are roasting mix together the mustards, vinegar and 1/4 cup of olive oil with another big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. While the veggies are still warm toss them with the mustard dressing and parsley. 

You can serve warm or at room temperature. 

This is seriously delicious, and even the husband loved it. 

If you are looking for a healthy side dish I absolutely recommend this. So yummy!

xo,

Kara

Insalata Mista with Grilled Chicken Breast

Spring is upon us!  Even if it's not quite showing it's warmth yet - let's coax it on in with a fresh, spring-like salad, shall we?  This is one of my favorites.  Insalata Mista means mixed salad in Italian.  You can use whatever veggies you want.  The key is to use the freshest ingredients possible. Wash them early so they have time to dry off, and don't put them in the refrigerator (until after you've used what you need for the meal.)

We steamed a couple of artichokes to munch on before dinner.  Then I melted butter with some Italian herbs and mixed up some mayo with Italian salad dressing for 2 different and tasty dips. Be sure to save  the hearts to put in the salad.

Insalata Mista

Serves 4

Arugula

2 Artichoke hearts, sliced 

2 Tomatoes, cut in quarters

8 oz Oyster or trumpet mushrooms

Leafy greens

1 bunch of Asparagus

Fresh Parmesan, shaved

4 Organic chicken breasts

fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

1.) Roast the asparagus.  Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle trimmed stalks with 

olive oil and salt. Place in oven and roast for about 10 minutes.  

2.) Mix together the arugula, leafy greens, sliced mushrooms and asparagus.

3.) Thinly slice the saved artichoke hearts and toss in salad.

4.) Shave fresh Parmesan on top.  

5.) Dish out salad equally among plates.  Place sliced tomatoes along the edge of the plate.

Grilled Chicken Breasts

I grabbed some rosemary from our rosemary bush out back and infused extra virgin olive oil with it for a few hours.  I brushed the rosemary/oil over the chicken breasts and seasoned them with a little salt and pepper.  Then we grilled them up on the outside grill.  Slice up the meat, and divide among salads.

Dressing

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper

1.) Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle dressing all over salad and tomatoes.

I picked up fresh baked bread from the Italian restaurant down the street.  It's brushed with olive oil, garlic, and herbs de provence.

This meal pairs perfectly with a crisp, white wine - Roero Arneis is a great choice. 

And why not top off the night with espressos on the porch...

Cheers!

Kate

Linking To:
The Chicken Chick
Creatively Living

Chicken, Pesto, and Mozzarella Paninis

So now that I have my fresh pesto made (see yesterday's easy recipe!), I'm ready to make these delicious Chicken, Pesto, and Mozzarella Paninis.

I recommend getting yourself a Panini press.  There are a lot of affordable options out there, and they take your sandwich skills up a notch - Panini is so much fancier then toasted, right?  I use the Cuisinart Griddler Panini and Sandwich Press.  However, if you don't have a panini press - don't despair! These would be just as delicious with the bread toasted in a toaster.

Chicken, Pesto and Mozzarella Panini

Grilled or baked (organic!) chicken*

Fresh Basil Pesto

8 oz ball of mozzarella

fresh Italian bread

arugula

sliced tomato (optional)

1.) Slice your grilled or baked chicken into thin slices.

2.) Slice mozzarella ball into thin slices.

3.) Assemble sandwich: Spread fresh pesto on 2 pieces of Italian crusty bread.

Layer on sliced chicken, mozzarella, tomato, and arugula.

4.) Place in panini press and lower top.

5.) Periodically check on sandwich....remove sandwich when cheese is melted and 

grill lines look dark, but not burned.

*Easy baked chicken:

Season 2 breasts with garlic salt and tony chachere's seasoning.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover chicken with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Fresh Basil Pesto

Fresh pesto is one of my favorite springtime and especially summertime recipes.  Made with home grown basil straight out of the garden? Delish!  As we are all coming down off of the St. Paddy's day high, I thought we could usher in almost Spring with some fresh pesto. Store bought basil will do the trick until your fresh basil grows a little bigger in the garden.

