Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

I made this muffins for our weekly breakfast for dinner, or Breakfast Wednesday as my children call it and look forward to it every week! These muffins were very moist and were loved by the whole fam!! I made a few with out the cinnamon sugar topping and Todd preferred them without. I also liked them without too, but today having one the day after I really liked the cinnamon sugar!

This is definitely a keeper and one I will make again! It was very simple, but I can't seem to make blueberry muffins without the batter turning purple!

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

(from http://www.theidearoom.blogspot.com/)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 1/4 cups sour cream (10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (wild)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

3. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. (Small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick. Do not overmix.)--I had a hard time mixing without my batter turning purple from the blueberries, next time I might try taking some of the flour out and mixing with the blueberries. Then mixing the sourcream mixture in the remaining flour mixture and adding the blueberries in last to see if that helps with the purple batter! All in all they probably taste the same!

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and insert toothpick into the center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes. Serve as is or with the cinnamon sugar topping below.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
While muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, and working one at a time, dip top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack.

Life by Chocolate Cupcakes

I found another great recipe on The Pioneer Woman. She is awesome and I love how she talks about cooking and life! I had to try these, since I have already made these but in the form of chocolate cake and it was super yummy!

These turned out as great as she said and if you love chocolate you will love these!

Life by Chocolate Cupcakes

(http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/)

• 2 cups sugar


• 2 cups flour


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1/2 cup buttermilk


• 2 eggs


• 1 tsp baking soda


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter


• 4 heaping tbsp cocoa powder


• 1 cup water, boiling


• 18 hershey kisses

Ganache

• 8 ounces, bittersweet chocolate (I used semi sweet)


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 6 tbsp corn syrup


• 2 tsp vanilla
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups (or used muffin liners) with baking spray. (I got 22 cupcakes)

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate container, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and stir to combine. Add boiling water, allow to bubble for a few seconds, then turn off heat.

Pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture. Stir a few times to cool the chocolate. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the top and stir to combine.

Pour 1/4 cup cake batter into each muffin cup. Lightly set one kiss in the middle of each cupcake; do not press down.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove cupcakes and allow to cool on a baking rack.

To make the Ganache, heat cream and corn syrup over medium heat. Chop chocolate and add to a bowl. Add vanilla to cream mixture, then pour cream mixture over the top of the chopped chocolate. Whisk together until melted, smooth, and glossy. Dunk cupcakes in ganache. Allow to cool and set before serving.

Cupids Cups

I actually found this recipe last year and never got the chance to make it! So this year I went for it and I thought they turned out quite fun! I will say it was a little bit of a pain piping the chocolate. I finally just used a toothpick and drew the chocolate hearts on! Next time I might just omit the hearts!

It is a fun Valentine treat that is not chocolate but looks great! You could do this for any holiday, just change your jello color!

Cupids Cups

(www.kraftfoods.com)


What You Need!

• 1 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
• 2 cups boiling water, divided
• 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin (I did one batch with Raspberry too!)
• 1-1/2 cups cold water, divided
• ice cubes
• 1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
• Decorations: assorted Valentine sprinkles and candies

Make It!

DRAW heart design or write Valentine's Day message in each of 8 (6-oz.) clear plastic cups by piping chocolate onto insides of cups. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

ADD 1 cup boiling water to 1 pkg. gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water; pour into cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until gelatin is firm.

MEANWHILE, add remaining boiling water to remaining gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to remaining cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until thickened. Stir in COOL WHIP; spoon over gelatin layer in cups. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Decorate as desired. I added a dollop of cool whip on top of each cup too!

Kraft Kitchens TipsHow to Melt Chocolate
Microwave chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min., stirring after 30 sec. (The square will retain its shape.) Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Candy Cane Heart Suckers

I had seen this idea on http://www.theidearoom.blogspot.com/ and thought how fun would that be to make these!

But I didn't have any mini candy canes from Christmas! So thanks to Desiree who had some and made a few of her own, I too made some fun heart suckers! They are very simple and look great! So if you don't have any candy canes, make sure to put this on your list for next year!

Save those candy canes for Valentines Day and when you are done putting your white chocolate in the middle of your hearts...

dip some pretzels in the leftovers for another fun treat!
Candy Cane Heart Suckers
www.theidearoom.blogspot.com

Simply take two (per sucker) small candy canes and place them on a greased cookie sheet in a heart shape. Slide a sucker stick in between them.

Place them in a heated 350 degree oven and watch them closely. After 3-5 minutes, they will be melty and bubbly. Quickly remove them from the oven and pinch the ends of the candy canes together at the top and bottom of each sucker. Be very careful as the candy will be HOT!
She used a knife to help mold the suckers, which I did too!

Then set the tray aside to cool. After they have cooled completely melt some white chocolate or almond bark in the microwave. Pour a small amount into the center of the suckers and smooth with your clean finger. I added a few colorful sprinkles as well. Let them cool again before packaging or better yet...Eating!

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

This recipe came from Our Best Bites and it is super yummy and easy to make! I have almost all the ingredients on hand (except the avocado) and it is a great change to the normal boring salad!

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

(http://www.ourbestbites.com/)

• 8 oz (1/2 bag) of baby spinach
• 1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
• (for both lettuce I just used what I had on hand)
• 1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
• 1 large avocado, cubed
• 8 oz mozzarella or swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 12 oz pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, just let you eaters dress their own salads!

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper (or a little of the regular stuff)
• 3/4 cup sugar (I may use less sugar next time and taste!)
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over your leafy greens!

Onion Strings

The Pioneer Woman has done it again (and you should check out her site, she makes cooking oh so fun, I just might order her cookbook!) These were so so so so Yummy!!

All I can say is YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY!

I may never make another type of onion ring again! My kids liked them(and didn't even know they were eating onions, since they are sliced so thin and oh so crunchy) and so did everyone else! All I can say is Try them and you will see too how great and Yummy these onion strings are!

Onion Strings

(http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/)

• 1 whole large onion
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I stayed more on the 1/4 side)
• 1-2 quarts canola oil (to fry them in)
• Black Pepper to taste

Slice onion very thin. (If you have a mandolin, this slicing becomes very simple!) Place in a baking dish (I used a 9 x 13 pan) and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil to 375 degrees.

Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.

Repeat until onions are gone!

Restaurant Style Salsa

I found this recipe on http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ and decided she had the right idea! She doesn't like big tomato chunks either! I don't really like tomatos, but in salsa and sauces. So I prefer the restaurant style and really really liked this one! Todd even gave this one a big thumbs up too!

I didn't have any jalapenos and my family doesn't like cilantro, so those were omitted, but it was still quite spicy and good! If you want to see a really inviting picture, take a look at her site and all her other great recipes too!

Restaurant Style Salsa

• 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes with juice
• 2 cans (10 oz) Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)--here you can pick your spicy temp too by picking original, mild, or jabanero!
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup cilantro (more to taste!)
• 1/2 whole lime juice

Combine whole tomatoes, rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like--she did it about 10-15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos!