Muffin Tins

I have a new favorite kitchen helper. It is known as the extra-large muffin tin.

A few weeks ago, I used it to make muffins for quick breakfasts.

This week, I steamed up some vegetables and froze them in serving sizes. Frozen Dinner expense halved, and other than the baggie, more environmentally friendly. Plus, I can add my own seasonings to my veggies. (Below is steamed zucchini, yellow squash, onions, carrots, with a sliver of butter and a generous dousing with parsley.)

After freezing my veggies, I re-used the tins to make my entree.

Great serving sizes, my own flavors, and smaller budget? Big Pluses.

I'm excited for lunch tomorrow.

What do you use your tins for?

It doesn't get zestier than these....

I am in a new apartment this semester, and with a new apartment has also come some nice appliances. I am a fan of the huge washer and dryer (with it's own room), and the shower works exceedingly well (though I still can't figure out why plumbers assume that showerheads should reach about chin-level for my percentage of the population. Being 5'8'', I think that's a pretty significant number, but oh well).
The apartment asset I speak of today is actually the t.v., and what it inspired.

Normally, I am not really a fan of tv. In my last apartment, we didn't have the "noise box," and that was a-o.k. with yours truly. In my current situation, I don't watch all that much of it. But there is one channel that we get that has always had me hooked--from even high school days, when weekends held the only tv privileges. The channel is--you guessed it. The food network.

Once or twice a week, I turn on the food network and get pumped on recipes, tips, and turns of hand that make me want to be a better cook. I love to try new things, and when I heard about this recipe, I was completely taken aback. I tried it that very weekend (with the fun help of Michelle and Melinda. These are so good, that my roommate Whitney and I have since made them again). You'll need two lemons.

Lemon Ricotta Cheese Cookies

1. 1/2 cup softened butter
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 2 eggs
4. 15 oz ricotta cheese
5. 3 TB lemon juice (fresh)
6. zest of one lemon

7. 2 1/2 cup flour
8. 1 tsp Baking Powder
9. 1 tsp salt

Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
zest of one Lemon
3 TB lemon juice

Whip butter and sugar (about 1.5 min with hand mixer) and add in eggs, one at a time. Stir in ricotta, lemon zest and juice.

Add dry ingredients (already combined) in thirds.

Bake on Parchment paper at 375 for 15 minutes. While still hot, spread a spoonful of lemon glaze on top.

Allow to cool (if you can).


Honestly, I didn't know what I was expecting, but what I got was a very moist, extremely lemon-y cookie with a crisped outside and inner--I hate to say sponge, but a moist and fluffy interior.

Recommended with 5 stars and Celeste's seal of approval.

Now, as to "Balsalmic Vinegar Truffles" that was also on that same show, I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough to but vinegar in my chocolate, no matter what kind of a "kick" she said they have.

Pancakes and Peach Jam

This morning I had Melinda and Michelle over to breakfast. We made food which, while not exactly healthy, was quite scrumptious. Pancakes with white chocolate chips and walnuts (with syrup or peach jam on top--jam courtesy of Gpa Bezzant's peaches and Jenny's instructions), an omlette with ham and cream cheese in the fold, and some orange juice and bananas.

I wasn't even hungry for lunch...which was nice because we finished the morning off by going to the Dollar Theatre in Provo after. We saw Wall-E and I loved it!

Then I cut Melinda's hair... I will have to get a picture of her and get the polls on it. Just shoulder length with some layers and front tapering... pretty much the extent of my abilities, but we had fun. She got about 2-3 inches chopped accordingly.

It's fun to see siblings. I can't wait to catch up with Jenny, Nathan, and Baby Isaac now. Hopefully tomorrow will facilitate.

Tres, Dos, Uno...Pupusas!

I felt a little like this woman last night: I had a "few" people from my ward over for Pupusas. I had gotten some Maseca from Macey's last week, and I wanted to try it out and see what my friends thought. The verdict? Everyone wants to be El Salvadorian...or at least cook like they were. My friend Cy told me that I had taught him how to fish by showing how to make these. Thanks to Dan for teaching me in the first place. All 11 people thought they were great. And talk about economical! My children might be raised on these, as they are pretty inexpensive to make.

On a side note, I didn't have any cabbage to make the traditional pickled cabbage topping, so I tried something with lettuce, and it turned out really well. I shredded a head of dark green lettuce (I had green leaf, but you can use romaine), added the juice and zest of one lemon, added about a half cup of really thinly sliced onion, about a clove of minced garlic, and salt and pepper. It was a hit, even with the two people who had already tried pupusas.

All right for accommodations on a college budget!