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Bran Muffins

This morning I made some bran muffins for the family. For some reason bran muffins have been a favorite of my kids since they were wee little ones. They started calling them” chocolate muffins” ages ago and I always “forgot” to correct them and tell them that they’re actually made from a very healthy whole grain that keeps you regular. This morning I did indeed tell them that I had made their “favorite bran muffins” and they all looked at me quite strangely and asked me what bran was exactly. I told them, they shrugged like it wasn’t very interesting and continued to eat.

Recipe for Bran Muffins:

1 cup flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup All Bran

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1/4 cup shortening (or butter)

1/2 cup raisins or dates (we skip this ingredient)

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt

2. Mix milk and molasses together and add all bran. Let sit for a few minutes.

3. Add egg and shortening (or butter) to milk mixture and stir.

4. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Stir together but don’t overmix.

5. Bake in muffin tins at 400 f/200 c for 15-20 minutes.

Tags: baking, bran muffin, photography, recipe

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Categories Recipes

Consolation Bagels

30 Dec

Tomorrow I am leaving my whole family and going alone to Canada. Just the thought of an 8 hour flight alone is something that’s hard to get my head around. I will miss them all terribly. But I’m sure I’ll be able to enjoy myself as well. A least a little bit. Or maybe a lot.

There was a lot of protest from various family members for various reasons. One being the fact I will be able to eat bagels every single day. So to make them all feel slightly less slighted by the whole ordeal I made a huge batch of fresh bagels for them all this morning.

I made my usual recipe from Nigella Lawson’s book How to be a Domestic Goddess. So easy. And so delicious.

Recipe: Bagels

1 kilo strong flour

1 Tbsp salt

7g (1 satchet) dry yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

500 ml warm water

2 Tbsp sugar or malt for poaching bagels

1. Combine flour, salt and yeast. Add sugar and oil to the warm water. Make well in dry ingredients and add liquid.

2. Knead dough for 10 minutes.

3. Put kneaded dough in oiled boil and cover with saran wrap. Let sit for an hour.

4. How punch down dough and divide into 16 pieces and form into bagels shapes.

5. Boil a big pot of water and add the sugar or malt. Add batches of 3 or 4 bagels and boil for 1 minutes turning over half way through,

6. Now is the time to dip bagels in any sesame seeds or poppy seeds or anything else you can think of.

7. Bake in a 240 degree (celcius) oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tags: bagel, baking, cooking, photography, recipe

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Categories Recipes

Choco Spread

14 Dec

This morning I have one of the twins home sick. Poor girl has torcicollo (stiff neck). We decided to make my mother-in-law’s homemade chocolate spread to give the teachers as Christmas gifts. I, of course, used 100% Belgian chocolate. The recipe is:

250 grams Belgian chocolate

250 grams butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk (or 2 tubes if you live in Italy!)

Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan. When melted and smooth stir in condensed milk. Take off heat. Pour into prepared jars. Simple as that.

Tags: baking, choco, chocolate, photography, recipe

Comments 14 Comments
Categories Recipes

Pomegranate yogurt Parfait

26 Nov

A few years ago a friend of mine made the following dessert for a party in the kindergarten where my children go. It’s the most delicious and simple dessert and it looks so beautiful when served. It has three simple ingredients: vanilla yogurt, pomegranate seeds and crushed meringue. I usually fill a fancy cup a little over half way with the yogurt. Then I add the seeds to the rim and then sprinkle the crushed meringue over that. With the red and white colours it’s also very festive looking for the Christmas season.

Delicious and beautiful and healthy!

Tags: cooking, dessert, photography, pomegranate, recipe

Comments 6 Comments
Categories Recipes

Applesauce Spice Muffins

16 Nov

Is it just me or does this photo of my muffins have a radioactive green tinge to it? Yikes. This past week-end I made some very delicious Apple Spice Muffins for the family. It’s an easy recipe and the muffins are so moist and tasty. My kids ate about 4 each before I realised what was going on. Not a lot of dinner was eaten that evening. Here’s the recipe if you want to give them a try as well. I found it on http://www.food.com. I didn’t use the spice topping but I’m sure it would be really nice with it as well.

The Absolute Best Applesauce Spice Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder(heaping)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon(can use more or less)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar (can use more)
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 cups chopped nuts

SPICE TOPPING

6 -7 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Set oven to 350°F.
Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
Butter 12 muffin tins or line with paper liners.
For muffins: in a small bowl mix together first 7 dry ingredients.
In another large bowl whisk together eggs and brown sugar until well combined.
Add in melted butter whisking continuously until mixture is creamy.
Stir in applesauce.
Fold in flour mixture until JUST combined.
Stir in nuts.
Divide the batter evenly between muffin tins.
To make the topping: stir together all ingredients then sprinkle over tops of muffin batter.
Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until muffins test done.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a rack to cool.

Tags: baking, muffins, photography, recipe

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Categories Recipes

Mini brownies

4 Nov

This is my all-time favorite brownie recipe. I make them for just about any occasion and they are so tasty. The recipe is from joyofbaking.com. You can make them in a pan as you would usually for brownies or as mini brownies. I just put the mini cupcake papers directly on a baking sheet and fill them up.

Brownies:

5 ounces (150 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter cut into pieces

2 tablespoons (15 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (125 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) an 8 inch (20 cm) square pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar . Next, whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and chocolate chips (if using).

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake. Remove from oven. Enjoy!

Tags: baking, brownies, chocolate, photo, recipe

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Categories Recipes

Zuppa di Cipolla

3 Nov

I made this fantastic Onion Soup the other day. The onions were first oven roasted then pan sauteed. So good. The kids pretty much gagged through the entire meal though. I guess onion soup isn’t for everyone. Get recipe here.