Yesterday we mentioned our interview with "The New Diplomat's Wife- notes from the field", today they've unveiled our free give away! That's right we have teamed up with "The New Diplomat's Wife" to sponsor a give away, so check it out at http://thenewdiplomatswife.blogspot.com/! Add Comment This morning I was craving some mocha chocolate chip muffins. I have taken to making muffins fairly regularly. I used to think that muffins would be really hard to make but like most baking or cooking it's really easy after the first time around and it's always better when you experiment. I have taken to using The Joy of Cooking's basic blueberry muffin recipe for the skeleton and I substitute in a different fruit for whatever I'm craving. I also always try to make the muffins a little healthier by adding rolled oats, whole wheat flour and bran. So here is what I did this morning, but you should feel free to substitute things in for your mood. I think that's what I love about cooking and baking the food like art, music and everything creative is really a reflection of you. Alright enough of my pontificating, here you go. Ingredients: 2 cups of flour (I did 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour) 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) 2 large eggs 1 cup milk or cream 2/3 cup sugar or packed light brown sugar 4 to 8 tablespoons warm melted butter or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon instant coffee (pick a good one, not just the cheapest one you can find) 1/2 cup rolled oats 2/3 cup bran chocolate chips to your liking Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Slowly add and combine well flour, baking powder, ground nutmeg, and salt. Now add the bran, oats, instant coffee and chocolate chips (I never measure this, I always do it based on feeling). Now distribute the batter in muffin tins, I have taken to using a 1/4 cup measure to distribute and it seems to work well. I have also taken to using non stick baking spray instead of muffin holders, and I have to say it has a really nice look. Bake the muffins for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy!    Today is a very exciting day, as I'm today's "notes from the field" on the wonderful blog "The New Diplomat's Wife". If you have a moment or are just bored, check it out! Sometimes I think it would be great to come back in another life as a dog. They eat, sleep and play. The best thing about a dog's life is that everything is new and exciting. Every time I pull out my dog's leashes to go for a walk they go crazy, you would think they had never been on a walk, or that it was a special occasion when in fact I take them a walk a day, if not two walks a day. I have included a video so you can see the excitement of our dogs when the leash comes out. I love this excitement and thrill to be alive, sometimes I think I should have more of that spirit. This week I introduced a new line of cards called "A Dog's Life", they are inspired by the love of life that dogs have, and the escapades of my own dogs. I can assure that almost everything in these cards my dogs have done, including eating my flip flop...          When I was in college, I had a dear friend who would bake a Chocolate chip pumpkin spice cake every fall. I would come home to the smell of it in our suite kitchen, and I was like a kid waiting from mom to tell "yes you can try some". The other day she posted on facebook that she had baked her first pumpkin spice cake of the season, and it warmed my heart. In honor of it I wanted to share it with all of you, try it out, enjoy the smell and tastes! Pumpkin Spice Cake 3 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 4 eggs, slightly beaten 1 can (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup chopped walnuts (I dont include these) 1 pkg (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup) Confectioner's sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. With an electric mixer set at medium speed, mix in eggs, pumpkin, and oil just until well-blended. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Turn into well-greased 12-cup bundt pan. Bake 50 minutes to one hour or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes then turn onto wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired. Labor Day weekend is here which means the end of summer, beginning of school for some and the arrival of fall. Changing seasons is always my favorite time of year because it always reminds me how in each new season there are things I love. Without each change I wouldn't appreciate it as much. I have often found that the beginning of fall makes me feel refreshed, now maybe it's my childhood training with the start of school, but it always reminds me you can start again. When I was growing up is meant new classes, new books, new pencils and new clothes. I still wish it meant all those things, but now it's the sights, sounds and smells that bring me new excitement. It is the smell of falling leaves, the smell of pumpkin coffee in the morning, the sound of the high school football team being played a few blocks away, the smell of a freshly baked pumpkin cake or apple pie baking in the oven. There is nothing quite so Norman Rockwell or small town america than the apple picking, pumpkin carving, football games and Halloween costumes than the arrival of fall. We often give ourselves a chance to start over in January, but you know I think we should try fall as well. So challenge yourself to start something you haven't, new clothes, new book, new workout, who knows. Maybe we should use the change in seasons to inspire us, maybe we would accomplish more of our goals. Just thinking about all these sights and sounds of fall got me inspired, check it out. (perfect for teachers, birthday thank yous or just to say hello).       | ArchivesJune 2012 CategoriesAll Blogroll |
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