Melt In Your Mouth Strawberry Muffins

I found this recipe on the underside of a Stoneyfield Farm yogurt label.
Sounds good, really good, I thought. Fast forward to strawberry season and I thought I had the perfect lazy Sunday breakfast, paired with an espresso. Let's just say the espresso lived up to its name.

I did make one change in the original recipe; I was out of yogurt, so I substituted plain Kefir and added a bit more flour and a dash of cinnamon. OK, so I made three changes. The muffins did not melt in my mouth and they really did spread creating a bit of a mess. Disappointing. So in all fairness, I am going to remake according to the original recipe, plus cinnamon. I'll let you know or you can bake them and let me know.

Melt In Your Mouth Strawberry Muffins
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup Stoneyfield Farm yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped strawberries fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 375F. Yields 12.
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar and baking soda. In another bowl, mix eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Toss strawberries into the flour mixture. Then, pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and stir. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Wet Your Whistle!

I prefer fresh squeezed juice. I buy organic fruit, plug in the juicer and wa-la! Perfect, every time. Simple, fresh and versatile.

L0LAde! (Lemon Orange Lime)

Juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus slice to garnish
Juice of one lime, plus slice to garnish
Juice of one orange, plus slice to garnish
1 T sweet water to taste* if desired
or a twist of a Stevia leaf or two
Ice

Juice each fruit, pour into an ice filled glass, sweeten to taste and garnish.
*(50/50 boiled water to sugar. Cool)

Here's what else you can do with this recipe:

Popsicle Freeze!
Tupperware makes a great little make your own Popsicle container. I layer each juice into the Popsicle holder, add the sweet water to the lemon mixture first then layer. Add the Popsicle stick and freeze.

Adult Beverage
Add 1 oz Tequila and 1 oz Grand Marnier
Pour into shaker or blender with LoLade, and shake/blend.
Rim glass with lime, dip in salt. Add ice, pour, garnish and drink responsibly.

Please Wash Your Hands

Scrub a dub dub!

Think back, who taught you how to wash your hands? Hand washing was a huge deal growing up in my family. We all learned to wash our hands and often at a very early age. We also learned to welcome OCD into the family, kidding, a little.

My family rarely used public restrooms growing up. I do not ever remember being taught that public bathrooms were "bad" they were just "gross" and something used ONLY under extreme circumstances. "Can you hold it or do you HAVE to go right now"? my mom would ask. Holding was the right answer but sometimes you just had to go and relieving yourself on the car dealership's floor was frowned upon. Half the roll of toilette paper would be placed on the seat with firm instructions, "Do NOT touch ANYTHING"! Your foot was used not only to sweep all the paper into the bowl but to also flush the toilette.

After using a public restroom I remember feeling slightly contaminated. Y0u know what comes after using the toilette, wash your hands! Washing your hands was an even bigger production proving "holding it" was the better option. After exiting the stall we were taught to ready the paper towels, wash hands, turn the water off but NOT with your clean hands but with the paper towel in waiting, then grab a fresh paper towel, dry your hands and leave but do not touch the door. Either gently kick it open and hope a sibling wasn't waiting on the other side or use the paper towel you just dried your hands with.

I was extremely petite growing up and could barely reach the faucet without touching the sink counter which always resulted in water running down my arms. Whatever top I was wearing would instantly become a mop for any standing counter water. The final step, to find a trash can to dispose of the paper towel you just used to open the bathroom door. Yes, All this had to be done without flesh touching anything!

Funny the things you remember. I can remember why to avoid a public restroom, but I have no solid memory of when or how I was taught to wash my hands. I just remember my mom saying, "wash your hands before you...," and all I know now is I am always washing my hands and counting.

Ask yourself the following:

• When, how often, and how long do you really wash your hands when you wash your hands?
  
• Do you use a common towel, the clothing you are wearing, jeans - shirt, air dryer, or a disposable towel to dry your hands?
  
