Pumpkin Buttermilk Muffins w/ a Brown Butter Maple Glaze

Yes! Fall is here and that means all the bakers out there are whipping up their favorite seasonal goodies of pumpkin and spice. I usually make a pie or a pumpkin cheesecake, which is always a hit. I love pumpkin just as much as the next but I get tired of making the same old pumpkin recipes every year. So I went in search of a recipe that was something special. Something I had never made before.

 

As usual I set my sights on the endless inspiration that is Pinterest.  I knew that If I was going to find something new and different, that Pinterest was where to start. It didn't take long and I came across this recipe for 

Baked Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts w/A Brown Butter-Maple Glaze

Just the name makes my mouth water.

You can find the recipe for those donuts by clicking on the link above. I used the same recipe for the donuts but made mini muffins instead. I had some extra buttermilk in the fridge that needed to get used and then I came across this donut recipe and the stars aligned. However, I did not have a donut tin to use and knew that time was not on my side (or the buttermilk's) and knew that I wanted to eat one of those donuts. So I did the next most logical thing and simply used mini muffin tins. If you have a donut tin already then I would certainly check out the donut method too. But if not then don't let something as silly as a shaped tin stop you from making magic.

MAGIC

 

That is exactly what happened when I made these muffins. Pure pumpkin mapley sweet magic.

I assume that had they been in the form of a donut they would have been just as delicious but I cannot speak on that.  I can say that these little muffins were light and airy yet moist at the same time. Not too sweet. Just the right amount of pumpkin and the buttermilk added a rich and light element that produced perfection in this recipe. The glaze added a little something extra but I would have been happy to eat just the pumpkin muffin without the glaze. THEY WERE THAT GOOD!

 I had a little batter left over from the mini muffins and just made a few regular sized muffins to eat for breakfast with my coffee.

 

Since this was my first time making this recipe or a baked donut for that matter, I didn't want to experiment or tweak the recipe. I played it safe and it paid off. However, this is a very versatile recipe and you could use it to make a variety of items. Let your imagination run wild.

I recommend trying out this pumpkin recipe if you are looking for something different this Fall season. I think I am going to try this recipe out in a pumpkin loaf next time. There really are a lot of possibilities. Go over and check out the recipe from the café sucre farine, where they have lots of yummy recipes.

 

As always

Enjoy your journey in the kitchen

 

Blessing to all

 

 

 

Hail Curls!!! How to love your curls

I naturally have curly wild hair. When I was younger I didn't like my curls so much and they didn't like me either. My hair was always a mix between frizzy curly locks and an afro of tangled mess. I never understood why I was being tortured like this. Why does my hair have to be so wild and unmanageable? If it was humid outside at all my hair would double in size and frizz. I knew that I liked curls. Other women looked beautiful with their curls but mine didn't look so beautiful. Needless to say, my hair in my childhood was a pain in the butt.

It wasn't until I got older that I truly appreciated the art of the curl and learned how to cultivate the most beautiful of curls. I had to do some experimenting and learning when it came to handling and styling my God-given locks. I learned many things about curls and taking care of hair in general.



First, I learned you have to love your hair. No matter what kind of hair you have, you should LOVE it, but especially the curls. Not all curls are created equal but they are all sensitive to normal hair care routines. Curls need extra special love and attention. When my sister or girlfriends want to scrunch their hair and ask how I always get mine to look the way they do, I tell them,

be gentle and love the curls.

Let me clarify. Curls tend to be a little drier than the average head of straight hair. Curls need a little extra conditioning and nourishing treatments. It is important to not wash your hair with shampoo to often because it can lead to dry hair. Second, curls need a good conditioner when you wash your hair as well as a good light-weight leave in conditioner. When handling your curls or wet hair, you have to take care to be extra gentle and not toss your hair about like a normal head of hair. You can't just put your hands in your curls and toss them around without purpose.

After you get out of the shower and your curls are still wet, use a comb, hair pick or your fingers to detangle your hair. Do so gently and don't comb too much. You don't want to use a regular brush on your curls because it can brake your hair more easily and in general it affects the integrity of the curl.

After you have combed out the tangles, gently toss your head of hair over and use a really good leave-in conditioner or mouse/gel. This is where it really counts to be gentle. With my product spread on my hands, I gently cradle the ends of my curls in the palms of my hands and softly scrunch the curls towards my scalp and gently close my hands around them and gently release. I do this a few times until I feel like I have given every curl a good scrunching and that the product is evenly distributed. I try to keep product away from my roots because it can weigh down your hair even more.

