Sugar Donut Muffins

This felt like the week that never ended. I even had an extra day off and I was still exhausted by the time I got off work at 5pm yesterday. I felt like I didn't get anything accomplished. And really, I didn't. We ended up having to do laundry and dishes last night before supper. Not much of a Saturday night date night. And it's not the first time. I really need to get into a cleaning routine. Any body have one that works for them?

I decided to start the week off right so this afternoon we finished the house cleaning. And, since I didn't try any new recipes last week so I thought I'd try one this afternoon and I baked Sugar Donut Muffins. I actually pinned the recipe months and months ago but I've been focusing more on meals than baking lately. (Much to my husband's disappointment!)

These muffins are DELICIOUS! The recipe made 24 mini-muffins but I think I'll double it the next time I bake them. I'm not a lover of nutmeg, but it's perfect in these. Not exactly super healthy, but worth it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Take 2!

I tried my second chocolate chip cookie recipe this weekend. My cousin Lindsay recommended the recipe on the Crisco box so I gave it a try.

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 1 1/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 3/4 all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Cream shortening and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer for two minutes or until light.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla, beating 1 minute, or until thoroughly blended.
4. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture gradually beating on low speed for 1 minute, or just until blended.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will still appear moist when baked. Cool 2 minutes then remove to cooling rack.

I think I liked this one a little more, little more moist & chewy, but it's still not the one. Hubby rated this one 4/5 stars. His main complaint was that he could taste the shortening in the cookies.

The best part of the cookies is that - even though they're delicious - I've only eaten two so far. I'm not doing super fantastic with my eating, but I am definitely making better choices than I had been previously. And Jonathan, Daisy and I have gone for 45 minute walks the past two nights. I have to admit, I'm feeling a tiny bit proud of myself. :-)

xo.

My new mission...

I realized today that I don't have a "go-to" recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Whenever I feel like baking chocolate chip cookies I go searching on-line and through my cookbooks for one that sounds promising. Now that I've started cooking and baking more I'm compiling some "favourite" recipes that will become part of my regular rotation in the kitchen. It makes sense to have a chocolate chip recipe that I can go to whenever we're in the mood for chocolate chip cookies.

So, I began my search today. These chewy chocolate chip cookies sounded promising, so I thought I'd give them a try!

They're definitely tasty, and chewy. And I was very glad they weren't flat. I did find the dough was a little crumbly but that was the only problem I had.

I don't feel that my search is over though. They were good - very good even - but I think there's an even better recipe out there somewhere!

All good things must come to an end...

Today is the last real day of vacation. We're off tomorrow as well, but Sundays are always a crazy busy day so it doesn't really count in my mind.

We had a great week, though we did stick pretty close to home. We spent a night in Charlottetown with my brother-in-law and his wife but other than that we spent most of our time in the Halifax area. We took Daisy to our favourite provincial park, spent a bit of time downtown, and spent a lot of time at home relaxing and doing some cleaning that had been neglected during the warm weather.

I used my crock pot for the first time this week, I made barbeque pulled pork. Loved how easy the crock pot is but wasn't super impressed with the recipe I used. I did a little baking as well - raspberry muffins using this recipe. (By far the best fruit muffin I have ever made.)

Today's plans include laundry and watching the Olympics. Go Canada!

xo.

Very Pin-teresting #2 - Baking

I sometimes feel like a bit of a failure as a wife because I don't really know how to cook and I'm not a very good housekeeper. I realize that this is a mindset that I need to change, and that there are lots of things that I am good at, however, I still want to work on these things. So I'm trying very hard to cook an actual supper three nights a week and to bake something new each week.

Both last week's and this week's baking recipes came from Pinterest. (Of course!) They both turned out really well, and they are both recipes I would try again.

"Sugar Cookie Bars"

"Lemon Burst Cookies"