• Do you use HOT water and soap or just a slight rinse under cold running water because your hands may fall off if overexposed to H2O?
  
• The public door knob, do you touch it with your bare hands thinking you have super powers?
  
• And finally, do you really want to eat food made by a person who does not really wash his/her hands thoroughly and wears a dirty apron or stained gloves?
  

We all think we are clean, right? Wrong! We are not. Most people do NOT wash their hands properly and as often as they should. Think of hospitals, day care centers, food service workers, nursing homes, schools, and then the rest of us.

Do you wear gloves? Why? Are you protecting yourself from the food or the food from you?
Do you wash your hands before you put on your gloves or just put on your gloves? Here is a hint, wash first then put on gloves. Do you take your gloves off and then reuse them? That is a BIG NO-NO! Do the finger tips of your gloves ever yellow? Well, you should be banned from the kitchen, and any type of cooking. Your gloves are old and worn from use, so wash your hands and put on a new pair.

I was told multiple times by a chef that as a whole, we do not wash our hands properly. "We are filthy dirty creatures" he would often say. I hate to say it, but it is true. Just observe the people around you, especially the people who are preparing your food.

Do you have 20 seconds? If not, slow down. Take the 20 seconds it takes to wash your hands and help yourself stay healthy! And use a clean disposable towel to dry! This step by step hand washing procedure is from the ServSafe Coursebook, fifth edition.

1. Wet your hands and arms with running water as hot as you can comfortably stand (at least 100 degrees F, 38 degrees C.
2. Apply soap.
3. Vigorously scrub your hands and arms for ten to fifteen seconds. Clean under fingernails and between fingers.
4. Rinse hands and arms thoroughly under running water.
5. Dry hands and arms with a single-use paper towel or warm-air hand dryer. When leaving the restroom, consider using a paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the door.

No cheating!

Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Yes, it was as good as it looks! Thanks Betty Crocker!

A bowl full of YUM!
As my two year old niece used to say..."More?"
(She's old enough now to just help herself)

More please!

Angel food cake was a popular dessert when I was a little girl. I never liked just a plain slice of angel food cake, Blah! It was just that, too plain, spongy and a bit sticky.

Oh, but that plain, spongy, sticky slice of cake all dressed up became a tender, moist piece of deliciousness that left my palate and taste buds begging for more. What annoying sponge quality feel I would ask myself? I quickly discovered that so called annoying sponge texture was nothing but a bonus. Quicker picker upper, you betcha! With a feeling of satisfaction I swirl my last bite of angle food cake around in my bowl soaking up every last drop of topping because let's face it, it's rude and annoying to clang your spoon around in an empty bowl wanting more. A good host wants you to eat. Seconds? Well, yeah!

So many decisions. Chocolate sauce or strawberry sauce. Slices of fresh strawberries or pureed apricot. Whipping cream or ice cream. One, two or three toppings, it is just as Betty Crocker promised, "light as air...fluffy as a cloud".

Angel Food Cake (Key Recipe)
Betty Crocker, Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, 1950
Preheat oven to 350F
Bake time: 30-35 minutes

Set out but do NOT grease:
10" tube pan, 4" deep

Measure the following two items and sift together 3 times, set aside:
1 cup sifted SOFTASILK (or 1 cup sifted GOLD Medal Flour)
7/8 cup sugar (granulated)

Measure the following into a large separate mixing bowl, then beat with wire whip until foamy - frothy.
1 1/2 cups egg whites (12)
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Once the above mixture is frothy, Gradually add to it 2tbsp at a time:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Beat on high speed until meringue is very firm and holds stiff straight peaks when wire whip is pulled up. Then,

Gradually sift the 3 times sifted flour-sugar mixture (from above) over firm meringue. Add 3 tbsp at a time. Cut and fold in gently with a spatula until it disappears each time.

Carefully place meringue into tube pan using a rubber scrapper. Even up surface of batter.

Gently pull a table knife through batter, in a wide circle to break air bubbles.

