No excuses!

Chicken Noodle Soup with Rosemary and Lemon

Delicious Apple Spice Muffins

The beginnings of a chicken pot pie with filo dough crust.

Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

Okay, so I haven't posted in more than a month. Totally lame, I know. Here's the thing, I have actually been cooking but I am also in play, work 40+ hours a week and generally like to bathe so I haven't had the time to elaborate on my delights. Fortunately today I was able to get down to it! The pictures above are from some of my favorite culinary adventures from recent times.

There's something so wonderful and comforting about this time of year. I constantly feel compelled to make soups, pot pies, roasts, and cookies. Oh cookies... spice cookies, chocolate cookies... Not to mention the apples this season have been lovely! I have made two batches of the muffins above! Made with Golden Delicious apples, apple sauce and low-fat buttermilk ... they are just as healthy as they are delicious. Only 1/4 cup of oil (i.e. fat) in the entire recipe

Proudest moments:

1) I have learned how to properly cut cold butter into flour. Now I know how to correctly make biscuits, pie crusts, etc. It took me a while to learn all of the little techniques but lemme just say, those biscuits were amazing- complete fluffy goodness.

2) I made individual chocolate souffle cakes for our 1/2 anniversary. I was so nervous I would not be able to whip the egg whites enough or, god forbid, would over beat them but the cakes came out wonderfully.

Here's the thing, I do everything by hand. I do have a hand beater but generally speaking I do all baking and cooking the old fashion way. Not to say I wouldn't love my own Kitchen Aid, I would, but there's something great about doing it the ole' hard complicated way. I feel like I understand the science behind cooking versus "dump" and "pour"- like with a food proccessor.

Anyway, I have more pictures and more delights to come. I am making cookies and chocolate truffles to go along with my Christmas cards so I can't wait to upload those babies!

Enjoy the seasonal delights by making apple muffins:

Cooking spray

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 cup natural applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-capacity muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the pecans and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and oil until combined. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla.

Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories: 219
Total Fat: 8 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Protein: 4 grams
Fiber: 2 grams