© 2012 Clare Gasiliauskas
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Apple & Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins {RECIPE}
There is something about rainy days that makes me want to bake.
Maybe it is the warmth from the oven, spreading sweet smells across the house, maybe it is the delicious reward at the end.
I just love it.
I looked at my fruit bowl and saw two lonely granny smith apples.
Too tart to eat raw, I decided some cooking needed to be done.
I usually would whip up a nice crumble, but I decided to do something different.
I dug up an old recipe for apple & cinnamon muffins and drooled a little over the thought of these tasty morsels.
The pantry doors were thrown open and I started to throw ingredients out onto my kitchen bench.
Uh oh.
Oh dear!
No cinnamon.
Hmmm!
I dug myself into my baking supplies shelf and scanned the few items in there...
Voila!
I pulled two extra ingredients out and began to create.
And this is what I ended up with:
Delicious Apple & Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins.
With a slightly crispy base, but a light and fluffy inside...
...I was in love!
I figured it was also a good way to get some extra fruit in the day.
(Hubby and kids had no idea there was any apple in these!)
Apple & Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
1 tbspn baking powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 small apples, peeled and grated
125g butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
Melt the butter and place to the side to cool.
Preheat oven to 180*C.
Place eggs, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and beat until combined.
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, chocolate chips and grated apple.
Once butter is cool, add to egg and milk mixture, then stir into flour and apple mixture.
Stir until just combined, it will be very lumpy.
Place large tablespoons full of mixture into greased muffin tray and bake for 15-20mins, or until lightly golden.
Enjoy!
Maybe it is the warmth from the oven, spreading sweet smells across the house, maybe it is the delicious reward at the end.
I just love it.
I looked at my fruit bowl and saw two lonely granny smith apples.
Too tart to eat raw, I decided some cooking needed to be done.
I usually would whip up a nice crumble, but I decided to do something different.
I dug up an old recipe for apple & cinnamon muffins and drooled a little over the thought of these tasty morsels.
The pantry doors were thrown open and I started to throw ingredients out onto my kitchen bench.
Uh oh.
Oh dear!
No cinnamon.
Hmmm!
I dug myself into my baking supplies shelf and scanned the few items in there...
Voila!
I pulled two extra ingredients out and began to create.
And this is what I ended up with:
Delicious Apple & Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins.
With a slightly crispy base, but a light and fluffy inside...
...I was in love!
I figured it was also a good way to get some extra fruit in the day.
(Hubby and kids had no idea there was any apple in these!)
Apple & Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
1 tbspn baking powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 small apples, peeled and grated
125g butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
Melt the butter and place to the side to cool.
Preheat oven to 180*C.
Place eggs, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and beat until combined.
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, chocolate chips and grated apple.
Once butter is cool, add to egg and milk mixture, then stir into flour and apple mixture.
Stir until just combined, it will be very lumpy.
Place large tablespoons full of mixture into greased muffin tray and bake for 15-20mins, or until lightly golden.
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
DIY Edible Finger Paint
The sun is shining for the first time in what feels like months (probably just a week in reality).
I have so much washing to do.
The one time my daughter wets the bed is when it is pouring down with rain, freezing cold, and she manages to pee through our only two doonas.
Aaargh!
My kids are fans of the good old tv, but only for short bursts.
I try and catch up on washing.
I can't bring the kids outside with the piercing cold wind, and a girl who must be a nudist.
(I swear she would go nude in the snow!!)
I check the cupboards for art supplies.
She has done stickers.
She has coloured.
She mad a giant mess with play doh.
PAINT!
She loves to paint, and the little guy can join in too.
Awesome.
Except...
There is no more paint.
It's ok, we can go for a walk up to the shops.
Get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, maybe go to the park.
Except...
The pram is in the boot of the car.
At work with my husband.
Aaargh!
So what do I do?
Pinterest, of course!
I type in finger paint and a whole swathe of choices pop up in front of me.
I click on this one here, and decide it is a winner.
It requires minimal ingredients.
Powdered milk.
Water.
Food dye.
Easy!
Mix 3 cups of powdered milk with one cup of water.
Divide into bowls and colour with food dye (you don't need too much).
Makes some funky coral-like patterns...
The little guy was not quite sure what to do at first...
Oh, I see....
This is kinda fun!
Admiring his work...
Messy fun!
Let's see if the big girl likes it too...
Oh this is fun!
Goopy...
....Messy, fun!
(Sorry for the photos all over the place. Blogger does not want to co-operate today and would much rather be all artsy and chuck my pics wherever it wants!)
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