Snicker Doodle Muffins!

Fall is made of cinnamon, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice....and so are my....

Snicker Doodle Muffins

Ingredients

1/4 cup of packed brown sugar (darker the better)
1/4 cup of white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup of cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup of milk (I used fat free and it worked great, however a higher fat milk would be fine-if not better!)
1 egg

Coating ingredients:1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of melted UNSALTED Butter

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Add flour, baking powder, sugars, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice in stand mixer with paddle attachment.
3. Add the cold butter pieces. Mix on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. In a separate bowl, slightly whisk the egg and milk together then add to the flour mixture.
5. On slow-medium speed mix the egg into the flour mixture until just combined - do not over mix!
6. Using a standard muffin pan, spray with cooking spray or coat with butter.
7. Divide batter by the spoonful equally amongst the muffin cups.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the muffins are almost golden and the tops spring back when lightly touched. 9. Remove from oven and let cool. Combine cinnamon and sugar for coating. Melt the butter, set aside.
10. Un-mold the muffins, lightly brush each muffin with melted butter.
11. Dip each muffin into the cinnamon sugar and roll it around to coat.

ENJOY!

Easy Double Chocolate Scones

These are for the ultimate chocolate lover!

My scones are not the typical scones that are shaped and cut into wedges before baking them. Ive always felt that scone batter needs as little mixing as possible to keep it from being to tough later.

Double Chocolate Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp of granulated sugar (Zulka brand was fantastic in this)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Butter cut into pieces (salted or unsalted butter is fine)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Preheat oven at 375

In mixer with paddle attachment stir all dry ingredients together SLOWLY.

Add in butter a few pieces at a time while mixing.

Let it mix till it looks like a course meal.

Add chocolate chips and let mix till evenly distributed.

Separate bowl: Combine Eggs and buttermilk -whisk together.

Add to dry ingredients while mixing slowly - only mix it just enough to distribute.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls which measures to about 1/3 of a cup of dough for each scone. Drop dough onto un-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 15 minutes, they will look puffy and the shine will be gone. They really don't rise too much.

DON'T over-bake! Dust powdered sugar over the scones for a nice finishing touch!

Don't hesitate to ask questions or comment!

Thanks, Enjoy!

Breakfast is Ready!

All my life I have had to watch my weight and what I eat. I suspect that is the same story for at least 50% of women! I love to eat....often, it isn't what I eat that is the problem its the quantity - usually.

Here is a breakfast that I have found very satisfying and packs a mean punch of fiber and protein and keeps me full longer and my sweet tooth satisfied:

1/2 cup of Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla yogurt (I buy the big tub) - 55 calories
3/4 Cup Kashi Go lean Crisp cereal(it seems more like a granola) - toasted berry crumble - 180 calories
Mix together

2 sliced of pan fried bacon - drained on a paper towel of course - 80 calories (that's both slices combined - how great is that?!)

Total Calories: 315

What do you get?:
17.5 grams protein!
8 grams of fiber

Think about this - you get yogurt, cereal and bacon for 315 calories and those calories are made up of protein and fiber!

I love a lot of crunch in my yogurt and this combination is perfect for me. If its too much crunch for you and you just like a little bit - reduce the cereal and remember to reduce the calories as well.

Enjoy!