Savory Everything Muffins

Ingredients:
-1 TB sesame seeds
-1 TB poppy seeds
-1 TB minced onion
-1/2 TB granulated garlic
-hefty pinch of salt
-1.5 C flour (I used a 50/50 split, but would recommend decreasing the wheat flour by 1/4 C if you are going to do that too.  These were slightly dry, but I wanted to test it out)
-1 TB locally sourced honey
-1/3 C vegetable oil
-1/3 C milk (feel free to add a little more if batter looks too dry)
-1 jumbo egg (consider using a couple eggs if you typically buy large or medium)
-2 tsp baking powder

All of the ingredients should be mixed together and should form a very firm batter.  This batter will be drier than probably some of the other muffins you make as it is a denser muffin, but use your best judgement on adding extra liquid or reducing flour.  With the 50/50 split I used, I really wish I had taken out some of the wheat flour because my batter was a little drier than I would have preferred.  However, the muffins are still quite tasty and I love an excuse to slap some butter on a muffin, so I am really not complaining too much here.

Anyway this should make 6 regular sized muffins.  I baked mine at 350F for 20 minutes, and lowered the heat in the last 5 minutes to make sure the tops did not brown too much.  Also, if you want to mix the herbs and seeds together first and reserve some for topping the muffin, that is another option that may make them look a little more fancy if you are using these for a brunch or similar.

I am a big fan of tossing things into the kitchenaid and calling it a day.  So that is pretty much the system I used here.

I also think that a couple tablespoons of sour cream would moisten the batter a little and add a really good complimentary taste.

This may not be the last of these muffins, but I do think this is a good starting out point for anyone looking for a savory option in a typically sugar-dominated muffin assortment.

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!

Beach Party Cookie Ideas

I think a lot of people I know could use a little sunshine right now.  It has been a pretty snowy winter here, and even though I am typically not a summer-lover (I burn far too easily) even I would be happy to trade my snow boots in for some flip flops.

...and mostly some kabobs on the grill.  Because it always come down to food with me.

Anyway, the cookies are decorated sugar cookies with beach balls, lighthouses, palm trees, star fish, etc.  You can make these yourself with your favorite roll-out recipe and a good batch of royal icing, or you can make life simple and get someone to make them for you.  Then, to add a little variety, there are star fish and sea shell white chocolate candies.

If you are a really elaborate soul, you could put a little oil flavoring in the white chocolate for coconut or orange or anything else that may make you think of the warmer time of year spent having a good time.

Regardless of whether you are having a party, or just want to pretend you are at a beach bash, a tasty box of treats is my personal favorite way to do it.

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!

Roasted Stuffed Cubanelle Pepper: Zone Diet Friendly

Ingredients:
-1 Cubanelle pepper
-4 oz pulled pork, I used my Guinness Pork recipe here
-3/4 C onion, chopped
-Just under 3/4 C chopped green pepper (or red/multicolor for more fun!)
-1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
-Salt and pepper to taste

Put the cubanelle on a cookie sheet and roast at 400F for at least 15 minutes, turning every 5 to 7 minutes.

While it is roasting sautee the peppers and onions with the sauce and a little bit of water. Hit them with some salt and pepper.  Sautee until the onions start to turn translucent, reduce the heat and add your pork in just to let the flavors mingle.

Get the pepper out of the oven and let it cool for a few moments, and lower your oven to 350F.  Slice it down the center (not all the way through, just cut a slit). Scoop out the seeds from inside.

Stuff it with the filling and pop it back in the oven for another ten minutes or so.

Devour and enjoy!

I am so sorry that I am so flaky currently with my posting, but I am in the last few days of a huge school project!  I hope to return to normal soon.

Until then, happy sporadic crafting!


Pin It Now!

Guinness Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

Ingredients:
-Pork Roast (however much you need to fit in a normal crockpot, this is not rocket science)
-1 or 2 bottles of Guinness (need enough to come about halfway up or a little over the pork roast)
-1 C water
-2 TB butter
-1/2 of an onion (I used a yellow one) chopped
-1 tsp worchestershire sauce
-Salt and pepper to taste

So I typically buy normal sized pork roasts (tenderloins, whatever is typically $9 and a little bit larger than a Dachshund). And then I cut them into 4ths or 3rds and I use them for multiple meals.  So that gives you an idea of the size of cut I used with a half bottle of Guinness.  But I cannot stress to you enough, this is not a precise science, just wing it and enjoy.

So add all the ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low overnight. That's it.  That's all you have to do.  I mean ideally you should turn it once while it is cooking but if you don't it will still work just fine.  In the morning, shred all the pork up (I just use my tongs and pull it all apart in the crockpot) and then I like to let mine sit in the juices all day on the "keep warm" setting.

I have tried this made with various beers and I have to say that Guinness is hands down the way to go.  It was the richest flavor and really worked well with the other ingredients.

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!

Easy-Cut Cakes for Events and Charities

This is a cake that my mom did for an event for the volunteer fire department.  The great thing about cakes like this is it tells people exactly where to cut, and everyone gets a rose.

Have you ever gone to an event and been a lover of icing and got the piece that just has base on it and no decorations? Don't you feel like you get shorted?

I do.  I love icing.  Pile it on, I want a sugar buzz by the time the night is over.

By putting rows of roses on, it tells people who may not have the most experience in cake cutting exactly what they need to do, and I know that if I was in that position I would really appreciate something like that.

