Baked apple cider donut muffins

I call these donut muffins because I don’t have a donut pan. If you do, you’ll want to decrease the cooking time to about 10 minutes.

For the donuts:

2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 cup organic sugar (even if you don’t normally use this, it’s worth it for these because it has a bit of a molasses taste)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp apple cider
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a regular cupcake pan. Mix all dry ingredients, then add cider and vanilla and stir until blended. Don’t overmix. Scoop batter into greased cups of muffin pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until the muffins spring back when touched.

Allow to cool for about a half hour before removing from pan. Combine powdered sugar and cider for topping. In another bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Dip each donut muffin in glaze, place on a cookie sheet or other flat dish, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Makes 12.

Mom’s Eulogy letter: My Dearest Mom

I know I haven’t updated in a very long time. My mom passed away last week, after a long fight with the complications of diabetes. I really don’t feel like recounting the entire thing again, but I was with her when she passed away and I am as content as one could be that she is at peace. Yesterday was her funeral/memorial service and we skipped giving a eulogy but I did read this letter:

I don’t know if I’m up or down right now. I jump from okay to falling apart and back again. I mostly can’t fathom how the world continues to turn without you in it. My one constant in life is gone. The person that went hungry for me or made peanut butter and crackers a game – the person that would slip me a twenty and tell me to keep my mouth shut – the person that always seemed to know to call when I cooked dinner so that I couldn’t carry a conversation – if I had known then what I know now, I’d have left the roast to burn so I could have five more minutes on the phone.

I knew you were sick – very sick – but you pulled through so much that it got to be a thing that happened. I waited for you to wake up and act normally, maybe yelling at us for our choice of hospital for you until you took your last breath. I knew it wasn’t to be, but I wished for it anyway. You always woke up before.

I know you’re in a better place with both of your legs, dancing with Jesus. I know you are happy and at peace. I know all of that. That doesn’t stop me from wishing. No more silly singing animals for my birthday – no more sitting at my house on a Sunday until Darrell was practically begging to go home because you didn’t want to – no more common sense advice when my kids get sick. It’s the little things I miss.

I have already caught myself wanting to call you or thinking of something I can’t wait to tell you and it hasn’t even been a week. I have to learn how to live life without my constant. We all do.

I imagine you, happy and young with your parents and friends and the babies you never got to meet and I can’t think of you as being anything but full of joy.

Just don’t forget to shine down on the rest of us. We love you too and we always will.

Until we meet again,
Your baby girl

Girls’ night recipes

Last night, I had a little get together with a couple of friends with Magic Mike, Farkle, food, drinks, cake, and fun. I kicked the kids and the husband out, and had a nice evening in my home. These are my favorite kinds of nights. I like to kick back with a glass of wine but I hate the bar scene. I always did, but I hate it more as I get older.

Here are the recipes that I used for the party. Sorry, no photos. I forgot!

Strawberry Mimosas
20 strawberries, tops removed
a few ice cubes
2 cups orange juice
2 cups champagne

In a blender, mix strawberries, ice, and orange juice. Pour into a pitcher and pour champagne over mixture. Pour into champagne glasses.

Strawberry Moscato Punch
1 large bottle Barefoot Moscato
1 liter gingerale
1 container Welch’s Strawberry Breeze frozen juice concentrate

Pour into a pitcher and stir until strawberry juice is thawed and mixed in. Serve.

Veggie and dip cups
veggies of your choice
dip of your choice
Small cups

This one is pretty easy to figure out. Scoop about a tablespoon of dip into each cup and add a couple of veggies. This allows for double dipping and fingers in the dip, because it’s in individual cups.

Rainbow Fruit Platter
Another easy one. Just line up fruits on a platter in this order: Strawberries, “Cuties” broken into wedges, Pineapple slices, Green grapes, Blueberries, Blackberries
I didn’t use a fruit dip but you certainly could!

Chicken cream cheese roll ups
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (Or 3 boneless chicken thighs)
1 softened 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1 ranch dip packet
3 rolls crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cheeses, chicken, and seasoning until combined. Spoon small spoonfuls onto each crescent roll and fold up so that no cheese is showing. This part is a little time consuming, but worth it. You should be able to get 20-24 of these, depending on how much you spoon into each one. Bake for 15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.

In addition to that, we had my favorite chocolate cake recipe ever in the shape of a heart, and topped with candy-dipped strawberries, using pink Wilton melts and fresh berries, the same cake in cupcake form with chocolate frosting and strawberries without candy. There was a bowl of Hershey’s miniatures on the table. I used a pink tablecover and tealight candles leftover from Kid #1’s sweet 16, and it made for a beautiful table. Since I forgot to take a photo, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Spiced nuts

I am a horrible cookie baker, although sometimes I luck out. Usually I don’t. Because of that, I am always on the lookout for recipes for things I can make instead when I am invited to a cookie swap or asked to help with a bake sale. I always have cakes and cupcakes, but sometimes I want something else. I found something else to add to that list. The bonus is that they smell amazing!

spiced nuts

1 egg white
1 tbsp water
3 cups nuts of your choice (I used walnuts)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In medium mixing bowl, whisk egg white and water. Add nuts and stir to coat.

