PB & J Muffins

Good Morning! Here's a yummy breakfast that the whole family can enjoy. I found this delicious recipe on Baking Bites, a blog I like to lurk at. These muffins feature one of those classic flavor combinations that you just can't go wrong with - peanut butter and jam!


PB & J Muffins
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy, but I want to try it with crunchy as well)
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
approx 1/3 cup jam (I used some homemade apricot jam)

Preheat oven to 375F and line a muffin tin with paper liners (I do suggest using the liners instead of just greasing - the jam could leak out and stick to the tin, making a big mess. Liners are easier, and you can get plain ones that are really inexpensive).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, eggs and milk until smooth. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Fill each cup of the prepared muffin tin about halfway up with batter. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of jam and cover with remaining batter. Each muffin cup (of a standard 12-cup muffin tin) should be filled to the top (I actually prefer these not quite filled to the top - I don't like dealing with spillover. If you have leftover batter, pour it into a greased microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for a few minutes until the top springs back when you touch it. Voila - instant bowl-shaped muffin!).

Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the top of the muffin springs back when lightly pressed. Cool on a wire rack.

My Kitchen My World - Lithuania

This is my first entry in the My Kitchen My World blogging event. I'm actually not even on the blogroll yet, but this event just looked too fun to not participate. Andrea of Nummy Kitchen chose Lithuania as the country of choice this week. I wasn't really clear on the rules of the event. I think I'm supposed to make an actual meal from the featured country, but I didn't realize that and instead made little Lithuanian pastries. Next time I'll be sure to do an actual meal.


Ausukes ("little ears" - Lithuanian pastries)
2 eggs
3 tbsp. sweet cream (I substituted whole milk)
1 tbsp. sugar
About 1 3/4 cups pastry flour (I used all-purpose)

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cream. Add enough flour to make a dough which can be rolled very thin. Cut into diamond shapes. Slash the center of each diamond, twist one end through the hole to form a knot. Fry in hot fat until lightly browned. Drain on absorbent paper. Dust with powdered sugar.

Note 1: Check the hot oil before frying to make sure it's the right temperature. Toss in a scrap of dough or two (okay, don't toss it. Set it in gently and stand back). If the dough just sits there and maybe bubbles half-heartedly, your oil probably needs to heat a bit more. If it pops and hisses and oil jumps out at you and the scrap starts burning within seconds, turn the heat down. If the dough starts bubbling merrily, and is nicely browned in about half a minute or so (maybe less), then the oil is just about right.

Note 2: These cook up really quickly. I learned that it's best to cook them in small batches. I would put in four little pastries, and by the time all four were in the oil, it was time to start turning them over. By the time I was done turning them, they were ready to be taken out and sugared.

Note 3: These were yummy! They didn't last very long because we kept snatching them as they finished cooking. You see this plate of ausukes? I ate the whole thing, and then some, in just a few minutes. Tasty little pastries!


Check out the My Kitchen My World website to see what yummy Lithuanian dishes that other (official) members of this event prepared!

A Cheap Picnic Lunch

Another delicious Frugal Fridays meal (create a meal for 4 under $10). But this one is a little bit different from what we normally do...

We went out for a picnic at the park this afternoon. Even though we really didn't start planning this picnic until about 12:15 this afternoon, we were determined that we would have lunch at the park. Problem was, we didn't really have any picnic-appropriate foods readily available. So here's what we did:

Picnic Lunch
Go to Albertson's. Select at the deli:
1 4-piece chicken meal (2 thigh, 2 drumstick) - $2.99
1/2 pound macaroni salad on sale for 20% off - $1.10
1 pkg. 4 King's Hawaiian Rolls - $1.10

As you approach check-out lane, make impulse dessert purchase:
1 Oreo Go-Pak on sale - $1

Drive to park, spread out your homemade denim quilt, and chow down!

Total price (including 6% sales tax): $6.56

This was one of the most spendy meals we've done in a long time. As we tossed the Oreos in the cart I felt like such a spend-thrift! But every once in a while, it's good to splurge just a little bit, and have a good time with your family. Tomorrow it's back to eating frugal, home cooked, delicious meals. :-)

Summer Produce, Autumn Flavor!

Yesterday Jeff and I talked about how fun it would be to try to make a pumpkin pie using summer squash in place of the pumpkin. So today, that's what I did. This really is a neat idea - we are still having a bumper crop of crookneck yellow squash, and are looking for unique ways to use them. This pie allowed us to use up several squash, and have a taste of autumn at the same time!

This pie really did end up tasting delicious. It was slightly different from a real pumpkin pie - in color, texture, and flavor. But it was wonderful in its own right. So if you've got a lot of summer squash to use, and are in the mood for fall flavor, give this pie a try. You'll be glad you did.

Summer Squash Custard Pie (or Mock Pumpkin Pie)
Several yellow summer squash
Single pie crust, partially baked (see below)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or use 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, and 1/4 tsp. cloves)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

Cut up summer squash and place in saucepan. Add water, not quite covering the squash. Heat to boiling and cook until squash is tender. Drain. Place squash in blender and puree. If necessary, add water 1 tbsp. at a time. Add as little water as possible, because too much will change the texture of the pie. Allow squash to cool.

