Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

scrumptious: the yummiest pumpkin muffins EVER recipe!




it's true, nicies.
these ARE the yummiest pumpkin muffins EVER!
and you can make them, too!
cause hey - if I can make them and they're yummy, anyone can!
(you might recall: i am a terrible terrible baker!

this is just one of my many fave recipes from the fabulous *rebar: modern food cook book* (a wedding gift from chatelaine food editor claire tansey - so you know it's going to be fabulous!) 

we've been making these muffins for years now, and they're always perfect! these moist & crunchy (thanks to the toasted millet!)  muffins are healthy and filling, have a GREAT texture and are just plain delicious. and it's the perfect autumny time of year to add them to your muffin faves!

.............

rebar pumpkin millet muffins photo by gnufmuffin






the rebar Pumpkin Millet Muffin recipe
with cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg 

makes about 16 medium sized muffins
my personal notes in different colours!

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk (don't have any? i use any milk and drop a splash of white vinegar in it before pouring into the mix)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup rolled oats (or oatbran!)
1/2 cup millet (or flaxseed in a pinch!)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or raisins if you're out!)
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg


Directions:

1

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. 

2
Line a muffin pan with baking cups or grease the pan cups. (baking spray works well).

3
Combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix together, making sure there are no lumps of brown sugar. 

4
Stir in the oats. 

5
Heat a dry skillet and toast the millet until lightly browned. 

6
Toast the pumpkin seeds and add with the millet to the wet ingredients. (if using raisins, do not toast.)

7
In a separate bowl sift and mix the dry ingredients. 

8
Add the dry mix to the wet mixture. 

Stir gently to combine. DO NOT over mix or the muffins will come out dry and tough.

10
Fill the muffin cups and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, or leave as is.
11
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (i find, for medium sized muffins in my oven, it only takes about 20 mins!)


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and be sure to check out some of the other guest scrumptious posts here: 

strawberry scones recipe with pegg of fiveforty
apple pie oatmeal recipe with sara thomas
emergency biscuits recipe with tiny giraffe


what are you making in the kitchen lately?
do let me know if you make these muffins! 
hope you'll love them!








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Friday, March 9, 2012

confessions: i'm a terrible, TERRIBLE baker

my actual electric mixer smoking! 
{image may have been doctored for effect!}
...........

it's true.
i might very well be the official world's worst baker.

you see, to know me, is to know that i'm a terrible terrible baker.{i like to call myself an *optimistic* baker: don't have an ingredient needed in the recipe? no worries: just substitute! )

no baking soda? how about more baking powder instead?! 
or
can't find the measuring spoons? how about i'll just estimate with the palm of my hand! 

or
the recipe SAYS it'll take 20 minutes but 10 will probably work, right?

apparently the science of baking doesn't LOVE creative substitutions as much as i do! hence,famously horrible cakes, hard-as-nails cookies, and pies you can use as doorstops!)

but does this stop me from baking?
of course not.

this week marks a baking high.
during the making of the official 2012 mr. rikrak birthday cake (a scrumptious vanilla cheesecake with chocolate lace accents) the electric beaters actually died.

here's the scene:

i combined the ingredients.
i began mixing.
the mixer smoked.
then it sparked.
then it died.

honest.
baking fireworks.

needless to say that when even the appliances call it quits, best i take a baking break.

RIP mixer.
so i'll leave all the great baking to you nicies!
until i feel like experimenting again... look out kitchen!
have a great weekend, cuties!

confess - are you a good baker? yay or nay?
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

the art of pie


:: homemade pies from around the blogosphere ::

................

good golly our family loves pies.

we had such a beautiful thanksgiving weekend: 
gorgeous balmy autumny weather. 
wonderful visits with our loving & lovely families. 
& delicious harvest-inspired dinners together, celebrating!

and most everyone agreed: the best food at a thanksgiving dinner? the homemade fruit pies!

my very fave is pumpkin pie. let's be honest: it's the best! 
i've included some of my other faves above. (& i threw in a yummy butter tart recipe (i know - not QUITE a pie!) cause i've learned over the years it's a canadian confection! what a great contribution to the world!) 

are you a pie lover?
what's your favourite flavour?
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Friday, November 19, 2010

a giveaway & a recipe: with the june bride




mmmm...
'tis the season for sharing!
sharing joy.
sharing gifts.
sharing a batch of homemade cookies.
sharing kindness.

and here to help us out with all of those today is the amazing karen of *the june bride*.
the kindest of souls, i'm a longtime fan of *the june bride's* warmth and community-building in the handmade world. karen is a master textile artist and an encouraging advocate for good things in life. add master baker { look at this  cookie recipe she's sharing with us today!} and gosh... isn't she amazing?

so let's make a batch of these delightfully artisan sugar cookies for family or friends this weekend, AND... read on to see how you can WIN some of *the june bride's* beautiful brooches, too!



