Bakery Style Chocolate Chip & Blueberry Muffins

So I’d been wanting to try these muffins ever since I saw those delightfully puffy muffin tops on SomethingSwanky.com. I am a massive muffin maniac—they’re probably one of my all-time favorite breakfast treats. Then again, everything is my favorite (waffles, crepes, pastries. Don’t make me choose!).

Anyway, I decided to deviate from my typical muffin recipe and try these out. They were wonderful! They use quite a bit more baking powder than most recipes, which really helped the muffins rise, making them soft and fluffy. If you have a jumbo-sized muffin tin, use that. These morsels are meant to expand.

While the original recipe suggests making chocolate chip muffins, I had fresh blueberries and decided to divide up the batter and make some with chocolate chips and a few with the blueberries. Again, I can’t just choose just one. 😛

Bakery Style Muffins

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vinegar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips OR blueberries (or divide the batter in half and make both like I did!)

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and prepare a 12-cup jumbo muffin tin or 18-cup regular sized tin with cooking spray, butter or coconut oil.

Combine the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Then, add the eggs, butter, vanilla and the milk/vinegar. Mix everything together with a large wooden spoon just until combined. It should be a little lumpy.

Lastly, fold in your chocolate chips and/or blueberries.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.

Bake at 425ºF for 5  minutes (4 minutes if using regular sized tin). Then decrease the heat to 375ºF and bake for another 13 minutes (11-12 minutes for regular sized tin).

Brayden and I enjoyed our muffins with a hot mocha! Delightful ❤

German Oven Pancake

It’s a quiet Sunday morning. Little beams of golden light stream through the open window, and a gentle breeze drifts in. There’s a sense of calm as the tiny flames of vanilla Bourbon and maple buttermilk candles on the kitchen counter flicker and dance. Outside, the green on the trees and vibrancy of blue in the sky are the opening chapters of a perfect day. A sense of peace, like a giant quilt, feels as though it’s being drawn over the home.

A morning like this calls for something sweet and warm. A German Oven Pancake turned out to be just the thing. This breakfast treat is a more eggy, puffy version of an American pancake. And the best part: you bake it in the oven instead of standing around the stove flipping flapjacks. To top it off, this delightful breakfast takes just minutes to make and calls for simple ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Adorn each individual slice however you’d like. Try some warm maple syrup, jam or fruit. I had mine in the traditional German way with powdered sugar and lemon juice (I added blueberries as well!). My fiancé kept it classic with plain old maple. It’s fantastic either way. I’ve also heard of people baking apples or other fruit into it.

Here’s the recipe:

German Oven Pancake

1/2 cup flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3 tbs melted butter, divided

1 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, sugar and 2 tbs of the melted butter.

Stir in the flour just until combined. Add the last tbs of melted butter to the bottom of a 9-inch pan, then pour in the batter. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown. The pancake should rise and get nice and puffy! Also, be prepared for the glorious scent of warm butter that will fill the home. ❤

Launching a New Website (Psst! I want your submissions)

I’ve recently embarked on a new endeavor with the creation of a website called The Millénaire. The project relies entirely upon the stories of individuals in their late teens, 20s and early 30s (i.e. young adults).

I would love to have your contribution. The more diverse the range of voices and experiences, the better. All submissions can be sent to themillenaire@gmail.com. You are free to submit anonymously, but for all of you fellow bloggers, this is also a great way to get your name and your own website out there. If you so choose, I will provide links to your blog/website and other social media information at the end of your entry.

To get a better sense of the mission of this project, here is the “About” page:

Meaning “millenial” in French, the Millénaire is a place for camaraderie amongst young adults. We have our own sets of struggles and hardships that are often clouded by this need to portray our lives as perfect through social media, in front of acquaintances and even with our close friends.

In seeing the constant status updates and pictures that feign the seemingly perfect lives of others, we feel worse and worse about our own difficulties when, in truth, those around us may be experiencing similar feelings. We just don’t talk about it.

