Blueberry muffins are, to me, a quintessential breakfast food. I started making blueberry muffins at a pretty young age. At the time I used Bisquick, which I must admit, I used for many of my baking endeavors. (Honestly, it wasn’t until I got much older that I discovered waffles I liked better than those made with Bisquick. And if I’m being really honest, I still love Bisquick pancakes, even if I almost never eat them.)
As I’ve gotten older and into more complicated baking, I’ve experimented with many different recipes for blueberry muffins. Some used butter, other used vegetable oil. Some used fresh blueberries, others frozen. Pretty much all of them were tasty, but I’ve never quite found “the one” – at least not with regards to a blueberry muffin recipe.
This morning, in honor of a friend who is visiting from out of town, I tried another recipe for blueberry muffins. This recipe called for a little butter and a lot of sour cream. I’m of the opinion that sour cream makes just about anything taste better – especially baked goods – so I was intrigued from the get-go. I also liked that you could use either fresh or frozen berries for these muffins. I always have frozen blueberries on hand, so I was good to go.
Does anyone else remember that jingle from Saturday morning cartoons? Somehow I still remember it after all these years. When I was trying to figure out what to title this post, that little ditty popped in my head. Pretty appropriate, given the circumstances.
And what are the circumstances that have resulted in me seemingly abandoning you and my little piece of the blogosphere? Technical difficulties - of the broken charger leads to dead laptop variety. This post comes to you via one of the computers at my local public library. All of my planned posts and pictures for the past week are stuck inside my very dead computer. This will teach me not to back things up. So while I have learned my lesson, I'm still stuck computer-less for the next few days until the new charger I ordered arrives in the mail.
Be patient with me, and I promise it'll be worth it. I'm cooking up all kinds of delicious things over here. It's amazing how much more time I seem to have without the ever distracting lure of the internet at my fingertips. I'm using the time wisely, and I'll be posting all kinds of recipes - hopefully starting later this week. If you have any suggestions for things you'd like to see up here in the coming weeks, leave a comment on this post or leave me a message on Facebook. I'm always looking for new ideas. Plus, I've got time to spare... at least until my beloved laptop returns to life!
Awhile back I told you about Stan’s and my weird and unexplainable aversion to chicken. And although it hasn’t completely gone away, I’m happy to report that we are easing back into the poultry arena without much complaint. We’ve switched up where we buy our chicken, and that seems to be making a difference. Don’t know why exactly, but considering that chicken is an inexpensive, quick, and easy protein option for weeknight dinners, I’m willing to roll with it.
After thoroughly enjoying the sweet, salty, spicy, and savory flavors of the caramelized black pepper chicken I made a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been on the lookout for other simple, yet complexly flavored chicken dishes. When I came across this recipe for cashew chicken, it seemed to fit the bill. The fact that I already had most of the ingredients on hand made it a done deal. I’m also a big fan of any recipe that lets me use my wok – its large size means I end up with less food spatter to scrape off my stovetop.
If you ever were a Scout (and yes, I was Girl Scout), went to overnight camp, attended a bonfire, went camping, etc. as a child, then you probably know all about s’mores. In the off chance that you don’t, imagine gooey marshmallows roasted over an open fire (preferably on a stick you found yourself in the woods), sandwiched between squares of graham crackers with a piece of chocolate thrown in for good measure. Whether or not you let your marshmallow catch on fire before removing it from its skewer is of course a matter of preference, though I personally find that to be a crucial step in achieving the perfect marshmallow.
Today’s recipe is geared towards those of you feeling a little adventurous. It’s not that the ingredients involved are all that exotic, it’s just that they are combined in a somewhat unusual way. It’s one of those recipes that made me think, “Hmm, that might be interesting – I should give it a try.” And so I did – with delicious results.
It all starts with quinoa. Have you ever tried quinoa? It’s one of my new favorites. Pronounced keen-wah, it is an ancient grain that originated in South America. Incredibly high in protein, quinoa is considered to be a super food. It’s also gluten-free, which makes it a good option for people with Celiac.
In this recipe, quinoa is combined with a pesto made from broccoli and almonds rather that the more traditional basil and pine nuts. Different, but tasty. Broccoli florets, slivered almonds, avocado slices, and crumbled feta cheese top the quinoa, adding loads of flavor and texture. Again, perhaps an unusual combination of ingredients, but with tasty results. This quinoa dish is fresh, healthful, and refreshingly different. Serve it on it’s own as a vegetarian entrée or alongside grilled chicken or fish for a perfect summertime side dish.
If I told you that you could have some of the most unbelievable, buttery, flaky, homemade biscuits you’ve ever had, on your table in under 30 minutes, would you believe me? What if I said you could probably make them with ingredients you already have on hand? Or that the biscuits would be so easy to make that even a baking novice could master them? Would you believe me? You should.
Since I cook and bake all the time, I have pretty high standards for things coming out of my oven. As I continue to build my skills and expand my palate, it takes more and more to seriously impress me. (I’m my own harshest critic.) Needless to say, these biscuits impress me. They impress me greatly, so much so that I actually said “wow” out loud after my first bite. And I was the only one home.
Now let’s talk taste. In a word: un-freakin-believable. I don’t often make biscuits at home, but I can honestly say I’ve never made such rich, flavorful biscuits. Probably because, back in the day, I made mine with Bisquick. Not that there’s anything wrong with Bisquick, it’s just not the same thing as made-from-scratch. And when made-from-scratch is this easy, why not give it a try?
These biscuits are light and flaky on the outside with a soft, tender center. They are even richer than your average biscuit thanks to a generous amount of cheddar cheese running through the dough. Smoked paprika gives the biscuits that extra something special, enhancing both their color and flavor. You can serve them as a snack (straight from the oven perhaps?) or alongside eggs for breakfast. The biscuits would also make a great accompaniment to soups, stews, salads, entrées, bread baskets… you get the idea. I don’t care how you serve them – just promise me you’ll make them.
Typically I’m not one to be a slave to trends. However, the cupcake trend that has been sweeping the nation over the past several years has pretty much won me over. Cupcakes are delicious, nostalgic, often whimsical, and perhaps best of all, portable. Regular cakes are beautiful, but they are not easy to transport. They also require additional serving utensils and dishes. Cupcakes, on the other hand, are a different story. Individually packaged in their own wrappers, they are the perfect on-the-go treats.
