Lemon Poppy Muffins

When I have a craving for a particular food my go-to for searching is always pinterest. Last week I had a deep need for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

One morning, with the help of the daycare kiddos and Stomper we made a dozen of these delightful muffins. They came out a little dense, I am blaming that on the fact I didn't closely monitor the measuring of the flour. The muffins were lightly lemony, not too tart, and the poppy seeds (or rocks as Stomper called them) didn't over power. I didn't make the glaze as called for in the recipe, the muffins were sweet enough with out it. 

You can find the recipe HERE, or on my pinterest board.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I hate baking. I have for a long time. However, I enjoy eating baked goods and not paying store prices. So, I bake.

My Chocolate Chip Cookies never come out great. They are edible and yummy, but not perfect. They are either too crunchy or out right hard.

That is until The Girls Guide to Guns and Butter, a friend, and pinterest saved my cookies.

The Girls Guide to Guns and Butter told me to not pack my brown sugar. I gave it a try and the cookies were better, but something more needed to be done. I knew, from a friend, that crisco makes the best shaped cookies, but not everyone likes the taste. Then while strolling through pinterest I found this: The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie.

I used the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip package but, I didn't pack the brown sugar and I used 1/2 cup Crisco and 1/2 cup butter, then baked them to perfection!

Of course, the best way to make cookies is with help.

For lumpy cookie spoon on to the cookie sheet.

 

For perfectly round cookies roll into a ball.

How about you? Do you have any cookie tricks?

Farming & Knitting

I have been deliberating on what to do about the other blog I maintain. Last year around this time we moved in with my parents and started a small hobby farm, Hamberg Family Farm. For the first part of 2012 and most of the summer I attempted to keep multiple blogs thriving. This fall I realized that it wasn't working out writing three blogs (Knitted Together, Hambergs in the Kitchen, and Hamberg Family Farm) so I focused my efforts where I had readership--here.

Starting today I will be posting all three blogs here on, Knitted Together. I have formulated a plan to keep me focused and give me direction. Most of my posting will still be about knitting and mothering, but you will also see more cooking and farming related posts. The following list is not set in stone, but a guideline. Some weeks I may post on all the days listed, on other weeks only a few.

• Monday or Tuesday :: Weekend Wrap-up
• Mostly photos like this post
• Wednesday :: Yarn Along 
• Books, knitting, yarn, and designing. On this day I link up with Ginny at www.gsheller.com
• Friday :: Farm Friday
• Updates on what is going on at Hamberg Family Farm
• Thursday :: From the Kitchen
• Recipies, failures, and food photos
• Sunday  :: Year of Projects Update
• Knitting and planning, this is a way to keep myself focused on specific things I have been wanting to knit. You can find my list HERE

I have a short photo journal of the farm HERE so that you can get to know our little farm.

Bacon

I love bacon.
It is a common sentiment in the family.
However, I do not love how bacon slides off the bread when eating it.
Solution? Well, until pinterest I would have said no.
Enter the mighty pinterest.
Does it work?
Why yes it does.

Observe ...

It takes a little time, but it is so worth it!

Here is how you do it.

1. Cut the bacon in half

2. Weave four half strips together like you are closing up the top of a moving box.

3. Place on top of tinfoil in a cookie sheet

4. Bake @350 until nice and crispy about 15-20 mins

5. Eat in a BLT and have bacon in every bite.

You can thank me later.

:)

Happy Thanksgiving

I have posts to write. Lots of ideas.

Sadly they are all locked in my brain.

Right now my hands are busy cooking and knitting.

I hope to post something on Friday!

Muffins

Recently mini-muffins have become a staple in our house. I'm not sure which came first the Pampered Chef Mini-Muffin Tin or the desire, but it is good to have both on hand. I make a batch a week and by the end of the week they are gone. I often give Stomper two (one for each hand) first thing in the morning while I am getting a diaper and other necessities ready for him, so I wanted them to be healthy. Also, I wanted to use what I usually have on hand.

The following recipe is an adaption of one that my Mom found for me on-line (I don't know from who). It uses baby cereal and baby food so it is great for using up any leftovers. I noticed that these muffins don't crumble which is great when I give them to Stomper in the car. I gave some to church on Sunday that were made using banana, sweet potato, and carob chip and they were gobbled up in a flash! Since they get all the flavor from the baby food the possibilities are quite endless. I have added cranberries and carob chips to mine, and I intend on using shredded zucchini in the next batch. If you use a fresh banana I suggest using just one as the banana comes through quite strong even when diluted with other fruits. I have made them with and without sugar and there is no taste difference.

Happy Baking!

Baby Food Muffins

ingredients:

Dry:

1 Cup of Flour

3/4 Cup of Baby Cereal

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 - 1/3 Cup sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit you are using

Wet:

2 4oz jars of Stage 2 baby food

or 8oz/1 Cup of pureed fruit/sweet vegetable

or 1 mashed banana PLUS enough of pureed fruit ti equal 1 Cup

2 Tbs milk

3 Eggs 

Extra:

1/4 Cup carob chips, chocolate chips, nuts, shredded zucchini, or dried fruit (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400. Spray mini-muffin tin with oil

2. Mix dry ingredients together.

3. Add wet ingredients and stir. Mixture may be lumpy if you used mashed bananas

4. Stir in the Extras if any

5. Fill muffin tin with all the batter. There should be just enough batter to make 2 dozen mini muffins. The batter will be rounded up a bit, which is fine. The muffins don't raise or spread very much, so it is all right if they are a little full.

6. Cook for 8-10 mins until tops are slightly browned.

7. Remove from tin and cool on a rack.