Raspberry Muffins

Earlier this year I made the best blueberry muffins ever

and I shared this picture of them on Instagram.

I unfortunately didn't take any pictures to blog about those,

but just a few weeks later I decided to swap out the blueberries

and make raspberry muffins following the same recipe!

I'm going to warn you now - this post was almost a fail.

Luckily I put on my thinking cap and figured out a way to save them.

But since I made the mistake, you guys might too.

And I figured it was best to confess my mistake and

also show you what I did to fix it.

Keep reading to see how they're made and how I screwed up in the process.

HAHA #bloggerfail

The Goods:

All-Purpose Flour

Sugar

Salt

Baking Powder

Vegetable Oil

Eggs

Milk

Raspberries

Butter

Ground Cinnamon

Lemon Zest (Not Pictured)

In a large bowl, combine the following:

3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 

4 teaspoons baking powder and zest from one lemon.

In medium bowl, combine the following:

1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour and 3 teaspoons cinnamon.

Set aside. 

In a large measuring cup, add 2/3 cup vegetable oil and two eggs.

Then add enough milk (about 2/3 cup) to make 2 cups total and mix well.

Pour the milk mixture into the large mixing bowl with the flour mixture.

Stir to combine, being careful not to over mix.

Carefully fold your raspberries into the dough.

Cube 1/2 cup of softened butter...

And add to the medium bowl of flour mixture you'd set aside.

Mix the cubed butter in with a folk until mixture is crumbly.

Carefully fill each muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full.

Then add the crumb topping to each.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Test that they're done by inserting a toothpick.

If it comes out clean your muffins are done baking!

Remove from oven, cool in pan for a minute or two,

and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Now here's where I realized these were almost a failure...

The pretty muffin cups I was using had a max temperature of 350 degrees,

but silly Robyn sadly didn't pay attention to that little detail.

And I ended up burning the bottoms of probably 75% of the muffins!

(Insert super sad face here.)

After being sad for a few minutes, I decided to try to remedy the situation

by removing the muffins from the cups and then chopping off the burnt bottoms.

That's a lot of wasted pretty little muffin cups! 

But in the end, the muffins turned out great!

The wrappers weren't nearly as pretty as I'd hoped....

But they tasted pretty darn amazing!

And I was able to give them away in cute little packaging as planned.  

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

Adapted from All Recipes

For the Muffins:

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

 1 1/2 Cupa Sugar

1 Teaspoon Salt

4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

2/3 Cup Milk

2 Cups Fresh Raspberries

Zest from One Lemon

For the Crumb Topping:

1 Cup Sugar

2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Butter, Cubed

3 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon salt,  4 teaspoons baking powder and zest from one lemon.
2. In medium bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour and 3 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside. 
3. In a large measuring cup, add 2/3 cup vegetable oil and two eggs. Then add enough milk (about 2/3 cup) to make 2 cups total and mix well.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the large mixing bowl with the flour mixture. Stir to combine, being careful not to over mix.
5. Carefully fold your raspberries into the dough.
6. Cube 1/2 cup of butter and add to the medium bowl of flour mixture you'd set aside. Mix the cubed butter in with a folk until mixture is crumbly.
7. Fill each muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full. Fill rest of the way with crumb topping.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Test that they're done by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean your muffins are done baking!
9. Remove from oven, cool in pan for a minute or two, and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Fruit Pizza

My aunt offered to make me a birthday cake this year,

and since food really is my love language,

I offered to make a birthday cake for her in return!

She agreed to a birthday treat, but didn't want a cake.

She said she wanted something with fruit on it,

so that's when I turned to trusty Google.

I found quite a few things that looked absolutely amazing,

but I pretty much stopped looking when I found this!

I was drooling just looking at the recipe if I'm being honest.

I wanted the Fruit Pizza to be perfect for the birthday,

so I did the only logical thing one would do...

make one ahead of time as a trial run!!!

Now keep reading to see how the trial run went.