Now that your hair is scrunched, you can flip your head back over to the upright position and use your fingers to twist and manipulate the curls around the crown and frame of your face. This is just a little something extra to make sure that your curls dry how you want them to.

Next, you can simply let you hair dry naturally or you can use the help of a blow dryer. If you choose to blow dry your curls, I would only use a blow dryer if it has a diffuser attachment. The diffuser will ensure the best looking curls. It keeps your hair from getting too dry as well as provides indirect heat so that your curls don't get blown to smithereens. You can gently throw your hair back over and start blow drying the curls from underneath first, since they take the longest to dry and this will add a little extra volume. Now flip your hair back over and again manipulate the curls in front and blow dry any other curls by gently cupping and scrunching them as you dry.

As a last touch I like to use a anti-frizz hair serum or Moroccan oil. I rub about a dime size in the palms of my hands and gently scrunch the ends of my hair all over, paying attention to avoid the scalp. This will add an extra barrier from humidity and add a little extra shine to your curls.

If you have curls, you know exactly how challenging it can be to get the most out of styling them.
Curly hair is beautiful and a blessing, I have learned. All you need is a good routine for fixing your lovely curly locks and life seems to be right again. I hope that this helps anyone looking to make their curls more beautiful, bouncy and manageable. I wish I knew how to take care of my curls when I was a young girl and looked like Little Annie. But now that I do know, I want to share it and I wish you luck. Love your curls and they will love you back.

Blessing

 

My Pumpkin is turning 8

I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. After being 13 days passed my due date, 18 hours of labor and a c-section, I met the most beautiful baby I had ever laid eyes on. 9lbs 9.5oz of bouncing beautiful baby boy with a full head of dark hair and big brown eyes. "He is perfect", I said.



Handsome Happy Baby

 

He took his time and came out healthy and happy. He has always done things his way and marched to his own beat. I love that about him.

 

He has grown up fast and It's hard to believe how quickly eight years have passed. It makes me want to take more time and be more involved in every aspect of his life. Take the time to show him and teach him more.

 

It has truly been a blessing to watch this person grow. I appreciate his passion for drama and oh is he dramatic (he gets that from me). He has an enormous imagination, some mad video gaming skills and a great heart. I love this kid. He's my first and in a way he'll always be my baby. My big 4.5 ft tall 8 year old baby.

Logan is 8

Happy birthday to my sweet pumpkin. I love you and I am so happy and grateful God gifted me, you. I hope 8 is a great year for you!!!

Xoxo
Mommy

 

MINECRAFT CANDY POPS

I made these super fun and easy MINECRAFT Candy Pops from the youtube channel

Nerdy Nummies. You can watch the video on how to make these awesome treats by clicking on the link above.

Mine did not come out quite as good as hers. I was lacking the writing pens that she used and had to write tiny letter with a paint brush and chocolate. My chocolate seemed extra thick and that made it challenging to get a smooth finish. Overall, I would say considering the obstacles they came out really cute and most importantly they tasted amazing, were easy to eat and super easy to put in little bags and send home with the kids instead of big bags of junk.

I love Rosanna Pansino the host of Nerdy Nummies. I made another of her minecraft cakes last years for my son's 7th birthday and it came out really cute. Go checkout her youtube channel. Lot's of great baking tutorials for the video game lovers out there. Or at least for your children's love of video games in my case.

 

Have a blessed day to all

 



A song dedicated to my son: The Video Game Song

My son loves video games. I am sure there are a lot of people that could say the same thing. Video games are awesome, yes! They help to keep these mischievous little boys out of trouble and in sight for those mommy's that prefer to keep a mindful watch. They help with eye/hand coordination. They also tend to consume the minds and thoughts of those playing and it seems that video games are the only thing my son can think about sometimes. We had to make a rule that there is no talking about video games at dinner. He would go on and on about them If we would let him. Regardless of all the negative aspects that are associated with adolescent video gaming, there are still many positive benefits as well. Check out this article from Psychology Today about some of the benefits.

I tend to sing to my kids a lot. Well I tend to sing about everything. It drives them crazy, which makes me love it even more. So one day I was telling my son that he was going to game his life away and made up this funny little song. I would like to dedicate it to my son...against his wishes. And I sing it to him in a high pitched opera voice just to make it that much more fun.

