Cinnamon Brown Sugar Muffins

Ingredients:

1 2/3 C flour

1/3 C granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla (or vanilla extract)

3/4 C milk

1/3 C applesauce

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F and line your muffin tin with papers.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Next carefully mix in the egg, milk, vanilla, and applesauce.  

Fill your muffin papers about 1/4 full.  Try not to overfill them or you won't have enough batter later.  Once this is done, sprinkle a think layer of brown sugar over the batter -- it doesn't have to be perfect!

Next take the remainder of the batter and spread it over the top of the cinnamon.  Using a toothpick, mix the batter and cinnamon together in a circular motion to get a 'swirled' affect --this will help the brown sugar to come out in little swirls when you take a bite! Do this to all 12 muffins.

Finally top with a pinch of cinnamon and granulated sugar.  Pop the tray into the oven to cook for 15 minutes then enjoy!

Adapted from: http://thehappyhousewife.com/cooking/brown-sugar-cinnamon-muffins/

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

My boyfriend Z has been begging me to indulge his cravings for a good lemon poppyseed muffin.  The only problem is between work, coursework, and life I get a bit bogged down.  We had some free time finally this evening and instead of picking up the boxed mix (which is usually my first pick due to time constraints) decided to poke around for a good recipe.  Z really enjoyed them and I hope you will too!

 Ingredients:
2 C flour
1 1/2 TB poppy seeds
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
1/8-1/4 C lemon juice (depending on how much lemon you like! taste as you go to adjust)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C plain or vanilla yogurt

Preheat your oven to 350 F and line your muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed--it should be fairly fluffy and creamed (~2 minutes).  Beat the eggs in one at a time, blending well.  Once the mixture is blended mix in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.  Turn your mixer down to low speed and in alternating layers mix in half of the dry mix, the yogurt, then the second half of the dry mix.  Make sure to remember to leave it on low speed or else you'll end up with more of the mix in your hair than in the bowl! Mix together until incorporated, try not to overmix!

Divide the batter into the paper liners in your pan, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for about 16-20 minutes (depending on your oven) or until they are browned.  You can check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the muffin, and if it comes out clean you're good to go!  If it comes out with some dough, put back in the oven an additional 2-3 minutes.  Let them cool in the pan 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack or plate!  Then you're good to go, enjoy!

For a little extra kick of flavor you can add a simple glaze to the tops of the muffins while they are cooling on the racks.  Mix together 1/2 C powdered sugar and 1 TB lemon juice and drizzle over the tops.  Let the glaze set before taking bites out of those delicious muffins!

Adapted from: Muffins

Sweet-and-Sour Meatball Dinner

 You know how I hinted that meatballs would be good in various other recipes? While this is true, my favorite recipe would have to be our family's traditional Sweet and Sour meatballs...especially during this time of year when it is cold out, nothing tastes better than a delicious hearty and hot meal.  You can serve this dish over a variety of foods, but my personal favorite is over straight white rice.

Ingredients:

Meatballs

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1 TB cornstarch

1 can (~13 ounces) pineapple chunks**

1/3 C white vinegar

1 TB soy sauce/teriyaki sauce

1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped (optional)

Cook the meatballs as directed in the above linked recipe.  Mix the brown sugar and cornstarch in a skillet.  Stir in the pineapple (with syrup!), vinegar, and soy sauce.  Heat this to boiling, stirring constantly.  Your mixture should look like the photo below. Once it has reached boiling point, reduce the heat.

Add the meatballs and cover the skillet.  Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the green pepper and simmer until crisp-tender, or ~5 minutes.

If you are making this meal over rice, cook up the rice as directed on the packaging.  Plate the rice, and spoon the meatballs and sauce over for a delicious dinner!

The Best Meatballs

 If you are looking for a recipe for meatballs that are great in other recipes or just to add to your regular Friday night spaghetti, you're in the right place!  They are easy to make and take only ~35 minutes to make 2 dozen!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 C dry bread crumbs (Progresso is my favorite!)

1/4 C milk

2 TB finely chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

**You may cook these on the stovetop or in the oven.  If cooking in the oven, preheat to 400 F.

Begin by mixing all of the ingredients; the order in which you do this is unimportant, but I usually start with the ground beef and add things on top of it.  You can mix with a large spoon, or I find it easier to mix thoroughly with your (super clean!) hands.  Your mixture should look like the picture below!

Shape the mixture into 1 or 1 1/2 inch balls.  The size of your meatballs determines the quantity--I found that 1 inch produce about 25-26, while the 1 1/2 inch produce about 20.  To show you the size I usually do, I have included the picture below!

If you are cooking these on the stovetop, place them into a large pan and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally until brown (~20 minutes).  If you are cooking these in the oven, place the meatballs in an ungreased oblong pan (13x9x2 works best) until light brown (~20-25 minutes).  Once browned, remove meatballs from the pans and let them cool, usually there is grease that accumulates during cooking that you don't want to drink!, then add them straight to your spaghetti or other recipe (Sweet-And-Sour Meatballs).