The Goods:

Shortening

Sugar

Orange Zest

Vanilla

Eggs

Whole Milk

Flour

Baking Powder

Salt

Marshmallow Fluff

Cream Cheese

Fresh Fruit

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, add shortening, sugar, orange zest and vanilla.

And then cream the above mixture.

Add in the eggs.

Then beat until fluffy.

Now time for the milk.

Mix that up too.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

The dough when finished mixing.

Flatten the dough between two sheets of waxed paper.

And refrigerate at least one hour.

(Dough can be refrigerated a few days!)

Remove dough from refrigerator.

And at this point I cut my dough in half.

Then press half the dough into a greased 9x13 sheet pan.

Bat 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

The edges will be a nice golden brown when done

Let cookie cool completely.

Add the marshmallow fluff and cream cheese to a bowl.

Using the whisk attachment, beat until combined, light and fluffy.

Spread mixture onto cooled cookie crust.

I didn't leave an edge on this one,

but did for my aunt's and I like both equally.

Place the fresh fruit all over your fruit pizza to your liking.

Cut yourself a nice big piece...

And then dig in!!!

Fruit Pizza

(Recipe from The Pioneer Woman)

1 1/3 Cup Shortening

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Orange Zest

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Eggs

8 Teaspoons Whole Milk

4 Cups Flour

3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Jars (13 oz) Marshmallow Fluff

2 Packages (8 oz) Cream Cheese

Fresh Fruit

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, orange zest and vanilla.
4. Add the egg and beat until fluffy.
5. Add the milk and mix again.
6. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
7. Press dough mixture between two sheets of wax paper and refrigerate for at least one hour, but up to a few days if needed.
8. Cut dough in half and press one half into greased 9x13 baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
10. Cool completely.
11. Using whisk attachment, mix 1 block of cream cheese with 1 jar of marshmallow fluff. 
12. Spread mixture over cooled cookie crust and top with fresh fruit.
13. Slice and then devour a slice. And maybe have a second too! 

Garden: New & Improved!

The building I live in is currently being repainted. That obviously includes painting balcony and if you follow my blog, you know how many plants I have on my balcony! While I'm happy for a newly painted balcony, I was not looking forward to moving everything.

I got a notice saying they were going to be painting my balcony on this past Saturday. It actually worked out great because I would have hated to take apart and put my balcony back together during the work week. It sounds like it's not that hard, but I have quite a few plants...

I woke up early Saturday morning and took all the small pants inside. The only thing left on my balcony was a tall storage unit, an old piece of furniture that I use for a multi-level plant stand, my lime tree, the climbing jasmine and a few succulents. Everything else basically took over my apartment den!

Plants, plants and MORE plants.

They were wasn't much room to walk.

This made me realize how many plants I really have.

And it's LOTS!!!

A different view from the hallway.

The almost empty balcony.

And the windows getting protected for painting!

They were done painting by about noon and I was outside setting everything back up a few hours later. While it was a little annoying to move everything in and out, it gave me a good opportunity to clean the balcony like crazy. I even decided to do a little reorganizing in the process. And due to that, I just HAD to buy some new goodies for the garden to fill empty space! :)

I rearranged the hanging flower boxes...

Added some new flowers...

And even added two new flower boxes too!

The climbing jasmine and flower boxes.

More flower boxes and other garden goodness!

White Geranium

Geraniums in two shade of PINK about to bloom!

A corner filled with many different flowers.

Basil, Mint and Flat Leaf Parsley

Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage and NEW Dill.

Trying it for like the third or fourth time... please work this time dill!!

The Jalapeno Plant 

There are just SO many peppers, blossoms and buds! 

I'm thinking, and hoping, it's going to be a good year for my jalapeno plant!!!

Look at my tomato plant take off!

There are already multiple little cluster of flowers growing. 

I moved the lime tree to a different corner.

And I'm thinking it's new placement is much better!

I decided to add a raspberry plant to fill some empty space! 

Oh and a blueberry plant too!

Check back soon to see the progress on all the new and old garden favorites! The weather has been amazing and everything is really starting to grow like crazy!!!