RECIPE: Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting!! Yum!

This morning I made these fabulous Carrot Cupcakes. Skyler "volunteered" me for dessert for the National Honor Society's lunch meeting at school tomorrow. Don't take me wrong, I'm not complaining. I enjoy making dessert for the kids and Skyler is really good at letting me know well in advance, he even writes it down on the calendar for me! I think being the youngest of four boys surely has it's advantages when it comes to knowing things like this. He has witnessed the kitchen "mom-ster" come out when given 2 hours notice of needing a treat for some school function and Skyler has learned that this is a person he does not want to mess with! Living out here in the middle of no-where we country moms don't have the convenience of running to the store to pick something up last minute! Anybody else out there have this problem of "Mom I forgot to tell you, but I need ____________ today for school!"

Anyway, always looking for an excuse to try out new recipes, I ran across this recipe in the April 17, 2010 issue of the Family Circle magazine. The recipe especially caught my eye when I saw Cream Cheese Frosting. One can not, I repeat, can NOT eat carrot cake properly without the Cream Cheese Frosting. Carrot Cake without the Cream Cheese Frosting is like a Cheeseburger without the cheese, a salad without the dressing or even a french fry without the ketchup! Seriously!

(Nice picture if I do say so myself!)

Here's the link to the recipe (click on CARROT CUPCAKES below). You do have to sign-in to get to the site. It's no big deal, but if you don't want to go to the link, I included the recipe below. I like going to the links because they have options for you to print out the recipe if you want to. Read the recipe below to see alternations that I made. You know me, can't leave well enough alone!

CARROT CUPCAKES

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark-brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I used 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and grated on medium holes of box grater (about 3-1/2 cups)
• NOTE: I misread the recipe and used 1-1/2 cups and that was plenty!! I think 3-1/2 cups would have been a disaster!
• 1/2 cup chopped raisins
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in 24 indents of muffin pans; set aside.

2. In large bowl, stir together butter, sugars and eggs until well blended. Stir in flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, carrots and raisins.

3. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake liner. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on rack.

4. Frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners sugar together on medium-high until blended. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat on medium-high until no lumps remain. Divide frosting among cupcakes.

Can I share a couple of secrets with you?

People always seem to go ga-ga over my desserts. I try to tell them that one of my secrets to success is PRESENTATION. Yes, that's it. Let me repeat that. PRESENTATION is very important.

Let's take these cupcakes for example. I could have just spread the frosting on with a knife, but instead I took them up a level just by using this little do-hicky. I don't even know what it is called, but I got mine from a Pampered Chef party years ago. I've seen them everywhere and they are not that expensive. I've even seen them at Wal-Mart. But if at all possible, please get one from you local Pampered Chef girl or your local kitchen store! (Buy Local!!)



Next, let us consider this little cake plate thing and cover. I spent a whole $10 on it and use it ALL the time. Beats putting these little gems in a plastic container where no one can see them. Place it in the center of your table and voila! you have an instant center piece and your table looks like a magazine cover!



Thought I'd give the Morrill High School National Honor Society some press time (especially for the grandparents who read this blog.) What a great group of kids, excuse me, young adults!

2009-2010 MHS National Honor Society

2009-2010 New Inductees

Kathi, Skyler and Dan the Man
(Lori please don't say anything about my hair!)

I have an exciting announcement coming concerning my blog, but can't go into details right now because there are still a few loose ends that need to be tied up before I can make an official announcement so you'll just have to stay tuned!

PS, Does this sound like a teaser?

PSS, It is!!

PSSS, but seriously, I can't wait to tell you. It's something that should be really fun!!

RECIPE: Apple Strudel Muffins

Yum, yum, yum! That's all I have to say about this recipe!

Well, actually I have a little more to say about it. I made these little gems today and I must tell you they are so delicious right out of the oven they will have you begging for more. They melt in your mouth and cause your husband to kiss you! The kissing comes after your hubby has eaten the muffin, not while you are eating your muffin.

Well, actually, Dan the Man hasn't had one yet, but I am sure that as soon as he has one, he'll want to kiss me and take me out to a romantic dinner and dancing afterward.

A Country Chicken Girl can dream, can't she?

I was dreaming about Spring when I took the picture.
Notice the adorable little flower plate?
So cute and Spring like!

Apple Strudel Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped apples
• (Strudel)
  
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.
5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe came from allrecipes.com and was submitted by NMARIEA.

One of My Favorite Muffin Recipes: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had some bananas that were starting to turn brown and knew that no one in this house was going to remotely consider eating them so I thought I'd better get busy and make something with them. I thought about trying a new recipe, but as I pondered the thought of deciding on one, I chose just to make one of my favorite muffins, the all so scrumptious Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

I have been making these bad boys for years. I'm not even sure how many years now, but longer than Dan the Man and I have been married, so I would venture to guess about 20 years now. They go way back to my Winter Park days. When my children were little rug rats, they absolutely adored them. When ever I made them, they would tell me that I was the bestest cook in the whole wide world! Okay, okay, maybe they didn't say that in those exact words, I don't really remember. But this is my blog and I can pretend if I want to! If they did say something along those lines it would have and probably did make my heart melt.

The recipe is from the "Creme de Colorado Cookbook". This is another must have cookbook in my opinion. Want one? Try to find a used one on Ebay or Amazon.com. If you get one, you won't regret it, I promise!

Oh dear "Creme de Colorado", how I love thee!

I use to have this recipe memorized I made it so often and it is so easy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups mashed ripe bananas

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (not an option!)

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Sift flour with salt and baking powder and add to brown sugar mixture, stirring until well blended. Add bananas and beat until mixture is smooth. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Signs of a well-loved cookbook! It almost falls open to this page.
Notice all the food spills and stains and the crumpled post-it note tab!

