don't try this at home...

Epic Fail…  If you read my bio I boldly stated I would share my "epic fails!"  Here is one for the books!  On Sunday we had the family over to celebrate Wyatt's birthday.  I thought I would kick the cupcakes up a notch for Wyatt.  In my head I had visions of him sharing with his friends "wow you should have seen what my GG made for my birthday!"  Well I can honestly say I didn't even show him this disaster!  I've seen this on Pinterest several times and thought, "I can do this!"  I used a basic chocolate cake mix and filled the ice cream cones part way as the directions indicated.  What came out of the oven isn't even close to the pictures pinned.  The batter over flowed all over the cone and when I took the "test" bite I quickly spit it out in the sink!  The cone tasted like moist cardboard!  I can assure you I will never try this again!  If anyone out in cyber world has tried these and has had success please share the secret!  I think I will stick with filling the cones with ice cream as it was intended to be!  Guess some things just can't be improved… but hey, I tried!

Cinnachip Muffins

Everyone's mom, grandma, sister, aunt or friend claims they have the best muffin recipe.  I decided to kick these muffins up a notch or two and make the best cinnachip muffins you have ever put in your mouth!  This rich muffin is filled with cinnamon popping in your mouth… well maybe not popping, more like melting in your mouth!  Mark, the master taste tester calls them "cupcakes!"  I need to educate him regarding the difference between a "cupcake" and a "muffin!"  Just because they both are baked in paper liners doesn't make them both "cupcakes!"  geez…  Oh and by the way, be sure to remove the paper before eating!  Just sayin…  The boys, (Roscoe and Wally) are hot on his heels when they hear a container open in the kitchen!  I swear they can smell cinnamon or chocolate from the next county!  I made two batches of these muffins with two different brands of cinnamon chips.  Let's just say I ordered one brand (of which I won't mention the name) from a "speciality" shop and the other was none other than Hershey Brand Cinnamon Chips purchased in the baking aisle at your local grocer's.  Well the Hershey brand won the taste test hands down!  In the future I will only be using Hershey brand cinnamon chips!  Dig out your muffin tins and bake a batch of these scrumptious muffins!  The aroma that fills your house is aaamazing!!!  Enjoy!

Cinnachip Muffins

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (the dark brown has a richer molasses flavor, but light works well also)
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 extra large eggs
1 stick unsalted melted butter
10 oz package Hershey Cinnamon Mini Chips
Paper Liners

Streusel Topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 stick of cold unsalted butter cut in pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add kosher salt and whisk, set aside.  Whisk eggs, milk and sour cream in a large bowl.  Add flour mixture and melted butter.  Mix well.  Add cinnamon chips and mix.  Line 2 - 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.  I use an ice cream scoop to fill the paper liners.  Fill almost to the top of the liner.

For Streusel Topping:

In food processor or using pastry cutter (food processor is fast and easy!)  combine all ingredients and pulse until mixture becomes crumbly.  Sprinkle about a tablespoon of streusel on top of the batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Best enjoyed fresh, hot out of the oven with a steamy cup of coffee!  Muffins will keep for several days in air tight container or they also freeze well.

© photography and editing provided by  n e l o u G R A C E

Something for the First Time...

     Something for the First Time is the theme this year at my church, St. Luke's United Methodist Church.  Each week Dr. Bob Long encourages us to try something for the first time.  Since the beginning of the year, I have thought about many things I want to try.  Most of the time the road takes me to the kitchen.  I have always loved scones.  A cup of Chamomile tea, with honey of course, a scrumptious scone with lemon curd and I'm in paradise!  I can certainly see me at Buckingham Palace (with a beautiful hat of course!) having tea with the Queen or Princess Kate!  Everything about "high tea" intrigues me… the tea cups, pretty dishes, tiny spoons, little sandwiches and cakes.  Mmmmmm makes me hungry!  It's got to be tea time somewhere! Maybe I will start treating myself to high tea every day,  or maybe once a week!  I see a fancy tea party with my granddaughters in the near future!  Ok, back to something for the first time!  I have never ever made a scone and was honestly a little intimidated at the thought of baking them.  I tried several recipes; some too dry, some too crumbly.  After combining 5 or so different recipes, I believe I have the perfect scone!  Everyone says their recipe is the perfect one right???  Of course there is always room for improvement in anything!  For me, I love this one and plan to stick with my creation.  The best thing about this recipe is you can add fresh fruit, different flavors of chips or just enjoy them plain!  The first time I made them, I used mini cinnamon chips.  Ooo la la… they were yummy!  But… I forgot to save a couple scones and take pictures!  A senior moment I guess!