The Millénaire is an experiment: It’s a place to build empathy between young adults and tell the stories we might not always want to talk about. My hope is that sharing our own experiences will not only help us embrace the ups and downs of our own lives, but help others as well.

Entries should be written primarily in a personal narrative format. E.g. “I felt like this… I experienced that… This or that thing happened to me… ”

Posts can be as short or long as needed to tell your story.

Questions to get your ideas flowing:

• What is the hardest aspect of being a young adult?
• What’s the best part?
• How do you usually occupy your day? (Be honest or silly here if needed; it’s okay to admit you surf the internet for hours or watch SpongeBob everyday).
• Do you feel pressured to be at a certain point in your life, and you’re not there yet? (e.g. married or long-term relationship, stable career, “dream job,” house).
• How did you handle a situation you weren’t expecting/ready for? (e.g. failure, job loss, pregnancy, death, illness, loss of friendship, break-up).
• Do you feel like you still have opportunities on the horizon, or that they have already passed because you are now “grown up”?
• Have you picked up any hobbies or new talents in your late teens, 20’s, 30’s? Things you had not learned in your childhood, but have always aspired to do.
• Are you afraid of being “ordinary”?
• What’s an obstacle you overcame and how did it help you? 

 

Thanks everyone, and happy writing.

 

Alyssa

 

 

Sights, Tastes & Magic in Seattle (And How I Got Engaged to My Best Friend)

My trip to Seattle was perfect in every way. Side by side with Brayden, we dove into the world of the Emerald City.

We walked along Elliot Bay and the waterfront of the Puget Sound, tried every morsel that caught our interest at Pike Place and sipped coffee and hot chocolate with a gorgeous window view of the water. We learned about the history of Seattle: how someone spilled a can of highly flammable glue, causing the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 that destroyed an entire city and how the citizens of this lumber-industry town came together to rebuild it. We learned about the Native American tribes that inhabited this land before us and how the city of Seattle came to be named after the Duwamish chief, Seathl.

We tried foods like freshly caught king salmon, truffles (the most expensive food in the world), samosas, shots of pickle juice, Chinese medicinal tea, crumpets, clam chowder and salmon burgers. And of course, we couldn’t pass up a hot bowl of Beecher’s mac n’ cheese made with their famous flagship cheese.

At midnight, we stopped for a drink in Capitol Hill, a district teeming with an exuberant nightlife culture.

A ferry took us from the harbor of Seattle to Bainbridge Island, where we rode bikes up and down the winding slopes of the densely forested island, taking in the crispness of the open air and the vibrant autumn colors of sienna, gold, mahogany and deep red on the trees.

At the Seattle Center, we went on an otherworldly trip through the spellbinding glass art at the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit.

By the end of the trip we were exhausted, but we’d had the absolute time of our lives. Unaware of what was to happen next, Brayden led me to the pier where all of the boats sat nestled in the harbor, small flickering lights gently gleaming from within them. The lights of the city and the Seattle Great Wheel shone in the backdrop like twinkling stars. It was just the two of us, and in that moment, everything else seemed to stop.

It was here that Brayden pulled out a little box, got down on one knee and asked me to be with him forever. I said yes (would it have gone any other way?). I would say yes to him a million times. He is the love of my life. It still feels as though I’m in a dream sometimes. That’s the only way I can describe the feeling of the moment and the feeling I still have now. A beautiful, magical, unbelievable dream. I will never get over how amazing he is.

So, it’s quite safe to say that our trip was an amazing adventure. I learned so many new things, tried so many new foods, saw so many new sights and went from calling by boyfriend my boyfriend, to calling him my fiancé. 