I like to make them in mini muffin pans too, just bake for about 15-20 minutes. So delicious warm after school with a glass of milk. Why not treat your little rug rats to these this week? They might even tell you that you are the bestest cook in the whole wide world.

Wish you could smell these bad boys right out of the oven.

Oh, and Lori (my dear sister), these are just as delicious without the nuts! When the boys were little, some liked nuts in things and some did not, so I made them mostly without nuts. Now that it is just Dan the Man, Skyler and me in the house, we all like nuts, so everything gets nuts. The ones I made today have slivered almonds.

Skyler just got home from school and had a muffin. He forgot to tell me that I was the bestest cook in the whole wide world.

PS, Tatee-cakes wanted to give a shout out to all of you! He was lounging by the window enjoying the scenery, which was the chicken frolicking around in the back yard.

Oh yeah, one more thing to tell you... We had a golden eagle in our front pasture this afternoon! When Dan the Man first saw it he thought it was a coyote, but when I whipped out the binoculars, I could see that it was a golden eagle. Tried to get a picture, but it flew away before I could get close enough for a decent picture.

Muffins to Die For: Caramel-Banana Muffins

Okay people.

I found a super delish muffin recipe you must try!

They are so yummy that if I was a dog I would roll over on my back and beg for them.

Just let me say cream cheese, caramel, pecans and bananas!

Found the recipe in the January/February 2010 issue of Midwest Living.

Here is a picture of the ones I made. So far I have eaten four of them in as many hours! I can't believe I just told you that! Oh well, yes, I am a pig.

Please click on the photo for a full screen view of these scrumptious beauties!

Doesn't that just make your mouth water? If so, check out the link to the website.

Caramel-Banana Muffins

I promise you won't be sorry, but you will be sorry if you don't make them!

Decluttering Pantry, Day Three with Bonus Recipe

Well, I finally made it back to the pantry today. It was time to get this puppy done and move on to other things. The "other things" that have made their way to my growing to-do list now includes my studio. More stuff than I would have liked migrated from the pantry to my studio work table. Ugh! Oh well, I do like to clean and organize, it makes me feel good. You know what? It even improves my mental state of health. I am sure of it! Taking a load of junk we don't need or use out to the dumpster makes my smile in a silly way all the way to the dumpster and then I almost feel like skipping back to the house! LOL

Well, here is the result!






















BEFORE picture

Just look at that top shelf and the floor! What an improvement!


AFTER pictures

Nicely organized shelves!

So to celebrate my accomplishment I decided to make muffins. They were so tasty I thought that I would share the recipe with you!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins






















Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

When I was working on this post, Tatum, our new cat (the stray that showed up here before we went on our trip to Japan) decided to help with the organizing! I put this basket on the counter to contain papers that needed filed, read, or whatever. Tatum thinks its a comfy bed for her. LOL I think she is too big for it, but she doesn't think so!

RECIPE: Apple Pumpkin Muffins

I made these muffins the other day and they were delicious! Can you tell that I like making muffins?! Make sure to make a double batch of these muffins so you can share some with someone you appreciate, could be a teacher, mail carrier, paper deliverer, or the school crossing guard. Enclose a note that says "Hope these sweeten your day! Thank you for all you do, you are truly appreciated." Children love being able to take something special to their teachers so not only will you brighten the teacher's day but you will also make your child feel special!

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it was submitted by Taste of Home's Fast Family Favorites.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups finely chopped peeled apples
• STREUSEL:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons cold butter or margarine

(You know me, can't leave well enough alone, so I added about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the batter.)

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

ENJOY!!

RECIPE: Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Well, I think we finally have most of the fence repaired after the escaped calves episode from my last post. Today we vaccinated our calves and banded the bull calves. We also turned the calves out to pasture. Hopefully, they will stay in and not get out!

The other day I had some bananas that we starting to turn brown so I decided that I better do something with them so I made muffins. I made this muffin recipe a couple of times this summer for the Farmer's Market and sold out every time I made them.

Did you know that you can freeze bananas if you don't have time to make some thing with them before they go bad? I do it all the time. Just peel the bananas and put them in a ziplock freezer bag then freeze them. They keep for several months and when you need bananas for a recipe, just take them out of the freezer and thaw them in the microwave and they are ready to use.

Kelly, this is the recipe for those muffins you liked so well at the Farmer's Market. If you like coffee and chocolate like my friend Kelly and I do, then you'll love these. I got this recipe from allrecipes.com and they were submitted by Shelley Ross.

Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Blend butter or margarine, sugar, egg, banana, dissolved coffee, and vanilla in food processor for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and soda, and blend just until flour disappears. Add chocolate chips and mix in with wooden spoon. Spoon mixture into 15 to 18 paper-lined muffin cups.
  3. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

I LOVE coffee, so I used 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water.

ENJOY!!

RECIPE: Easy Morning Glory Muffins

Easy Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.)
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, nuts, coconut, and apple.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, it was submitted by Debbie Clarke. It is DELISH! If you like the Pumpkin Honey Wheat Muffins, I think you'll like these too.

RECIPE: Pumpkin Wheat Honey Muffins

Here's the recipe I promised. I got it from allrecipes.com and it was submitted by Colleen Moir.

Pumpkin Wheat Honey Muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1.2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper liners. Place the raisins in a cup, and add enough hot water to cover. Let stand for a few minutes to plump.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center, and put in eggs, pumpkin, oil and honey. Mix just until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Drain excess water from raisins, and stir in along with the walnuts. Spoon into muffin cups so they are about 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan before removing from cups.

NOTE: When I make these, I use 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup regular flour.

ENJOY!!