And now for something completely different...

I'm still at home.  Still all by myself.  Still sick.  A person gets a bit stir crazy after a bit.  I'm tired of being home and tired of eating "sick food".  I'm throwing myself a pity party and for the occasion, I decided to whip up something, anything good.  So I turned to a newer cookbook: Favorite food at home by Rachel Allen.  I've made some muffins from this book before and they were tasty!  Today I made Maple Syrup and Pecan Muffins.  I literally just finished eating a couple muffins (can't eat just one) and they were so good!  Below is a copy of the recipe if you would like to have a new "comfort muffin."  Enjoy!

Maple Syrup and Pecan Muffins

Makes 12

For the muffins:

• 1egg
• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1/3 c maple syrup
• 1 c milk
• 6 tbsp butter, softened not melted
• 6 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 oz chopped pecans or walnuts

for the glaze (optional):

• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1/4 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 12 pecans

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F.  Line a muffin pan with 12 paper muffin liners

Whisk the egg in a bowl, add the oats, maple syrup and milk and whisk to combine.  Set aside to soak while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large bowl beat the butter, add the sugar and mix to make a soft paste.  Gradually add the milk mixture, stirring all the time, then stir in the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and chopped nuts, until just combined.  Do not over stir.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and bake in the preheated oven for  18-25 minutes until the tops are golden and feel firm to the touch in the center.  Take out of the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Make the glaze, if using, by mixing together the butters, sugar and syrup.  Using a knife,spread the glaze over the tops of the cooled muffins and top each muffin with a pecan.

Lazy sunday with a side of not so lazy

Ah! Another lazy Sunday!  This weekend has been a whirlwind.  Or as Liz Lemon would say "a whirl of wind."  Due to the fact that I worked Friday ( I don't usually), got up for early morning service, baked some cupcakes and ran around like a crazy person all day yesterday, I informed Aaron that today, Sunday would be my sleep in day and he better let me do it (or else!)  He gladly obliged and got up early to go hike/bike in a local park.  I got up and checked in on the computer, made some coffee and again perused some cookbooks.  After cupcakes yesterday I really didn't want to eat something super sweet but I wasn't feeling savory either.  So I looked to my newest cookbook (thank you Gillian!) ' Favorite Food at Home' by an Irish chef, Rachel Allen.  Alas, I found the lazy Sunday breakfast food:

                                                   Banana and Peanut Butter Muffins

Makes 12

• 2 and 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 c light brown sugar
• 2 bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1/2 crunchy peanut butter
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 c milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a muffin pan with 12 paper cups.

2.  Place the flour, oats and baking powder in a bowl, mix together and set aside.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, add the light brown sugar, mashed bananas, peanut butter and thee melted butter.  Stir to mix, then add the milk and stir to combined.  Add the dry ingredients and fold in gently, do not over mix.

3.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops spring back when gently touched.  Allow to stand in the muffin pan for a minute before turning out to cool on a wire rack.

These muffins were filling enough to eat with a little butter on the side and a cuppa joe.  They were pretty tasty!

We then went to meeting and decided afterwards to go for a hike while the weather is so nice!  We had ulterior motives in doing the hike: 1) we want to get in shape and 2) we recently bought a new camera and have decided to try it and all of its' settings out.  It was windy and a bit cold but overall a nice hike. Here are a few pics from our hike.



Hope you all have a great remaining Sunday!