Not food related...entirely

So, while I haven't had a lick of time to bake, I have made time to shop for baking supplies. I can't tell everyone how excited I am to get my new kitchen set up and start a baking again!

We're almost ready for the big move- we leave Saturday! We enrolled our oldest son in Soccer and I can't remember the last time he stayed fixated on something for so long! Of course he's 3 1/2 so it never lasts long- but at 3 1/2 it'll be fun to watch the group of kids chase the ball!

A few more weeks and my husband will be home for good! And I'll be right back to baking and cooking up a storm. I know this is a baking blog- but I might break the rules and post a few cooking recipes as well...I can't help myself. What if I'm only indecisive on what to bake, but I have dinner planned out to a 't'?

I hope all is well out there- I'm almost done shopping for the give away! I have some cute stuff that I'm debating on!

SMS: Too Much Going On!

So I'll be bowing out of SMS this week for sure. And unless I miraculously find time, the next two weeks as well!! It's going to be so quiet among the blog, it'll be sad. I'm not dropping it all together- don't fret, but we're doing the big move this weekend, and then, we'll be out of town pretty quickly once we arrive to our new home. Lets leave it as, it never ends. I'm hoping that by the 22nd I'll be settled enough in my kitchen to bake again, heaven knows by then I'll need it!

I wish all you bakers some fantastic luck!! See you again soon!

Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins

I did it! Something healthy(ish). Yes, I've done it before, but I have this sense of satisfaction when every once in a while I sneak in a healthy one amongst the others. My boys really enjoyed the muffins and I loved that they made a quick part of breakfast! I think the possibilities are endless with these- just sub in a fruit for the strawberries, add a bit more oomph with some nuts if you're feeling it.






Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins (with wheat germ)
Adapted from :The Other Side of 50
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin papers in 12-cup muffin tray.

Whisk together the flours, sugar and baking soda. Stir in the chopped strawberries.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, butter and extracts. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until all is incorporated.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups.

Add the brown sugar/ oatmeal mixture to the top of the muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove pan from oven and transfer muffins to cooling rack to cool completely.

SMS: Toasted Almond Lemon Bars

Yeah!! I'm so very excited to be HOSTING this week's Sweet Melissa Sunday! I chose to go with Toasted Almond Lemon Bars because frankly they sounded awesome and I love lemon.

In my borrowed kitchen I was lucky to find a food processor (thank heavens!) and 90% of the necessary equipment to make this magic happen. I'm guilty of not reading the recipe all the way through, so I didn't notice that I needed to weigh down the crust while baking...my host doesn't bake often, so she had no pie weights, I didn't want to use her rice up (but that's an option) and she had no dried beans. So a run down the road (we're rural here) and $7 later for a soup mix that contained beans we were back in business. Well, almost in business, still no almond extract..sigh, I know, some people aren't big bakers. Oh man-she made a killer burger for dinner last night, so juicy, good flavor...back to subject at hand...Toasted Almond Lemon Bars.

I found they were easy to put together and had a good flavor to them. Other than hand squeezing 8 lemons to get my 3/4c of juice it was a walk in the park. The lemon filling set up nicely, I didn't even break out my kitchen aid to get it done. I did get a review that said they were too sweet. Maybe the almond would have cut the sweet some? I'll have to redo.

Toasted Almond Lemon Bars
Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Crust:
2c flour
3/4c powdered sugar
1/2c sliced blanched almonds- toasted
1/2t salt
20T (2 1/2 sticks) COLD unsalted butter cut into 1/4inch hunks

Lemon Filling:
4 large eggs
1 3/4c sugar
1/2t almond extract
1/2c flour
3/4c FRESH lemon juice (about 7-8 lemons)

1/4ish cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling...

Oven to 350- line a 9x13 sling style with parchment paper.

In a food processor combine the almonds, flour, powdered sugar, salt. Pulse till combined and almonds are finely chopped. Add in butter until a dough forms a ball..pulsing while adding the butter. Press into 9x13 parchment lined pan..make sure you go up the sides 1 1/4inches..and evenly. This is the base that a liquid will be in so don't get sloppy. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil on top and weigh down with pie weights or beans or rice in the center. Bake until edges are golden brown- 25-30 minutes. Carefully REMOVE the pie weights and liner and bake for an additional 15-20minutes until the entire crust is a golden brown.

Make the filling. There's nothing finesse about it, mix it all up until nice and combined. Start with the eggs and sugar..then add the rest. (don't add the powdered sugar- that's for the top when done)

Pour the filling into the crust. REDUCE oven to 325. Bake for 30 minutes until firm. Wire rack (pan and all-don't remove the sling yet) to cool.

When cool, remove the sling from the pan and slice into bars. They cut nice and evenly for me- I suppose they will for you too! Use a small sifter (or a fancy sugar shaker that my borrowed kitchen had!) and shake on that powdered sugar till pretty.

Store in airtight container for 2 days. Or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5 days. If you wanna go longer- plastic wrap, then foil and freezer for 3 weeks. DO NOT unwrap before dethawed.



Be sure to stop by my fellow (and awesome)bakers to check out their Toasted Almond Lemon Bars and how they turned out for them!

Thanks for letting me host ladies!

Oh, and if you're not a follower of my blog- sign up, a sneak preview, I'm hosting my first giveaway soon!!

Butterscotch Blondies

I made these by request. You know I've been working in a borrowed kitchen, and my kitchen's owner asked for some butterscotch blondies. I used the base recipe from the Cinnamon Blondies and took out majority spices and added in butterscotch chips. Next time I'll deviate further, I'm thinking buttered rum flavoring? Or a glaze, but then that might not make them blondies? Irregardless, she ate a few and HAD to give them away before they ruined her girly figure.


Butterscotch Blondies (adapted from Sugarlaws)
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 12oz bag butterscotch chips

1. Oven to 350. Line a 9x13 with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. In your hand dandy mixing bowl mix up the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla.

4. Slowly add the dry to the wet. Mix until incorporated.

5. (here is where you can add extras- think cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, walnuts would rock here too) I figure about a cup.

6. Spread into prepared pan - smoothing with a spatula or do like I did and spray your hands with some Pam and pat it down.

7. Bake 25-30 minutes or until an almost clean toothpick. Cool completely before trying to cut. Makes approx 30 bars.

SMS: Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Sweet Melissa Sunday's again! This week, I'm super proud as I managed to complete the assigned recipe!

They were good. They weren't however 'the brownie'. I felt they needed MORE chocolate! Addition of some double dutch and espresso powder would probably be awesome!

Check out this week's host: Tiffany @ A Spoonful and A Heap

Thanks for hosting!

Praline Pecan Brownies

I'm still forever busy. We found a house last weekend after almost 35 hours of driving (thanks for coming Darci!)so I'm able to breathe a minute now that we've got that big task done. Our move date has gone back a bit so that means that I'm displaced from my own kitchen for a while longer...I can't tell you guys how excited I am to get to baking in my own kitchen!

So-my cheater recipe.




Praline Pecan Brownies (adapted from
Paula Deen)

1 package chewy brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Oven to 350.

Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions. Pour batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the pecans and sugar and cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Drizzle the caramel mixture over brownie batter and bake until a toothpick can be inserted and withdrawn cleanly, 25 to 30 minutes.