While squash is cooling, prepare your crust. Any regular pie crust recipe will work, or use frozen. Partially prebake crust to keep it from getting soggy: Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Heat oven to 425 and bake foil-lined crust for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 2-4 minutes until crust is just barely starting to brown. Press down any bubbles with a fork. Don't prick the crust, though; you don't want filling leaking through.

To make filling, lightly beat eggs in medium mixing bowl. Measure 1 1/2 cups pureed squash, and add to bowl along with remaining ingredients. Mix well, and pour into crust. To prevent spillage, place crust on oven rack and then pour or spoon in the filling. Place a large baking sheet on the rack under the pie to catch any spills that might occur while cooking.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 and bake an additional 45 minutes, until butter knife inserted near center comes out clean. You can line the edges of the crust with foil for the first 30 to 45 minutes of baking time to prevent over-browning. I didn't, because I didn't really have an edge of crust to protect.

Let cool on wire rack two hours before slicing and serving. Pie can be kept at room temperature for 2-4 hours after this, but then should be covered and stored in refrigerator.


I really wanted to serve this with whipped cream or ice cream. But we don't have any at the moment. That's okay - this was good even without it!


See how nicely it held its shape? This pie was just beautiful.


I'm submitting this recipe to the I Love Baking blog event. Yum!

Cocoa Mix / Chocolate Milk

I have a guest blogger today - my dear hubby Jeff. He made this yummy treat and wrote up this post.

This is Jeff here.

Stephanie recently came home from an enrichment activity where they were shown recipes and uses for powdered milk. One of the recipes was for hot chocolate mix and it mentioned that you could also chill it.

I love chocolate milk and this recipe rules! This is the second time that I made it. The first time I only made a half gallon (big mistake - it was too good to only make a half gallon). This time I made a whole gallon. It's good warm, it's good cold. Try it, enjoy it, love it.


Instant Cocoa Mix
4 cups instant powdered milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup non-dairy creamer (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

To make cocoa mix - Combine ingredients and store until ready to use. Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 1/2 cups hot water.

To make chocolate milk - Mix together 11 cups of water, powdered milk, sugar, cocoa, creamer, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan with a wire whisk. Heat on medium until warm, just before boiling. Don't let the mixture boil or you'll scald the milk. Pour into a gallon sized container and chill in the refrigerator. Mix before serving each time as the mixture will settle.


Sorry, I just had to include this picture. I just got my Clinical Laboratory Science diploma, and wanted to display it!

Skillet Apple Cake

I hung out at my mom's house yesterday because my sister was visiting. Mom happened to have several slightly-past-ripe apples in her fruit bowl that needed to be used. I jumped at the chance! Southern Plate just recently did a whole week of apple recipes, and every single post made me drool my head off. I was so excited to have the chance to try one of her delicious-looking recipes. I've been wanting to do more autumn-flavored foods in honor of the change in seasons, and thought that one of Christy's apple recipes would be the perfect start. This is the one I chose, and I'm so thrilled with how delicious it was!


Skillet Apple Cake

1/3 cup margarine or butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
5-6 apples, sliced and peeled
Chopped pecans
1 cup self rising flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt)
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. additional melted margarine (I used oil)
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup water
pecans

Melt butter in skillet. Stir in 2/3 C sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Top with apple slices (in a single layer. This is important so that the cake turns out pretty); cover over medium heat for ten minutes. Top with pecans. In separate bowl, stir together flour, 1/3 C sugar, and 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Combine 3 T melted margarine, egg, milk, and water in separate bowl. Add to flour mixture and mix until just moistened. Spoon over hot apples and pecans. Cover and cook on stove eye for twenty minutes on low heat or until firm to the touch. Turn out onto large plate. DEVOUR! (Those are Christy's exact words. I would add that this is fantastic with ice cream).

A couple notes: I think my skillet was a little too large, and my apple slices too thin, in too many layers. I should have put the apples all in one layer. The cake didn't turn out of the pan neatly. It ended up slightly unsightly, in a huge pile on the platter. But that's just an aesthetic problem - the cake tasted so incredibly delicious no one noticed how funny it looked!


On a different note, I received something really fun in the mail yesterday morning. During her apple week, Christy held a giveaway for her cookbook and an apron made by her mom. And I won! Here I am posing with my fabulous new goodies!

Omnivore's 100

Here’s what you do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.


The Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns - so good!
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - sounds too spicy, I couldn't handle it
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi - doesn't sound good, but I'd try it
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - fried mealworms in a biology class
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu - sounds too dangerous
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - um, eww.
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I thought that I would be able to bold a whole bunch of these, but apparently not. I've only eaten 31 things on the list. I don't drink coffee or alcohol, so immediately crossed out anything related to either. Other items were crossed off simply because they were too gross for me to consider eating!