Categories
eat things to do

Pumpkin muffins = delicious

So we used to go to this place Muffin Break quite regularly on Sunday mornings. It was kind of a nice way to start Sundays with something different. They had the absolute BEST pumpkin muffins. As you can see, I keep using past tenses. That’s because we went to Muffin Break a few weeks ago and they were gone! Completely gone. I guess in this economy people really can’t be splurging on muffins.

 

So of course, ever since, I’d been craving pumpkin muffins. I know they don’t sell them in boxes so I found a recipe. It turns out they are super easy and really really good. This was the first time I had ever made muffins from scratch and I have to say, they are much better from scratch than from the box.

So here’s the recipe:

 

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN MUFFINS
From Gourmet November 2006
Adapted from the American Club
Makes 1 dozen
Active time: 15 min.
Start to finish: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice (a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice)
1.25 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment: 12 foil or paper muffin liners; a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

DIRECTIONS:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1.25 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Categories
nest things to do

House Pics

Ok, here are some more pictures of the house!! I will call these “before” pictures and hopefully get some “after” pictures once we get in there and make some improvements 🙂

So here’s the front of the house…obviously

The living room with fun vaulted ceilings

The ‘garage’ – well it used to be anyway. The people before converted it to a second living room and we’re going to use it as our office/studio! So if you need portraits…hint hint

The VERY overgrown backyard. The list agent said someone was supposed to be keeping up with it…that someone probably needs to be fired.

The view from the back…ahh, country living!

And…drum roll please…my very favorite part, the kitchen! It definitely doesn’t look like a 1972 house when you look at this room 🙂

We’ll keep you posted. As of now, we should be able to close mid April and move in Mid May, woot woot! Anyone want to rent our duplex after we’re gone? Our landlords have been really awesome and we want someone awesome to take over.

Categories
nest things to do

Photo Friday #13


It’s official: we’re finally in escrow…5th time’s a charm?
Categories
nest play things to do

Photo Friday #12

We have this plant in the backyard. We had no idea what it was for the longest time until one day we saw something on the ground. I couldn’t see what it was from inside so I went out and there were peaches everywhere! Good ones too! We actually couldn’t eat them fast enough there were so many. They were there for like 3 or 4 days, and then they were gone. It was really weird.So I went outside the other day and saw this same plant looking like this. I don’t know if these are two plants just growing in the same spot or what but I’d say that this is the most interesting plant ever. It doesn’t do anything for a long time and then it sprouts up out of nowhere. Anyway, I thought it was pretty, hence the picture.

Categories
eat things to do

Photo Friday #10 and #11

So I’ve been totally behind on my photo a week promise but with good reason…which I will update about soooooon….

So here are my photos…

#1:Banana Toast


banana toast was one of those things that my mom “invented” (at least that’s what I remember) and it’s one of those things that every once in a while, I have an incredible craving for. It’s pretty simple, toast, butter, banana slices and cinnamon/sugar on top, but there is a very specific taste when all those things are combined that is just wonderful.

#2:Hornsby’s Ciders

mmmmm. That’s it, just yummy. I like it better than beer.
Categories
celebrate nest play things to do

jared’s birthday

So the gentleman turned 33 this year 🙂 I made him a cake. It was really really ridiculously good! A friend from work passed on the recipe and so I thought I’d pass it on to you…So here goes:

 

Black Russian Cake:

1 box yellow cake
1 lg. box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup vodka

mix

bake 350 degrees in a bunt pan for 45-50 minutes

cool 10 minutes

invert, poke holes, drizzle 1/2 cup Kahlua and 1 cup powdered sugar.