Baking Muffins

Made muffins today, my DH likes to take them in his lunch for break or instead of dessert.
The first batch are Walnut Blueberry Muffins, these turned out very moist. This was a new recipe and will definitely be a keeper.
The next batch was a White Chocolate Macadamia muffin, these I baked in an 8" square baking pan to make it more of a coffee cake. I have made this recipe before, very good. Especially like the drizzle of white chocolate chips on the top of this one. You may notice there is a piece missing, had to sample!

Was a good day for baking, as the weather has turned cold again, our warm spell is done for now, winter is back. Tomorrow I have to sub in the 4K room~ was glad to see that there will not be recess duty for me! Yeah! Need to finish getting the kitchen back in order and get a snack ready for hubby when he gets home from work, he will enjoy the muffins! I so enjoy the time when he gets home we sit and have a cup of coffee or tea and just visit about our day for a while.

Here are the recipes for the muffins.

Walnut Blueberry Muffins

2/3 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2cups fresh or frozen blueberries
(you could also use raspberries)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.
4. Fold in the blueberries and walnuts. (do not thaw fruit if frozen)
   
5. Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full.
6. Bake at 350 F for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Yield: 1-1/2 dozen

White Chocolate Macadamia Muffins

1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup vanilla or white chips
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Glaze
1/2 cup vanilla or white chips
2 Tbls. heavy whipping cream

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
   
2. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened (I find that it needs just a little bit more milk, maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons).
3. Fold in the chips and nuts.
4. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.
5. Bake at 400 F for 15 -18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack,
7. For glaze, in a small microwave-safe bowl, melt chips with cream; stir until smooth.
8. Drizzle over warm muffins.

Yield: 1 dozen

Weekend Fun

Had our grandsons over this weekend for the night, they had a lot of fun watching some football with grandpa. I got to make lots of goodies for snacks! Also took some time this weekend to do some scapbooking, it was fun. Used my Cricut, have had it for a while but haven't used it much yet, and also found a new (at least to me) page protector sheets that have six flip pockets on the front of it for pictures. So nice for scraping a lot of pictures, this one will hold twelve when you put them back to back) worked great for Christmas pictures.

I had a blast last week at the Christian Book store that is in a town about 2o miles from us that has all kinds of scrapbooking and card supplies. I could spend hours in there and still not see everything, it is packed in every little corner, floor, and on the walls. I did come away with a couple of stamps, papers, new page protectors, and ribbons. Tomorrow I have another Chiro appointment in this town and will be stopping at the quilt shop!!! Really don't need to add any more to my quilting projects, but it is still fun to look and who knows what might be on sale:o)

Our weather is suppose to get a little nasty, hopefully will clear up before tomorrow afternoon.

What fun it was to have my first give away! The past couple of days have been quiet around here. Today I am making bread from the recipe that I have posted before. Also needing to get a couple of things made up for the weekend. Our grandsons are coming over Sunday afternoon to watch the football game with grandpa. Grandson #2 will be cheering for the Vikings! Not sure who everyone else will be cheering for as the Packers are out.

Enjoying having my hubby home with me today, they had to work some different hours this week so he has today off. It is always nice to have him home! Our dd also came home from work early not feeling to well, hopefully she gets better fast.

I am also remembering my niece today, eighteen years ago today my niece who was eight months pregnant with a little girl and her 2 1/2 year old son were killed in a car accident. When I look at her pictures it just doesn't seem like it has been that long and at other times it seems longer. It is so good to know that what ever we face in life God is there with us. We miss them, but what a joy for them to be in the presence of our Lord.

Have a great weekend!

The Winner Is!

All of the names are in a hat and my dh is ready to draw out the winner!

The winner is.......!!!!!!!! Sandra K321!!!!!!

Sandra please email me with your address so that I can get the table runner out to you. Thanks everyone for your comments.

Clearly Inspired Challenge #5

This birthday card is for the Clearly Inspired Challenge. I added an extra layer by using both ribbon and paper. The dp and brads are from the Pink Lemonade Paper Kit from Paper Gardens. The ribbon is sheer dotted swiss also from Paper Gardens. The stamped lady bug image is from Clear Dollar Stamps and colored with Prismacolors and OMS. Sentiment is from Michaels called Everything Happy. Used my Cuttlebug and Nestabilities along with a Martha Stewart edge punch.


You have until Tuesday afternoon (1-19) to leave a comment for my first give away, just one post down.

Announcing My First Giveaway

Here is a picture of the table runner I am giving away.
A disappearing nine patch using a Moda valentines charm pack.
Size 13" x 26"

I have been blogging for three months now and thought it would be fun to have a give away.
If you would like to be in the drawing please leave a comment on this post between now and Tuesday noon.

I will be picking the winner late Tuesday afternoon.

Back to sewing

I was able to find the foot for my machine in town the other day, made me very happy! So I am back to sewing, finished a couple of valentines table runners that I did in a disappearing nine patch, just have to sew the binding down. My plan is to get that done today and post a picture of it for my very first give away...yeah!!!! The post will be tomorrow.

Started laying out a patter for a wall hanging that I am doing for my dd, had a panel of a snowman made up the design to go around it out of four different fat quarters that match. Hoping to get started on the sewing today, have all of my measurements figured out now.

Also finished my very first knitting project a scarf, didn't turn out to bad. I was excited to actually finish something and get it off the needles. Will post a picture later, charging my camera batteries.

