Noteworthy Recipe: Make Ahead Muffins

I found a recipe today that I'm so excited to try!  I've been really trying to find healthier alternatives to my "fast foods" that I eat during the day.  Usually I grab a bowl of cereal for breakfast, and then have leftovers (or junky snack food...) the rest of the day because I haven't figured out how to cook and hold a crying baby simultaneously.

Then, as I was browsing trying to find ideas to make a carseat carrier cover, I found this on a blog called Make it Do that had this great recipe for bran muffins.  You can make the batter ahead and keep it in the fridge for a month!  Then every couple days make a fresh batch.  Mmm.  So as soon as I acquire a box of All Bran and some buttermilk, I'll be enjoying these.  (If you follow the link below, they have step by step instructions with pictures.)

Busy Day Bran Muffins

• 2 c. boiling water
• 5 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. shortening
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 qt. buttermilk
• 5 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 c. All Bran
• 2 c. Bran Flakes
• 2 c. chopped dates (optional)
• 1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Add baking soda to boiling water and let cool.  Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs.  Stir in buttermilk.  Stir in flour that has been sifted with salt.  Add water/baking soda mixture.

In a large bowl, stir together All Bran, Bran Flakes, dates and pecans.  Pour buttermilk mixture over and stir lightly.  

Cover tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours.   Be sure not to stir again.  Batter keeps in the refrigerator for approximately 4 weeks.

To bake:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Drop by spoonfuls into a greased muffin tin.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Makes 5 ½ dozen.
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Don't they seems so yummy and healthy.  I'm thinking I might throw some frozen berries in a batch too...
If you make these before I do, add a comment and let me know how they go!

What recipes do you have that you love to keep on hand for quick meals?
Ooh, or/also, what healthy snacks do you like to keep around the house.  My go-to right now is carrot sticks and I'm looking for some more options.


Thanks!
With love,

What a week

Hello - it's me Sizzle and I have a confession. 

I haven't really done anything crafty this week and I hate painting.  It is a lot harder then people make it look.  What I have done this week is the door frame but it is white so I don't think you'd notice a difference - it was hard for me too and I was three inches away from it.  I taped off the door and also the shelves in my craft room-which is a Super MESS.  That is probably why I am scared to death to go in there.  I need to finish painting and QUICK. 

However, today is a cold and gloomy day.  No sun.  And to paint the door I would have to leave it open and it is a little to cold for that.  I am hoping for a good day soon.  I ended up buying a color from KWAL called True Blue.  We compared a whole bunch to our bricks and this one looked really good to us.  The real test will be what it looks like after we paint it.  I have to take off the handle and thingy at the bottom and everything so I am thinking it is a full day project especially if I have to do multiple coats. 

Ick. 

On a positive note I am excelling on my time management.  I have accomplished all of my goals everyday and made big progress on those to-do list things.  It is amazing how a little schedule and time managent can change your life.  I worked out tues, wed and today and my house is a lot cleaner.  I am SO sticking with this schedule.

I had so much time left over I painted and cleaned the stove - you know--that gunk magnet.  Why didn't I start doing this sooner!  It is the key to a productive life I am a hundred percent sure. 

Also, I wanted to share this blueberry muffin recipe it is in my Martha Stewart Baking book and they are fantastic.  They kind of taste like sugar cookies with blueberries.  We had them for lunch today.  They are probably not the most healthy lunch but we were all up all night (no idea why no one could sleep) so we are just chillin out and muffins seemed a nice easy lunch.   I was going to take a picture but I burned them. 

Yep, I did.  I have a small oven and I put a mini pan in there too and they were too close so they burned.  I made these last weekend too for my sons birthday and they were perfect then.  Here is a picture of that batch and our little party. 

I love this picture:

Some healthy swapouts

Happy Wednesday, it's KK here.

I've shared some recipes in the past, but we all have certain turn-to items that we always have to have around. So I thought I'd pass along some of these great product swaps that you can use to make your everyday food choices just a little bit healthier!

These are from my favorite—Hungry Girl. She has great tips and great recipes. Perfect for someone who wants to eat great-tasting food without the guilt!

Longtime HG fans may know ALL about these, but for the newbies out there, here are some of the products we CANNOT live without. Check out HG's TOP ATE Ingredient Swaps...