I'm gaming my life away
If it was up to me
I'd spend all day in my underwear
playin' games
and I don't care about anything else

Mom Mom watch out
There's a Giant Mutant in Dead Trigger
If he gets me he will crash my helicopter
Just one more minute Mom,
there are zombies everywhere
Look at this .50 cal Mom
Isn't is awesome
I want to make a game called seven days to dead

There's a creeper coming my way
I'm using my new diamond sword to take him down
before he blows up my whole Minecraft town
I have to go mining for some diamonds and coal
I need to cook some meat in this oven I just built
I am going to use my enchanting table
to enchant my weapons and armour
Wouldn't it be so cool if we could build one of these roller coasters for real?
The creepers are coming so we have to hide
It is getting dark, we have to go inside

Mom, come look at my new cool armour
In Skyrim I can be a Nord...They also have these awesome Orks 
I have to find the EnderDragon
I'll use this bow with the enchanted flame
To set the dragon on fire and get loads of experience
and the portal opens and I get to go back home 

I'm gaming my life away
I can't tell you what day it is today
There is nothing that I'd rather do
than spend my day in front of the tube

I've got my wireless controller
I've got my favorite pillows on the sofa
I have no care in the world
cuz I'm building my own land and I have servents
that follow me around and do what I say
This is my favorite thing to do and
I never want to live in reality

                 The End

 

This is basically what my son sounds like on a daily basis. He talks a mile a minute (I know he gets that from me) and could never run out of things to talk about....as long as it is about video games. If it isn't about a video game he only talks a little less.

I sang this to my son and told him that I was going to write this song for him and he told me "you are going to sing this song to thousand of people and embarrass me if you tell them I am in my underwear." I told him, well it's the truth Darling and yes I am going to write it. So, much to his dismay I have dedicated this Video Game Song to my sweet boy. I love you to the moon and back.

Your Mom



Frozen baby food mini melts

Are you looking for an easy and healthy snack for your baby or maybe something that might soothe those little teething gums? If so, then these super easy yummy little mini melts are going to make both you and your baby happy. 

Both my boys started teething really early and it can be challenging to find just the right thing that makes your baby happy. Well these little multi-purpose frozen bites sure helped. Not only are they super simple to make, but there's only one ingredient. If you are already feeding your little one baby food then you are already set. 

 

All you have to do is decide which baby food flavor(s) you want to use. You can try them all if you want. I like to use the fruit ones because sucking on vegetables just doesn't seem as fun to me. There are so many fruits to choose from. You can make a lot of these little melts with just one jar of food. 

I only used half a jar and ended up getting about 40-50 melts out of it. I try to make them tiny, like the size of an m&m. Since my son has his front teeth the cold feels weird to him. So if they are small it doesn't bother him so much. 

Okay, let's get started. It's so simple. 

Here is what you will need:

4oz jar of baby food (ANY FLAVOR)

a small baggie (TO PIPE THEM OUT)

A plate or cookie sheet

parchment or wax paper

a freezer

 

Lay the wax paper on you plate or cookie sheet (the flatter the surface the better) and fill the baggie with the baby food. Push the food into the corner of the bag and twist the end tight to keep it all in. I only use half a jar at a time. Snip a teeny tiny hole in the tip of the baggie.You can always go bigger. 

Begin to pipe out tiny little dots onto the sheet. Whichever size you feel is best for your little one. Try to keep them from touching each other so they will freeze separately. 

 

After you have piped them all out, stick them in the freezer. I would give them a good 45 minutes to 1 hour to freeze. After they are nice and icy then you can use a butter knife or small spatula to scrape the dots off the paper and then you can store them in the freezer by re-using the baby food jar. 

That's it. Whenever you want to give your baby a little healthy snack or just something to numb the gums a little, these will be ready and waiting to save the day. 

I hope you find these as fun and easy to make as I do and that your baby finds them just as enjoyable and soothing as mine do. Thank you for joining me.
Enjoy your journey in the kitchen.

Blessing to all

Love and Respect

We live in a world with a near 7 billion people. That is 7 billion opinions and personal views on life. Why are we still arguing about who is right and who is wrong. Why are we still trying to enforce our own opinions and views on other people as their own and if these beliefs are not accepted, then we immediately condemn and scold for betrayal. But don't anyone dare to enforce their opinions and beliefs on you. Right? It sound ridiculous doesn't it?