Boats docked in Elliot Bay

Rachel the Pig

Pike Place Market

Freshly caught fish for sale

Pike Place

My favorite dork

Pioneer Square Totem Pole

Pioneer Square

Tribute to Chief Seathl

Locally grown vegetables and fruits at the market

Some awesome, jazzy musicians

The Gum Wall in Post Alley under Pike Place

A view of the city from the water

Bainbridge Island

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Bike Riding, Farmers Markets, Pumpkin Crafts & Beautiful Weather

I’m sitting in one of my go-to spots, ChopShop Co., enjoying an açaí bowl. The pleasant notes of the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” dance around the shop as patrons walk in and out, letting a flood of sunlight pour in with each cling of the opening door. The floors at ChopShop are a rustic pale wood, with iron shelves along the perimeters, the walls made of brick with an accent wall of deep grey.

This has been one of my favorite weekends in a while. It was so wonderful in every way. Because the weather here in Arizona is finally starting to cool down, Brayden and I got to go on a date we’d been wanting to go on for a while now.

On Saturday morning, we stepped out of our home, where the crisp morning dew and the rain from the night before still lingered on blades of grass, large droplets on our cars, and puddles in the street. The night before, we had rode around on our bikes at dusk looking for frogs near the water. I picked up every single one we found, with the exception of a particularly big froggy dude. (Psst, I really love frogs! I had way too much fun searching for them).

Back to Saturday though, our plan was to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and cloudy skies we had so been hoping for. We live right against a park called the “Greenbelt” that spans from north Tempe to north Scottsdale in a long, thin stretch. The bike paths in the park take you anywhere you want to go, provided you’re going a significant way north/south. We also live just a few miles from Old Town Scottsdale, the lively, cultural district of South Scottsdale. We ended up riding our bikes along the pathways of the beautiful, lush green park to catch the Old Town Farmers Market.

At the Farmers Market, we sampled tons of different locally grown/made foods. Side note: I’m really proud of Brayden for stepping out of his comfort zone and trying some things I know he normally wouldn’t want to try. We picked up some organic Jonagold apples to make an apple pie with some time soon. (We have a rad, homemade apple pie recipe I’ll definitely be sharing!)

Brayden holding an apple at the market.

After we had finished walking around the market, we sat down for breakfast at a place called the Daily Dose, where I got a ridiculously delicious plate of Nutella french toast (um, yes PLEASE).

Spending this time with my best friend and favorite guy in the whole world, exploring outside in this gorgeous weather–it really struck me with a deep sense of gratitude for what I have. Even though it can be easy to continuously want more and more things, I’m so thankful for the things that are already in my life.

To top it all off, we just had to complete our autumn day with a pumpkin-related craft. We picked up a few pumpkins from the grocery store and spent the rest of the daytime painting them. Brayden painted a “Goomba” face from Super Mario. It’s so adorable.

Brayden’s Goomba pumpkin and my mini “Day of the Dead” and gold pumpkins.

And here’s where I end up at this current moment, sitting in ChopShop on a Sunday morning, awaiting Thursday when Brayden and I fly to Seattle for our four-year anniversary. I. Can’t. Wait. ❤

xo

Banana Nutella Crêpes (and a Homemade Strawberry Jam of Sorts)

As most of your favorite foods do, these crepes have a story behind them. It’s pretty easy to see why I love this particular dish—I mean, everyone knows that strawberries, bananas and Nutella are the three perfect, godly flavor combinations. And when you pair that creamy, hazelnut cocoa with warm, fresh-off-the-pan crepes and a bit of cream cheese icing drizzled over the top, it’s practically heaven.

It’s a simple yet wonderfully delectable breakfast (or dinner), but there’s more to it for me than just it’s delicious minimalism. I kind of hold these crepes dear to my heart because they evoke the memories of a tradition my mom and I started together.

Back when I was a teenager still living under the roof of mom and pop, every Wednesday night was “Crepe Night.” My dad taught business courses at a local college on Wednesday evenings, and he’s not really the breakfast-for-dinner type. My mom and I saw that as a glorious opportunity to make whatever we wanted, and our mutual love for crepes seemed to stick. It became this very special time for both of us. We knew that no matter what was going on that week or how little we may have gotten to really sit and talk, every Wednesday we would prepare and cook our breakfast-dinner together, sit down just the two of us, and hang out.