1. Instead of Fatty Ground Beef... Ground-Beef-Style Soy Crumbles PER SERVING (1/2 - 2/3 cup): 60 - 80 calories, 0.5 - 2.5g fat, 230 - 270mg sodium, 5 - 6g carbs, 3g fiber, 0 - <1g>POINTS® value 1* We can't imagine life without this stuff. Not only is it SO much lower in calories and fat than real ground beef, but it's also WAY easier to work with in small quantities. Does your snack or meal need a protein boost? Add in a scoop of soy crumbles. Nuke for a few, add a little seasoning (we like a dash of taco seasoning), and they're ready to go -- no browning, crumbling, and draining an entire package required. We love both Morningstar Farms' and Boca's versions equally, so grab whichever you find. And click here for a slew of HG recipes utilizing the wonder crumbles.

2. Instead of Carb-Heavy, Calorie-Packed Pasta... House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodle Substitute PER SERVING (4 oz.): 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 2g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein -- POINTS® value 0* Another product that straight-up changes lives. It's AMAZING that an entire bag of these noodles has only 40 calories. (Yes, it is totally acceptable to consume two portions at a time.) Use 'em to make HG's 99-calorie fettuccine Alfredo or the lightest lo mein this side of reality... or any of our other freakishly good noodle dishes! Sure, there's a slight period of adjustment while you get familiar with the texture and how to prepare them properly, but follow our tips and you'll be fine!

3. Instead of Boring and Caloric Cream Cheese... The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss Cheese Wedges PER SERVING (1 wedge): 35 calories, 2g fat, 260mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 2.5g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Maybe it's the giddy farm animal on the package, maybe it's the conveniently wrapped individual wedges, but we're betting that the #1 reason people like these cheese wedges so much is -- HELLO!? -- the taste. They're delicious, not diet-y in any way, super-creamy, SO decadent... We could go on all day about these things. We spread them on light English muffins. We mix them with those Tofu Shirataki noodles. We drop them into mugs with Egg Beaters. WE. LOVE. THEM.

4. Instead of Bland Skim Milk... Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze PER SERVING (8 fl. oz.): 40 calories, 3g fat, 180mg sodium, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Sure, skim milk is fat-free and low in calories. It's also kind of fun-free and low in flavor. Our "milk" of choice is this particular nondairy, unsweetened almond beverage. It tastes AMAZING and is VERY versatile: terrific in recipes (including those that call for light vanilla soymilk), over cereal, in your coffee, etc. And it's one heck of a dance partner. (Kidding! Just making sure you're paying attention.)

5. Instead of That Scary Stick o' Butter... Brummel & Brown PER SERVING (1 tbsp.): 45 calories, 5g fat, 90mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 0g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Hands down, the best-tasting, creamiest, and most buttery spread out there. Want to know more cool stuff about it? It is made with nonfat yogurt, has NO trans fats, has half the fat and calories of actual butter, and works perfectly anywhere you need buttery goodness. What's not to love? We even adore the shade of blue on the tub! WE LOVE YOU, BRUMMEL & BROWN!!!

6. Instead of Crammed-with-Fat-and-Cholesterol Eggs... Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute PER SERVING (1/4 cup): 30 calories, 0g fat, 115 - 120mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 0 - <1g>POINTS® value 1* Short of your Easter egg decorating, this stuff can be used pretty much anywhere you need the power of egg. It's convenient and, unlike real eggs, low in calories with no cholesterol or fat. Plus, you'll never get eggshells in your omelette! We use this for SO many things -- our egg-mug recipes, faux-frying, baking -- that we literally don't know what we would do without it. "Crying" would probably be on the agenda, though. Egg Beaters Original and Better'n Eggs are our top picks!

7. Instead of Fat-Heavy Sour Cream... Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt PER SERVING (One 6-oz. container): 90 calories, 0g fat, 65mg sodium, 7g carbs, 0g fiber, 7g sugars, 15g protein -- POINTS® value 2* To be fair, this stuff is much more than a swap for sour cream to us. It's perfect for 2-ingredient recipes, a key part of our creamy scoopable salads, and delicious as a snack (with a bit of sweetener mixed in). It ALSO happens to pack the creaminess and zing of sour cream with the added bonus of lots of protein for very few calories and no fat. And it doesn't have that weird, not-quite-right taste of fat-free sour cream. There are other fatless Greek yogurts around, but Fage's stuff is the best.

