Donate for Free

I went shopping today and bought my favorite Grape Juice, Welch’s.  Welch’s is helping to feed America by donating an 8 oz. serving of 100% juice.  All you have to do is get on Welchs.com/harvest and click on the “Donate Now” button.  You don’t have to set up an account or make any purchase.  All you have to do is get on the site and click, very easy.  You can click once a day from August 15 to December 31, 2009.  Make a difference.

Blueberry

I love eating blueberry muffins but the only type I know how to make is the one from a box.  Here are two recipes from scratch. An easy one and a not so easy one. I hope to make either one, one of these days.

Beginner Blueberry Muffins


Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.
3. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

Makes 16 muffins.

Expert Blueberry Muffins


Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, (from 1 lemon)
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a standard (12-cup) muffin tin (or two 6-cup tins) with paper cups. With an electric mixer, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until combined.
2. In a shallow bowl, mash 1/2 cup blueberries with a fork until liquefied. Add to butter mixture, along with lemon zest; beat to incorporate (mixture will appear separated).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Gently fold in remaining 1 1/2 cups blueberries.
4. Spoon or scoop batter into cups, and sprinkle tops with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out muffins onto a wire rack to cool 10 minutes more before serving.

Makes 12.

Fling Chocolate

New candy alert!!! Not just another candy but a new candy bar from the MARS company and you know what that means.  The new candy is, CHOCOLATE!  There hasn’t been a new chocolate bar since  I can’t remember. This new chocolate bar will have the catchy name of “Fling”.  I’m not really crazy about the name but who cares.  How does it taste?  I don’t know if the candy will be sold in the states but the company already has a commercial for it.  Check it out.

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

Gluten Free Me

I went food shopping the other day and noticed that there was a whole section of gluten free food. I had no idea what the hell gluten was so I didn’t even bother to see what the products were.  Then the other day I was watching “The View” and they were talking about gluten free diets.  All I could think was, is this gluten free thing new? The answer is no.  Gluten is found in some wheats which might be harmful to people with wheat allergies or those with Coeliac disease or Dermatitis herpetiformis .  I wonder what they’ll find next? I should just stop eating.

Wedding Cakes

These could be wedding cakes or any occasion cakes.  I would love to buy one of these cakes for no occasions at all.  It’s Friday, let’s eat cake! You can see these and other at Sweet Lady Jane. 

Kitchen Tips

I was reading a magazine and found some helpful tips for those of us that spend some time in the kitchen.

1. Deodorize food containers with newspaper then wash before use.  I haven’t tried it yet.

2. To deodorize and disinfect sponges or kitchen rags use vodka it’ll kill the bacteria and there will be no smell.  Remember to use vodka since it has very little smell. I’ve tried this and it works.

3. When trying to open that jar of sauce instead of running it under hot water or banging it just put on your kitchen rubber gloves and twist.  The rubber grips the top making it easy to twist.  I’ve been doing this for years and YES it works.

Menu Ideas

It’s finally Friday but all I did today was chores and I’m still not finished and it’s 6pm.  I have to go food shopping and I have no idea what to buy.  I find myself out of ideas, I need a new menu.  I check out foodnetwork.com and other sites but I just find myself overwhelmed and end up closing the siteand  forgetting the whole thing.  I watch the 30Minute Meal show but sometimes that food doesn’t look like something I’d like to eat.  I just finished having lunch 20 minutes ago because I’ve been so busy.  I wonder at what time I’ll be having dinner?  What are you eating tonight?

Dinner Ideas

I have no idea what to make for dinner tonight. I look in the cabinets and in the fridge but I’m not inspired. Have I run out of ideas? What are you cooking tonight? I looked on the Food Network site but it’s just too overwhelming. I need something simply to make with the ingredients I have.

Floating Bar

Tired of going to the same bars?  Then imagine yourself on a Floating Bar in Japan.  It seems like such a fun experience, wish I was there.  I wonder if they have karaoke?  If I win the lottery that’s where I’ll be.

I’m sitting by the window and I just inhaled a delicious smell.  Someone is cooking something good.  It smells like grilled onions on a nice juicy steak.  The smell is getting stronger!  I want to be like one of the cartoons that is wisked away by the smell.  Who’s cooking?!  Today I’m not cooking, I cooked yesterday and today we’ll have leftovers.