Chili Prawns

C and I made dinner [as always] but we've been on a prawn kick lately, mainly because they are on ultra sale at Countdown.  It's good to have a guy friend/boyfriend/girl friend or just some random person to help you with this if you are really squeamish like me--I have this thing about not liking to rip off heads and legs of animals...even if it is just prawns.  Or I suppose you could just go and buy them already de-shelled and deveined! All in all, this recipe is fun to experiment with the spices--they're all great!  C swears that we put in too many, so be careful of too many flavors in one!

1 lb prawns, deshelled/deveined

4-5 slices of ginger, minced
spring onions [optional, garnish]
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 TB chili powder
Vegetable oil (for frying + 1 TB)


Sauce:
2 TB ketchup
1 tsp sugar
1-2 TB soy sauce 
1 TB oyster sauce
2-3 TB water


Using either a wok or a deep pan, heat up enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Once warm, shallow fry the prawns--this should take about 5-6 minutes, or until the prawns are pink.  Repeat as needed to finish the whole batch of prawns; set aside.


In a separate pan, pour in the 1 TB of vegetable oil.  Once it reaches medium heat, add the onion and ginger until they are soft.  With one minute left to go, add the garlic.  If you cook it too long, it can burn.  Mix all of the remaining ingredient for the sauce into the pan.  Stir well.  


Add the cooked prawns, spring onions, and chili powder (sometime to taste).  Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Serve hot and delicious!!


Recipe adapted from: http://thelittleteochew.blogspot.com/2010/09/prawns-in-chilli-ketchup-gravy.html

Chocolate & Rum Souffle, with White Chocolate Ganache

I adapted this recipe from a video tutorial that I found online, and it was a hit with my friends! I will warn you, if you have never had a souffle before that it definitely has an interesting texture.  But don't let that scare you away, because the end result of this recipe is absolutely divine!

Fancy Pants Souffle

Souffle Ingredients:

Butter, to coat ramekins 

3 TB sugar, to coat ramekins

7 eggs

1/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-2 TB Rum/Rum Extract (**Optional!)

2 TB sugar

1 TB lemon juice

Powdered sugar to dust

Ganache Ingredients:

3/4 tsp sugar

1/4 C heavy cream

1/4 C white chocolate chips

Process:

Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).  

To begin, lightly coat the insides of the ramekins (I used 8 smaller ones) with butter.  Next, taking the sugar, lightly coat the inside of the ramekins--it should stick to the butter.  It will cook into the souffle while it's baking to add extra flavour.

Next, melt the chocolate chips.  You can do this very carefully in the microwave or on the stove top in a bowl over boiling water.  Once the chocolate is melted, crack the eggs and separate them into yolks and whites--you will want 3 egg yolks, and 7 egg whites. (If you plan carefully, try to make a meal that requires egg yolks in it, that way the rest of the egg yolks don't go to waste!)  Add the 3 egg yolks into the chocolate, and then the rum (or rum extract) if you wish.  Mix until the batter is smooth.  

In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites with 2 TB of sugar and the lemon juice.  Whip them until soft peaks form--remember that this process may take a bit of time but just be patient!  Once there are soft peaks, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate.  It is very important not to MIX, just gently fold.  When it is fully mixed, add mixture and fold to the remaining egg whites.  Pour/Ladle the mixture into the ramekins, and place them carefully on a baking sheet.  Cook 8-10 minutes or until the souffle rises up.

While the souffle is baking, carefully melt the white chocolate chips in the same process as noted above.  Once melted, mix in the sugar and heavy cream to create a thick mixture.  When the souffles are finished, pull them out of the oven carefully, and dust lightly with powdered sugar.  Next, using a spoon, crack open the tops of the souffles and spoon the ganache into the crack.  Remember to serve immediately after, because souffles are very delicate and deflate rapidly after being removed from the oven (or twice as fast when cracked to be filled!)

Enjoy!

Greek Honey Yogurt Cake

While on my continuing journey to complete a series of cakes, I stumbled upon a recipe for Greek Yogurt and Honey Cake.  Since I didn't have most of the ingredients offhand, I created my own version of the cake.  I found the base of the cakes from the recipe book to be too dry -- I happen to only like cake when it's moist -- so the yogurt and lemon sauce work to create a delicious dessert, sure to please everyone at your table!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
3/4 C Greek Honey yogurt
1/4 C honey
1/3 C brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Lemon sauce:
2 TB honey
2 TB lemon juice
2 TB unsalted butter

Preheat over 350 F (160 C).  Grease and line the bottom of a 9 in round cake pan.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the yogurt, honey, sugar eggs, and vanilla extract.  Beat until mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake in the oven 45-55 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

Let cool in the pan 2-3 min, then turn onto a serving plate.  For the sauce put the honey, lemon juice, and butter into a small pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for a few minutes to reduce, stirring until syrupy.  Serve the cake in slices with the lemon sauce poured over them.

Recipe adapted from: Greek Yogurt and Honey Cake from 1 Mix, 100 cakes