funfetti cupcakes (small batch-style)

because, duh: funfetti.  and cupcakes.

funfetti cupcakes
adapted from here (in fact, go look at those awesome pics cuz my recipe doesn't have one and hers are real pretty)

active time: 5 minutes | cook time: 8-15 minutes | yields: 2 regular-sized cupcakes or 6 mini cupcakes
ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon skim milk
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sprinkles
non-stick cooking spray

directions
preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  set aside.
beat the canola oil, applesauce, egg, milk, vanilla extract, and sugar together.
mix in the flour and baking powder.
add the sprinkles. stir just to combine evenly - don’t overstir!
pour into prepared muffin tin.
bake for about 8-10 minutes for mini cupcakes or 15-18 minutes for regular-sized cupcakes, or until a toothpick/knife comes out clean.
cool, frost, and enjoy.

note
I like to bake my minis for 8 minutes, then turn the (toaster) oven off and crack the door for about 5 minutes, then open it all the way until cool.

beer bread with pears

beer bread is super easy, since the yeast in beer is yeasty enough to make the bread rise.  this recipe is a great way to use up really ripe fruit or a beer that you took a chance on and hate.  in my case, it was a Blue Moon Caramel Apple Spice beer and a dying pear.  I've made regular ol' beer bread with this recipe in the past (and an oatmeal stout beer) and liked it, so I thought I'd toy with it.  the result was pretty good - not really sweet, but not really savory.  next time, I'd probably bump up the amount of sugar a bit, add some vanilla, and try adding more fruit if I have it.

beer bread with pears
active time: 5 minutes | cook time: 60 minutes  |  yields: one loaf (6 to 8 slices)
adapted from here
ingredients
3 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder - omit if using Self-Rising Flour
1 teaspoon salt - omit if using Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup sugar (next time: bump up to 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
(next time: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1 (12 ounce) can/bottle beer
1 chopped pear or apple
1/4 cup melted butter

directions
preheat oven to 375 F degrees.  

mix dry ingredients and beer.  add a little water, if necessary, to get everything all mixed.

mix in chopped fruit.

pour into a greased loaf pan.

pour melted butter over mixture.  sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

notes
- pouring butter over top before baking creates a very hearty bread with a crunchy, buttery crust. alternatively, mixing the melted butter into the dough results in a softer crust.
- you can omit the sweet stuff to make a savory bread.
- try using rosemary and lemon juice or oregano or other dried herbs/spices instead of the sweet stuff.

horrible photo courtesy of my cell phone.  deal with it.

pumpkin-spiced mini muffins

I've been on the hunt for a mini muffin tin for months.  months.  have you seen the limitless options of what you can make in (and on) those things?!

with fall creeping in quickly here in the Midwest, I finally pulled the trigger this week.  I'm a nerd and was so pumped to find a tin that fits in our counter-top toaster oven.  I have a strong sense that this thing will see a lot of work on Sunday mornings this fall and winter.

these were supposed to be more like cake-style donut holes, but mine ended up as straight muffins.  good ones, too.

pumpkin-spiced mini muffins
adapted from here and here
active time: 20 mins | cook time: 12 mins | yield: 24-28 mini muffins 
ingredients
for muffins
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh or canned pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon ginger + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

for spiced sugar topping 
(these are approximations only - modify as you'd like.  bonus: if you make too much, you can use the spiced sugar in morning coffee)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

directions
preheat oven to 350F. lightly grease two mini muffin tins with butter or cooking spray.  set aside.

in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, milk, pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, brown sugar (work out those clumps), melted butter, and vanilla.

sift in baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and flours. mix until just combined. 

using a tablespoon, drop batter into preparted muffin tins and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes (12 on the nose for me!).  let cool in tins for 2 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.

just before serving, mix sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a ramekin or shallow bowl.  dip one muffin's top into melted butter and use it to apply some butter to another's top, like a sponge brush.  this will help avoid dripping butter into your cinnamon sugar and getting clumps.  roll the tops of the muffins in the spiced sugar mixture.

note
if you plan to store these in a plastic baggie or any sort of storage container, don't add the spiced sugar topping until you're ready to eat them.  the sugar 'melt' under the humidity and make a mess of things.

whole wheat bread in a crock pot

who doesn't love the smell of fresh-baked bread?  and who can help but love coming home to a warm, slow-cooked meal?  tonight was spaghetti night, and nothing goes better than crusty bread to sop up that sauce.  thanks to good ol' pinterest, I didn't have to leave the house to get a loaf and I didn't have to babysit a hot oven all evening.  I yoga-ed and dodged raindrops instead.

this is a quick peasant bread, meaning that its pretty dense and not particularly tall. (this is one of those moments where I'd love to have a peasant friend so I could add something funny here about his or her lack of smarts and height challenges, but I don't currently know any, so...).  there's no resting the dough, so it won't rise much but will save a ton of time.  it's a solid side for soups, stews, chilis, and soppin' up sauces.

whole wheat bread in a crock pot
adapted from here
active time: 15 minutes | cook time: 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the crock pot | yield: 1 6-inch diameter round loaf

ingredients
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (could use honey)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking yeast
1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (don't do what I did and accidentally triple this because you're not paying close attention to your fractions when you halve a recipe.  whoops.  I noticed it in the end result...the Boy did not.  he's got a pretty sophisticated palette.)

directions
stir together the water, sugar and yeast, and let sit 8-10 minutes for the yeast to bubble.