This pesto goes great on paninis, crostinis - basically anything ending in "ini" :)  This recipe is simple and so much tastier than store bought pesto.  It makes quite a bit, so be sure to freeze left over pesto in ice cube trays.  Then you can pop them out whenever you want to whip up a quick batch of Pesto Chicken Pasta, or make Chicken, mozzarella and pesto paninis  (check back tomorrow for that recipe!)

xo,

Kate, Kara, and Kacey

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese or parmesan reggiano

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.  Using a food processor, combine the basil and pine nuts. 

2.) Add garlic and pulse

3.) With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

4.) Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the cheese and pulse.

5.) Toss in salt and pepper to taste and pulse to desired final consistency.

Linking to:

Mabey She Made It

Gramma's Chicken Piccata

Chicken has been feeling so boring and played out to me lately, so I decided I would try something new and different.  I have had my Gramma's Chicken Piccata recipe for years, and thought I should give it a whirl.

I love that I have a recipe or two that my Gramma Gilbert wrote for me.  It makes it special to see her handwriting and know I am making a recipe that she loved too. She was such an amazing cook, and while she doesn't cook anymore, I still have some favorite dishes that she has taught us how to make.  One of my favorites was her chokecherry jelly. You can check out our attempt at jelly here.

I made just a few changes to this recipe. 

Enjoy~

Ingredients

1 to 1 and a half pounds of chicken breasts

Flour-enough for coating the chicken

3 TBS of butter

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups of low sodium chicken broth

1 small jar of Capers- the amount you use can vary based on how much you LOVE capers. if you are like me you will use 3 big spoonfuls
salt and pepper

Start by pounding chicken to a uniform thickness of about 1 inch thick.  Salt and Pepper the chicken to your liking and then coat both sides with flour.  Melt butter in the skillet on medium/high heat and then brown chicken. 

Remove the chicken from the skillet and add lemon juice and chicken broth to the skillet. Boil down to about half a cup. I didn't measure this, but rather judged the amount based on the thickness of the broth. 

Place chicken back in the skillet with the capers and cook another 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

I chose to make a very basic pasta to serve on the side- whole wheat penne, olive oil, basil and parm.  The light flavor blended perfectly with the Chicken Piccata.

xo,

Kara



Delicious Deviled Eggs

I'm a sucker for a great deviled egg.  I love how pretty they look all gathered together...spring colors of yellow and white and orange sprinkled on top! And they are just so darn tasty, too.  I can pop these things in like m and m's.  Seriously.  If you want one, you have to move fast.

A lot of events are coming up that may require the perfect deviled eggs...Easter, Baby showers, spring brunches, Mother's Day!  Deviled eggs are a fab addition to any brunch meal.

Deeeee-lish!

Delicious Deviled Eggs 

(made with 1 dozen eggs)

1.) Hard boil 12 eggs.  

Click here to get the instructions on how to hard boil the perfect egg...easy to peel shell and all!

2.)  Once cool, peel all the eggs.  

3.) Gently slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yoke,

and set aside in a bowl.

4.) Add to yokes 2 heaping tablespoons of Yellow Mustard, 

2 heaping tablespoons of Light Mayo,

1 heaping tablespoon of Light Ranch Dressing, 

and a splash of Italian Salad Dressing (optional).

Mix together.

5.) Spoon the mixture into a small plastic Ziploc bag. With scissors, 

snip off a small corner of the bag. Squeeze the deviled egg mix 

into each waiting egg half.

6.) Sprinkle with Paprika.

***WARNING: I should have taken 24 little deviled eggs over to a recent event I attended.

Ahem.  Only 20 went over.  Oops.***

xo,

Kate, Kara, and Kacey

Linking to:
Creatively Living Blog
Say Not Sweet Anne
Rae Gun Ramblings
I Should be Mopping The Floor
Huckleberry Love

Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Anthropologie Half Dozen Egg Crate

Doesn't it just frost your cookies when you hard boil eggs, and then when you try to peel them, it's like world war 3??  No? Hmmm, well I was on a mission to figure out the best way to hard boil eggs, while making them easy to peel when the time came to eat them.  See recipe below - it's no fail!

***TIP: The older the eggs, the easier they peel too. Use up your older eggs first!

Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

1.) Place eggs in pot large enough so eggs can lay in one layer.