Those were wonderful memories and we still try to bring the tradition back to life sometimes when we see each other for dinner (side note: If you’re within driving distance of your parents/kids or anyone you love and haven’t seen in a while, go share a meal with them!).

So recently I went to the parental units’ home and we cooked up some crepes (Dad wanted in on it this time so it became a wonderful little family dinner affair). We also thought it’d be fun to make some homemade jam to go with it as well, but since it was last minute and we did not quite have all the tools to make true jam, we simplified it and made more of a strawberry sauce with agave syrup and chia seeds for good measure. I am planning to try my hand at canning fruits and making jam, so be expecting an entire post about that sometime in the future.

I think this is something we’ll do forever, no matter how much time in between. It’s kind of our thing, and I really cherish that with her. My mom is a beautiful person to be around.

Banana Nutella Crêpes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

1 tbs sugar

In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs and sugar and beat well. Then, simply add the flour and beat with a whisk until all clumps are gone.

After that, heat a large, shallow frying pan over medium heat with coconut oil or a nonstick spray. Before you add the batter, take the pan off of the heat. Crepes are meant to be thin, so add only about a 1/2 cup of batter to the pan and make sure the mixture distributes across the entire surface so you get an even crepe. If you need to add a bit more, go for it. Taking it off the heat for a moment allows the batter to spread out across the pan rather than start cooking right away in one spot. We don’t want clumpy crepes!

If you have a tool that allows you to distribute the batter evenly over the pan, then by all means use that. Then, just watch for one side to barely begin to get a golden hue to it. Crepes should be a little on the softer, more malleable side, so don’t let them get too crisp.

Once it looks thoroughly cooked, set it onto a plate and adorn it with all of the scrumptious fillings you can imagine. We, of course, love thinly sliced bananas, a generous amount of Nutella and a bit of whipped cream. We also put a bit of our “strawberry jam” in them along with fresh berries and it. was. wonderful.

Other Topping Suggestions: Toasted pecans or walnuts (crushed), cream cheese icing, caramel sauce, dark chocolate, blueberry coulis… Ahh the list could go on and on. And we’re just talking sweet crepe ideas–imagine how the world will open up when we explore savory options. ❤ 😍

Liebster Award

One of my very favorite things about the blogging community is the friendship and support I’ve come to find from so many wonderful bloggers. I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Smiling Notes and mypinchofyum.

Smiling Notes blog is a delightful ray of sunshine, full of fun adventures and delicious recipes. And Priti at mypinchofyum definitely opens up my world to new foods I wouldn’t normally be exposed to. Thanks to both of you for thinking of me.

I really enjoy writing these kinds of posts because they’re like a little glimpse into who I am.

Here are the rules for the Liebster Award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their site.

2. Include the Liebster award sticker in your post.

3. Nominate ten other bloggers who you think are worthy of this award.

4. Answer the ten questions asked to you by the person who nominated you and make ten questions of your own for your nominees.

Questions from Smiling Notes

1. What inspired you to start your own blog?

This was something I’d been contemplating for a long time. I studied creative writing in college, so having a blog always seemed like a natural thing I should just do. But every time I tried it felt forced, and when creativity isn’t organic, it doesn’t come out right. Honestly, the spark that finally made it happen came about one day when a coworker of mine said something about following your true passions. While I knew turning around and simply opening up a bakery wasn’t exactly going to happen, I knew I could immediately do this (a virtual café) and start putting myself and the things I love out there. I don’t even remember exactly what she’d said, but it struck me hard, and as soon as I got home I created the site. It felt organic. It felt natural.

2. Who is your No.1 Support system in your life?

Different people support me in different ways. My parents have provided unrelenting support for me throughout my entire life. Their love has never once wavered. They are incredible and I love them dearly.

