Pear Coffee-Cake Muffins Recipe From Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Sometimes I think it's the little things that make up a happy life. It's true that big life events can be wonderful, but they just don't happen often enough for me. So, I'm finding ways to increase my everyday happiness, and that includes these pear muffins.

A cup of coffee and a warm, delicious muffin with butter inside makes my morning start out happy. It's an easy way to start the day, and these muffins let you use your favorite fruit in them, whether that's pears, apples, plums, or berries.

This recipe is from one of my favorite baking books, Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. The recipe calls for plums, which I love, but when I saw these gorgeous red pears at the market, I decided to use them instead of the plums.

Peel and chop the pears. I love the fragrance and taste of pears, and it's one of my favorite fruits to use in my fall and winter baking.

After you have mixed the batter, fill the muffin tin half full, and distribute the pear pieces evenly over the batter. Top with remaining batter, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

These smell wonderful as they are baking in the oven. And they keep well for a couple of days in the refrigerator. I just popped them, with a little butter, into the microwave and heated them up, and they were still delicious.

I gave some of these muffins to our neighbors, and they just loved them. That's also one of the things I enjoy about baking, is being able to share something I made with others, and making that lovely connection with them.

These muffins are very much worth the effort of making them, and perfect for a morning of baking on a chilly fall morning.

Recipe For Pear Coffee-Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
3 ripe pears, peeled and cut into small chunks (other fruits may be used, plums, apples, or berries)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or use paper liners, set aside.
Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk in the melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Dividing evenly, fill each of the muffin cups halfway with batter. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula.

Distribute the pear pieces evenly among the cups, scattering them over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter on top, dividing evenly. Sprinkle tops with the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffins are puffed and golden brown, and a cake tester inserted of one muffin comes out clean, 16-18 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand 5-10 minutes. Turn out the muffins onto the rack to cool a few minutes, serve warm.

*Note: the recipe says it only makes 10 muffins, but I easily made 12.

Love Letters From God Book Review







Love Letters From God is a very beautiful and unique book filled with bible stories for children. Written by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Sophie Allsopp, it's a wonderful way to introduce these stories to children ages four to eight.

But this book is different than other children's bibles, because after each story, there is a loving and encouraging letter for the child to open, each letter tucked away in it's own lift-the-flap envelope. This letter is from God, and offers encouragement, and hope, and lets each child feel very special and loved.

Love Letters From God includes eighteen of the most popular Bible stories, and each story is written in a way that children can understand and learn from them.

Following each story, the child will find their own letter from God, and each letter elaborates and is relevant to the story being told. Parents will love the way these ideas are introduced to their children, and the unique letters filled with God's love.

The illustrations in this book are so beautiful, and it will take awhile to look through the book so that you can appreciate all the details in the pictures. The colors are bold and eye catching, and will certainly be fascinating for children.

After your child has listened to all the loving letters sent to him or her, they then have the chance to write their own letter to God. At the end of the book is a special blank letter where a child can express his own feelings to God, and know that it will be read by him.

It's a wonderful way to express back their own loving feelings to God, and is sure to make parents smile when they hear what their child would like to say.

I think this book is absolutely lovely, and I especially like how it only portrays God as a loving figure. one who offers love and comfort to all children.

It's also a wonderful book to introduce bible stories to young children in a way that they can understand, and encourage them to form the questions that they are bound to ask. Children will love the letters from God, and will feel that they are written just for them.

This book would make a wonderful gift for any child in your life that you want to introduce Bible stories to, with the added letters that make it so very special.

I was given a copy of this book for review, and am expressing my own personal feelings and opinions here.

 

Butternut Squash Soup From Organic Marin Cookbook

I've been seeing all the pumpkins and different kinds of squash in the grocery stores lately, and it inspired me to make some Butternut Squash soup. This soup is such a great one to make on a chilly fall day, and it's also one of my favorites.

This recipe comes from a beautiful book that I bought a few years ago, Organic Marin. It's filled with delicious recipes, and inspiring photos that will make you want to go in the kitchen and start cooking.
I've also seen this at the library, so if you come across it there, be sure and check it out, I know you'll enjoy it.

I just love butternut squash, and use it in lots of recipes during the fall and winter. And it's super healthy for you.

I roasted two squashes, and will freeze the squash from one of them to make soup again in a couple of weeks. It freezes very well, and it's so handy to roast two at the same time.

Pair this with a light salad, and some crusty warm bread for a delicious fall dinner.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds) halved and seeded
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 cloves garlic
4 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Rub the olive oil over the cut sides of the squash and season with 1/4 of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Place the squash, cut side down, on the prepared pan. Tuck the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs under the cavity of the squash. Roast the squash for 50 to 60 minutes, until the squash is soft and caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reserve the garlic cloves and discard the thyme. Scoop the butternut squash flesh from the skin, coarsely chop and set aside.

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and shallots for 7 to 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the roasted squash, the reserved garlic cloves, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the squash begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Puree the soup until smooth with a hand-help blender or in a food processor. Return to the pan if necessary and stir in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serves 6 as a first course.

Make A Halloween Craft From Martha Stewart

                 
I love crafts, with or without the kids. It is fun to do them with the kids, but sometimes I need a grown up craft to make me feel "crafty." When I am looking for crafting ideas I like to turn to Martha Stewart. My Mom adores Martha and says she knew her way back when. Because my Mom has so much admiration for Martha Stewart, I do too. Her projects are relatively simple and always classic. I found this Bat Mobile from the Indoor Halloween Decorations page and knew it was the one for me to make this season. I love simple, black and I love things I can find for free, like the tree branch that the bats are dangling from.

Here is the original from Martha's site. 

                                

And here is my attempt at making the "Bat Mobile"

 I found a stick off of one of our trees outside and sprayed it with black spray paint.

 

 

While the spray paint dried, I printed out the bat template provided and got some black post board out. Card stock can be expensive so I just got a piece of black poster board at 2 for a $1.00 and cut it into pieces. 

Then I cut out the template, traced them by folding the paper in half. She gives you half of the bat so that you can trace it and both sides be equal. 

Last I got my dry branch, fishing string, and hole punch. I didn't punch it all the way through the paper, just punctured it a bit so I could slide the fishing string in. I hung the bats up randomly and at different lengths.

Here is my finished product! I hung it high enough over the sliding glass door to the deck so that the children couldn't reach it. It was late by the end of the day when I got it finished so there is a shadow from the light. But I think that makes it look a little spooky!

 

 

 

 

 

This was originally published 10/16/12

Glazed Pumpkin Bread

 

If it's fall, you can bet I'm busy in the kitchen making pumpkin bread. I just adore eating it, and a cup of tea with a slice of this bread in the afternoon is my idea of heaven.

 

This recipe is easy to make, and adding the powdered sugar glaze makes it even more delicious. I don't roast my own pumpkin, but use the canned kind, which is just as good in my book, and so much easier. The recipe makes two loaves.

 

As yummy as this is to eat at home, it makes a wonderful gift for a friend, neighbor, or even a surprise gift for your child's teacher. Either way, it's delicious, and a perfect way to embrace the fall season. 

 

 

Recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Bread

 

Ingredients:

 

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon
1 1/2 c. each granulated sugar and packed brown sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. canned pumpkin
4 eggs

For glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

 

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the sugars, mixing well.

Mix dry ingredients with the oil and pumpkin, stirring until well combined.Add eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 1/2 x 5 1/4-inch loaf pans.Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Place on wire rack to cool.
To make glaze, stir powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together in a small bowl. With a spoon, drizzle glaze over cooled loaves.

 

Makes 2 loaves.