In small bowl, mix sugar, salt, and spice. Pour over nuts and stir well to coat.

Spread nuts on foil lined baking sheet. Bake for a total of 28 minutes, but take pan out and stir nuts every 7 minutes. Watch carefully, as sugar can burn quickly.

Remove foil with nuts from cookie sheet and allow to cool on counter, then serve or package, depending on your plans for them.

After Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I spent the afternoon with my mom and had a wonderful time. She is really starting to feel a lot better after having her leg amputated and she is more like herself. It felt genuinely good to see my mom and not the cranky, sick lady that acts twenty years older than she is. I hope that continues.

Now that Black Friday is upon us, I come bearing a coupon code. Come on over to my etsy shop and use the code BFCM12 between now and midnight central time on Cyber Monday, and your order will be 50% off.

While you’re out shopping for hot deals, don’t forget about what really matters. Be sure to give your loved ones a hug and some kind words. All of the holiday gifts in the world aren’t more important than the love of those we care about.

Mini-meatloaves

My cousin sent me a text earlier asking for a meatloaf recipe. I gave it to her but then I got to wondering what I could do to make something different than my usual meatloaf. This is a combination of several recipes I found online. I took the best things from all of them and made my own.

2 lbs ground meat of your choice (I just used ground beef)
1 tbsp chopped, fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped, fresh rosemary
1 tbsp chopped, fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup diced fresh onion
1/2 cup plain instant couscous
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded cheddar

Ketchup, barbecue sauce, or pasta sauce for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all but the topping in a large bowl. Use your hands and work it together until it’s mixed well. Allow to rest for five minutes. Take a handful of meatloaf mixture and put it in a muffin cup, patting down so the meat is even with the top of the pan. This should fill 16 cups. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove meat from oven and top with topping, then pop back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

My favorite meatloaf meal is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn. This time we added in some macaroni and cheese, because I didn’t have a lot of potatoes to fill up the resident teenagers so they got all of the above.

 

Taco Casserole

Better late than never! Here it is.

3 cups cooked rice
1 lb ground turkey, browned
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 packet taco seasoning (so it’s not from scratch. I’m entitled to cheat sometimes.)
1/2 c salsa
1/2 c water
1 c shredded cheddar
Sour cream to pass at the table, if desired

Mix the rice, meat, beans, seasoning, salsa, water and spread evenly in a 13×9 pan. Cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, covered. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes to brown cheese. Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are.

Basic chicken salad for sandwiches

I know I promised a taco casserole recipe but my meal plan got a little mixed up so you get this instead. It’s really basic but it’s a good way to use up leftover chicken.

2 cups cold chicken, diced
4 tbsp mayo
1 tbsp mustard
1 stalk celery, diced
1 dill pickle spear, diced
1/2 small onion, diced

Combine. Serve on your favorite bread. That’s it!

My new pasta maker should be here tomorrow. We’re having spaghetti to celebrate!

Random food talk

I’ve decided to really buckle down on my eating after the past week or so. My food choices often left something to be desired but keeping track of the calories really forced me to be accountable for it. 450 calories? Really?

Today I had some of my yummy granola and milk for breakfast, then a salad of romaine, shredded carrots, chow mien noodles, and Caesar dressing for lunch. Later I had half an orange and cottage cheese, and copious amounts of coffee (one thing at a time!)

Dinner was chicken, mashed red potatoes, and glazed carrots. The chicken was my usual recipe that I posted the other day but I added about 2 teaspoons of garam marsala to the spice rub. It was absolutely amazing!!

The glazed carrots were relatively easy. Here is the recipe:

Glazed carrots
10 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Cook the carrots until tender, boiling about 10 minutes. Maybe a bit more. Drain the carrots and return to burner with remaining ingredients.

Simmer about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let stand so syrup thickens.

That’s it!

Other than that, I have had water. I find myself a bit hungry so I’m making a bit of strawberry shortcake topping (sugared strawberries, whipped cream) for a snack. Then I’ll fill my tummy with another glass of water and hope that does the trick!

I also intend to try to get to the gym in the morning for the first time in two and a half weeks, since I hurt my knee. Exercise is just as important as food choices and this may sound strange to some, but I have honestly missed it. Besides, gym memberships are expensive if they go unused!

Tomorrow I plan to make taco casserole for dinner so I will be back with the recipe then!

Roast Dinner

I know this has various fancy names in cookbooks, but to me, it’s just roast. This is another “Sunday dinner” type meal but it happens to be Monday. My belly doesn’t know days of the week. It’s okay.

I like that this fits in one roaster pan, and you can also adapt it for the slow cooker. Today we’re doing the pan method but 6-8 hours on low in the slow cooker works too.

Roast dinner:

A large enough roast for your family – if you get one with a bone in it, boil the bone later to make broth
10 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
5-6 potatoes, washed and cut in half
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and scored
1 onion, peeled and quartered
salt and pepper
1 cup red wine

Lay the meat down first, then surround it with the veggies and garlic. Salt and pepper all of the above, then pour the wine over the meat. Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours (you can play with higher cooking times to make it cook faster but slow and steady wins the race). Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes after removing from oven, before cutting.

That’s it!