2.) Cover eggs by at least an inch with cool to 

room temperature water.  Bring water to a boil.

3.) Let water boil for 2-3 minutes.  Then turn off heat.

4.) Cover the pot and let the eggs sit in the water for 13 more minutes.

5.) When 13 minutes are up, dump out hot water and

immediately cover eggs with cold water again.  Let eggs cool in water.

6.) Refrigerate immediately, or peel to make Deviled Eggs!

Stove Top Popcorn

Who doesn't love popcorn?  It is one of my favorite snacks.  But don't dare give me microwave popcorn - not when the real, stove top version is so easy to make.  And healthier!

Stove Top Popcorn

corn kernels

oil (corn oil is my fav.  Healthier oil options are olive oil or canola oil)

salt

other seasonings (optional)

1.) Pour just enough oil to skim the bottom of your pot.

2.) Sprinkle out corn kernels until they cover the bottom of the pot.

3.) Cover pot with lid.  Turn heat on high.

4.) As kernels begin to "pop" gently shake the pot so they don't burn.

*Keep puppy from going nuts once she hears the "Pop! Pop! Pop!"

**This is a near impossible task :)

5.) Once popping has significantly slowed, remove from heat and pour into bowl.

6.) Add seasonings to your liking!

Be sure to experiment with other seasonings and oils.  Infused oils impart their flavors to the kernels.  You can also use different seasonings - I like Lawrys salt, truffle salts, lemon peppers...the options are endless.

I had a particularly long day yesterday.  Fresh popped popcorn, a vanilla candle, and my DVR were just the medicine I needed to make that long day melt away.  Billy gave me this charming popcorn tub last year - you can pick up your own here.

Then there's always this one - popcorn is Cali's favorite snack too.  And don't worry, we worked on our "toss it in the air/catch it in your mouth" game...we are pros now!!

xo,

Kate

Sauteed Chicken and Quinoa with water chestnuts and dried cranberries

A quick, easy and delicious meal on the run...

Ingredients (feeds 2-4):

2 organic chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 cup cooked Quinoa

1/4 cup chopped green onions/scallions

1 8oz water chestnuts, chopped

1/2 can chickpeas

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 avocado, sliced thin

Goat cheese to taste

Saute chicken in garlic salt and olive oil.  As the chicken is nearing done, add in scallions, water chestnuts, and chickpeas to warm up and sear slightly.  Toss the ingredients in a big bowl and let goat cheese add a creamy flavor.  The Cranberries add a yummy sweetness, but if you want a little more flavor, feel free to add this honey mustard vinaigrette on top!

It's a great warm weeknight dinner when your family is on the go.  Healthy and delicious!

Mangia!!

Kara, Kate, and Kacey

Oversize Blueberry Muffins (with Crumble Topping)

I haven't had too many cravings while I've been pregnant.  Mostly I've noticed that things I normally love to eat I just cannot even stand to think about now.  However last week I saw a commercial on TV that featured giant, steaming blueberry muffins coming out of the oven.  I could not stop thinking about them!  Luckily I had all the ingredients in my kitchen to whip up a batch of delicious homemade muffins right then and there.  We always keep frozen blueberries in the freezer to use for smoothies...fate? I think so :)

Homemade Blueberry Muffins 

(with Crumble Topping)

Makes 12 oversize muffins

Muffins:

3 cups Flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tsps baking powder

2/3 cups vegetable oil

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2 cups frozen (or fresh) Blueberries

Crumble Topping:

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1.) Grease regular muffin tin with Pam.  Even if you use cupcake liners, 

be sure to grease the top of the pan as these muffins 

really "pop-over". Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.  

In a separate mixing cup, mix together vegetable oil, eggs, and milk.  

Pour liquid mixture into dry mix and gently combine. 

Fold in blueberries until just mixed through.

3.) Pour batter into muffin cups - all the way to the top!

4.) Combine all Crumble topping ingredients (sugar, flour, 

butter, cinnamon) with a fork.  Sprinkle over top of muffins.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes until done.

These are SO easy to make! And leaps and bounds tastier than muffin-in-a-box mix.  Next time the craving hits, I will be whipping these babies up....hmmm.  Looks like I'm headed into the kitchen to make them now!