Lemon Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dad’s out there.  I’m blessed to have such an awesome one! 🙂  Love you dad!


This is actually not what I made my dad for father’s day, but they’re still yummy and I’ve been meaning to put this recipe up!  They’re delicious muffins and fairly healthy for you!


I surprised my dad with one of his mother’s old coffee cake recipes and he loved it.  I’ll post the recipe soon!

I also made him this card:

He loves McDonalds.  He goes there to get coffee at least twice a day!

How are you all celebrating Father’s Day?

 

Lemon Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
93 cals each!


Ingredients:


1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup applesauce 
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/3 cup dried fruit (I used blueberry infused craisins… umm YUM)
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. 2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir ingredients just until moistened.
4. Fold in dried fruit and chocolate chips.
5. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups by the tablespoon.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before 
removing from pans to wire racks.

Mother’s Day!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM!  Love you!

And to all of the other mother’s out there! 🙂

All I can say is that I’m very lucky.

And that our day consisted of this:

Come back for recipes of the above yummyness.

P.S. If you get a chance, go check out my guest post on Delightfully Dowling and join her linky party!  Thanks, Kristin. 🙂

White Chocolate Frosting

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! 🙂


I hope you’re all wearing green.  

 Yes, I’m aware that I look 12, but I’m makin’ St. Patty proud.


Anyway, I hope you’re all celebrating!


I am…

I made you green cupcakes… I wish I could share!  

That may or may not be the same bow from my hair…

But instead, I’ll just keep posting pictures because I took about a billion… approximately.

These are the same cupcakes I made a couple of days ago, but instead of chocolate chips, I used white chocolate, instead of chocolate frosting, I used white chocolate frosting, instead of yellow cake I used white cake, and I used food coloring to dye the cookie dough green!  

This frosting is seriously THE BEST FROSTING I’VE EVER HAD!!!!  Yes, I’m screaming at you.  Seriously, I have no words to describe it because I couldn’t do it justice.  Just make it… you have to. You don’t even need to make something else to put this on, just eat it.  You + white chocolate frosting + spoon =  blissss.  I promise. I tested the equation, it’s accurate.   Call me 


P.S. Thanks for all the comments, guys!  I love comments… it’s like getting a letter.  I get so excited every time I read a new one.  But anyway, my p.s. was meant for this question: Does anyone know how to set the comment section up so I can reply individually to each comment instead of having to post my own separate comment?  Help me, I’m not so tech savvy.


P.P.S.  Q: How can you tell if an Irishman is having a good time?  A: He’s Dublin over with laughter!

White Chocolate Frosting
Jessica at How Sweet It Is
Ingredients

1 stick of butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate (I used six segments of vanilla almond bark and melted it with a tablespoon of oil to make the consistency thinner)

1-2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

Instructions
Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla.
Slowly add in powdered sugar on low speed.
Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated.
If at this point it’s not at desired consistency, add in milk a teaspoon at a time on low speed.

White Chocolate Frosting

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! 🙂


I hope you’re all wearing green.  

 Yes, I’m aware that I look 12, but I’m makin’ St. Patty proud.


Anyway, I hope you’re all celebrating!


I am…

I made you green cupcakes… I wish I could share!  

That may or may not be the same bow from my hair…

But instead, I’ll just keep posting pictures because I took about a billion… approximately.

These are the same cupcakes I made a couple of days ago, but instead of chocolate chips, I used white chocolate, instead of chocolate frosting, I used white chocolate frosting, instead of yellow cake I used white cake, and I used food coloring to dye the cookie dough green!  

This frosting is seriously THE BEST FROSTING I’VE EVER HAD!!!!  Yes, I’m screaming at you.  Seriously, I have no words to describe it because I couldn’t do it justice.  Just make it… you have to. You don’t even need to make something else to put this on, just eat it.  You + white chocolate frosting + spoon =  blissss.  I promise. I tested the equation, it’s accurate.   Call me 


P.S. Thanks for all the comments, guys!  I love comments… it’s like getting a letter.  I get so excited every time I read a new one.  But anyway, my p.s. was meant for this question: Does anyone know how to set the comment section up so I can reply individually to each comment instead of having to post my own separate comment?  Help me, I’m not so tech savvy.