When are we going to evolve as a species and society? When will people stop wasting their time and the time of others with their arguing and complaining. We all need to work together to do what is best for the greater good as a planet and species. We Do Not need to be arguing about religious beliefs, political views, the way we parent and raise our children or whether or not the chicken or the egg came first.

No matter how you feel about what is right or wrong, there will always be someone to challenge your belief. There will always be someone to think that murder, abuse and molestation isn't wrong, regardless of how obviously wrong it is. There will always be someone to believe differently. It is madness trying to rationalize with some people and there will always be people like that. The point is that as a society we will never ever ever believe all ONE WAY. We just won't. So why do people waste their own time fighting, arguing and condemning others about how they believe. You are only wasting your own time. No one Else's. It is really for our own individual benefit that we learn to accept other people for who they are and accept that other people simply won't believe or do thing the way that you do.

We are fighting an endless battle when we argue about how we should believe and do things. It goes back to childhood and I am sure your mother told you this at least once, "treat people how you want to be treated." How we have not figured this out by adulthood is beyond me. If you don't want someone telling you what to do, how to believe and how to live your life, then why would you try to impose that on someone else. I know that I believe the way I feel in my heart and I would never want someone telling me that I couldn't believe the way that I want too. Therefore, I would never judge you for how you believe. By all means, if you want to worship a tree, then who am I to judge you? You do what you have to do to get through your journey. It has nothing to do with me. It doesn't affect me. That is your choice. So why do people feel like they have to control everyone?

Control. That is what it boils down too. To control people is the lowest form of abuse there is. The only thing that you should try to control is yourself. We all need to learn how to control our thoughts and stop trying to control everyone Else's. The older I get the more understanding and compassionate I have become towards others. The more I want peace. The more I work on myself and learn and grow, the less I care about the actions of others or trying to control others. It is completely crazy, unreasonable, irrational chaos to think that we can make everyone believe one way or think one way. When we can all come to terms with the FACT that we will never all believe the same way, the sooner we will come as close as we possibly can to Peace. That is what makes us all different and unique. Our ability to think for ourselves is what sets us apart from every other living thing on this planet.

In the big picture does it really matter that people don't believe like you? Do you really really care? Or are you just angry that you are not in control? The next time you get mad or angry and feel like judging and being nasty, ask yourself, "why am I even mad. Is it because I am not in control?" When you learn to watch what you think and take control of your mind instead of letting your mind control you, you will begin to really grow and see how ridiculous your behavior has been. I know because I have always struggled with judging and I was a control freak. I am learning to let go. When I see people get so angry over the most insignificant things, I have to laugh. That used to be me and now I can see how foolish I used to look and act. It is not worth it to fight and argue.

Next time you don't agree with someone try to put yourself in their shoes. Try to not judge. Accept it for what it is. Don't verbally abuse the mother that decides not to get her children vaccinated. It isn't any of your business or your problem. If you want to get your child vaccinated, then do it. Your child will be fine because you feel that vaccinations make you kid safer than the kids that aren't. So don't feel like you need to go the extra mile to condemn the other mothers who choose to raise their children the way they want. What if I told you vaccination were no longer an option and no one would be vaccinating their children. All the mothers who don't vaccinate will be jumping for joy and how will you feel? No one likes being on the other side of the equation but are quick to point fingers. Stop it. It is none of your business. It is not your place to judge. This applies to everything.

That is just one tiny example of the stuff we fight and argue about. Same sex marriages. It goes against what I personally believe but I would never judge you. To be honest I don't care. What you do is your business. What if everyone was with the same sex partner and it was illegal to marry the opposite sex? I would fight for my right to love who I wanted. Wouldn't you? Can we please just stop all of this fighting and arguing. It is madness.

We are a brilliant and strong species who can do anything we set our minds too. Look how far we have come in the past 200 years. We have evolved in leaps and bounds in just the past 30 years. We are above all this petty fighting. You live and believe the way you want and respect that every individual should have the same right. No matter what. We all have consequences for our actions and we all have to make our own choices and make this journey on our own. We are all doing the best we can. I watch people all the time, everywhere I go and sometimes people can be so mean and hateful. It usually comes from a place of hurt in their heart that they have been holding onto for so long and they take their pain out on others. But is isn't necessary. They need love more than anyone. Remember that everyone you meet is fighting their own battle and you have no idea what hurt they harbor inside of them. Show them love, kindness and compassion. Even if they don't accept, you will be out nothing. You will know that you did the right thing and when enough people show love to that individual they will begin to soften and learn that love is the answer. It works.


