Gingerbread Muffins

Here's another quick and delicious recipe- especially if you've been getting as much rain as we have! These gingerbread muffins are moist and spicy and whip up in just a few minutes.


Here are the muffins ready for the oven...


And the mini-muffins all baked up.

Gingerbread Muffins
-1/2 cup melted butter
-1/2 cup molasses
-1 cup sour milk (milk + 1T vinegar)
-1 egg
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 1/2 cups flour
-1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix the wet ingredients together, then add the dry and mix until just combined.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full, and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes for mini-muffins, or 20 minutes for regular sized ones.



And here are the regular ones baked up- beautiful and delicious- I hope you enjoy!

Savor it!
love, rue

One Bowl Brownies

Hello again! I'm still as busy as a bee (three weeks left before exams!) so I'll leave you with another delicious recipe that's easy as pie. I've been making these one-bowl brownies my whole life, and you can take them in almost any direction you can think of. This time I made them as little mini-brownies and added peanut butter chips- just think of the possibilities!


Here are the brownies ready for baking- the batter is so yummy!


One Bowl Brownies
-4 1 oz. squares baking chocolate (or 3/4 cup cocoa and 1/4 cup oil)
-3/4 cup butter
-2 cups sugar
-3 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 cup flour
-pinch of salt
-1 cup or so of add-ins (optional)
Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave. Stir in the sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
Grease a 9 x 13 pan, mini-muffin tin, or other pan.
Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes for 9 x 13, or less for smaller pans.



And here are the finished brownies- I got to make these on a rare day of sunlight! Enjoy!

Savor it!
love, rue

Cracker Toffee

I have a super busy week going on right now with school, so today I'll leave you with a recipe and some pictures! I just want to note that you can make this with saltines, club crackers, and even matzoh for Passover (I made some for my friend with Matzoh, and it is delicious!)


Here are the crackers with the sugar and butter sauce poured over top, ready for the oven.


And here are the crackers and sauce after baking- just bubbling away!


Cracker Toffee
-1 sleeve saltines (or club crackers, or about 3 pieces of Matzoh)
-1 cup butter
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/2-1 cup chocolate chips
-slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease a baking sheet, then lay the crackers out in one layer on it. Put the butter and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until it forms a caramel-y sauce. Pour the sauce over the crackers, then bake for 15 minutes. After it has cooled for about a minute, put the chocolate chips on top, let melt, then spread. Top with almonds if using (I didn't this time- didn't have any on hand!). Once completely cool, break into pieces and enjoy!



And here's the finished toffee- delicious!

Oatmeal Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

I love to play around with what add-ins I throw into my cookies, and these cookies are a product of just that. I used my basic oatmeal cookie recipe, but threw in mini-chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee bits, and coconut. They came out chewy and flavorful and delicious! Play around with these cookies yourself!


Here's the dough all mixed up.


And the cookies all ready for the oven. (Yes, I do use a cookie scoop to get them all the same size!)


And here are the cookies all baked up!


Oatmeal Butterscotch Toffee Cookies
-1 cup butter
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 1/2 cups flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3 cups oats
-1/2 cup coconut
-1/2 cup butterscotch chips
-1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
-1/2 cup toffee bits
Beat together butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, oats, then add-ins.
Bake at 350 F on ungreased cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes.



Enjoy!

Savor it!
love, rue

Popovers

This week is a very busy one, as we approach the end of the school year, so my posts may be a bit briefer than usual over the next few weeks.

Today I'll give you a recipe for popovers, one of my favorite kinds of rolls- they puff up in the middle and are delicious with butter- give them a shot!


Popovers
-2 eggs
-1 cup milk
-1 tablespoon butter
-1 cup flour
-1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients until just combined. Pour batter into greased muffin tins, then place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 450 F and bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 F and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.



Popovers fresh out of the oven!


Savor it!
love, rue

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs are one of my favorite foods, so here's a short post for today- how to make deviled eggs!


Deviled Eggs
-4 eggs
-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
-1 teaspoon mustard
-salt and pepper to taste
Put the eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Then take out and plunge into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
Peel the eggs, slice in half, and remove the yolk. Mix the yolks up with the mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper, then put the mixture back in the eggs. You're done- enjoy!





Savor it!
love, rue

Chewy Lime Sugar Cookies

These Chewy Lime Sugar Cookies are some of the most popular cookies that I make. I came across the recipe last summer and sent some off to my friends to rave reviews! Since then, I've tweaked the recipe just a bit, but here is a simple and delicious way to spice up your sugar cookies- the coconut adds chewiness and the lime zest adds such zing! I hope you enjoy!


Here's the dough- look closely for bits of zest!


And here are the cookies all rolled into balls and rolled in sugar.


Chewy Lime Sugar Cookies
-1 cup butter
-1 1/2 cup white sugar
-1 egg
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-zest of 3 limes, minced
-3 tablespoons lime juice
-2 3/4 cups flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup coconut
-white sugar for rolling cookies in
Beat together the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg, vanilla, zest, and lime juice. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then stir in the coconut.
Roll the dough into balls, then roll in white sugar. Flatten slightly on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until just turning golden brown.



Your cookies should look like this! Crackly on top, and chewy inside- these are delicious.

Savor it!
love, rue

Blondies

I apologize for my absence! It was mid-terms week and then spring break, so I've been in Miami for a week visiting my sister, and I didn't get any blogging done while I was there. But to bring us back together, I offer you these delicious blondies! They're really easy to make and so delicious- and feel free to add anything you like to these- I think they would be good with chocolate or butterscotch chips, some caramel, or almost anything else you could think of. I made these with coconut!


Here's the blondie batter, ready to be baked!


And here are the blondies right out of the oven- golden brown and delicious!


Blondies
-1/2 cup butter, melted
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup white sugar
-1 egg
-1 egg yolk
-1 tablespoon corn syrup
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
-1 cup flour
-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/8 teaspoon baking soda
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2/3 cup add-ins (I used coconut)
Combine the butter and sugars, stir in the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla. Then stir in the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Stir in your add-ins, if using.
Bake in a 8''x8'' greased pan at 350 F for 25-30 minutes.



And here are the blondies cut and ready to eat- enjoy!

Savor it!
love, rue