Cranberry Bran Muffins

This is a recipe my mom introduced me to.  It is Martha Stewart, and it sure is good.  I am the only one at our house that will eat Cranberries, so I just froze a bunch of the muffins so I can have a good wholesome bran muffin when I feel like it!

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups wheat bran
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
1 ¼ cups + 2 TBLS. buttermilk
1 TBLS. butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 TBLS.  orange zest
1/2 tsp. ginger (zest or powder)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups fresh/frozen cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

3. Place flour, wheat bran, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bow. Stir in sugar and set aside. 4. Whisk together buttermilk, butter, eggs, zest and vanilla in a bowl.

5. Add flour mixture, stir just until combined.

6. Stir in cranberries.

7. Divide batter between lined muffin cups.

8. Bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly Turn out.

A Plump and Perky Turkey

A Plump and Perky Turkey

Written by: Teresa Bateman

Illustrated by: Jeff Shelly

This is such a great book.  Perfect for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  It is about a town that can't find any turkeys to eat for their Thanksgiving dinner, so they come up with an idea to lure a Turkey to their town-only to be outsmarted by this fine feathered friend.  What I love most about this is in the end, the town still finds something to be thankful for!  This book is perfect for Thanksgiving! (and it's funny too)

Dinner Rolls

These are the Hub's favorite Rolls.  This is a recipe from my Grandma that I grew up with.  And oddly enough, it is the same recipe we use to make homemade doughnuts (you would never guess it by the taste!).

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. dry yeast or 2 TBLS.

2 beaten eggs

½ cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup melted margarine or shortening
2 cups warm water
About 7-9 cups flour
2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water (small bowl).
2. Put the remaining water in large mixing bowl.
3. Add sugar and salt to water in large mixing bowl. Stir until dissolved.
4. Add yeast mixture, eggs, and melted margarine and enough flour to make a batter.
5. Beat well.
6. Add more flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and satiny, 6-8 minutes.
7. Let rise until double.
8. Punch down dough.  Grab dough in fist and squeez up through finger and thumb till you get a nicely formed ball (this is how I was taught.  If you have a different way, go for it). 
9. Place in greased baking dish.  Let rise again until doubled. 
10. Cook at 350 for 25 min.  Brush with melted butter and enjoy!

Hope everyone had a HAPPY and slightly SPOOKY Halloween!!!!  I know we did!

Don't let the Pigeon stay up Late!

By: Mo Willems

I don't know if I could even begin to tell you how much I love these pigeon books.  They are just so funny to me.  I also love the illustrations.  I love funky illustrations that are different but still good.  This is one book (along with all of the other pigeon books belonging to the pigeon "saga") that I would suggest to anyone.  I just think they are so cute and funny.  This particular one is about a pigeon not wanting to go to bed, and wanting to stay up, all while yawning and slowly falling asleep.  This reminded me of pretty much every child out there!  Mine is too young to act this way, but I'd imagine I/we were all a little bit like this at one point in time.

It's so fun having books you can relate to! 

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Burritos

This is a favorite at our house, and is so easy.  True to a crock pot recipe, you just throw everything in, let it cook, then enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken Breasts (uncooked-either frozen or thawed.  Mine are ALWAYS frozen :) )

1 Jar Salsa (Mild, Medium, or Hot, it's up to you)

1/2-1 package of taco seasoning

Optional:  Green peppers, onions, or whatever else you want to add)

Directions:

1. Add above ingredients together

2. Cook in Crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. 

3. When you are ready to serve, shred the chicken using a fork.  Mix altogether. 

Serve with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortillas, beans, etc...

Pomegranate Gelato

I know, I know, it has been a while since I have posted.  But for those of you (if any of you haven't given up on me yet) who haven't figured it out yet, we are expecting baby number 2!  So I haven't been feeling well.  But I have 3 posts ready to be published (almost) that I have been slacking on, so stick with me if you want some good recipes! 

I received some free POM Pomegranate juice from POM recently and decided to use it in a sorbet.  But after looking through ideas/recipes I decided on a Gelato.  It wasn't bad.  Not 100% like a Gelato, but pretty good.  We are big Gelato fans!  It is important to use POM juice with this recipe because from what I have read, other juices will turn the Gelato a grayish color.  So stick with the POM!  This stuff is good, and good for you!

Recipe found on Epicurious.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups bottled pomegranate juice
1/3 cup pomegranate liqueur such as PAMA  (I omitted this)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, then boil, whisking, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

2. Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
3. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.
4. Soften gelato slightly in refrigerator, about 20 minutes, before serving.

*can garnish with pomegranate seeds or whatever else you want to add. I ate mine with chocolate chips!