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Sunday, September 25, 2016

Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins


I know the first fallen leaves are a food bloggers invitation to make all the things with pumpkin, but it is officially Fall now, so I don’t feel bad posting a pumpkin recipe!


These tiny little muffins are amazing! They really do taste like a donut. The pumpkin really keeps them moist and tender.


I love fall, mostly because I love cooking with pumpkin!

What you need,
 
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup milk (I used 1%)
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping,
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the oil and pumpkin puree. Stir in the milk and vanilla until everything is well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together gently until just combined, don’t overmix!

Scoop the batter into the prepared mini muffin tin.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool another 10 minutes.

While the muffins are still warm but not hot, brush them all over with a light coating of melted butter then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Place them back on the wire rack to cool completely.

These delightful little muffins are so good. They are moist and tender and the crunchy spicy coating is to die for!


They are best eaten the day they are made. You can store them in an airtight container for a day or two but the cinnamon sugar will kind of melt into the muffin, it is still delicious but not so much crunchy!

I hope you like them as much as I did!
So amazing!

Jen

Recipe slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Zucchini Ribbons with Tomatoes, Parmesan & Basil



Zucchini noodles or zoodles and they seem to be known all over the interwebs are all the rage right now. I have always loved zucchini so this latest fad isn’t a stretch for my taste buds.


This combo of zucchini and tomatoes has always been a favourite. I used to just sautéed them up together, but I just sliced the zucchini, I didn’t get all fancy making them noodles. I don’t have a spiralizer so I just used my vegetable peeler to make thin ribbons for noodles, it worked great!


This dish takes like less than 10 minutes to make and I loved it!

What you need,

1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise with a vegetable peeler
½ tbsp. butter
½ tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 basil leaves, chiffonade
2 tbsp. shaved Parmesan cheese

Add the butter and olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add the zucchini ribbons and tomatoes to the skillet and toss gently for a minute or two. Add the garlic and cook another 2 or 3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and everything is hot.  Season the dish with salt and pepper. Add the basil and toss gently.

Top with the shaved Parmesan cheese and stuff in your face!

This is just way to simple and way too delicious. I just ate it all for dinner but it would be a great side dish with fish or chicken.


Even if you think you don’t like zucchini, make this it will change your mind! I promise!

Enjoy!

Jen

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Apple Crisp



Last week when we went to the store, I sent my in house taste tester over to the fruit section to pick up some apples.
This is what he picked…


Could this apple be any bigger?? So now it is a week later and I still have 4 of these GIANT apples in the fridge.

Since it seems to have turned over to Fall this week I decided I could use my mega apples to whip up a classic Fall dessert… Apple Crisp.


I love the soft tender apples mixed with lots of cinnamon and a little sugar. A crunchy oat and brown sugar mixture for the top and you have yourself one delicious dessert.


What you need,

4 cups of peeled, chopped apples
¼ - ½ cup of granulated sugar (adjust the sugar depending on how sweet or tart your apples are.
2 heaping tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon of ground cinnamon

½ cup softened butter
2 tbsp. flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup oats
½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the chopped apples with the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Place them in a baking dish.

In a medium bowl mix the topping. Using a fork cut the flour and sugar into the butter until just crumbly. Add the oats and cinnamon and stir until it comes together in little lumps.

Pile the topping onto the apples.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until the apples are soft and tender and the topping is brown and crisp.

Serve warm or cold, with or without ice cream or heavy cream!


This classic Fall dessert has always been one of my favorites.
I love anything with apples and cinnamon!

From now on, I think I will always let Dave get the apples… that way I will always have an excuse to make a yummy crisp!

Enjoy!

Jen