I have to say that the one person in my life who I can open up every single part of myself to–every thought big or small, every quirk, every delight and every mistake is my boyfriend, Brayden. He supports me no matter what. I’m lucky. I found my soul mate.

3. Do you speak any other languages apart from English?

Brayden and I are planning to start taking German classes soon. And I think Japanese is the most beautiful language.

4. One thing you cannot live without?

Right now, boba tea. Obsessed.

5. What is your favorite place/ destination that you have visited?

This one is tough. I’m torn between Ireland and Seattle, WA. Visiting Ireland was like a fairy tale; sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. Seattle is where I want to live my life every day.

6. Do you have any pets?

We’ve got plans for some fur babies!

7. Which is the best post that you have written so far? (please link it)

Rather than best post, I’d say the one I’m most proud of is my Homemade Brioche French Toast. It has certainly been the most fun to make and it really pushed me with my baking.

8. Which quality in people do you appreciate the most?

The first thing that comes to mind is “empathy.” I truly enjoy being around people who have the wherewithal to think outside of their own boxes, and in turn make the people around them feel at ease. It’s honestly more of an aura about a person. Almost as soon as I’ve met you, I know if we’ve made a connection or we haven’t.

9. What is your comfort meal on a lazy/ sick day?

Whatever’s currently baking in the kitchen!

10. What is your motto in life?

There is something good in every day. Enjoy the present moment.

Questions from mypinchofyum

1. What do you value most in your life?

My family of course, but also my freedom. I couldn’t imagine having that taken away. I also value food. A lot. Meal times are, like, the highlights of my day.

2. What inspired you to start your blog?

See question #1 from the previous set 😉

3. Do you speak any other language apart from English?

This feels like deja vu. See #3 from the previous set.

4. What do you like the most – vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, lamb or seafood?

Vegetables for sure. There are so many to choose from and they are sooo good!

5. Which is your favorite spice?

Cinnamon

6. Best moment in your life?

Summer of 2012. Brayden and I were still in college and not yet living together, but I stayed at his apartment with him while I worked a summer job on our university campus. It would take a long time to explain why, but it was simply the best time of my life. We hiked mountains, played in the pouring rain and baked all the time. Now I get to live with him every day, and that’s pretty much the best time of my life, too.

7. Is there any food ingredient or dish that you will never eat?

Sorry to all you sushi fans out there (I know your love for it is fierce!), but I just can’t do it. I have tried it before, but the mere smell of sushi and rice wine makes me queasy 😦

8. Which is your favorite cuisine in the world and why?

Am I allowed to say pastries, breads and cheeses? I love all kinds of foods, but baked goods, particularly on the slightly sweeter side, make my heart sing.

9. What is your signature dish?

I feel so serious answering this question for some reason. I don’t know that I have a “signature dish”, but I think my muffin game is pretty spot on.

10. Where would you live if you could live anywhere you wanted on the Earth?

This is another really difficult one because there are so many amazing places. I feel this deep-seeded connection with docks, harbors, boats and large bodies of water, so I know I would want to live in a port city. As I mentioned above, Seattle is one of my favorite places in the world.

And now my questions:

1. What is your favorite taste: sour, sweet, salty, bitter or umami?

2. Describe a weird quirk of yours.

3. If you could be a part of the first society to colonize on Mars, would you do it?

4. Who is your favorite author?

5. What is your favorite season (time of year)?

6. Who would you rather be, Gandalf or Dumbledore?

7. What is your favorite meal of the day? (c’mon, you know it’s breakfast)

8. If you could live either in the mountains, near the ocean, in the countryside or in the city, which would you choose?

9. How do you get your emotions out?

10. What is your favorite smell?

❤

My super awesome nominees:

love the little bakery

Stylebychia

Crumbs and Tea

The Sugar Tin

Cozy Eats

Lifestyle Pastry

Milk, Chai & Honey

The Cinnamon Scrolls

ginandmorecake

Tragic Girls