Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1.25 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup whole milk
2.75 cups fresh blueberries
sugar in the raw

1. Preheat your oven to 375 and line a muffin tin with 18 paper liners. Rinse berries and allow to drain.

2. In a large bowl beat the softened butter until smooth. Add in the cup of sugar and blend until pale yellow. Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each egg is added.

3. Next measure and add in the vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined.

4. Add in 1 cup of the flour, mix. 1/4 cup of milk, blend. The remaining flour, mix and repeat with the remainder of the milk. Mix on medium speed until the batter is thick and smooth.

5. Toss the blueberries in with a tablespoon of flour and stir. Add the blueberries to the batter and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the batter.

6. Divide the muffin batter among 18 paper liners. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar in the raw and then bake in a preheated oven for 15-19 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. (My lighter colored muffin tin took an additional 3 minutes beyond the longest bake time.) Muffins are done when they spring back from the touch.

7. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 18 muffins.

Read more...

Lasagna Soup

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
5 cups chicken broth
4 oz mini pasta (shape of your choice)
5 oz fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper
grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and saute, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add onions and garlic; saute until softened.

3. In a large pot, combine broth, tomatoes in their juice and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper; stir. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat. Add ground beef mixture. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add pasta to soup. Then add spinach, stirring gently, until spinach has completely wilted.

5. Serve topped with grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella, whichever you prefer.

Serves 6.

Read more...