Strawberry Popovers

I had strawberries in my fridge. I hadn't made popovers in a while. What happened in my kitchen was a mixture of these two facts. (Dun dun duhhhhn! - Like Dragnet/Mathnet.)

At Popover Cafe in Manhattan, they serve huge popovers with strawberry butter. I figured I would make strawberry popovers (and add plain butter as needed.) They turned out lovely and the strawberry seeds added a fun texture to the popover.

Strawberry Popovers (basic popover recipe from my Mom's Best Recipe Book)

3 eggs

1 C milk
3 T butter or margarine, melted
1 C flour
1/2 t salt
pulp from 3 strawberries, processed in a food processor

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan well. In large bowl with mixer at low speed, beat eggs until frothy; beat in milk and butter until blended. Beat in flour and salt. Stir in strawberry pulp. Fill each muffin cup 1/4-1/3 full with the batter. Bake 30 minutes; then quickly make a small slit in top of each popover to let out steam; bake 8 minutes longer. Immediately remove popovers from pan and serve.

Bake well and prosper!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

I have "Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function?" stuck in my head. Don't ask. I just do. For those of you who don't know the song, it's from School House Rock, an animated TV program that endeavored to teach kids via cool songs. I can sing you that title, but I can't remember the rest of the song. However, I DO remember what a conjunction is. Whew!

As for the recipe I made this week, it's a nice, healthy fats filled pudding recipe. The avocados give the chocolate pudding a little spice (or at least that's how I feel about it.) I really enjoyed it straight from the blender more than when it was straight from the fridge. Can't wait to try the leftovers with strawberries!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (found at Honestly Good Food)

2 ripe avocados

1/4 C agave nectar (or substitute honey or food processed dates)

1/4-1/2 C cocoa powder 

1/4-1/2 C almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Use 1/4 cocoa powder for 'milk' chocolate and 1/2 cocoa powder for dark chocolate. (If you use vegan cocoa, this whole recipe becomes vegan.) Use only as much almond milk as needed to achieve desired consistency. Eat right away or chill for about 4 hours to help it gel more. Depending on how big your avocados are, this makes about 4 half cup servings.  

Bake well and prosper! 

Another Quick Post

I made a cake for a coworker's bday and snapped some quick photos before it was eaten.

I used the seafoam frosting recipe again. Everyone at work loved how it looked and how it tasted good without being too sweet.

Doesn't it look like ocean waves?

Besides those photos, I figured I'd share with y'all that my picture was IN THE NY TIMES!!!!

The Times came to review an all day event that I happened to be singing at. And they chose to print a photo of the opera I performed in.

How cool is that? It definitely made my Monday so much better!

Sorry...no autographs at this time. ;)

Bake well and prosper!

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Today's is my co-worker's 30th birthday! In America, we tease and call it the Dirty 30...mainly because it rhymes. I figured I'd use this ditty when making a goody for his bday. I knew it was time to make the alcohol and chocolate chip infused banana bread recipe I saw online a couple of weeks ago.

This recipe was fairly easy to make. Too bad I was super tired last night and kinda out of it (I fell asleep 4 times during the last pose in my yoga class!) Due to me being half aware of what I was doing, I got my finger stuck in the stand mixer. Which kinda hurt...still does. I was actually very proud at how well I managed it. I would not recommend sticking anything to poke butter at besides a spatula. (Made a mental note of that yesterday.)

I think I was so tired because I'm still getting over the busy weekend that started with 12 hours of opera stuff. At least I didn't hurt myself singing! Check out my cute costume:

Anyway, minus my finger snafoo (it's fine btw...just a little bruised...they are pretty fat and seem to be able to withstand a lot...), the bread turned out really nicely. I gave it to my coworker along with the rest of the bourbon. :)

Bourbon Chocolate Banana Bread (found on And Now for Something Completely Delicious)
(Feel free to make your own banana bread recipe and add the bourbon and chocolate chips in to it!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the mashed banana, lemon juice, and bourbon and mix until just combined.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread to distribute it evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Store bread at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Bake well and prosper!

Healthy Blueberry Bran Muffins {and a Giveaway!}

Quite a lot happened this past weekend. It was Earth Day. I had an opera rehearsal. I saw a Broadway play. I ran a race in a pink tutu and pink, fuzzy devil horns.

What? I did! Need proof?

See?!

I was holding a baton because I was part of a relay team. Since we had to wake up early to get to the start, I decided to make muffins the day before so we could eat breakfast in the car. I found a healthy blueberry muffin recipe and adjusted it to make it even healthier! They were so good! All the runners who ate one loved it.

And now ladies and gentlemen, *drum roll* it's time for my first ever giveaway on this blog! Due to knowing some cool runners, I got a free life factory water bottle.

I've been using metal water bottles for the last 4 years and was very happy to get a spiffy glass one. This bottle is super cheerful and easy to grip. Also, the larger opening makes it easier to clean. (Not to mention that having a glass bottle means I can SEE that it's clean inside.) The bottle, sleeve, and cap are all dishwasher safe. I also love that it has ounce measurements on the side. So far I've drank 80 ounces of water today and it's only the afternoon. (I drink a LOT of water.)

Now you have the chance to win one of these great bottles! In honor of Earth Day (it WAS a busy weekend...), I'm giving away one of these bottles.

To enter, go to lifefactory.com and figure out if you'd like a flip cap or a classic cap bottle and what color you love the best out of the options. Then write a comment in the comment form below with your choices (flip vs classic and which color you'd want.) Also, leave a way to contact you in the comment form if you don't have a blog profile and are leaving a comment as anonymous (email or twitter name only).

The prized bottle will be the 22oz version. Drawing will happen on Tuesday, May 1.

This giveaway is open from April 25th through midnight EDT on April 30th. You must be 18 years old to enter and live in the United States.

Please see official rules HERE. 

CONTEST CLOSED: The winner was #9, Nansi, who wants the classic cap in orange. Congratulations!

Healthy Blueberry Bran Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 banana, mashed
3/4 cup almond milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups.

2.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, oat bran, quick-cooking oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries, and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed banana, almond milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.

3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Or test by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready to be taken out of the oven.

Bake well and prosper!