One day, we will figure it out. In the meantime can we all just stop wasting time and energy being mean and hateful. Just love. Be love. Extend love. Help others. Accept others. If each of us worked on ourselves and took control of our own minds and only offered love to one another, we would one by one make this world a little better. Just think about it. Make a conscious effort to only show love and not judge. You will quickly see how much better you feel about the world and yourself. Just imagine if we each took responsibility for ourselves and just did this one thing. I can see the difference in my life and I know the difference it would make in yours. I know it is easier said than done, but it starts with you and it starts with me.

Blessing to all

Amazing Fredericksburg Peach Fruit Smoothies

Freshly picked Fredericksburg Peaches

Just imagine the most tender, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth, plump peach you can think of. That is what a Fredericksburg peach tastes like. And even more, that is what an Engel's Orchards peach from Fredericksburg, Texas tastes like. I literally cannot express how delicious these things are. I eat them every Summer and before the next one I almost forget how truly wonderful they are. Then the next Summer rolls around and I sink my teeth into one of their peaches and I remember all over again why these peaches are the best peaches I have ever had.


I love these peaches so much that I made a sweet and creamy fruit smoothie in honor of their amazingness. Not only is it full of sweet and delicious fruit but I also added some Vanilla Protein to mine to make it a little more healthy and a little more amazing.  However, you will feel like you are eating a big gallon of fattening ice cream because these peaches are so sweet that it's almost like eating candy. This smoothie is so delicious that I couldn't keep it to myself. I had to share it so that you too can partake in this sweet journey of peaches and creamy smoothieness. Plus, it's Summer and what a nice treat a homemade fruit smoothie is.

Without further ado...Here is how we do this

What you will need:

Gadgets:
A badass blender
A spoon
A knife
Cups
A mouth for tasting

Ingredients:
One Banana
About 5 Cherries (fresh if possible) pitted
One big Peach or two small ones
6 Strawberries
A cup of ice
1/2 Cup of natural coconut pineapple juice (I use L&A brand)
1/4 Cup reduced fat milk
3 Tbsp Sugar or Honey
1 scoop or 3 Tbsp Vanilla protein powder (optional)

First, get out the blender and plug her in. Then use your knife and cut up all your fruit (banana, cherries, strawberries and peaches) and toss them in the blender. Then add the juice, milk and sugar or honey. I use sugar because I don't drink a lot of sugary drinks and I'm cool with a little sugar here and there. As usual moderation and balance in everything is important. Blend all of this together on the puree setting if you have one. If not, the lower setting. Just to get it all pureed. After that you can add the ice and blend for a couple of minutes or until the ice is completely blended. Add the vanilla protein powder and blend, if you choose. It just adds a little something extra and turns the smoothie into more of a meal replacement smoothie. This smoothie is great before or after a workout. Once everything is blended, use your spoon to taste the smoothie and make sure that it is up to your standards and preferences. If it is too thick then just add a little more juice or water to thin it out. If it is too runny then just add a little more ice, a cube at a time. It should be pretty close to perfect. Pour into your cups and enjoy!

Fredericksburg Peach Smoothie

If this wasn't enough to convince you that Fredericksburg peaches are the best in the state if not the country, then I highly recommend that you get your little fanny on down to Engel's Peach Stand in Blanco, Texas. These peaches come straight from the tree in Fredericksburg, Tx and delivered fresh everyday. They are there all week. Engel's makes fresh peach ice cream and cobbler on the spot as well as carry a full variety of veggies and fruits. What a wonderful way to spend a hot summer day than to pack up the car, take a road trip and stop off for some fresh peach cobbler and ice cream. Make sure to buy a the big box of peaches. Trust me. Once you get home and realize that half the box is gone in the first two days, you will be thanking me that you bought the big box.

I hope you get a chance to get down to Fredericksburg, Texas and get a big box of peaches to make your own recipes and if you can't make then don't be afraid to experiment in you kitchen with different smoothie recipes. Smoothies are a great way to get lots of fruit and sometimes veggies in all at once. Most importantly, Enjoy your journey in the kitchen.

Blessings,