Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

The time is finally here- it's the first chill of fall.   Not only did I pull out my favorite pair of Great Aunt Maxine's crocheted slippers (that pattern should make it up shortly), but I whipped Joe up a version meant to look more like loafers after finding out he was not blessed with a pair of slippers.  And then I started up on a new Mary Jane style for myself.  I'm also back to crocheting blankets that got left behind when it got too hot to work one in my lap.

But beyond the coziness of sweaters, lovingly knit blankets and slippers are my favorite tastes of fall.  Fresh picked apples, apple cider donuts, and of course, pumpkin.  Hot mulled apple cider with a pad of butter melted on top and ein schluck of rum or whiskey if you're lucky. Mmmmm I can't wait already.

Before fall had even arrived the Sydney who I made the gluten free pumpkin bread for last fall bestowed a pantry-full of food on Joe and I before moving back to California.  This very kind gift included a big can of pumpkin that is big enough that it hasn't made it off my counter so I've been giving it the stare down for a few weeks now.  And now that it is FINALLY cooling off, I'm ready to get into pumpkin season!

During my recipe quest I came across this gem.   Not only does it include pumpkin AND apple, but it's got a yummy streusel topping made with butter and brown sugar so it really can't get any better.  I even have half a dozen apples around that are a little too mealy for my taste, so baking them is my perfect solution!

Banana Muffins!

Okay so I totally love banana bread, but I never have a whole bunch of brown bananas.  I mean they sell them when they're practically lime green still, and Joe eats them like it's a contest, so I'm lucky if there are any left by the time they get to the point of brown spotting that I like them.  But I often get one  or two very sad bananas left behind.  My favorite recipe from my friend Beth calls for 4-5 bananas.

So I made some adjustments and have a recipe for 2 bananas that makes 6 muffins or one small loaf.
It's perfect!
The full recipe is at the bottom.

Ingredients:

flour (all-purpose or bread)
baking soda
cinnamon
allspice
salt
sugar of your choice
1 egg
applesauce OR vegetable oil
bananas
sour cream
vanilla extract

The Steps:

Mix your dry ingredients in a small bowl:
1/2 + 1/3 cup of flour- bread flour makes it a little loftier, but all-purpose is just as delicious- just use what you have.  Add a dash of salt, and as much spices as you like.  I put in a lot of cinnamon and allspice because they're my favorite.
Set this aside.

Mix 1 egg and 1/2 a cup of sugar.  I prefer brown sugar, but use white sugar or honey depending on what I have around.

Add 1/4 cup of applesauce or 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  I prefer the applesauce as it's healthier and less greasy feeling, but -again- use what you got.

Now add your bananas, 2 hefty dollops of sour cream, and a dash of vanilla. You can go generous on your 'measurements' of these things.

Sometimes I just use a potato masher in the mixing bowl and make my life easier.  Especially when my banana goes from brown to black and leaky before I get around to bread making.  If they're soft and ripe you could squish them with the side of your spoon.

Slowly stir in your bowl of dry ingredients.
Add nuts if you're into that kind of thing.

Pour into your pan/muffin tin, which you should grease and flour (I use Pam spray) or put in those handy paper liners.

don't worry about those banana chunks- they'll be delicious.

Bake!  About 30 minutes at 350.

I think bread flour was the source of the extra fluffiness in this batch. 

 mmm...   melted butter.

The Full Recipe:


1/2 + 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon (at least)
1/4 tsp allspice
dash of salt
1/2 cup sugar of your choice
1 egg
1/4 applesauce OR 3 TB of vegetable oil
2 bananas
2 TB sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Set oven to 350.  Grease and flour your pan.

In a small bowl mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.  Use cinammon and allspice to your taste- I like a lot but make it how you want it.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix egg and sugar.  I prefer brown sugar, but white or even honey can work fine.  Stir in applesauce or vegetable oil.  Add mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla, mix well.  Mix in the flour in increments, add nuts if you like them.  Pour into pan and bake about 30 minutes until browned or knife comes out with a thin coating of batter on it.

Picnics and Corn Hole

So after our trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory we came home hungry and excited to spend more time outside in the sunshine.  So we grabbed our little Oy-ster and headed out for a picnic!

I packed a blanket, water for Oy, jam, and cheese and we hit the road.  We stopped by Red Hen Bread for a fresh baguette, and found a grassy front yard in front of a church to sit in since our own front yard is a pretty busy place.

And now for the food:

Irish Soda Bread

This weekend was St. Patrick's day, also known as my anniversary, so it's a pretty exciting weekend in our house!  In honor of our mutual Irish heritage I decided to try out something totally new - Irish Soda Bread.  Joe is especially fond of dense breads, and this is super simple and takes very few ingredients so it was destined to be a great new addition to our recipe book.

I based my creation off of this recipe.

The Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk - OR - 1 cup milk and 1 tsp vinegar stirred together and left to sit for 10 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs sugar


Mix dry ingredients, stir in buttermilk.

If it's too sticky, add some flour.  If it's too dry and won't stick together, add a dab of milk.  It probably won't be perfect.

You can also add exciting things like nuts or dried cranberries or more sugar, but it was my first time so I went basic.

TOO STICKY!!!  Add more flour. 

Now that looks more like bread dough.

Don't forget one of the essential essential elements of Charm Hour- your drink of choice.

And you gotta go Irish on St. Patrick's Day if not always.  

Challah!

My wonderful boyfriend Joe is jewish and I am very excitable about holidays, so I decided to go all out this September and make a fancy Rosh Hashanah dinner!  I had never made bread before (or anything with yeast) but that is no reason to hold back.

I found this recipe on allrecipes, and followed it for the most part:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/miriams-not-so-secret-challah/detail.aspx

A word to the wise:  this takes a LONG TIME.  Three hours according to my source, longer for me in practice.  That whole waiting for it to rise part is annoying, and if you get impatient and hungry like me you should start an hour earlier than you think is necessary.