{ps: karen's so generous... she's doing a November charity event (which will likely continue into December)... $1 USD from every single item sold in her shop this month will be donated to local charities that benefit families in need (full details and updates are in hershop announcement). If any RIKRAK STUDIO readers write "i heart rikrak" at checkout, she'll donate $3 USD for each item you  buy! so wonderful! so let's do it!}







RECIPE for Sugar Cookies
{ by The June Bride }



This is the sugar cookie recipe of my childhood Christmases, and every time I make them, the aroma takes me back to baking with my mom on a day filled with carols and sugary messes. The cookies were ostensibly for parties and neighbors, but we always looked forward to gobbling up the ones that turned out a little less than perfect. It makes me so happy that now my own little ones look forward to the same things!

Traditional Sugar Cookies 
(we usually quadruple this, at least!)

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets, if necessary. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4” thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2” apart onto cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (I like these soft, so I only bake them for 6 minutes). Remove cookies from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Cool completely before icing.

Sometimes I use a simple mix of milk and powdered sugar for an easy icing to top with sprinkles but, for the cookies shown here, I used Martha Stewart’s recipe for royal icing . Ice and decorate if desired. Place on waxed paper until icing is fully set. Enjoy!

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oh YUM!
and so beautifully decorated, nicey!
thanks so much for sharing!

you'll just love the june bride's beautiful shop of creations, too.  it's an oasis of eco-forward style and creativity. beautiful, luxurious handcrafted brooches; wonderful tutorials and more!

and NOW... 3 pins can be yours!

--> ONE lucky rikrak studio reader will WIN <---
  3 reclaimed cashmere flower pins
           :: Large cashmere crimson camellia, 4.75”
           :: Cashmere vanilla cream dahlia, 3.75”
         :: Cashmere moss green aster, 3.25”
 
Value :: $49.50 USD










1. visit the lovely *the june bride* shop
...  tell us about your favourite goodie & why you love it!
=   1 entry

2. heart/fave the lovely *the june bride* shop. 
...  & tell us
=   1 entry
3. become a fan of *the june bride*  on facebook.
...  & tell us.
=   1 entry
4.  follow/ subscribe to the june bride blog.

...  & tell us.
=   1 entry

5. follow BOTH the June Bride { she's @theJuneBride } AND the rikrak shop (that's me! @therikrakshopon twitter
... & tell us.
= 1 entry

6.  follow or subscribe to the rikrak studio blog
... & tell us.
= 1 entry


7. share  your favourite thing to cook or bake for the Holidays!
= 1 entry

8. tweet on twitter
... about this giveaway and come back here and tell us! be sure to include @therikrakshop so i can find you! 
= 1 entry

9. blog about this giveaway
... come back and tell us.
= 1 entry

10. grab one of my rikrak studio buttons,
like this one from the left hand sidebar, for YOUR BLOG!


the rikrak studio



the rikrak studio

and add it to your blog!
{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above  onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }


11. :: PLEASE NOTE: 
each entry must be it's own comment.
thanks! ::


..........................................
:: RULES ::
a) it is possible to have a maximum of 11 entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. thanks!

c) using random.org, 1 winner of the ika bags giveaway will be chosen on saturday november 27th @ 11pm EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.

 
................................................
have a great weekend, nicies!
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Monday, July 27, 2009

edible flower delights!

raspberry & rose petal punch via cookiemagazine

...................................

gosh. i just adore pretty flowers.
and pretty, edible flowers, used in lovely recipes? heaven!

i think back to attending beautiful summertime wedding showers or fancy parties as a little girl and being mesmerized by pretty flowers floating daintily in the pretty punch bowl! but now i know that gorgeous edible flowers needn't be reserved for special occasions only!

we have a dear neighbour that has crafted an entirely edible & gorgeous flower garden, and i just adore it! yay to edible beauties from the garden!

1st - check out this great article on suite101.com about edible flowers in general!

2nd - visit this superhelpful chart on about.com describing safe & unsafe flowers to eat, as well as various tastes you might expect in your flower garden!

3rd - start safely exploring delightful, organic edible flowers in your recipes!

4th- check out this easy candied flower tutorial on marthastewart.com. then add your candied flowers to anything and everything! what a pick-me-up!

how about this gorgeous honey-lavender ice-cream recipe on epicurious.com

...........................


isn't this the most beautiful salad ever? filled with nasturtiums! via Sancho Papa's photostream!

and how about
this baby greens with roasted beets & nasturtium blossoms salad recipe.

.......................

and aren't these tiny tiered cakes with
fresh pansies adorable for any special occasion
(via southernliving.com)?

so lovely!

i'd love to hear if you use fresh, edible flowers in any of your recipes!
please feel free to share!
yay to the loveliness of edible flowers!

{ note: please be careful to check out & research flowers to ensure their edible-safeness before eating! there are so many great sites & books to help us out.}

and just two more days to enter the rikrak & theme fragrance giveaway! find it here!
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