add 1 cup of the whole wheat flour to the yeast mixture, followed by the olive oil and salt.  stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to develop the gluten in the wheat.

gradually mix in as much of the remaining flour as you need to create a dough that does not stick to your hands, but remains slightly sticky.   knead 3 to 4 minutes, adding flour when dough becomes sticky.  shape dough into a ball.  (optional: for decoration, make a few cuts [or a cute shape, see below] on the top of the bread with a sharp knife, cutting approximately 1/4-inch deep.)

spray the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray (could use parchment) and place the ball of dough in the middle.  cover the cooker with 2 layers of paper towels and top with the lid.  bake on LOW until the top and sides are lightly browned (1 1/2 to 3 hours - I popped the lid about an hour in and probably shouldn't have.  I think a lot of heat escaped and made my cooking time insanely longer).  remove with a metal or silicone-tipped tongs.  cool on wire rack. 

curry nut chicken

this is about as close as I can get to homemade butter chicken.  there are endless variations, too.

curry nut chicken
adapted from ??
yield: 4-6 servings / active time: up to 45 minutes / total time: up to 90 minutes (if you cut the chicken smaller and cook it through more before adding tomatoes, etc, your time can get down to 60 minutes...though the flavors aren't as thouroughly developed.  it'll still be awesome.)

ingredients
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (could use up to 3/4 cup, depending on your preferences)
2 cups onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (do not use less than 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (note to self: when cooking for the Boy, use less)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and soaked in water and/or lemon juice as long as possible
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons (6 cubes) Trader Joe's frozen cilantro cubes, or up to 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup cashews or almonds
1/2 to 3/4 cup greek yogurt

optional 
diced potato or sweet potato; spinach; golden raisins; chopped nuts
accompaniment
cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous
garnish
fresh cilantro, chopped

directions
head butter in a large, wide, heavy pot or wok over moderately low heat, until foam subsides.  cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

add curry powder, salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.  cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

turn heat up to medium or medium-high.  add cubed chicken, chick peas, and potatoes if using, stirring to coat, and cook 3-7 minutes (depending on how quickly you'd like to eat...cook for fewer minutes if you've got the time to spare, more minutes if you don't)

add tomatoes, their juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer.  cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and flavors have combined, 30-35 minutes.

just before serving, throw a couple handfuls of spinach and/or the raisins into the pot, if using.  pulse cashews or almonds in food processor until finely ground.  add finely ground nuts and yogurt to curry and simmer gently, uncovered, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.  if you're counting on leftovers, scoop those out into storage container before this step.  then, when you're ready for leftovers, do this.  don't do it too early or things'll get soggy.  spoon over rice, quinoa or couscous.

note
curry, without yogurt and cashews or almonds, can be made up to 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, before chilling, covered.  reheat over low before stirring in yogurt and cashews or almonds.

homemade (and way cheap!) granola

add this to some greek yogurt or ice cream.  or a spoon.

homemade granola
adapted from too many recipes to bother linking
makes about 3 cups (a quart-sized ziploc)
active time: 15-20 minutes / cooling time: 30 minutes / totally done in: 1 hour
ingredients
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
1/2 cup sliced/chopped nuts/seeds
1/3 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc)
1/4 cup dried sweetened coconut (A: you could leave this out altogether [lookin' at you, Summer]; B: I'd rather use unsweetened coconut but can't find that stuff anywhere)
sprinkle o' cinnamon

directions
spread oats on baking sheet and toast under broiler, stirring occasionally.  keep a close eye on them so they don't burn!  remove from oven and set aside.  turn off broiler.

if using raw nuts/seeds, toast 'em in a dry pan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.  I chose to do this separately from the oats so the nut/seed oils wouldn't mix in with the oats and possibly sog things up.

at this point, I scooped the toasted oats and nuts/seeds into a giant liquid measuring cup so it'd be easier to dump them into the skillet later.  this was a really good move, since attempting to pour the oats from a giant rectangular pan into a much smaller circular one would have been certain disaster.

in a medium skillet, melt butter.  add honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt, cook for 1 minute.  add toasted oats and nuts/seeds, cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  mix in dried fruit and coconut, cook 1 minute more.

spray baking sheet lightly with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.  spread granola evenly on baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon.  throw the whole thing back on the top rack of the still-warm oven for 15 to 30 minutes to get everything nice and crunchy.

remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before shovelling into your face or a plastic bag for storage.  

next time: 
- since the coconut was sweetened and raisins are pretty sweet on their own, I'd probably cut back the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon.  if I'd used just cranberries, I'd leave the brown sugar measure at 2 tablespoons
- I'd stir it around a little less after it comes out of the oven to leave some bigger chunks intact

(faux) banana ice cream

just do it.

(faux) banana ice cream
ingredients
ripe banana(s)
a freezer
about 8 hours

directions
slice a ripe banana into coins. 
freeze ‘em solid. 
throw the chunks in a food processor and hit go, scraping down the sides periodically and adding a splash of milk if needs loosening. 

there you are, Peeeter.

its crazy, and comes together really suddenly. some good mix ins (I recommend blending 'em in, then popping the whole thing in the freezer for a few minutes, since the other ingredients'll bring down the temp of the ice cream and make it melt): peanut butter, frozen strawberries, chocolate chips…the options are endless.  I like mine best top with something crunchy, like crumbled homemade kind bars.