Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

I know I just posted Healthy Blueberry Muffins but I have another recipe to share! While those muffins are great, I understand sometimes we all just want a muffin that does not "taste" or look healthy. Here is a version that is fairly healthy but does not look or taste like a "healthy" muffin. This recipe uses buttermilk and oil to keep the muffins moist. To make it healthier, I substituted half of the amount of oil with applesauce so the muffin does not lose any moisture. For another kick of flavor, I added orange zest. This made the muffins brighter in flavor and gives the blueberry muffin a minor makeover. Feel free to leave the zest out but I would give it a try first. If you want the fuller fat version of this muffin, use 1/2 cup of vegetable oil as opposed to 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup applesauce. That's the great thing about baking, I can make anything the way I want it to be. What's great about recipes, especially muffin recipes, are their versatility. Depending on what kind of blueberry muffin I want, I can make it!

Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake

I came across this recipe the other day and it just had a great appeal to it. While Oreos + cheesecake + pumpkin is a heavenly combination, the recipe also seemed simple to make. The original recipe used two Oreos per individual cheesecake but I did not have that many Oreos left at home…and I was too lazy to go to the store and pick some up. That would just leave more Oreos laying around for me to consume. I’m glad I had just enough Oreos because not only would the leftovers be stored in my pants, I think two Oreos would have overwhelmed the dessert. I wanted the pumpkin cheesecake to the be the focus of the dessert and to have the Oreo as a “crust” and an added layer of flavor that complemented the rest of the dessert. Additionally, the Oreos I had on hand were the holiday version, hence the red cream filling. I understand while these mini cheesecakes did not turn out to be cutest things ever, it sure tasted like the best things!

For those non-pumpkin eaters, this recipe has a pumpkin appeal. Even though you may not like pumpkin, it sounds more appealing in combination with cream cheese and Oreos. Since there are many other ingredients, the pumpkin flavor is not too overwhelming so it is a great introduction to the pumpkin flavor. The reason why I say this is because I use to be a non-pumpkin fan. I started being more receptive to the idea after I tried pumpkin cheesecake and I have not turned my back since! The recipe is rich, decadent, and more than sufficed my ever-persisting desire for cheesecake.

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Good Ole Classic Apple Pie

For those of you who frequent my blog, I know what you're thinking. Is this post about pie? You made a pie? The answer is yes! Being in 2012, I thought it was only appropriate to expand my horizons and to make things I've always thought about making but end up making excuses instead. I've never been a huge fan of pie, let alone apple pie because often times the filling is congealed, too sweet, and consist of too many spices. That's the beauty of baking, I can make apple pie the way I like it!

Many people stray away from pies and pastries because of the pastry crust. It is definitely something not to be intimidated by. Pastry crust is simple to make; however, I used pre-made crust for this recipe. The reasoning is because I had never bought pre-made crust before and I wanted to try it. I love it because it is super easy to use. For those of you that haven't used it before, simply roll out the dough and it is ready to use. So if you want to make pie but is scared to make your own crust, opt for a store bought crust.

A good apple pie depends on the apples. For me, I like tart apples because apple pies tend to be very sweet in general so using a tart apple cuts down on the sweetness. For this recipe, I used granny smith apples which is probably the most tart apple you can get at the store. Also, I used lemon juice, which gave a brightness and extra tang in the pie. So while I wouldn't call this a traditional apple pie, it has all the flavors of one. It just has a little extra zing to it!

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

 

During my recent trip to the grocery store, I saw blueberries on sale. I grabbed two pints without hesitation, one for munching and one for baking. I didn't know what I wanted to do with the blueberries but I was certain I could find something! I opted to make blueberry muffins because it is one of my sister's favorite things to eat. While I've made Blueberry Crumb Cake before, I wanted to make a yes, healthy recipe. Instead of using my oat bran muffin recipe and incorporating blueberries, I decided to research a different recipe. It's good to change things up every once in awhile, right? I proceeded to Google 'healthy blueberry muffins' in the search engine and clicked on the first recipe that came up. Thank goodness I did because it turned out to be an excellent recipe. The main ingredient in the recipe was wheat bran so the muffins provide a great deal of nutrients and fiber. One of the first steps was to soak the wheat bran in milk to give the muffins bulk and it helped release the nutrients in the wheat bran.

The muffins turned out great! The muffins had the taste and texture of a muffin, crisp on the top but moist on the inside. Honestly, I wouldn't notice this was a healthy muffin. What I enjoyed most about the muffin was the taste. The muffins had just enough sweetness from the brown sugar. Also, the brown sugar brought out the molasses flavor, which gave the muffins a distinctive and addictive taste. I contemplated the familiarity of the taste for hours. I've eaten a muffin with this taste but I couldn't think of when and where I had the muffin. Finally, I remembered a few months back, my dad bought a muffin from a local bakery and told me to try it to see if I could recreate it. I believe this recipe is very close to what my dad wanted. I guess I should save him one for when I see him this weekend...if I don't eat them all beforehand! This muffin gives my oat bran muffin some competition. I'm already thinking of the variations I can make with this recipe. But bringing it back to this recipe, give it a try. While it is a healthy muffin, you won't notice a difference. I promise!

Baked Donuts

The donuts look good, don't they? I've been anxiously trying to find time to make some donuts with my babycakes maker. While mini donuts are the cutest thing ever, my biggest question was whether the cakes actually tasted like donuts. What makes donuts distinctive is the fact that it is fried so I was curious to see whether this healthier and quicker version would do the donuts justice. So, the result?

To my surprise, the donuts turned out well. Granted, the donuts are not your full fat indulgence but it has the flavor, texture, and satisfaction you would get from a donut. An extra plus? The donuts cook within 3-5 minutes. No  need to fuss with the hassles of frying or waiting over double the time for donuts to bake in the oven. I used the batter recipe in the book provided but made slight modifications by incorporating cinnamon and nutmeg to ensure the donuts had an authentic cake donut flavor. Feel free to use your own recipe but you will have to conduct some test trials to see how the donuts turn out. With a different method of cooking, the donuts might turn out differently than the oven. Worth the investment? Yes. I can't wait to try different varieties of donuts. Don't worry, I will definitely share my babycakes donut adventures with you!

Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy New Years! 2012 is off to a great start...or maybe I should say a sweet start? Are you stuffed with cookies from this holiday? If so, let this be one last reason to get "stuffed" after the holidays. After you make these, we can all go on a new years diet together!

While chocolate chip cookies may be the classic cookie, this twist will make them even more addicting (if such thing exist)! What's this twist I speak of? Stuffing chocolate chip cookies with goodness! Imagine biting into a warm, soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie only to find a surprise in the middle such as marshmallows, a chocolately brownie, or a sweet cream cheese filling?

The greatest thing about this recipe is its versatility. It is not so much about the recipe but the concept. Basically, I took my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and I wrapped the cookie dough in several different things. I used different fillings to test which one I liked the best. The three "stuffers" I used were brownies, chocolate chip cream cheese, and marshmallows (see image above - from top to bottom). Needless to say, each combination was absolutely divine. If I had to pick one, it would be the cream cheese filling...that's only because I have a weakness for cream cheese. The brownie gives an added chocolate kick while the marshmallows give the cookies a lighter and chewier fill. Test all of the fillings to see which one you like the best.

Like I previously stated, this recipe is quite versatile. Feel free to use any chocolate chip cookie you like but in case you don't have a favorite recipe yet, you can borrow mine! Have I convinced you to try these cookies yet? If not, maybe these pictures will help!