P.P.S.  Q: How can you tell if an Irishman is having a good time?  A: He’s Dublin over with laughter!

White Chocolate Frosting
Jessica at How Sweet It Is
Ingredients

1 stick of butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate (I used six segments of vanilla almond bark and melted it with a tablespoon of oil to make the consistency thinner)

1-2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

Instructions
Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla.
Slowly add in powdered sugar on low speed.
Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated.
If at this point it’s not at desired consistency, add in milk a teaspoon at a time on low speed.

Mardi Gras King Cake (lemon/cream cheese filling)

 
The first time I had a King Cake, it was Christmas and I was a little girl.

Christmas is already exciting as it is, especially as a little girl, but that particular year we were having a new dessert, which was even more exciting.  I had never even heard of King Cake before, but it had colored sprinkles, so I was all for it.  I’m not even really sure why we were having it since a King Cake is a Mardi Gras related dessert.  My dad picked it…

When my uncle passed around the cake to everyone, my dad told us that one piece had a plastic baby in it (apparently, the baby is meant to signify Baby Jesus) and whoever got the baby would have good luck for the rest of the year. 

I was super stoked when I bit into Baby Jesus; so excited, that I saved the baby…. and I still have it.  Since I don’t have any plastic babies conveniently laying around the house, I used the same one in one of the cakes I made today.  I used a pecan in the other cake.

After I had that cake at Christmas, I was obsessed with it.  I kept thinking about it and my dad even got me one for my birthday a couple of years ago.  So, I’m pretty happy that Mardi Gras has given me a reason to make this cake this year! 

The recipe I found was basically a cinnamon roll recipe, but I remember the cakes I had having a little bit of a creamy, lemony taste to them, so I adapted the recipe and it turned out well. It takes a little bit of time because the dough has to rise twice, but it’s worth it.  I don’t know if it’s because it reminds me of my childhood, or what, but it’s delicious.  However, next time I think I’ll try and find a flakier pastry recipe.  The one I used had more of a cinnamon roll texture. 

Happy Mardi Gras!  Are there any foods that remind you of childhood?


P.S. Don’t forget to comment on my Giveaway!

 I used whole wheat pastry flour, which is why mine looks a little darker.

 Best part!

 Hello, Baby!

 
King Cake (lemon/cream cheese filling)
adapted from All Recipes

**Makes TWO 

Pastry:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, at room temp.
• 1/2 tsp lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar, or sweetener to taste

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I left out)
• Optional: 1/2 cup raisins (I left out)

Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
5. To Make Filling: Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, add in the lemon and sugar and mix until incorporated.  
6. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches or so). 
7. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and sprinkle brown sugar, nuts, and raisins on top. 
8. Roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the long side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake (You can use a pecan, or something, too). 
10. To make icing, mix water and powdered sugar.
11. Frost while warm.  Add sprinkles! 🙂

 P.S. I got the pecan!!

 I take back what I said before; eating it is the best part.

Mardi Gras King Cake (lemon/cream cheese filling)

 
The first time I had a King Cake, it was Christmas and I was a little girl.

Christmas is already exciting as it is, especially as a little girl, but that particular year we were having a new dessert, which was even more exciting.  I had never even heard of King Cake before, but it had colored sprinkles, so I was all for it.  I’m not even really sure why we were having it since a King Cake is a Mardi Gras related dessert.  My dad picked it…

When my uncle passed around the cake to everyone, my dad told us that one piece had a plastic baby in it (apparently, the baby is meant to signify Baby Jesus) and whoever got the baby would have good luck for the rest of the year. 

I was super stoked when I bit into Baby Jesus; so excited, that I saved the baby…. and I still have it.  Since I don’t have any plastic babies conveniently laying around the house, I used the same one in one of the cakes I made today.  I used a pecan in the other cake.

After I had that cake at Christmas, I was obsessed with it.  I kept thinking about it and my dad even got me one for my birthday a couple of years ago.  So, I’m pretty happy that Mardi Gras has given me a reason to make this cake this year! 

