Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

I haven't made the usual New Year's resolution this year to lose weight because it hasn't ever worked for me. After the first few days, and usually a whole bunch of salad, my resolution would fall by the wayside and I would be back to my old habits again.

Of course I now know that losing weight starts with a decision, a decision to change your life for the better in the long run, not just for a few days in the beginning of a new year. And so my decision has started with finding and making new recipes that are healthier and lower calorie, but still taste great. Because let's face it, if it doesn't taste good, we aren't going to eat it.

Which brings me to this recipe for Blackberry Yogurt Muffins, which are delicious and packed with good-for-you ingredients. These muffins include fruit, yogurt, oats, whole wheat flour and a few other simple ingredients. You can whip them up in the morning in a flash, and enjoy them all week long for breakfast, in your lunch, or as a snack.

You can also use different kinds of fruit in them, too. I have made them with blueberries and pears and they were all equally delicious. This recipe makes 12 muffins. When I made them with blueberries, I made a double batch and froze the second batch in the freezer for convenience. They defrost beautifully and are especially good if you pop them in the microwave for a few seconds afterwards.

These muffins are just plain yummy, and having one that is good for me and lower in calories really lets me fight the urge to indulge in those high calorie desserts that I love so very much. Every day the decision is mine to make, what I will or won't eat. And every day I'll keep trying my best.

Recipe for Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

Ingredient:

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup blackberries, chopped

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, yogurt, oil, and egg. Beat well with an electric mixer until combined, let stand 5 minutes.

Sift in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to blend. Fold in fruit. Fill paper muffin cups in muffin pan 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

-Post by Patricia

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. It's nice to be back here on the blog, I must say. I didn't mean to be gone so long, but my family and I were busy with guests visiting, the usual Christmas madness, and then just taking some time to relax a bit.

Since this is our first year of living in Nevada, we didn't really know what to expect as far as how cold the weather would be in the wintertime. My son and his wife have lived here for five years, and they kept telling us to expect a very cold and windy season. But when you move here in July and it's 110 degrees, it's kind of hard to believe.

It turns out they were definitely right, it's cold here in the dessert. I've been wearing my heavy jackets and boots and scarves most of the time. And it's soup weather for sure, so I've been busy in the kitchen making big batches of our favorite soups to enjoy.

I just recently made this Roasted Cauliflower Soup for the first time, and it's now one of my favorites. The recipe is very easy to make, and I really like the flavor of the cauliflower after it's been roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper. The cream gives it a rich and velvety texture, and if you are a fan of cream soups like I am, I hope you'll give this recipe a try.

I started making my own croutons with cookie cutters, and the stars are some of my favorite shapes. My grandchildren love them, and it makes them want to try new soups just so they can top them with stars, hearts, and flowers. Just use your favorite bread and cut out the shapes with small cookie cutters. Then put them on a cookie sheet and place in a 400 degree oven for 8 minutes, turning once at 4 minutes.

Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small chunks

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

additional olive oil for drizzling

bread slices for making croutons (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cauliflower pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until edges are brown, turning once, about 18-20 minutes.

In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add roasted cauliflower to onions, then add chicken stock.

Bring to boil. Let boil 8 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat, add heavy cream and stir.

Puree soup with immersion blender ( or regular blender). Drizzle lightly with addition olive oil, sprinkle with pepper, and top with croutons, if desired.

*Recipe adapted from Sweet Paul Magazine.

-Post by Patricia



Butterscotch Spice Cookies





I spent today making the last of the Christmas cookies to be boxed up to give to family and friends. I'm surprised that Christmas has gotten here so soon, it seems like just yesterday I was putting away the extra turkey and fixings from Thanksgiving.

These Butterscotch Spice Cookies are a cinch to make and smell and taste yummy. My granddaughter loved helping me make them because it's kind of like playing with play dough. You roll the dough into a ball and then roll it in powdered sugar. What 5 year doesn't love that?

Recipe for Butterscotch Spice Cookies 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips

powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until combined. Stir in butterscotch chips.

Roll scoops of dough to make a ball, then roll in powdered sugar. Place dough 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheets, Remove and let finish on wire racks.