8. Instead of Carb-y, High-Cal Potatoes... Butternut Squash PER SERVING (1 cup cubes, raw): 63 calories, 0g fat, 6mg sodium, 16g carbs, 2.75g fiber, 3g sugars, 1g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Even if we were JUST talking about using these instead of potatoes to make our amazing Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries, they'd make the list. But this orange squash is capable of so much more. With about half the calories of standard spuds, the taste is VERY comparable to sweet potatoes. Consider swapping it to make sweet potato pie... and some luscious home fries. Or get crazy and put it into stews and latkes and pot stickers... B-nut squash can be used almost anywhere a regular or sweet potato can be used. AWE-SOME.

Combining Traditions

There are so many fun Christmas traditions! This is my husband and my second Christmas being married and we haven't yet figured out which traditions will become "ours".

I think no matter what you do though, doing the things you "always" do is what makes it really feel like Christmas.


We're going to spotlight a few of the 5 Sisters' traditions next week that we had growing up, but I wanted to mention a few things that I enjoy at Christmas time.

First,
Graham Cracker Houses

This is what we usually made (usually for Sizzle's birthday party activity) and perfect for kids. I think they taste better too. And having them sitting on your counter top for weeks definently adds to the festivities.

Secondly, Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. Our grandma usually sent us a candy-cane shaped braided bread that we ate Christmas morning. Complete with gumdrop flowers. I always enjoyed that. Jeremy's family always has sticky buns that morning, but frequently have this yummy pull-apart bread handy during the holidays, so I'm featuring that today. The recipe linked is really easy and super-delicious!

Lastly, I wanted to mention some ornaments. Sizzle mentioned that we've started and ornament exchange and I've enjoyed looking at all the fun ornaments. I really enjoy seeing my handy work hanging on the tree.

I found this tasty (but don't eat them...) recipe for Cinnamon Ornaments that looks fun.

I'm pretty sure we made these as kids at one time...but mostly I want them so my house smells like cinnamon...
and they're pretty cute.





















That's all I'm going to feature today, but check back next week for a more in-depth guide to some of the traditions we've enjoyed as the 5 Sisters.

Thanks for reading!

Baby Shower and Recipe

Sizzle here to share the results of my first baby shower (co-baby shower) but still my first ever. Here is our table. This is during the event so it is a little messy but you get the idea. We had a cheese ball/cracker, veggies, peppermint bark, fudge, juice and cupcakes. It was an open house shower which I have never really heard of before but people didn't really come and go they stayed so it didn't really work but an hour and a half was enough. We had 22 people show up.

My friend (Casey) made the banner out of paper. It turned out so cute. I haven't taken it down yet.

This was the game we played. Casey made these cute sheets where everyone wrote a name for every letter of the alphabet to help them name their baby. I covered an old Oreo box (Costco) with wrapping paper for them to put them in when they were done. I also made little labels to tell people what to do instead of telling everyone individually.

This was set up on the same table with a special archival pen.

I didn't snap a picture of the gift table (darn) but I just set up a buffet table by the door so they could leave their gifts as soon as they walked it. I always feel awkward carrying a gift around so I thought ditching it at the door was a good solution.

Okay now the AMAZING frosting recipe. I LOVED it and I am oh so picky with frosting. I don't like the ones that taste like powdered sugar. I like it light and fluffy like cupcakes from a bakery. This is IT. Yum.

If you make a cake or cupcakes this season use THIS recipe. You'll love it!

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1 cup white sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. In a small bowl (use an electric mixer like a Kitchen Aid or Bosch--it takes forever) beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside

2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

Creating in the Kitchen-- Delicious Dinners (& Dessert!)

I confess, I have an addiction to recipe blogs. I think it started because I never collected my favorite recipes that my mom made, so I had to keep looking for new things to make for dinner online. Now I've acquired a bunch of my favorites, but I still love finding and trying new recipes to add to my collection. Now that I've found so many tasty things out there, I hate re-making something that I've made already. I want to try all of them!

Here's a few that I've made in the last little while that I love. I had to include both pizzas because they were both so good!
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Garlic-Ranch Chicken Pizza

(recipe from Favorite Family Recipes)

1 large pizza dough, uncooked (fresh, frozen, or whatever you like best)
3/4 c. ranch dressing (*see recipe below or the homemade ranch dressing recipe)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. chicken, cooked and cut into strips (**I like to rub the chicken with olive oil and generously sprinkle with Montreal Chicken Seasoning on both sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.)
2-3 tomatoes, sliced

Mix ranch dressing and crushed garlic together then spread evenly on the pizza dough. Sprinkle a little cheese over the ranch dressing then add chicken and bacon. Sprinkle more of the cheese over that, add the tomatoes, then add the remaining cheese. Put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes (or until crust is a nice golden-brown). Top with parsley flakes to make it look fancy and serve!

