I don’t like Mondays.

There. I said it.

No offense to Mondays, or those who enjoy them, but they are just not for me.

I would much rather have an extra Sunday. Another day to relax and play with my kids. Maybe read a little more of the book I started several months ago but have yet to finish.

But instead there are lunches to pack and kids to drive to school and laundry to do.

Yeah, Mondays kind of suck.

A muffin might make it better.  Not just any muffin though. An apple muffin with a brown sugar icing. A muffin that is more like a cake but I want to eat it for breakfast so I call it a muffin. With a large cup of coffee. Yes, I think that might actually get me through the day.

Well, maybe not the whole day, but definitely a better part of the morning.

Apple Muffins with Brown Sugar Icing (makes about 32 muffins)

2 cups Brown Sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

3 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp cinnamon

3 cups peeled, finely chopped apples (about 3 large or 5 small)

* Pre-heat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

* Toss apples in a bowl with cinnamon and set aside.

* Mix sugar, oil, applesauce, and eggs on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

* Add flour, baking soda and salt to wet ingredients and mix well.

* Stir in apples.

* Fill cupcake tins about 2/3s full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

* Cool completely before adding icing.

Brown Sugar Icing

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 tbsp evaporated milk

1 cup powdered sugar

* Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until bubbly and butter is completely melted.

* Reduce heat to low and add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.

* Poor about half a tablespoon of icing onto the center of the muffin and using the back of the spoon spread to the edges.

**Caution this icing is very hot, so be careful!

Happy Monday, have a muffin.

~Sandy

 

This is Walter.

Walter is the newest member of our family. He’s a Maltese mix and about 9 months old.  We got him from Chicagoland Dog Rescue on Thursday and in the 3 days we’ve had him here’s what I have learned:

Walter is exhausting.

He, not unlike my other two children, is always in motion. He is definitely a puppy and he wants to play, ALL THE TIME. He is also requiring me to take walks. A lot of them. Which, by the way, is going to totally suck when the IL winters kick in and we’re taking our daily walks in the snow and below freezing temperatures. Hmmm, I wonder if they make doggie snow boots?

This constant motion thing makes it very challenging to take his picture with my sad little camera, but I am trying.

Walter also bears other similarities to my kids – He’s feisty, his hearing is selective, sometimes his “sharing” skills need work, he whines when he is sent to his room, and his cuteness gets him out of trouble.

To welcome him home the kids and I made him cookies. Peanut Butter and Banana cookies. I found the recipe on Buns in my Oven (seriously, you have to see THEIR newest family member, OMG – SOOOO CUTE). Anyway, I adapted it slightly by adding more flour to make the dough a little stiffer and it worked out great. And yeah, I tasted one. They’re not bad, kind of like a really boring oatmeal cookie.

Walter liked these home made treats more than the store bought ones. Yup, he’s going to fit right in.

I can’t wait to try out more Doggie Delectables!

 

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 large banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat together the egg, banana, peanut butter, and maple syrup until well combined. Mix in the flour and oats and stir until combined.
3. Dump onto a floured work surface and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutter of your choice. Place on baking sheet (they don’t spread so you can place them pretty close together). Brush tops with egg whites. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crunchy.
4. Store tightly covered

~Sandy

I suck at blogging.

I mean I really do want to make new recipes everyday and share them with you. I want to a fancy new camera to take mouth watering photos of all my baked creations – the ones for my business and those I made just for fun. But so much happens in my day before I am able to get on my (shared) computer and write to you all. And my camera, well, it’s bad. I don’t want to talk about it.

But for you I will try.

I will try new recipes, even the intimidating ones (yeah, I’m talking about you super epic rainbow cake I saw on Whisk Kid) and I will share them with you.

I will be more blog savvy and learn what a widget is.

I may even post a video or two.  Eventually.  Maybe.

I will also try to stop saying ‘suck’. My Mom hates when I say ‘suck’. She says it sounds “unprofessional”. But I write like I talk so there are no guarantees on that one. But I will try.