Makes about 36 cookies.

-Post by Patricia



Handmade Jewelry from Around the World: Novica Review and Giveaway #handmade4life

*I was provided complimentary items to review for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have enjoyed Novica products for a few years now and I always love to support their artist with my purchases. I like that Novica is a company that brings together artist from all over the world to be able to sell their products online. I have many great products from Novica that are from Mexico including jewelry and kitchenware. This time shopping I wanted to try a different region of the world for my jewelry. I found an artist in Thailand that had beautiful jewelry, great reviews and sterling silver. I have sensitive skin and have to purchase silver or gold jewelry. Her pieces are affordable and light weight. I wear jewelry to work everyday and I am constantly needing new pieces to wear.

I had a hard time selecting which pieces to select for my review since Aoy has many beautiful items. I wear my hair down often at work so I decided on a pair of dangle earrings, Handcrafted Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings with Spirals Whirl. I love the movement of the silver balls and the whimsy of the spiral. They are very lightweight, somewhat delicate making them easy to wear for a full work day. They are very cheerful to wear and I enjoying sharing that I found them on Novica.

I have learned over the years necklaces for me have to be versatile. I have a few necklaces I have only wore a few times because they are so very specific in their style and I knew this time I needed to make a more practical choice. I wanted to have another piece of jewelry from Aoy in Thailand so I selected the Sterling Silver Pendant Necklace, Filigree Moon. I have received many compliments from my customers at work on the filigree motifs in my crescent moon necklace. I like that the pendant feels sturdy and well made, the ball chain is a bit fragile but I have other chains I can put the moon on if I need to.



My jewelry was handmade by a woman from Thailand who is lovingly called Aoy. Here is some information on the artist:

"At our workshop, we still work with our hands to craft our jewelry collections, because we believe it is our duty to preserve this ancient art form."

"Sawasdee ka! My name is Rudklow Patanaanunwong, but everyone calls me Aoy. I come from a warm family environment from Bangkok, though I am an only child. I hold Bachelor and Master Degrees in Economy from Northeastern University."

"My intention after graduation was to work for the Bank of Thailand, but I changed my mind when I met my husband. We got married and I moved to Chiang Mai, where my husband has a silversmith workshop. I began to work there to help him."

I am happy to share that we are hosting a giveaway for a $35 Gift Code to Novica.com for one lucky reader. There are so many great items at Novica, more than jewelry there are gifts, housewares, clothing, bags, art and more.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Dec. 22 2016 and ends on January, 6 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Tart

Do you adore chocolate like I do? Maybe that's a silly question because it seems like everyone is in love with chocolate. Whether it's cake, or brownies, or candy, it seems like a real favorite with all my friends and family. Especially this time of year.

We've had quite a few people over for dinner lately, which is fun for me, because I love cooking and baking. And planning menus actually gets me excited! I'm no Martha Stewart for sure, but I do enjoy entertaining and everything it entails.

I needed a dessert last week for after dinner, and I really wanted something chocolaty. I had had this recipe for Flourless Chocolate Espresso Tart that a friend had written down for me, but I hadn't tried it yet. It's surprisingly simple and only requires six ingredients.

Well let me tell you, it turned out delicious. So rich and chocolaty, with the flavor of espresso coming through perfectly. Yum, is all I can say. Do use top quality ingredients if you can, because it really does make a difference.

If you want to impress guests or just indulge in your love of chocolate, I highly recommend you make this tart. I'm going to make it again on Christmas Eve to go with a couple of other desserts for when we have family and friends coming over. Oh, and if you like, you can add a little whipped cream on top to make it extra special.

Recipe for Flourless Chocolate Espresso Tart

Ingredients:

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso

whipped cream if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan.

In the top pan of a double broiler, melt the chocolate over (but not touching) simmering water. Scrape the melted chocolate into a large bowl, add the sugar and melted butter, and stir to mix well. Add the eggs and mix well. Sift in the cocoa powder and espresso and stir until the batter is smooth and well blended.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the top begins to form a fudge-like crust, 20-25 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Dust tart with cocoa powder, and top with whipped cream if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

-Post by Patricia