*Ranch Dressing:

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk

Whisk ranch mix and mayo together, slowly add buttermilk. When well blended, cover and refrigerate.

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The Best Spinach Alfredo Pizza Ever

(from RecipeZaar)

• 2/3-1 cup classico alfredo sauce
• 25 leaves spinach
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• pizza dough (enough for one 12-inch pizza)

1. Roll out the fresh pizza dough into a 12 inch circle, and place onto your stone or sheet.
2. Spread the alfredo sauce around and out to the edges and then lay the spinach on top of that, making sure not to overlap pieces of spinach.
3. Then sprinkle cheeses on top and bake at 475 for 10-13 minutes, or whatever you normally bake your pizza pie at.
   
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Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni

(recipe by picky-palate.com)

1 lb dry Rigatoni pasta or any other pasta of choice
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 Anaheim green chili’s finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt
1 can cheddar cheese soup
½ Cup milk or half and half
1 Cup sour cream
2 15 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
Heaping ½ Cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves (add more if you love cilantro)
2 Cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions, making sure it’s not overcooked. Drain and set aside.

2. Place olive oil into a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Saute onions and chilies until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef, salt, pepper and garlic salt; cook and crumble until browned. Stir in soup, milk, sour cream and tomatoes. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cilantro and cooked pasta.

3. Pour mixture into a large 9 x 13 inch baking dish or individual size baking dishes of choice, see my link above. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

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And, since I made it last night, I figured I'd include a favorite that we used to make a lot in my college apartments. Everyone need to try this recipe at least once in their life!

Better Than *Anything* Cake

1 box Devils Food cake
1 jar caramel topping
1 jar sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz tub of whipped topping
1 toffee bar (like Skor or Heath), crumbled or chopped - or a few Fun Size from Halloween





Bake the cake as directed on the box in a 9 x 13 pan. When cooled, use a knife to cut and "drill" holes all over the cake. The more the better! And make sure you get around the edges. It will something look like this: (I made this in two separate pans so I could bring 1/2 of it somewhere and keep me from eating it all...)
Pour the sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping over the holes in the cake, making sure to get in all the holes. We used to use the entire can/jar, but I usually can't make myself put it all in anymore. Put a lot of it on it though :)
Now cover it with the tub of whipped topping and sprinkle with your toffee bars. (If your cake isn't cooled complete the topping melts easily, so be patient before applying!)
And it's complete!

Mmmm. (I recommend waiting a little while before eating it because it's always much better the next day.) Just don't let yourself eat it out of the pan, because you will want to eat the whole thing.
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My challenge to you: Browse some new recipes and try something new this week!

Some of my favorite places are:

Favorite Family Recipes
My Kitchen Cafe
Picky Palate
The Sisters Cafe
Allrecipes.com

Enjoy!

Striped Delight - my attempt on a great recipe

I made this recipe this weekend for my boy's bday, his mom has made it for him every year since he was four. I had it a couple times before and it was soooo good. Mine didn't turn out as well, probably because after I bought all the ingredients I noticed that there were no measuring cups in the kitchen. So I swung it and hoped my years working in a bakery in college would still allow me to guess, haha. It turned out well, but I needed to add more milk in the pudding part (I fixed it by adding some pudding paks). Yes, I'm the sister that totally tries and fails :).

Well here's the recipe - hopefuly you can make it better than me! It's a great summer treat, but with the black and white layers, add some candy corn on top and it's great for halloween. Post pics if you make it and say how you made it great for the fall season.


AFTER! Yummy

STRIPED DELIGHT

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs 1/4 c. sugar 1/3 c. melted butter 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/4 c. sugar 2 tbsp. milk 1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed 2 (4 serving size) pkgs. chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling 3 1/2 c. cold milk Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly into bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat with mixer, cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Fold in half the Cool Whip. Spread over crust.Using 3 1/2 cups cold milk, prepare instant pudding as directed on package. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill several hours. Spread remaining Cool Whip over pudding. Garnish with grated chocolate (optional).