The recipe I found was basically a cinnamon roll recipe, but I remember the cakes I had having a little bit of a creamy, lemony taste to them, so I adapted the recipe and it turned out well. It takes a little bit of time because the dough has to rise twice, but it’s worth it.  I don’t know if it’s because it reminds me of my childhood, or what, but it’s delicious.  However, next time I think I’ll try and find a flakier pastry recipe.  The one I used had more of a cinnamon roll texture. 

Happy Mardi Gras!  Are there any foods that remind you of childhood?


P.S. Don’t forget to comment on my Giveaway!

 I used whole wheat pastry flour, which is why mine looks a little darker.

 Best part!

 Hello, Baby!

 
King Cake (lemon/cream cheese filling)
adapted from All Recipes

**Makes TWO 

Pastry:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, at room temp.
• 1/2 tsp lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar, or sweetener to taste

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I left out)
• Optional: 1/2 cup raisins (I left out)

Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
5. To Make Filling: Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, add in the lemon and sugar and mix until incorporated.  
6. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches or so). 
7. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and sprinkle brown sugar, nuts, and raisins on top. 
8. Roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the long side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake (You can use a pecan, or something, too). 
10. To make icing, mix water and powdered sugar.
11. Frost while warm.  Add sprinkles! 🙂

 P.S. I got the pecan!!

 I take back what I said before; eating it is the best part.

Bakin’ Fools

Well, my family and I had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend.  I hope you and your families did, too.

The end of the semester is nearing (2 weeks!!) and I’ve been a busy, busy bee.  Trying to fill out scholarship applications for next year, making college visits, preparing for finals, writing papers, doing homework, working, etc. etc.  Overload!!

Luckily, Christmas break is right around the corner and I’m starting to see the light!

Anyway, back to Thanksgiving.  This year, my sister decided that the girls in our family should get together and bake all day.  Her plan was for each family member to bring ingredients for 3 recipes and we could all bake them together and freeze them for Christmas gifts.  We had never done this before, so it was just a trial and error type of thing, but it went extremely well.  We had soooo much fun and made lots and lots of goodies.  If you’re nice, I might share. 😉

Here are just a few pics of all of the things we made.  If I have a link to the recipe, I’ll post a hyperlink to the caption. 

 Peppermint Bark

 My niece helping make Fantasy Fudge

 My sister making Chocolate Covered PB Ritz

 My sister setting out the super adaptable chocolate bark.

 Our goodies starting to add up…

 Sister-in-law Leah’s lemon cookies

 Just a few things… Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites, No Bakes, Chocolate Dipped Oreos, my Oreo Cookies, etc.

All of us with our baked goods!  Perfect day 🙂

If you see something in the picture that looks good, and you’d like a recipe, leave a comment and I’ll gladly give it to you! 🙂

Bakin’ Fools

Well, my family and I had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend.  I hope you and your families did, too.

The end of the semester is nearing (2 weeks!!) and I’ve been a busy, busy bee.  Trying to fill out scholarship applications for next year, making college visits, preparing for finals, writing papers, doing homework, working, etc. etc.  Overload!!

Luckily, Christmas break is right around the corner and I’m starting to see the light!

Anyway, back to Thanksgiving.  This year, my sister decided that the girls in our family should get together and bake all day.  Her plan was for each family member to bring ingredients for 3 recipes and we could all bake them together and freeze them for Christmas gifts.  We had never done this before, so it was just a trial and error type of thing, but it went extremely well.  We had soooo much fun and made lots and lots of goodies.  If you’re nice, I might share. 😉

Here are just a few pics of all of the things we made.  If I have a link to the recipe, I’ll post a hyperlink to the caption. 

 Peppermint Bark

 My niece helping make Fantasy Fudge

 My sister making Chocolate Covered PB Ritz

 My sister setting out the super adaptable chocolate bark.

 Our goodies starting to add up…

 Sister-in-law Leah’s lemon cookies

 Just a few things… Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites, No Bakes, Chocolate Dipped Oreos, my Oreo Cookies, etc.

All of us with our baked goods!  Perfect day 🙂

If you see something in the picture that looks good, and you’d like a recipe, leave a comment and I’ll gladly give it to you! 🙂