So.

Okay then.

Here’s what I worked on this week, try not to get too excited by the sheer awesomeness of it all:

Pinkalicious cookies.

I was contacted by a client who wanted my pink cupcake cookies for her daughters party.  When I found out that it was a pinkalicious party I made the cookies (with permission from the client, of course) look like the same ones from the book.

They turned out pretty pinkerific if I do say so myself!

Dr. Suess/Cat in the Hat inspired cookies.

I was asked to create a first birthday cookie using the Cat in the Hat and Dr.Seuss colors, but not really the images from the books.  I used my number 1 cookie cutter from Copper Gifts, and turned it into the cat’s hat.

We got a dog from Chicagoland Dog Rescue this week. His name is Walter.

I made him Peanut Butter and Banana cookies that I found on Buns in my Oven. There will be another post about these cookies, and about Walter.

There was also a photo session with my kids, cupcakes, and the super-fabulous and talented Taryn Lisa Photography. There will be a whole post dedicated to that too!

I would love to know what YOU have been working on (go ahead, post links).

~Sandy

 

Today I was going to make, and write about, S’mores cookies.

And then I read this post by Jennifer Perrillo, who writes the blog In Jennie’s Kitchen.  She wrote of love and loss and brought me to tears.  She talked about the date night she had with her husband Mikey and of how one minute she was planning their family vacation and the next she was planning his memorial service.

It made me think of the love I have for my own husband. And how losing him would would be like losing a the best part of myself. He’s not just the father of my children but he’s my best friend.

My heart went out to Jennifer, and even though I don’t know her I wanted to help her in some way. To show her that despite her loss she wasn’t alone. Others must have felt the same way as she she asked as simple thing of her readers, to help her in her healing process, to make her husbands favorite pie and to share it with someone they love.

So that’s what I did instead.

I made a pie to share with my family.

Tonight we won’t talk about the mortgage, or work, or laundry. We won’t fight over who gets to take a bath first or what channel to watch on TV.

Tonight we will hug, and laugh, and play. Tonight we will be grateful that we have each other.

And tonight we will have pie.

 

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Serves 10 to 12

8 ounces chocolate cookies

4 tablespoons butter, melted

4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup creamy-style peanut butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream).  Fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan.  Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

 

So apparently yesterday was National Chocolate Chip Day.

What?

A day devoted to the love of chocolate chips? Sure it sounds a little crazy, but if it means I get to eat all things chocolate chip because I am celebrating, then who am I to question?

In honor of this day I am posting a couple recipes involving this delicious little morsel! Please enjoy.

Hmmmm, I wonder if there is a National Butter Cream Day?

First up is this recipe for Peanut Butter Protein Fudge, submitted by my friend (& Shaklee representative) Lydia:

peanut butter protein fudge:

Mix by hand: 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips, 1/2 c. natural peanut butter, 1/2 c. Shaklee energizing soy protein (cocoa flavor), 1/4 c. honey. Spread onto wax paper and cut into bite size pieces. Store leftovers (if any ) in refrigerator. Yum! We just made it last night.

I have eaten this, and for a “health food” it’s very tasty.

For those of you less heath conscious this recipe from Taste of Home is super delish and fun for kids:

Chocolate Chip Dip:

1 package (8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (softened or cubed), softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Graham cracker sticks

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks. Yield: 2 cups.

(image courtesy of Taste of Home)

Lastly, and probably the most made item in my home, my Great Grandma’s Banana Bread (to which I add chocolate chips, usually mini)

Great Grandma’s Banana Bread:

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup sugar

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp vegetable oil (or unsweetened apple sauce)

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup (2-3 medium) ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup chopped nuts OR chocolate chips

*Pre-heat the oven to 350.  Spray a standard size loaf pan with PAM cooking spray for baking/with flour

*Mix all ingredients together

*Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

So, what’s your favorite Chocolate Chip recipe? If you have a link to it, feel free to post it in the comments.

~ Sandy