Apple Muffins

We are down to one laptop again so I haven't been able to post anything. John's busy doing taxes so I guess he gets priority on the laptop. Remember when I shamelessly begged for your recipes...well I didn't really expect to get any but I did get a couple from you. Thank you!

I had just bought a pack of 16 apples from Costco and was wondering how in the world I was going to eat all of them when I got an email from Marissa with her favorite apple muffin recipe. They are so easy. I literally had them in the oven in under 10 minutes. We sat down to watch the Olympics and I handed John a warm muffin.

He semi-shouted "Wow."

I quickly scanned the TV to see what I had missed in the speed skating.

"No...the muffins. They're really good."

These muffins have a brown sugar topping that gives the top a slight crunch and then the bottom is super moist. Love 'em. Thanks for the recipe Marissa.

Apple Muffins

Source: Marissa Pinon

Cream together:
2 cups sugar (I use 1 1/2 cups)
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Sift:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 apples)
Brown sugar for topping (around 1/2 cup)

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

Cream together sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (I never sift and they turn out fine). Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Add the diced apples.

Fill paper liners almost to the top, about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I know chicken salad sandwiches aren't rocket science and that most everyone has their own version. My friend Katie Fields made this version a while ago and it ended up being just what my family liked.

We like to call Katie "Mrs. Fields" because she has a family cookie recipe that rivals the real Mrs. Field's cookies. The whole Dolphin's team knows and loves her cookies. I asked her for it but she somehow changes the subject. I guess it's a secret family recipe that's going to stay a secret. I'll keep trying...

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

by Katie Fields

3-4 cooked chicken breasts (I boiled mine)
2 chopped hard boiled eggs
¾ cup miracle whip
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans. You can use slivered almonds too)
1 cup chopped purple grapes (half or quarter them)
Salt and pepper

Shred the cooked chicken breasts into small pieces. Mix in miracle whip.
Combine and stir chopped hard boiled eggs, onion, walnuts, and purple grapes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on croissants or bread.

Grandma Hope's Taco Filling

I am shamelessly harrassing people for recipes. You know when you get in a rut and need something new. So if you have any email them to me. CRAP! There I go again. That's how I found this recipe...from my friend Nikki. It makes a TON! I actually cut the recipe in half twice and had enough for my family with leftovers. Go ahead and make a whole batch and you can use some and freeze the rest. I was a little skeptical because it had more veggies than I usually see in tacos but it was yummy. Austin asked if we could have it for dinner every night. I also liked it because it's from Grandma Hope. Not that I know her but I tend to trust grandmas for tried and true recipes.

 On a side note if you have never been to Tastespotting or Foodgawker you are missing out. Pages and pages of beautiful, drool worthy food! The first time I browsed their sites I was up until 2AM. I shouldn't tell you about these sites because you may never come back to my blog again! That's where I go when I need ideas.

Grandma Hope's Taco Filling

by the Recipe Club

6 lbs. lean ground beef, browned and drained

2 green peppers, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and grated (Nikki uses a bag of cubed hashbrowns here instead. I used shredded hashbrowns)
6 carrots, peeled and grated
1 pint ketchup
1- 46 oz. can tomato juice
3 packages taco seasoning (Season to taste...I used more. Nikki used a packet of hot taco seasoning)

In a very large pot or electric skillet, brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add peppers, onions, potatoes and carrots. Stir until combined. Add in ketchup, tomato juice & taco seasoning.

Simmer for about 3 hours, or until veggies are tender. Makes enough for a very large crown, or as I prefer- place in tupperware containers and freeze until needed. Perfect for tacos, nachos, taco salads, etc.!

Sugar Cookies for the umpteenth time...finally got it right

Over Christmas last year I made over 100 sugar cookies for both preschool and our church party. I remember thinking if I don't see another sugar cookie for another year it will be fine with me.

Well...we've made up since then. Sugar cookies and I that is. I have literally tried over 5 sugar cookie recipes in the past couple of months and for me this one tops them all. I love this recipe but sugar cookies are like eggs...everyone likes 'em different. Some like them thin and crispy, others big and dense.

This one met my criteria for a stellar sugar cookie. It's really moist and soft but still holds its shape so that it's easy to frost. John stole one while I wasn't looking and said, "I have to tell you that this may be the best sugar cookie I've ever had." Thanks to my friend Alison for the recipe.

Soft Sugar Cookies
by Alison Tolbert

1 cup sour cream
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla (I like almond)
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla/almond. Beat for 2-3 minutes.

Add dry ingredients and mix well. Let the dough chill in fridge for 25 minutes or until firm.

Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes or circles. You may have to add a little flour to roll them out so the dough is workable but remember the less flour you use the softer your cookie will be.

Bake until LIGHT golden brown about 8-10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but they aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.

Makes around 4 dozen.

Here's the frosting recipe I used:
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Simple Valentine Day Treats

I had good intentions. Really. I made these with the thought that I was going to wrap them up and give them to my girls I VT. Oops. They didn't quite make it out of the house.

Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears
found at the IdeaRoom

1 bag cinnamon bears ( I found mine at SuperTarget in the candy bins )
Dipping Chocolate from the store or use recipe below

Dipping Chocolate
6-Ounces of Chocolate Morsels
2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Shortening
1 1/2 Teaspoons Water
Double Boiler
Cookie Sheets
Waxed Paper

If you don't have a double boiler fill a pot with about 3" of water and place a smaller pot inside which you will fill with your chocolate mixture.
Melt Chocolate Morsels in a Double Boiler Over hot, NOT boiling water, combine Chocolate Morsels, Corn Syrup, Shortening and Water.

Stir until the morsels melt and the mixture is smooth.

Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat but keep it over the hot water. Dip cinnamon bears in with a fork shaking excess chocolate off.

Place on wax paper to dry. *I stuck mine in the fridge to set up.

Brownie Bites with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

Brownies.  Peanut Butter.   Frosting.

Are you convinced yet that you have to make these?

With Valentine's Day coming up I was thinking of a few of my favorite couples. Food couples that is...

Mac and cheese

burger and fries

milk and cookies

bacon and eggs

pancakes and syrup

spaghetti and meatballs

But my favorite couple of all time...peanut butter and chocolate.

Brownie Bites with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

frosting found at Allrecipes

Brownie Bites

1 boxed brownie mix (I think chocolate cupcakes would be yummy too)

1 cup Reeses Peanut Butter chips (optional)

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons milk, or as needed

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Make brownie mix according to package directions. Add peanut butter chips if desired. Pour into paper lined mini muffin pans filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake 14-18 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy. Frost brownie bites with frosting. Pipe the frosting with a star tip if you are feeling fancy!