Baking & Sewing

Today was going to be a day of sewing for me. Before getting started decided to make cinnamon rolls for my DH. He had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that cinnamon rolls would be good, but at that time we had all of the Christmas cookies and candy around.

The frosting is made from powdered sugar, butter, milk, and maple flavoring (instead of vanilla). They were still warm when he got home from work.

After making the dough the rest of the day was going to be spent sewing, but my machine or should I say the darning foot had other plans for me! I was working on a disappearing nine patch table runner. When I started the free motion quilting the darning foot broke. So tomorrow I am off to see if the local Hancock store has a foot that will work on my machine. My DH found a place on line that we can get one if I can't get it in town. Why is it that it's no problem if you don't sew for a few days, but let something break and it's panic time:o) Hopefully I will be back to sewing tomorrow!

Cinnamon Rolls

3/4 cup milk 80F
1 egg
3 cups flour (used 1/2 whole wheat)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. soft butter
2 tsp. yeast

Filling
1/3 cup butter softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 or 3 tsp. cinnamon (to your taste)

1. Add warm milk, egg, and milk to mixing bowl.
2. Add flour, salt, and yeast.
3. Mix together, then knead for 10 minutes.
4. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm place.
5. Roll dough into a rectangle and spread with the butter, then sprinkle with sugar, and cinnamon. (you can also add walnuts and raisins)
6. Roll dough up tightly on long side. Press edges to seal and form into a 12 inch long, roll. With a knife cut roll into 12 pieces. Place rolls into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
7. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack then drizzle with a powdered sugar icing.

Baking Bread

I love the smell of fresh baked bread! I am working on getting more whole wheat back into our food. The other day I ground up some white wheat and put it into the freezer, I don't grind a lot at a time so it stays fresher and keeps more of its nutrients in it. Slowly adding a little at a time in my backed goods. Here is the bread recipe that I have been using for a while now.

Bread

1cup + 3 Tbsp. water 80 F
2 cups bread flour
1 - 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 - 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 - 1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. dry yeast

1. Add liquid ingredients to pan. (sometimes I have to add a teaspoon or so more water)
2. Add dry ingredients to the liquids.
3. Mix ingredients together, then put dough on a lightly floured service and knead for 10 minutes. ( you put the ingredients in a bread machine on the dough setting or use your kitchen aid mixer)
4. Let rise until double, then punch down and let rise again until doubled.
5. After the second rise punch down and shape into loaf and put in bread pan, let rise.
6. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.
7. Take loaf out of pan and cool on rack, I brush a little Crisco or butter over the top at this time.
Makes a 1 - 1/2 pound loaf.

Have found that I get a lighter bread by letting it rise twice before putting it into a loaf.

Sunday Thoughs

Our Pastor started a series of messages in 1 Peter. Today his message was about how as humans we would like the assurance of health, finances, happiness, for life to be good no problems. We base our happiness on these things so often. In this new year we have no idea what may happen in our life. But if we are a born again believer we have the hope of God and Heaven no matter what may happen to us. When trials come we need to rejoice in God, not get angry at God or question his love for us, but praise him and remember that we are a child of God, nothing can separate us from God.

I may not know what all is going to happen in this new year, but I have a living hope in God. No matter what we face in life if we have accepted Christ as our personal Savior we have a heavenly inheritance, because of the Resurrection of Christ, which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away.

What a blessing to know that no one can take this inheritance away from us. 1Peter 1:5 says, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (King James)

Enjoy the rest of this Lords Day!

Broccoli Ham Ring Recipe

Here is the recipe.

Broccoli Ham Ring

1 cup Ham chopped
1 cup broccoli chopped (fresh)
1/4 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup parsley fresh chopped or 2T dry
1-1/2 cup Swiss cheese shredded
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 packages crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together the all of the ingredients accept the crescent rolls. Separate the crescent rolls into triangles, on a greased sheet arrange the triangles points toward outside, over lap the bases. Spoon filling in a ring evenly over bases of crescent rolls. Fold points up over filling and tuck under bases. Bake for 25 -30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy

Make sure and chop all of the ingredients into very small pieces.

Knitting

Years back I tried to do a little knitting, remember doing the basic knit and purl stitch but never new how to get it off the needles. After searching the internet I found a web sight that has videos that show the basics. Was very help full in refreshing my memory on how to do the basic knit and purl stitches. I have been practicing knitting and purling and was able to bind it off. So exciting for me. My dh has had to work nights at his job the last two nights and also again tonight, so what better time to sit and practice.

Have some soft chunky yarn in an almond mix that I want to try and make a scarf for myself. Tonight my plans are to start it, or should I say start over! Tried starting it last night but some how I was ending up with more stitches on the needle than started with, and my needles were to small for the thickness of my yarn. After much practice today I am ready to give it a try again.

Off to make a broccoli ham ring for supper for my daughter and myself, dh does not like broccoli so good night for us girls to feast on this dish ;o) Have a great evening!

Challenge

Realized that I didn't put all of the information about the card in the last post and I can't figure out how to edit .

I colored the image with Prismacolors and OMS, the blue paper was put through the Cuttlebug using the diamond plate, the words are from a set called Everything Happy.

CIC Card Challenge

Clearly Inspired Challenges has start again for the new year. This challenge was to use brads. I needed to make a birthday card for my brother who is turning 50 in a few days. I used a Golden Oldies image that was sent to me (I added the black balloons) and the paper is from Paper Garden . Used two brads on the tag at the bottom of the card.