Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Just love this fun statue in Burlington!

Burlington Weekend

A couple of weekends ago, we took Monday off and went for a long weekend to Burlington, Vermont - to do some shopping, relaxing and walking.  The weather was cold but the sky was a perfect blue!

Toblerone and Chocolate Chips Muffins

Winter is here. It snowed yesterday.  Brrrrr!  Yesterday was a lazy day. Went for a short visit to my parents. Made a pizza.  Ben made a nice fire and we watched some dvds and a bit of hockey.

Today, I had to bake - this week there is a bake sale at the office.  Baked 3 kinds of cupcakes. And, since it is Sunday, baked some muffins for my coworkers.



Don't know if you ever tasted Toblerone chocolate. It is one of my favorite chocolates!


Went looking for a muffin with Toblerone chocolate but had trouble finding one to my liking.




Finally found on in French that I translated from paperblog.

Toblerone and chocolate Chips Muffins
1/3 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 big eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups milk (used low fat)
1/2 cup Toblerone chocolate chopped
1/2 cups white chocolate chips (used milk chocolate)

Preheat oven at 350°.

In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Add egg one at a time and mix.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk.

Add the chocolate chips and Toblerone to the mix.

Fill each paper liner and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

 

WW - Banana Chocolate Chips Muffins

Not a great weigh-in this week.  I went away for a long weekend last weekend and I thought my food choices had been not too bad (except for the burger and fries on Friday night).  I still went to the gym 4 times but I guess my food intake was more than usual.  I will do better this weekend!!


As a treat for the office, I made two treats - the cranberry lemon muffins (see yesterday's post) and these light chocolate chip banana muffins.




Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
from Rose Reisman

3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1-1/2 medium bananas)

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt or 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (added a few on top of each muffins)
 
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together bananas, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until well mixed. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; stir flour mixture into banana mixture.

Stir in yogurt.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide among prepared muffin cups.

Bake in centre of oven for 20 minutes or until a tester inserted in centre of muffins comes out clean.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins

When I saw these beautiful muffins on foodgawker - I knew I was going to make them soon!  And especially since cranberries are in season - perfect time to bake these little gems. 



The mix of fresh cranberries and lemon is perfect - we loved them!


Lemon Cranberry Muffins
from foodrepublik

½ cup plain yogurt (used vanilla low-fat)
1 cup granulated sugar (used a little less)
3 large eggs
pinch salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest (used at least 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup oil
2 cups fresh cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the yogurt, sugar, salt and eggs together in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet, and stir together until moistened.

3. Add oil and mix, mix, mix until batter is smooth and homogeneous. Fold in cranberries.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out clean.



Lemon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice and sugar together gently until all the sugar dissolves. Brush over muffins.

Different November Days

I love November days when it's sunny and the skies are blue...


I hate November days that are cold and grey... though they do look good with IndieJane's grunge action! ;)

Rocky Road Chocolate Muffins

You must have noticed I love all kinds of muffins... but especially the ones that have some chocolate!! So, whenever I want to bake something - the first thing that I think is CHOCOLATE!! ;)

I baked these last weekend to bring the office.  They were dense but very tasty.  Love the mix of chocolate and marshmallows!







Rocky Road Chocolate Muffins
(from Easy Chocolate)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
generous 1/2 cup superfine sugar
generous 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (used milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup white mini marshmallows, cut in half
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (used low-fat)
6 tbsp sunflower oil or melted, cooled butter, plus extra for greasing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, chocolate chips, and marshmallows.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large pitcher or bowl, then beat in the milk and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Pink Cupcakes for a beautiful little Princess

Got my first order for some cupcakes last week!! For a beautiful little princess that was turning 5!  So, of course, I had to do something pink!



And since little girls love princesses - decorated the cupcakes for the occasion.  Made a little crown with my Cricut and I had bought these wrappers for the Cricut that were just perfect!







Since I didn't have much time to prepare these cupcakes, made Martha Stewart's One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes (again!).  Easy recipe that is so tasty!
One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes (Martha Stewart)
Makes 18 to 24

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar (used 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk (used low fat milk with lemon)
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

2.Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
 

 
Buttercream icing

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (didn't use)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened (used 1 cup butter)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk (of course, used low fat!)
Added some red food coloring until I got the perfect pink!

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.
(Medium Consistency)

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

A walk in René-Lévesque Park

Grey day but still beautiful!!

WW - Apple Cranberry Streusel Cake (5 points)

Had lots of apples and some cranberries in the freezer that I wanted to use up.  Wanted something light and fruity.



Was scared the cake wouldn't look nice as the cake mix was pretty thick.  But after baking 55 minutes...


It filled up the pan very nicely!

Brought it to the office with some chocolate muffins and, to my surprise, this cake was gone before the chocolate muffins!! :)




Apple Cranberry Streusel Cake
From Anne Lindsay's New Light Cooking

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar (used a little less)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Grated rind from 1 medium lemon
2/3 cup 2% plain yogurt (used low-fat vanilla yogurt)
1 cup cranberries (fresh, frozen or dried) (used frozen)
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

Streusel:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and lemon rind, beat into egg mixture alternately with yogurt, making three additions of flour mixture and two of yogurt.

3. Spread half of the batter into greased and floured 10-inch springform pan. Arrange cranberries on top.

4. Streusel: combine brown sugar with cinnamon; sprinkle half over cranberries. Spread remaining batter over top; arrange apple slices in slightly overlapping circles over top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

5. Bake in 350F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on rack for 20 minutes before removing side of pan.

Makes 12 servings (5 WW points). 

Per serving:
222 calories
Total fat: 6 g
Fiber 1 g

One of the many reasons I love my neighbourhood

It is so beautiful, even when the leaves are amost all gone :)

Peekaboo Jam Muffins

I have a thing for mini muffins.  I think they are so cute!



When I saw these on Foodgawker - I clicked on the link because I knew I would love these!


and I was so right!! :)


Here's where I got them:  peekaboo-jam-muffins




Peekaboo Jam Muffins
Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 8 to 10 mins

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (used regular whole wheat)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain non fat or lowfat yogurt (used low-fat)
Any jelly or jam (used blueberry jam and marmalade)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (I baked at 350). Combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Combine yogurt, oil and eggs in a measuring cup and beat together with a fork. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Grease a mini muffin tin and fill each cup 1/2 way. Make a little divot with your finger and scoop jam in (1/2 to 1 teaspoon). Cover jam with more batter and then smooth out with your finger. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and then use a butter knife to loosen and lift out muffins. Makes 24 mini muffins.

If you don’t have a mini muffin tin the recipe makes 8 to 10 regular sized muffins and you’ll need to cook them for 15 to 20 minutes instead.