I recently discovered King Arthur Flour.  I ordered lemon chips and sanding sugar and couldn't be happier.  Check out their website, good stuff!

Enjoy these sconealicious lemon scones.  Put the tea kettle on and have yourself a "tea party!"

Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups flour + a few Tablespoons for rolling out dough
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (freeze the stick of butter, after frozen grate the butter with a cheese grater and place back in freezer)
1 extra large egg  (I use extra large eggs in all my baking)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups lemon chips
zest of a lemon
course sugar for sprinkling on top before baking (optional)

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons milk/half and half or cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
lemon zest if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.  I place my baking shelf in the middle.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet works great as well.

In a good size bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Remove the grated butter from the freezer and toss in the flour mixture.  Using a fork or pastry cutter combine until the mixture looks like course cornmeal.  Set aside.

Whisk the egg, sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl.  Pour over the mixture and then mix with a rubber spatula until everything is moistened.  Gently fold in the lemon chips.  Try to not over work the dough.  Don't start getting intimidated!!!  The dough is going to be pretty moist at this point.  Work the dough as best you can into a ball.  On a lightly floured surface pat the dough in an 8" round circle.  Cut the dough in 8 wedges.  Place wedges on the prepared baking sheet.  Give each scone some space.  Using a little cream, brush the wedges with the cream and if desired sprinkle with course sugar.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  The first time I made them I over baked them a tad!  Remove from the oven and let the scones cool down a bit.  Meanwhile… whip up the glaze.  Drizzle the glaze over the scones.

Scones are best if enjoyed right away, well wait till the tea is ready!  If you have any leftovers, the scones keep well in an air tight container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days.

Now it's time to sit on the patio, garden, watching a good movie or soaking in the tub, enjoying a hot cup of tea and a sconealicious scone!

Once again big thanks to my sweet friend Nelou.  You encourage me to do better every day!

Brownies Extraordinary

Mom was a master in the kitchen and I am so grateful she taught me how to cook many of our favorite recipes.  I don't remember mom baking many pans of plain ole brownies but I do remember these yummy delights!  What I find so comforting is I have mom's original recipe in her own handwriting!  Long gone are the days of reaching in our recipe box for a blank recipe card and writing down a recipe to share with a friend or loved one.  Remember the cute cards that said "from the kitchen of…?"  We now jump on our computers and "google" a recipe and save it to our files.  Hey I have been known to take a picture of a recipe with my phone for later use!  Don't get me wrong, I love being able to find a recipe at the click of a button, but I miss going to mom's recipe box and pulling out a recipe and whipping up something delicious.  Anyone remember picking out a recipe box for your wedding registry?  I think I just aged myself!  Okay back to brownies!  If you are looking for an ooey gooey chocolate treat, this is a must for you!  I've added my own twist by drizzling melted caramel, course salt and chocolate over the top after the brownies have baked and cooled.  Not quite enough richness for you… take it to the next level, and add a dip of ice cream!  Shut the front door and get in my mouth now!

Brownies Extraordinary

Filling:
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese softened at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Brownies:
2 - 1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker's Chocolate, found in your grocery store)
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

In a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg and almond extract.  Beat with a hand mixer until all combined, set aside.

Batter:

Melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter in a sauce pan or microwave, set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat together the eggs and sugar, add the melted chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture.  Combine the chocolate mixture with the flour and mix well.  Butter a 9x9 pan.  Add 1/2 of the chocolate batter to the pan and spread evenly.  I find it useful to use those little offset spatulas but of course anything will do!  I'm the queen of gadgets and I have my favorites!  Okay back to the brownie batter!  Now spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter.  Add remaining brownie batter to the top and spread evenly.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes.  To test if the brownies are done, just insert a toothpick in middle, if toothpick comes out clean- brownies are done!  There are a couple of things you can do at this point.  After the brownies have cooled you can sprinkle powdered sugar over the brownies and they are yummy.  To kick it up a notch or two… melt in a double boiler 8 - 10 ounces of caramel.  I like to add a tablespoon of cream for a bit more creaminess after the caramel has melted.  Drizzle over the brownies, and at this point if you would like, sprinkle with a little course salt.  Maybe a teaspoon in all, a preference call on this one!  Melt 8 ounces of chocolate chips, your choice of milk, dark or semi sweet.  White chocolate chips would be good as well!  Drizzle the chocolate over the caramel and course salt.  Let the caramel and chocolate set up a bit before cutting.  Now for the best part… pour yourself a glass of ice cold milk, cut a brownie and enjoy!  Oh and don't forget the ice cream!

© Images taken by yours truly, and edited once again by the lovely  n e l o u G R A C E.