These roses are red raspberry roses, which added to a chocolate cake makes for a tasty surprise.  It would definitely be overkill to make an entire cake raspberry icing, but a decently strong flavored rose of a fun extract like raspberry or strawberry can give you a taste of something different without making you want to gag.

I know I have been pretty flaky lately on getting things posted daily, and that may be the lesson of the 365 Day Craft Challenge this time around, making sure that you make time to do the things you love, without being obsessed or worried about missing a day.

No one is perfect.

And strangely enough, it is sometimes difficult for me to fit my social life, my graduate school life, my home life, and my craft challenge all into the same 24 hour period...who would have guessed ;).

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!

My Paleo Valentine: Dark Chocolate Bacon Brownie Truffles

You will need:
-2 C shredded zucchini
-1 C applesauce, peanut butter, almond butter, or whatever you prefer to use.  I used my homemade bourbon apple butter, recipe here.
-1/3 C dark cocoa powder
-1/3 C locally sourced honey
-1 C almond meal
-1 Egg
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Other
-Dark chocolate chips for melting and dipping
-Bacon or other desired toppings like walnuts
-2 TB chia seeds
-Up to 1/4C extra almond flour for truffle mixing

So these came about by a very fortunate series of obnoxious failures.  I have actually made zucchini brownies before.  They actually came out really good, but were a little on the dry side.  I figured they needed an egg.  So I based these off a combination of recipes and these came out way too moist! I really had my heart set on taking in some paleo treats to see if anyone noticed they were different (they did not notice) and so I was pondering what to do.  Rule #1, if dry cake can be mixed with moist icing to create a cake pop, wet brownies can be mixed with moisture-absorbing chia seeds and almond meal to make a truffle.

Anyway, mix the top list of ingredients together in your food processor.  Pour into a well greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 25 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Allow them to cool, then scoop the brownies into a bowl.  They are going to be really really moist and you are going to question your sanity, but you are just going to have to trust me on this one that it works!

Mix the brownie stuff with the chia seeds in the lower list and up to 1/4 C almond meal to get them to a consistency where you can roll them into a ball in your hand and they will keep their shape.  You could also add in nuts or other things as you see fit.  If you do not think the mixture is sweet enough, add a little more honey and increase dry ingredients as necessary.  

I placed the brownie truffles on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and popped them in the freezer for about an hour. I wanted to make sure they were very well set.  You can leave them in longer if you like.  

Melt your chocolate, remove the truffles from the freezer and dip.  I dipped all mine first, then fried up my bacon, drizzled more chocolate on them to add the bacon and make it stick, and then drizzled a little more chocolate on that to make sure that they stuck.

Depending on what your home temperature is or where you are taking these, you may want to keep them in the fridge or a cooler, especially if they have to sit out a long time. Dark chocolate never seems to set as firm as the candy bark I use for other things (completely non paleo things of course) and that is not a bad thing as long as you are prepared.

These were a big hit at the office, and a lot of people commented on how rich the bites were and how chocolatey they tasted.  I was quite happy.  They even got the seal of approval from the paleo eaters I know.

I just like to experiment with things like this every now and then, and the right combination of brownie that is somewhere between the first batch and these would make these have an even better texture.  I am quite hopeful I can get to that point.  However, I think if I have learned anything in the 365 Day Craft Challenges it is that if at first something does not quite look right, try to make it something else.  I hate wasting ingredients, and these brownies just needed a little extra TLC to get them to the next level.

The ironic part is, I am not the biggest chocolate fan on the face of the earth.  But I did have someone tell me today that I have given them an even bigger appreciation for bacon.

And that, my friends, is truly what matters in life.

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!

Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
-Chicken breasts (I used 2 for 7 peppers)
-Salsa or equivalent ingredients
-7 poblano peppers (that is what would fit in my glass dish!)
-toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, or whatever else you prefer

To make salsa chicken, I put the 2 chicken breasts in my crockpot with about 1 C of water and 1.5 C of salsa or so, optionally a pat of butter or other fat.  Or, at least that is what I typically do.

I did not have salsa this time. Instead, I chopped 3 tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1 green bell pepper, and added 2 tsp fresh cilantro paste, salt and pepper, and a pinch of taco seasoning.  I had recently dried some serrano peppers, so I crushed up 1/4th of one of them as well to include.  I still added the water and let this cook overnight in my crockpot for 8 hours on low.

For the peppers, you will need to roast them first.  Preheat your oven to 400F and place the peppers on a metal baking sheet, preferably one with a rim.  Roast for 15 minutes, flipping the peppers halfway through to promote even roasting.

Pull them out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes unless you just have a really good oven mitt that makes it easy to handle them.  Cut a slit down the center of the pepper and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.  You do not need to cut the stems off as they are quite cute.

Once all of the seeds are removed, stuff with chicken and top with more salsa.  I lowered my oven temperature since I transferred these to a glass baking dish and baked them at 350F for 12-15 more minutes or until all of the filling is nice and hot.  You could easily add cheese to this mixture if you were so bold.

I am on a bit of an anti-dairy kick at the moment, I really just have not been in a cheese mood lately.  And I wanted these to be paleo in honor of some friends of mine.

Top each with guacamole and enjoy! With a simple addition of eggs, these would be very simple to convert to a fun, tex-mex brex (or breakfast, if you prefer to not follow my trendy word usage there).

Happy crafting! Pin It Now!