Bake cake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until no imprint remains when lightly touched. When cake tests done, invert. Turn the cake upside down and let it hang in the tube pan until cold. An empty quart size glass pop bottle works perfectly.

When cool, use a knife to loosen sides of cake from pan. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Happy summer!

Weights and Measures

Liquid = glass (right)
dry = metal (left)

The two fun things everyone likes to discuss out in the open: weight and measurements.

Oh please, I'm talking about weights and measures of ingredients not you. Phew! So put down that tape measure, get off that scale and wipe the sweat from your brow. My other site is about YOUR weight and measurements.

I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced the little chart below. I hope this quick reference will be just as helpful to you.

1 Gallon = 128 fluid ounces = 4 quarts
1 Quart = 32 fluid ounces = 2 pints
1 Pint = 16 fluid ounces = 2 cups (see what I am doing here...)
1 Cup = 8 fluid ounces = 16 tablespoons
2 Tablespoons = 1 fluid once
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
Note: Volume Ounces are Fluid Ounces

Water

Summer: Hot, humid, lots and lots of activity... need water!

I used to NEVER think twice about drinking water from my tap. Now, it would never cross my mind to drink water straight from my tap. My brain immediately thinks filter first please, then drink the water.

Years and years ago, I thought Kent, Ohio had the best water straight from the tap and I wasn't alone. I know, shocking! Does anyone drink water straight from the tap anymore? Kent city water was refreshing and odor free. Not the case now. Now, it has an odor, chemical taste and is not real refreshing straight from the tap in my opinion.

Kent is a small town, and used to be known for great tasting water. No kidding! In 1996, David Letterman and Jay Leno praised Kent, Ohio for having such tasty water based on the Berkeley Springs national water tasting competition. If I am not mistaken, one of them came into town and did their own little study and maybe even enjoyed a glass or two of Kent's cool, refreshing tap beverage.

In 2004, Kent won the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Bronze Award for municipal water and the Silver in 2006. Did you notice, bronze to silver! I'm not certain but I think the bronze in 2004 was a step down from 1996, I'm just saying. I do not know what happened over the last few years, but the city water tastes like gutter water and not a single award in sight. Kent should have bottled and sold the tap water back in 1996.

Well anyway, I was thirsty the other day, real thirsty. Digging and laying brick in hot, humid weather - well, you get the idea. Here's a few ways to jazz up water.

My favorite vegetable to add to water is cucumber, and I'm out, so no picture. I don't think you need me to paint you a picture here do you? Try it, you'll really like it, maybe even straight from the tap, but my tap water always filters through my Brita filter first.

Orange, Frozen grapes, Fiji apple, Watermelon, Lemon

After my third glass of water I have more fruit than water, and then I call it lunch.

A tall glass of cold water
I was out of cucumber, but try it...it's fab! and the reason why I'm out!

Summer Project #1

Flying solo...

On your mark, Get set, DIG!

Being single sometimes is for the birds!

I miss doing home projects of some sort with a spouse. Another warm body helping with this project would have been nice. We wouldn't fight, we would work together like two peas in a pod, (wink)! But then I wouldn't own 100% of the bragging rights to this little number!

I laid this little brick walkway all by myself, thank you very much! Did I mention I did it ALL in ONE day? Yep, one day. Minus all the neighbors stopping by to see what I was up to, I would say it took me about 4-6 hrs. Working around the tree roots was a royal pain, but worth the effort. I really like how it turned out so far, and I am almost finished. I still need to plant a few bulbs, add pea pebbles and river rock. The 40# rock bags are still sitting in the driveway, right were I dropped them.

Oh, and on a side note...my arms are shaping up nicely. Load and unload 40# bags of sand, stones and a stack of bricks does a body good.

Hot diggity, diggity

Notice my nice stacking job

Short a few bricks (ha), and too many roots!

Decided to split a hosta and fern to add more green.

The middle spot is missing a brick because of a huge root knot.
Lowe's sells a 1"depth brick that I am hope will do the trick.